what a busy, full and wonderful birthday
i had yesterday! i started with a three hour
critique group meeting with my writing friends.
brainstormed with them about possible revisions
to the sequel.

in the evening, tried market in del mar for the
first time. very impressed by their food! the love
and i both did the four course tasting menu. their
portions are huge! they list all the dishes offered
on the menu with a trio of ingredients (which i won’t
remember here).

most amusing thing was that both tables sitting
next to me asked if i was taking fotos of the dishes
for a magazine. hee! nope. i’m just a foodie!!

i started with a chilled avocado soup with
cherry tomatoes and chunks of lobster. YUM!

the love got the fig and strawberry salad with
a side of brie on toast.

we both had the salmon. and it was also
our favorite dish, i think! with sweet corn
and chanterelle mushrooms.

the love got the miso cod.

i tried the wiener schnitzel! i’ve never had it
and it’s pork loin that’s pounded thin then
breaded and deep fried. it tasted a lot like katsu!
i didn’t eat the fried egg on top. but it was good!
i couldn’t finish it tho. the second “tasting” entree
was like a full second entree. this restaurant def
gives big portions for being a “fancy” place.

chocolate mousse with all sorts of other
sweet things for the love’s dessert. i’m not a
big chocolate fiend and this would have been
too much for me.

i am a vanilla fiend, however.
this was vanilla pudding with a deep fried
outer crust, accompanied with a fruit sorbet
and blueberry sauce.

to say i was gutted after the meal is an understatement!

after, we went to watch the 39 steps play,
which was also very fun. i’m always impressed
when i go to the theatre because it seems to me
being on stage night after night must be physically
and emotionally exhausting. but with everything else
in the arts, no one does it unless they love it.
or at least, they shouldn’t unless they do.

and the highlight of my bday was that my first
art commission was received by J. her mother had
purchased my peach blossoms painting a few months
back and J loved it so much she decided to save
up her money to buy a painting from me!
her mom told me that J did extra chores all summer
to save. could an artist receive a better compliment?
J is eleven years old. =D

and below are fotos of her opening up her
commissioned piece–a chickee admiring flowers.
(with permission from her mom!) i don’t think you
can get a better compliment than the smile on her face!!

J’s mom told me the painting has already
been framed with a mat chosen by J herself and
hung at the foot of her bunk bed so she can see it! =DD
i love that i have such a young fan of my brush art!
i think it’ll be a while before i’ll have to do
another commissions–but this one for J was
a true pleasure. hope you had a wonderful weekend!

currently reading :

exclusively chloe by j. a. yang