Happy Birthday Celebrations

Susan Neumann, Londi Burnett, Jan Rogers,
Diane Kuenster, Cathi Hatch, Suzy Krabbe

What a fun, festive birthday lunch we had together in the Georgian Room at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel on Monday!  It is always fun to go to the Fairmont during the holiday season.  When I arrived, the incredible Madrigal Choir from Bothell High School was entertaining in the lobby surrounding the giant Christmas tree.  I joined friends Susan Neumann, Diane Kuenster, Suzy Krabbe, Jan Rogers and Londi Burnett. 

Bothell HS Madrigal Choir

We were there to celebrate December birthdays which included the birthdays for Jan, Londi and me.  We get together around three times each year to celebrate the birthdays of the ladies in the group.  The rules are that we bring only cards for the birthday girls, but each of the birthday girls brings gifts for the rest of the group, and that everyone except the birthdays girls share the check.

We always look forward to the funny cards we receive from each friend.  Suzy believes in recycling cards so the personal message written on her cards is usually on a sticky note that is easily removed.  Diane has a system (which we all envy) where she will include old photos of each of us on her cards.  It is always fun to remember times together years ago and also surprising to realize how young we looked in those old photos since none of us feels any older!  (Well . . . maybe just a bit in the morning when I get out of bed.)

Katie Laramore and Cathi Hatch

And then that evening, it was all about my birthday when I celebrated with Ken and my daughter, Katie and son-in-law, Kevin.  Katie and Kevin planned dinner at Ethan Stowell's Staple & Fancy Mercantile in Ballard.  Staple & Fancy highlights simple Italian-inspired food and offers a chef’s choice Fancy menu: a multi-course feast of seasonal dishes crafted by the chef just for our table.  We were served seven separate small plates of appetizers including squid and garbanzo beans, deep fried clams and mussels, thinly shaved prosciutto, smoked trout bruschetta, and fried pork belly, two separate pastas; one was geoduck with potato gnocchi and the other was thinly sliced bacon with carmelized onions and two entrees which included swordfish and braised pork cheeks ending with two desserts.  Our taste buds were all very entertained and satisfied and we will return!

Ken Hatch and Kevin Laramore

Ken had dug into our wine cellar and brought a bottle of 1997 Lakota Cabernet with him that paired beautifully with the food.

It was a wonderful birthday celebration!  Still 39 and holding!