He started us off with a cozy champagne brunch at home (featuring my favorite GF waffles) and mimosas, while I opened presents and revealed the days' itinerary (it had been a surprise. When Alex asked what I wanted for my birthday, I asked for "a day of fun.")
We bundled up for the frigid February gusts and rode up to Central Park for a horse-drawn carriage ride. I know, it's kinda cheesy, but it's the kind of thing you really have to try once and embrace for the experience. And I loved it.
Alex knows that my head is often in the clouds--dreaming of magical lands and times past--so he led me through the park to Belvedere Castle, a wonderful "medieval" structure designed early in the Park's history. We wandered through the airy rooms to several rooftops and balconies canopied with stone carvings and impish sculptures before winding our way down the stairs to the pond below.
We played tourist and helped others take photos, exchanging cameras at scenic locations. The crisp air and hints of spring, along with the (finally!) muffled noises from the city were so transportative, we could have been in an Old World forest. It was perfect.
Of course, all that walking and fighting the chill made us pretty hungry, so we headed downtown to a famous gluten-free restaurant I'd been dying to try, Risotteria. As the name implies, they speicalize in Italian foods, and almost everything can be made gluten free. Imagine my delight when, after almost a year of abstention, I could indulge in breadsticks, pizza, and cake! It was a memorable meal, made more delightful by the fact that I could order anything on the menu and not worry, and I didn't have to ask the server a million questions about ingredients (they are very up-front about vegetarian ingredients too). Charming, delicious, relaxing...everything a restaurant experience should be.
I was grinning all over at this point, and we still had more birthday to celebrate. We dashed Uptown to catch Chicago on Broadway, in all its Fosse splendor, and danced in our seats throughout the production. While the night drew to a close, Alex had two more surprises for me: a (very generous) trip to see the Martha Stewart Show (air date 3/13/09-- you can pick us out in the audience shots at the beginning-- I'm wearing a bright turquoise dress and black wrap) and tickets to the top of the Empire State Building! I'm breathless just from writing it all down.My favorite birthdays are the ones that last the longest, and Alex did an amazing job of packing my day full of beautiful things, as well as giving us more to look forward to in the Ides of March. My family and friends also filled my house with love (several bountiful bouquets), cards, gifts, and a general outpouring of joy that really makes the day so memorable. So thank you to everyone for their birthday wishes! I have a good feeling about this one.
(photos coming soon)
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