Birthday fun ...

... and some truly terrible food photos!
The festival that is the month of June really got going yesterday.Despite the fact I went to work. Work was made bearable by a wonderful morning tea, complete with home-made chocolate brownie cake and an extra long lunch.
Dinner, at our second-choice, Aria, was wonderful. You'll have to excuse the quality of the photographs, they were taken using Mr Brown's blackberry in wonderful dining conditions but terrible picture conditions.
First up we had amuse-bouche, a two-toned soup. Then came the pretties.
I had the Marron special with teeny wee gnocchi, dainty cubes of vegetable and, of course, foam.

Mr Brown had the Scallops, spiced and roasted with glazed witlof, pistachios and dried apricots.

Mr Brown won that round.
Then I had the Venison, with savoy cabbage, poached quince and blood sausage, which I ate. Yes, I ate blood sausage, I find it hard to believe and to admit. It was delish.

Mr Brown had the lamb which came with potato gratin, Chinese artichokes, wild mushrooms and asparagus. He was very kind and let me eat two of his mushrooms. They were fresh Morels, they were amazing. Despite the mushrooms, I won that round.
Because we are piggie wigs, we had two side dishes the truffled mash and the beetroot, grape, goat cheese and caper salad. We finished them all.
Dessert, well, I had a passionfruit soufflé with white chocolate ripple ice cream. When placing the dessert in front of my our charming waiter said "careful, that's very hot". So I touched the handle, of course I did. He was right. It was VERY hot.
Here's another shot, so you can see my lovely new posh frock. I'm very much in love with this posh frock, it may well become my favourite.True to form, Mr Brown had the chocolate dessert. Valrhona tempered Manjari chocolate with salted peanuts, golden raisins and a caramelised banana ice cream. There was a pretty twist of toffee on a piece of banana too, I was allowed a nibble because it was my birthday.And then there was MORE dessert, petits fours.Fuller than butchers' pups we wandered ouside to see the delight that is the festival of lights put on in celebration of my birthday by the City of Sydney.
I sat in the light chair in my once-a-year coat.I stood next to a giant condom.And then we watched the light show at customs house., which Mr Brown kindly arranged for my benefit.
Sunday sees my parents popping down for a visit and a nice lunch of Cotechino with lentils and roasted winter vegetables.
Monday we have off for the Mouse Birthday Public Holiday. No need to thank me, you're welcome.

I bought a posh frock today ...

... to wear tomorrow. That old-n-frumpy feeling, it's gone away.

Slumming it ...

... this is Mr Brown's fall back plan for the birthday dinner.
It looks, alright, I suppose, but it's not sea pearls and 8-textured chocolate pudding is it?
*Le Sigh*

Another birthday dis-ARSE-ter ...

... like, if I believed in gods and stuff, I'd totally think they were, like, out to get me or something. You know?
On a personal shopping mission for Mr Brown, I stopped into a City electronics store to purchase a Flip. But no, they aren't made any more, so I'm told. And the closest thing, a Bloggie (FFS) cannot be had for miles around. Certainly not by next week.
I console myself with the fact that Rupert has a video function and with the fact I walked past this shop on the way home.
I personally shopped this, inspired by the opulent over the top art of Mr Gustav Klimt, which will sit on the middle finger of my left hand many, many times in my post-birthday future.But still, dudes, like, totally thwarted and stuff.

Boooo .....

.... ooooooooooo.
It would seem Mr Brown cocked up dinner reservations, I will not be stuffing my face with sea pearls and 8 texture chocolate cake at Quay next week.
He has no back up plan. I may have a self-indulgent little weep.
*sob*

Unusually for me ...

... work and life and that malarkey have been so busy (and sicky) that I'd clean forgotten my birthday was just around the corner.
Just as well I'd put in a request for a mind-bogglingly beautiful pen for my big giftie months and months ago. Mr Brown said 'yes', the order is in but it's not likely my new precious will arrive in time. Not to worry, this has happened before, I've lived through it.
I've got the eating request in and Mr Brown assures me we are all booked in.
So now it's a small matter of the tiny gift, I'm thinking a dainty video camera, to keep Rupert company, would be nice. Just in time for our trip to Italy too.
Birthdays, I don't know why folk think they are such a hassle.
Woot!!!

The harvest ...

... the pomegranate harvest.
Persephone only managed to bring one fruit to full ripeness this season.Only one, but she's only young, and it's lovely. Full of sweet-tart and crunchy seeds, just like it should be. My hopes are, as she matures, the seeds will become a deeper, ruby red. And fuller, inside was mostly medulla (pith).Still, not a bad first effort Persephone, not bad at all.

We had the Degustation ... with the French wine option ... because we are piggies ...

Now I'm supposed to go vote, below the line of course, but am quite horribly, Gallic-ly, hungover and the new path was poured this morning so I can't get out of the house! Oh Noes!

Today is Mr Brown's Birthday ...

... He is ancient, elderly and prone to gout. So of course, I fed him oysters as a first course for his actual* birthday dinner.Because It was his birthday I let him open his birthday oysters himself.Rest assured, the shells have already been added to his midden.The second course was a lovely rack of lamb with crispy 'tatos and some nice fresh peas, still in their cases. I suspect this is the last of the good peas for the season. It was already too warm to wear a jacket to and from work today.Gifts? I'm glad you asked.
First off a wee dome for his grandfather's silver pocket watch. A watch I polished by hand this very morning, after Mr Brown left at the crack of sparrows' fart for Canberra for a meeting. I'm soooooo sneaky!
And then the big one. A mypressi TWIST for my own special coffee fiend. Because, really, you can't have too many coffee machines, can you!?
I also got him, with the aid and abbetance of my sister and her spouse, a Nespresso Aeroccio Automatic Milk Frother, because FrancisFrancisis slowly running out of steam. (This was uber norty sneaking on our parts because, apparently, you're not supposed to have one of these clever milky drink assistance machines unless you buy one of their coffee machines too - HA. Not only am I sneaky but I'm related to sneaks!) Socks and jocks were also proffered, because it just isn't a birthday if you don't get new underdacs!
In other news, I've been on Jury Duty as of Wednesday and will be, apparently, for the next 14 weeks. So far ... dull. I'll be out for Summer.


