T Stands For Two Birthday Meals

 

This is an extra long post today, even for me.  I know you are all going to groan, but I decided to share both birthday meals I shared with Sally.  

Before we begin, I want to address a few concerns from last week's T post at Angelo's.  First, I didn't realize we were charged for the bread until I got home and started adding the cost in my head.  Second, the restaurant is NOT OPEN for lunch.  Dinner only.  That always costs more.  Third, I do not wear nail polish ever!  And fourth, I left a review on their web site. I had to "join" their rewards program before I could leave a review, but as soon as I saw the review I unsubscribed.  Regardless, the prices reflected a high end restaurant, but the atmosphere and the decor did not.  Remember, this is Wichita, Kansas prices, not the east or west coast prices.  Now enjoy the two meals I experienced on and around my bEARTHday. 

When we arrived, we walked in the wrong entrance and had to return to the bitterly cold and windy entrance to find the correct door.  I wish I had taken a few photos because there was beautiful art in that vestibule.

I was sitting in the wrong spot and I even told Sally she was backlit.  I tried to lighten in Photoshop, but it just muted the colors.

This is straight off my camera.  At least you can see the water with lemon we both ordered.  Because we were the first customers of the day, we had our choice of where to sit.

This is their lunch menu, but you can probably see their restaurant better online, here.  Their lunch menu is here.  Sally ordered the Beef Medallion Special and I of course, ordered Shrimp Scampi. I took photos of our menu choices, but deleted them since this will be long as is.

I guess I wanted to make sure I got a photo of our water with lemon, my entry for T Tuesday.

This is a beautiful restaurant with well appointed details.  No paper napkins or oil cloth table covers here!  Just fanned linen napkins and real linen tablecloths.

Then came the gift Sally gave me.

Inside was this beautiful card

and what Sally wrote.

I chose Thursday because I knew it wouldn't be as busy as Saturday.

I know many of you have already seen what Sally gave me.

These are the instructions

and this is the visual of how to get this lovely bouquet to stand.  But then it was time to lie it flat so it could go back in the envelope (which it never did), and prepare to eat.

Our wonderful server brought our food (Sally's Beef Medallions)

and my Shrimp Scampi, which I remembered to photograph.  There were over 20 shrimp in this French version of Shrimp Scampi.  Not the traditional Italian way I've had it in the past, but delicious, none-the-less.  The scampi sat on top of linguini, which is just barely peeking out below the perfectly de-veined shrimp.  It was as written in the menu "Sautéed with just enough fresh garlic lemony crème sauce, lemon, over linguini pasta."

 

Without being asked or even mentioned, the waiter brought me a piece of birthday cake.  Isn't it beautiful? 

I asked our server if I could get a photo of him.  I think I embarrassed him as much as I was surprised by the lovely slice of cake.

The only photos I got of the restaurant were of the entrance,

a peek at the men's room,

another room that was just being set up,

and a view of the vestibule in the background where we originally entered the building.

As we were leaving, I took a photo of this from our newspaper (from back when newspapers were made of real paper and not digitally streamed).  Sadly, I am so short, I couldn't get a really good view of the article.

Here is the exterior of Cafe Bel Ami

from both directions.  Those of you who are here for Monday Murals might recognize one of the graffiti murals I have featured.  Bel Ami is located at 229 E William, Wichita, Kansas (USA).

The second birthday meal was on my actual birthday.

Little did either of us realize that in just a few hours, both our lives would change for the foreseeable future.  However, we still had a breakfast to eat and a trip to the garden center where I purchased herbs that are now dead.

Sally and I got two specials.  I had to laugh because everything she got, I got the opposite.  I got what was supposed to be sunny side up eggs, but were a bit well done for my liking, while Sally got scrambled.  She got bacon and I gave her my sausage patties.

She got pancakes, I got a waffle.  She ordered grits and toast, while I ordered biscuit and gravy. 

When our waitress learned it was my birthday, the entire crew came around and sang happy birthday to me.  The patrons of the entire restaurant joined in.  I was SO embarrassed, I wanted to hide.  The waitress also gave me a bowl of ice cream with whipped cream and a cherry on top, which I shared with Sally and forgot to photograph.  SUCH different experiences than Sally and I had on her birthday.  Even she admitted she had picked the wrong place for her birthday!

Now it's time to share your own drink related post.  It can be gifts you received, photos, a place you visited, movies, postcards, mail art, junk mail, catalogs, books, sketches, mixed media, drawings, paintings, handmade cards, tags, scrapbooking, or other art that is digital, hybrid, or traditional, a favorite mug, cup and saucer, teapot, coffee pot, or even a wine glass. Regardless, please join us by linking below.  Bleubeard and I will gladly visit, as will other T participants.  Please link only your T post and not your blog in general.  Bleubeard would like to remind you that old photos are acceptable because they may be taken any time, not just on Tuesday and not just this year.  Please remember to visit your fellow T participants.

Since it's the last week of the month, I need to remind you it's now time to dig up your Second on the 2nd.  Any style, genre, length is acceptable as long as it has been published in the past.