Celebrating Another Birthday

Another birthday has come and gone, and the celebrating was fun.  On Friday night [the evening before my birthday] my hubby took me to Andiamo's Italian Restaurant - a place we reserve for special occasions.  It is pictured below on the cover of their dinner menu.

Once I find something I really like at a restaurant I rarely order anything else.  At Andiamo's we love their grilled portobello mushrooms with zip sauce for an appetizer.  I always say I'm going to try making them at home, but as yet I haven't done it.

And their yummy bread basket.

Chicken Marsala is my favorite and comes with soup or salad.  I chose Manhatten Clam Chowder. 

[Jerry and Me]

On Saturday morning I was out the door by 10:00 a.m. headed to Northville, for the Historical Society's Mad Hatter Tea Party.  [Tomorrow's Post]

When I arrived, Vicky, the caterer and coordinator of the teas greeted me with a cute birthday gift bag from World Market.

Inside was a tin of Harney's Birthday Tea that was created in honor of John Harney's 80th birthday in August 2010.  It's a blend of hibiscus, rosehips, decaf Ceylon black tea, raspberry, blueberry, pomegranate, and vanilla flavors, spearmint, peppermint, marigold petals, cornflowers and natural and artificial  flavors.  The aroma of the dry leaf [in sachets] is a delightful fruity scent.

And a floral handkerchief with the Language of the Handkerchief during Victorian Times. I'm sure it will come in handy for a future presentation, although I don't collect hankies - yet!  

Laura Lee, a friend who works for Vicky and member of Greenfield Village Herb Associates, also gave me a gift bag filled with lavender products - soap, sachet, and dryer bag.

When I returned home, two beautiful floral arrangements awaited me.

In the above arrangement were two beautiful flowers I have never seen before.  If you know the name, please tell.

Pictured below is the second floral arrangement, and a birthday cake from my son and daughter-in-law, Steve and Sharon.

I changed from dressy clothes into casual ones, and hurried off to my daughter Lori's for a delicious chicken and dressing dinner.

Dessert was a Sander's Hot Fudge Butter Pecan Ice Cream Puff.  Sander's was the name of a well-known Detroit bakery and confectionery that was sold to another candy company, but they still sell Sander's hot fudge and cream puffs.  Lots of fond memories taking the kids to Sander's for these treats when they were young.

I received several birthday cards - some tea themed, and some not, but all beautiful.  

The inside of Steve and Sharon's card revealed my gift from them - Afternoon Tea at the Plaza Hotel in New York City this spring.

Lori found a card with blue and white china on it and said, "Yep, that's Mom!"   

With the two Amazon gift cards I received I'll be ordering books. Thanks to everyone who made my birthday so special.  I am blessed to have such loving and wonderful people in my life!