Friday 05 September 2003

Birthday redux

Looking back a bit here - a whole month to be precise - chiefly because I was reminded due to it being David's birthday on Saturday, and Tuxedo's sister Jen's birthday next Saturday.  I turned 34 on 8 August, and had one of the very best birthdays in many years (and I've had some damn good ones - those spent with Tuxedo stand out, of course, mush mush).

As it was a Friday, we decided to make a full-on Dirty Weekend of it.  We booked a deluxe suite (king-size bed, jacuzzi, free champagne) for Friday AND Saturday nights, at the hotel at which we got engaged back in 2001 - and they even gave us the very same suite which added yet more romantic mushiness to the scene.  We also reserved dinner at two fantastic (and pricey) restaurants which I'd always wanted to try - the Globe Restaurant at the Parmelia Hilton for Friday night, and Chanterelles at the Hyatt for Saturday.  It sounds dreadfully extravagant, and of course it was, but we got 50% of the room rate and 35% off each dinner bill with our Gold Entertainment Card (link?), which made it an absolute bargain, because of course, we were going to do all that stuff anyway.

Tuxedo had been teasing me for literally months (before he even arrived in Perth) vis a vis my birthday present, and he wouldn't give it to me until Friday night ... so I figured it was something fairly significant and possibly in the jewellery line of gift.  In the meantime, my parents gave me a beautiful new boxed set of The Lord of the Rings;  hardback and with colour illustrations by Alan Lee, who as any LOTR buffs will know is THE Tolkein artist and a major influence on the films.  So naturally I was overwhelmed by that.  The CEO gave me an incredibly generous gift token to one of Perth's more "speccy" department stores; Erin and Dave gave me a matching choker and bracelet (made by Erin) and a pair of knickers with "Jules' Jox" painted on the back in glow-in-the-dark paint.  No pressie from Jacob of course (he's hopeless, I can't remember the last time he gave anyone a birthday present!) and David and Micah gave me a few starting pieces for a picnic set (fabulous quality polycarbonate plates and goblets, two small brutally sharp knives, a waiter's friend etc).  So already I was well-endowed and awed by the generosity of my family and friends.  Wow.

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So, Friday ...  We packed our case and checked into the hotel at about 2 pm, had a bit of a, um, roll about, then went for a wander around town, picking up a couple of minor items (eg, new rice bowls) and having a nice leisurely time.  There was something about the whole weekend actually; even though we're SO familiar with Perth city and are in there for some mundane reason or another fairly often, being able to just drift about then go back to base at the lovely hotel whenever we felt like it was simply delightful and thoroughly recommended.

In the evening we got ourselves tarted up (little black dress for me; Tuxedo looking dreamy in a good suit) and ready to go out.  And then Tuxedo gave me my pressie (he'd been debating whether to give it to me over dinner; I'm so glad he didn't because I would have spent the whole time in the Ladies' looking at it; as it was I did have a couple of extra trips).  My birthday pressie, all the way from our favourite, sensational and expensive jewellery shop in Belfast (Lunns, if anyone's interested - we also got my engagement ring and our wedding rings there) turned out to be the most spectacular articulated heavy linked 18 ct white gold and yellow gold collarette.  OH MY GOD.

OH MY GOD.

So yeah, I liked my husband's birthday present to me.  It looks really fabulous on, sits perfectly and is the ideal length.  And heavy ... OH MY GOD.  And yes it is insured thank you very much.

After we'd tidied ourselves up again and I'd reapplied make-up, we set off for the restaurant.   Oh wow it was so so good; my gourmet's soul and greedy pig's appetite were both well accounted for.  After a drink at the bar we were seated, chose our food and wine (I knew the wine waiter which was kinda freaky and Tux let slip it was my birthday ... ).  I had the tasting starter, which was three little piles of different absolutely sublime entrees and Tux had the most divine venison salad dish.  Then he had baby rack of lamb and I had a bouillabaise, which was pretty damn good but a little too tomatoey, to be truthful, but was fine with the merlot we'd ordered.  But oh the food was so good.  I figured I'd have to skip dessert - I always have to, because of the gluten thing which cuts out tarts and puddings, of course - but Mal the wine waiter had arranged with the kitchen and out came a huge dessert plate with three goblets of different sorbets and ice creams and belgian chocolates with Happy Birthday piped around the edge.  Awwwwwwww.  Tux had a yummy looking lime tart.

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Saturday was really more of the same; a late delicious breakfast in the hotel dining room, then we wandered around, took um naps, tried out the jacuzzi some more, until dinner.  My idea of perfect slothfulness and other deadly sin-making.  Dinner was at a renonwned seafood restaurant so of course we had seafood.  After a glass of bubbly while we agonised over the menu, Tuxedo had salmon gravlax with trout mousse and I had a smoked fish chowder with shellfish (outstanding) then for mains Tux had baby veal (the heathen) and I had a mixed plate of beautifully presented grilled seafood, with a delicious sauvignon blanc.  Yum again.  Tux even went for dessert - two baby dessert crumbles with coordinating ice creams - while I had a huge glass of Baileys on ice.

Feeling exceedingly well fed and pleased, we walked back to the hotel (half an hour's walk) which helped get dinner down enough so we could enjoy a jacuzzi et al.  Then we fell into a stunned sleep (a bit of a rarity for both us insomniacs) before waking to Sunday breakfast as before (fried everything) and a late checkout.  What a fabulous way to spend a weekend!  We've decided to make it a traditional birthday celebration, so we'll be doing the same thing again (different hotels and restaurants, most likely though) in November for Tuxedo's birthday.

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God I'm lucky.  I mean, in spite of the physical shite, I have this great guy who treats me amazingly, we have a great time together and really enjoy life together.  So yeah; it was a damn good birthday. 

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