another pre-birthday dinner

My mom arrives around 1.  Until my dad got sick, my mom would visit for every birthday.  It’s nice to have her here; she is an easy and considerate guest.  And of course I love seeing her.

She arrives with beautiful pink roses, in celebration of my birthday that is tomorrow. 

Tonight we are having dinner with Valerie and Abbey.  Unfortunately Adam, Jason and Amanda can’t make it, and I think  this year will be the first time that Alexander won’t be with me as well.  His spring break is in two weeks.  Sort of ridiculous, I think.

Our reservation is at Club A, an eastside steak house I’ve been to once, five years ago.  I remember it being very good; tonight it is excellent.

We are seated upstairs.  It is quieter than the loud downstairs, but still filled with people so we don’t feel separated from the energy of the restaurant.  And, the room is charming, replete with a fireplace and a wall of windows covered with glittering trees.  We are even handed special menus.

I always order the same entree at a steak house: NY strip, medium rare, charred on the outside.  The lobster appetizer is half a lobster and could easily pass for a full meal.  It is excellent.  As are the two Cosmopolitans I drink, the vegetable sides, and the dessert medley for the table.

I ask our waiter to take a picture.  I think my sister is embarrassed, but then I see another table asking their waiter for a photo.  “They’re probably tourists,” my sister comments.  Perhaps, but I still want a photo, so everyone complies.