what a night

my birthday dinner out with the girls was terrific. sheryl and the kellys made me feel like a million bucks. first they gave me some fantastic stuff from the 212 New York Skyline dinnerware from fishs eddy. then it was off to suzy wong's house of yum, where we occupied the premiere table by the window, and were treated like the princesses we so deserve to be.

the food was fan-tast-tic. what can i say? it was out of this world. the crunchy shrimp and avacado maki roll was heaven. i don't know what chef arnold myint does to it, but it simply melts in your mouth.

and the five spice pork ribs were an outstanding mix of heat and sweet - so tender they dropped from the bone. we had the garlic and holy basil egg noodle lo mein, plus a few other things. everything absolutely stellar.

and the buttery 'just sauvignon blanc' was tremendous. the night could not have been more special. our server stephanie was extremely helpful (and patient) and house manager donnie even stopped by for a moment or two.

i cannot recommend this place enough.

go. now.

well? go on.

The posse, left to right: queen of nut allergies kelly r. ("k-rock"); Michigander Kelly B; me; and total Texan Sheryl R.

hurray for fishs eddy!

somebody has been reading my mind ... or has been reading my blog ... or both, because i received this box from fishs eddy yesterday in the mail. i'm saving it to open on saturday on my official birthday. thanks, twinnie, i know it was you!

getting sentimental for a minute, if you don't mind.

being a twin is one of the most defining factors of my life. i was never afraid to go to school because jean was with me.

usually we sat in the same desk together and rode on the school bus in the same seat.

we dressed alike for more years than i care to admit. sometimes, when we're together, we still do.

even though we live 1,971 miles way from each other, it's not unusual that we would buy the same lipstick in the same shade on the same day. without talking about it first.

i also have a tremendous bond with my "big" sister, charlotte, that grows each day. she was the one to teach me to read, to dream of college, of doing something wonderful with my life. we may not be triplets, but today, it feels like it.

i love my sisters. can you tell? and lest i forget - my brother david too. Oh, and mom, thanks for having me. it may be the twins' birthday, but it's really your day, afterall.

enjoy these lovely old snaps.

good morning, bippy!

i saw this on my drive in today. i'm guessing bippy has a lot of good days. with a name like bippy, how could you not?

apple brown betty

the other night i was feeling blue and stopped by my friend's house. her mom was in town and she had made apple brown betty. i don't know what apple brown betty is or how to make it. i just know it made things better.

i stole this pic from food network online. here's the recipe, in case you need a little pick-me-up yourself.

holiday give-away

check out this adorable book, kristin and the santa secret. my friend wrote it and it has been getting a great response amongst my mommy friends.

if you've ever struggled with how to tell your child the real truth about santa, this book makes it easy. it's sweet, inspiring and based on a true story. buy it here.

or leave a comment and get a free copy of your own if you are randomly selected on monday.

good luck!

it's monday but i'm already thinking about friday.

some of my gal pals and i have reservations at suzy wong's house of yum and i can't wait. this new eatery, with renowned chef arnold myint at the helm, is sure to be an A plus experience. my birthday is the excuse for gathering. i so enjoy turning 34 year after year.

PS that little booger holding the ball is me at age 2 1/2. i'll post some twin pics later this week.

just for fun

i am all about this set of dinneware from fishs eddy.

it's called 212 new york skyline and i love it.

i first saw it at the beautiful apartment on madison avenue my sisters and I were so fortunate to stay in a few weeks ago.

this set is so charming and quaint, yet captures the fabulosity that is NYC. i especially love this sugar bowl.

i simply must have. must.

in love with fall

The weather is divine. We are out for a walk.

and the lucky winner is ...

Kelly - i will get the humanscale switch mouse to you today! congratulations!!!

mexican food news.

A few tidbits for those of us who love mexican food (albeit americanized).

chipotle is coming Nov. 13 to the west end shopping center that houses ted's montana grill (in the former bittners, which has moved down a few spots). expect a line. this chain has followers. i am told i won't darken the door of qdoba ever, ever again, once i've had chipotle. (pictured)

chatanooga-based taco mamacita is coming to edghill village in the (sadly) now closed rosario's. could be december before it's actually open for biz. i hear they have a 50s pinup decor and uniquely named tacos, like the The Oy Vey, which is filled with chipotle beef brisket and habanera escabeche (peppers in vinegar). i'm intriqued.

la paz is moving from green hills (some say that the new nordstrom store will need that area to build a parking garage) to midtown. elliston place, in the former ombi, to be exact. they better ramp up their efforts, because the competition is getting muy caliente.

the local taco in sylvan park has been around long enough to have legs. i may go back to see if things are perked up. my first visit was not bad, just unremarkable. they DO have a heated patio, and that's a good thing this time of year.

and last, but not least, i'm still a big fan of the recently opened cantina laredo in the gulch. the flavors will knock you off your feet. loving their tableside-made guacamole. slightly pricey, worth it for special nights out.

ok, now i'm hungry. darn it.

fall is here

i picked up two sacks of these beautiful pine cones on my walk back from lunch.

sisters, sisters ...

there were never more devoted sisters. Feel free to sing along.

I miss my sissies today. here are a few more shots from our NYC trip. where will go next? what scarves will we wear? just wait and see.

an artist in the family

my nephew drake is quite an artist. he is 10 and already showing great signs of being an artist, engineer or software design mogul. i loved this drawing that he posted on the fridge on halloween. go drake-o!

there's just something about kelle

i've been reading kelle hampton's blog for the past year. she's my sister charlotte's neighbor in naples, florida, and is a gifted photographer and mom.

when she's not photographing kids, babies, couples and families, she is hard at work documenting every moment of her two-year-old lainey love's life, from her tea parties to her precious little toes.

i love how kelle goes wonderfully overboard on being a mom. loving every minute of it and capturing it for us all.

it was surreal this past weekend when i met her for the first time, met little lainey and saw the house and people and surroundings i've only viewed by way of the computer screen all these months.

i must admit i was a little bit star struck. and best of all, she photographed my sister charlotte and me, AND my cupcakes and put them on her blog.

it's kind of a dream come true, actually.

Oh, and the cupcakes, the cupcakes! Charlotte (the real baker in the family, besides my mom, i mean) and i experimented with a buttermilk cupcake recipe and it was a complete success. We made a buttercream icing (with more buttermilk, to give it tang) and topped the cakes with crushed oreos and milano cookie gravestones.

And you know what? they were good. really good.