The big FOUR-OH

Well, Thursday was the big day. . . I turned 40 years old! Wow, I guess I'm really a grown-up now?! I was a little disappointed that I wasn't doing something BIG for my fortieth, but my friends and family made sure that the day didn't go by without some well-wishes and and a reminder of how many people care about me. From the 16th to the 18th (some of my friends are getting older and can't remember that I was actually born on the 17th!), I received quite a few emails, e-cards, phone calls and messages (three of which actually contained full choruses of "Happy Birthday to You!"!!



Everyone who knows me knew that my day would be defined by cuisine! Whit & Kathie took me out to dinner Thursday night at a restaurant owned by one of their friends. It's a Thai restaurant named Rama. This place isn't just a great place to eat fine Thai cuisine, it's a place to experience it! From the enormous stone wall from which water trickles ever so peacefully to the Asian art adorning the walls, this place instantly transports you to a more exotic locale than downtown San Diego (nothing against San Diego though!). Strategically placed sheers seemingly floating from the ceiling makes the huge dining area seem small and intimate. For some reason, my photography skills were off that night and my pictures just don't do this establishment justice.



We started off with Summer Rolls (kind of like Spring rolls but steamed instead of fried), and one of the best soups I've ever experienced- Tom Kha (coconut lemon grass soup). I knew we still had a lot of food coming, but Whit and I couldn't help but finish off the huge steaming bowl of the stuff before the entrees came! Our entrees included Spinach fae Dang (spinach stir-fried with garlic & chili with steamed seafood), seafood Choo Chee (red curry with coconut milk, peas, bell peppers and lime leaves) and pineapple fried rice (chicken & shrimp, cashew nuts, pineapple, onions, tomato & eggs served in a pineapple!). Our favorite was definitely the Choo Chee (closeup pic), but the pineapple rice was delicious and fun to eat! Of course all this was accompanied by a smooth red wine. For the finale, I was presented with a plate of mango rice with a candle to blow out for my birthday. Even for a chocoholic like me, the sweetness of the sticky rice & mango concoction was the perfect ending to the variety of spices & textures we had just consumed. If you're ever in San Diego and like Thai food, a visit to Rama is a must!

The birthday celebrations ended last night with dinner at the Coronado Brewing Company and a couple of beers at McP's here on Coronado with a couple of friends from work. I'm excited about the two days off that lay ahead and am planning to just hang out and relax. After all, I did just turn 40!