* Actual because the fancy-pants special birthday dinner has been scheduled to allow for hangovers the next day.

Loot, continued ...

... more mice, a little brown one and a little grey one.
The grey one because Mr Brown is going grey. In a most distinguished fashion I'll add.And a little mouse house, a pumpkin mouse house ,with opening window and door. That bit's hand-felted, utilising a bouncy rubber ball at one point of the process I'm told.They, it, the whole shebang are unutterably lovely, knowing as I do, they were made just for me.My mum commented that they make her mice look HUGE, and they do. But huge with hand-knitted-just-for-me love. And, they will look just perfect on a divan, just as soon as I locate the fabric that mum said she'll reupholster it with. It's lovely golden corduroy, but I'm buggered if I can locate it's special, secret hiding spot.
The pictures are all by my sister, S, because I'm overcome with an overweening lethargy I cannot shake. Not the blues, the blues are different. It will pass I'm sure. Until the *grumble*.

So, I did ok on the loot side of things ...

My wishlist of 3, if you remember, was:-
1. Fancy French Food (the dinner element) - I can now reveal Mr Brown is taking me to Claude's on Saturday where we will have the tasting menu along with the wine flight. Before then we're going to Tastevin Bistro tomorrow night, because Wednesdays are always late-home days.
2. Fine Art from a Far off Foreign land (the big present) - a beautiful painting of Jellicle Rats by the talented Jackie Morris, who lives with a pride of ginger cats in Wales (one died today, a terrible sadness for her & his furry friends).Aren't they just beautiful?
3. A FishFacsimilie (the little present) - a lovely Jersey Pottery platter with a Sea Trout painted upon it, part of the Fruits de Mer range, of which I already have an oyster plate.Speaking of oysters, we ate 2 dozen of them, in the kitchen, tonight (Mr Brown's keeping all the shells from this and all feasts past and to come. He's building a midden in the backyard he tells me).
Assisted and/or hampered by a small, Siamese, furry shark. Pingu does not 'do' oysters. The intention was to have 12 with a vinaigrette and 12 steamed with soy & rice vinegar. However, after a disastrous and depressing attempt at frock shopping in the afternoon, followed by slaving over a hot fish pie, I simply couldn't be arsed steaming. So I whomped up a 2nd vinaigrette and we guzzled them down.Fish pie? Why yes, a rather fancy version made with prawns, scallops and some salmon, all held together with a light sauce flavoured with dill & lemon.We are a couple of full-as-googs brown mice, we are.(Knitted by my lovely mama just for me, 2 mice and their pet blue-banded bees).
Happy birthday human, where's our dinner?

Today ...

... I had that Thai massage, bliss, slightly painful bliss.
Then I spoiled it all by trying on dresses. That was depressing, I usually have such good luck in that shop.
I made things worse by eating a quiche that was so full of oils and fats I couldn't finish it.
Then I got home and Tigger presented me with a Crown Larger bottle top. We haven't had beer in the house for months, and I don't believe it was Crown Larger either. Still, we played fetch with that for a while, which de-frumpygrumpy-ified me.
I remembered I had bought a copy of Kenneth Clark's Civilisation, so I watched a couple of episodes of that, contemplated my teeth, and feel much better. This is because I'm a deeply shallow person and should be ashamed of myself.
Now I'll start cooking my own birthday dinner. I may or may not share it with Mr Brown but the furry girls will get some prawn tails for sure!

Tomorrow ...

... I'm going here and I'll be spending quite a lot of time there.
I may not be in a position to walk or type much after.
Byee.

Birthday previews ...

... A card came from the other side of the world.
Having made the perilous journey it almost came to a bad end on arrival. We have a gastropod problem in our mailbox* and it's worst when it rains, and rain is all it's done for about a fortnight now. We got home just in time, and still I found this little fellow clinging on after we got inside. Do not fear for him, I may have a heart of stone but I couldn't squish him. Bebe slug went outside, to help himself to the last of the basil.But wait, there's more! My mum arranged for a parcel to be delivered to my office. It said not to be opened before June 8, but it also said "unless you can't resist".
I could not resist, but I'm providing only a sneak preview, more to come!




* Yes, I could put down poison but there's a danger the local blue-tongues would eat a poisoned snail, I won't have that on my conscience.

It was niece #1's birthday earlier this week ...

... a little bird told me a gift of beds (too many dollies not enough places to sleep) and a bathroom (no where to wash! Gasp) for her doll house would be most acceptable.
So I trawled the interwebs for such items, coming across the sort of thing I'd only buy after a massive lottery win, and even then I'd think twice about it.
After much emailing with the little bird, and obsessive, possibly even dangerous googling, a couple of nice wooden bunk beds and a full bathroom set were found, purchased, packed and delivered(in time!).
I'm told it was well, nay gleefully, received and all bits have taken their place in the doll house in question.
I asked my sister, the little bird as it happens, for proof, specific proof, proof of the nature that made her feel "like a peeping tom".
Still, she obliged and I'm glad.

I'm thinking of getting myself this for my birthday ...

... the tattoo *, not the mouth piercing *shudders*.
Mr Brown won't approve but he's not the boss of me!
I may have to add a little sparrow though, to keep with my tattoo-wish theme.






* No, not really, it would hurt like buggery, or at least, as I imagine buggery would hurt :)