Choosing the restaurant for my birthday dinner is not a simple matter. Someplace new or tried and true? Sounds somewhat like a bride’s wedding directive, right? Something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue…I’ll get to that in a bit.
So much is going on now. Heading cross-country in the early sunlight.
Yesterday was my birthday. Return to Feast with its tried and true creative chef? Try Cafe a la C’Art for dinner? We like it so much for a luxurious weekend breakfast on their patio, but they’re not open on Tuesday evenings. After much deliberation, I decided: Go downtown to the new Proper.
It had no vibe. Our nice enough waitperson brought us a bottle of water; the size reminded me of those propane tanks used for camp stoves. Its contents were tepid on a very warm Tucson evening. I had to ask for ice. This did not bode well.
No bread was delivered to our table. A large slice of French-like bread sat on each of our entrees, unadorned with butter or a side of olive oil. Seemed odd. I had Greek sea bass with capers, which was very tasty. I imagined it was the fish of choice for dining by the Mediterranean Sea.
The highlight of my birthday meal — as it usually is — was the chocolate dessert: a chile-dark chocolate tart. Yum. So spicy, so perfect.
And now for the wedding. My daughter, Brook, is marrying Gian in Southwest Harbor on July 5. They’ve done all the planning for a spectacular celebration. I can’t wait. Just look at her shoes.
Tucson Writer Editor 
I can’t wait to see a picture of the bride wearing those shoes – And her mama in a purple dress and silver slippers! This is a big turning point in life, Sheila, seeing our kids get married. Celebrating our 37th anniversary yesterday here in Vermont where we were married amidst blooming peonies thirty-seven years ago, Thacher brought me a bouquet of wildflowers from the field he just hayed. We had to cancel our celebratory dinner because I was sick in bed, but we were happy reminiscing throughout the day of long ago; and happy anticipating seeing our beloved grandson, Rafi, this weekend when we return to Berkeley. The sun is out this morning at 6:00, for the first time in a week. I’m up already, got to catch it while it shines, shining through the deep purple siberian iris petals, drying off every blade of soaked grass, splashing across the new furrows of neatly snipped hay. Life is precious, life is fleeting. We have to grab it now. It’s supposed to rain this afternoon. Have an epic cross-country auto trip with your man by your side, into this new chapter of life. Love, Olivia
Happy Anniversary to you and Thacher! Thirty-seven years, wow! Life is precious and fragile and strange and nutty. But it’s all we got and I love it. Having wonderful dear friends like adds so much to my life. Thank you for always being there.
Ooo-la-la!!! Tres chic!
Started to head east for Maine — the way life should be!