Miniature Things: It's time to Cel-e-brate

The last few days have been riddled with Celebration! First, Brad and I had our Anniversary dinner at Eve in Kerrytown. I won't go into elaborate detail, (even though the foodie in me wants to) but it was DElish. We started with the house french loaf and butter medallions. I know it's ridiculous, but this was probably my favorite part of the meal. Smoked salmon, Guava lime, and fresh herb butters all for me? Amazing. We ordered appetizers of curried mussels and the Thai Chicken dumplings. While the dumplings were pretty good, the mussels were flipping spectacular (we had to ask for more bread just to mop up all the remaining curry) and we would order them again in the future (oh, and there will be a next time, and hopefully sooner than later!) We moved on after the appetizers to a soup/salad course. I went with the mixed green salad, while Brad ordered the tomato lentil soup. Both were notable. The mixed green salad had both torn basil leaves and sunflower shoots, and was finished with a fig vinaigrette. I'm still salivating about it. For entrees, Brad went with the Delmonico special, whereas I tried the seafood lasagna. Both were very good, but I think we were too full from appetizers and drinks to fully appreciate their depth. Dessert included a peach mousse with a lavender peach shortbread accompaniment (this was fantastic) and Brad had an ice cream sundae of sorts, made with real vanilla bean ice cream, lemon curd, and plenty of fresh berries topped with homemade whipped cream in a martini glass. Yummy! Also worth noting, were the wine flights we both ordered. I went with the "pairs well with food" reds, whereas Brad tried out the exotic reds (although we think it's possible they brought him the whites flight instead). Regardless, we found a few wines we really enjoyed, and even had our server write down the name of one from Italy we particularly liked so that we can try to buy a case or so. Unfortunately, I don't have but one picture from the evening, and it's a silly one. Brad was drinking scotch with water, and our server brought out his water in the cutest little glass! It's the fluted one on the right.

Celebrations continued on Saturday with a birthday dinner for Birgit, who turned 27. You don't look a day over 22 sweetheart. ;-) Ladies night for Birg started off at Grizzly Peak for dinner, drinks at the Grizzly Peak bar afterward, more drinks and plenty of dancing at the Cavern Club, and finally, a buttery nipple at Conner O'Neills. Here's Birg looking incredibly Birgalicious in her tiara and cute pink getup. I hope we celebrated you proud sista!

Sunday found me joining my sister at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn for the Chocolate exhibition. While it was interesting to learn about the history of chocolate and how it came to be, I was very disappointed in the lack of actual chocolate to taste! There was a chocolate cafe, where you were able to purchase chocolate covered things (like potato chips they dip in a chocolate fountain and charge you $4 for) but it closed before we even made it through the exhibition. Despite that disappointment, we did manage to enjoy ourselves and the museum. Here's a few quick highlights:

Claudia loves the weinermobile

I love giant chocolates

Mexico also loves chocolate; including at Day of the Dead celebrations

Claudia plays with old school museum toys

Finally, I spent late Sunday evening having a quiet dinner party with some Rochester friends, the primary one being Krums, who flew in from Germany with her husband Florian before heading to Canada and their cabin for the 4th of July weekend. It was great to catch up, and her mother, in typical Martha Stewart style, had a cute little wedding cake for us to eat laid out among all the wedding albums that several of us had yet to see. It was perfect. And speaking of perfect, Krums must have some esp or something!! In a weird turn of coincidences, Krums brought me some mini Ritter sport (you know, because I like mini things?), which completely fulfilled the chocolate craving I was having earlier after not getting to eat any at the museum. Life is so unpredictable sometimes! Add those mini chocolates to the mini potatoes I found at the farmer's market on Saturday morning, and the mini bag that Birg brought me back from her DG convention in CA, and you have a happy little surprise like the one below.