This blog’s lateness is all my fault! I had such a long day yesterday and I was too tired to do it last night. But let me start at the beginning!
I drove to work yesterday, because I had a doctor’s appointment at 5:15pm just a few exits south of my office. Most of the work I did was for HR, but I sat at my desk on the other floor, so I was back and forth from the 6th floor to the 3rd floor at least 5 times. Now, I DID take the elevator, so it wasn’t as much exercise as it could have been, but I did do a lot more walking around than usual! I have to figure out where the stairs leave me on the 3rd floor and start using them more. That would definitely help in the exercise department!
Anyway, I kept pretty busy and only read 20-30 pages of my new DICK FRANCIS book, which is already very different from any other I’ve ever read. First of all, in this one he’s married – which I think is a first. He’s been widowed, divorced, or just single, but never married. Okay, he’s UNHAPPILY married, but he’s still married! He also has FIVE sons – ages 14 down to a baby. That’s a whole new twist on a Dick Francis character. Lastly, he’s a builder. He buys up dilapidated buildings and makes them fabulous! All very interesting and I’m hooked already!
Eric said I should pick out the restaurant for his Birthday Dinner, and I wanted to make it something different than our usual fare. Since my trainee is Vietnamese, I decided to ask her to recommend a good Vietnamese restaurant. Eric and I had a FABULOUS dinner at a Vietnamese restaurant in Denver and I never forgot it.
She told me of two – one relatively close to our apartment and another in Hillcrest. The Hillcrest restaurant is one that I’ve noticed many times, because they’re right on the main strip – University – and they have a big neon sign that says SAIGON. I always loved how it looked. She told me that was kind of Paris/Vietnamese and was very fancy and more expensive. I don’t mind the more expensive so much, but I knew that Eric wouldn’t want to have to dress up, so I chose the other.
We looked at the menu together online and they had such fabulous dishes and SO many choices it was dizzying. Since I only eat seafood I thought I wouldn’t have to much to choose from, but I was wrong!
After work I went to the doctor (it went great) and then got home around 6:30pm. Eric came out to the car and I programmed Betty to find the restaurant. Eric was intrigued that this was a “mystery date.” While we were driving my phone rang and it was my sister, Audrey, calling to wish Eric a happy birthday. While Eric was driving and talking to Eric, HIS phone rang and it was HIS sister, Robin, calling to wish him a happy birthday. It was pretty funny.
When we both hung up, Eric told me he talked to all four of his sisters today, which made me really happy. He doesn’t communicate that often with some of them, but it was very sweet that they all called today. They’ve also heard rumors of Eric’s return to NY, and the NY contingent all offered him a bed and anything else he needs. I think that made him very happy, too.
We got a little lost, because the restaurant was in a shopping center and Betty just says, “You have arrived,” but doesn’t tell you you need to turn into a shopping center, so we drove past and had to go back around to find it.
PHUONG TRANG RESTAURANT on Convoy off Balboa is a big place and it was busy with lots of customers – most of them Vietnamese. My mother always said you can tell if a restaurant is good if the people of that nationality are eating there. Of course, she’s right! If you go to an Italian restaurant and see lots of Italians, you can be sure their gravy and pasta is great!
Anyway, we were greeted by a smiling maitre’d and shown to a nice table by the window. The place is not fancy at all – lots of light wood tables of different shapes and sizes and light wood chairs to match.
They handed us huge menus with at least 10 pages and we started perusing all the dishes again. My trainee had recommended certain dishes to me and we settled on an appetizer of: Bo Bia // Vegetable Hot Chili Sauce Rolls – 2 rice paper rolls filled with lettuce, Thai basil, jicama, carrots, dried shrimp, Chinese sausage, fried egg, peanuts, and hot chili sauce. Served with peanut sauce.
We were surprised when they were served and we discovered they were cold! We picked them up. The rice paper rolls are very different from the usual rolls we’re used to. They were light green, with a section of yellow. We dipped them in the peanut sauce (which we both love) and they were delicious! I have NO idea what was in the Chinese sausage, but I didn’t really taste meat, so I guess it could be seafood!
Eric was less daring in his entrée with Sweet and Sour Chicken. I got Mi, Hu Tieu, hoac Banh Canh Tom Ca // Shrimp and Fish Noodle Soup, which was a delicious stew with cubes of tofu, ground shrimp and lots of delicious thin noodles. It comes with cabbage, jalapenos, mint, and bean sprouts on the side and you can add what you like. I put everything but the jalapenos in. It was already spicy and I was afraid it would be too hot!
We enjoyed the meal and decided to go to GELATO VERO for dessert. We drove to Hillcrest and couldn’t find a spot, so Eric went in and got it and we brought it home. We watched LAST COMIC STANDING and ate our gelato, and that’s when I started to fade. I said, “I could go out and blog, or I could just go to sleep.” Eric said, “Just go to sleep!” It was just 10:30pm, but I was really exhausted. I got washed up and in my pjs and fell right to sleep.
I think Eric had a great birthday dinner, which is going to be followed-up with a great birthday weekend. He’s driving to L.A. this afternoon to go mountain biking with our friend, Miguel. He’ll hang with Miguel tonight, and work on his bike. Early tomorrow they’ll go mountain biking in L.A. and then Eric will come back to San Diego in time for us to attend BYE BYE BIRDIE! I can’t wait!