The Grand Adventures of Emily!: Double Birthday All The Way

On Sunday, May 22nd, I celebrated by 22nd birthday. I have literally been waiting for this birthday since I was 8 years old and I realized that this would occur. Sure everyone gets a golden or double birthday, but most are either not old enough to realize the significance of this date. So I am fortunate enough to have a birthday later in the month so as to properly give it the attention and respect that such a birthday deserves.

Planning for this event started early. Back in January I asked a good friend of mine if he would put on a little concert for my party. I gave him some songs to learn which included Broadway and Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls and Do You Love Me by Guster. My favorite bands by the way. Patrick graciously put together a band just for me, really it was just 60% of The Terks. If they ever become famous, I will be able to say that they personally serenaded me on my grandparents back porch on my birthday.

I decided that I wanted to have a classy dinner party replete with French food, live music, wine glasses purchased from Dollar Tree and janky miss monogrammed napkins from a Down East outlet on the ghetto West side. I also decided to force everyone to dress, as I wanted this to be a black tie affair. I was over dressed in a silver evening gown and a string of pearls in homage to Julia Child, and was subsequently up staged when a friend of mine showed up in the exact same dress. Sigh, happily the only hang up of the night.

The menu I planned was, what I can only hope, worthy of my hero Julia Child:

1^st course: Potato leek soup

2^nd course: Variety of cheeses (dill havarti, gouda, smoked gouda, aged goat cheese, and brie) served with freshly baked sour dough baguettes

3^rd course: Beef Bourguignon with haricots verts

4^th course: Apple and pear tart with a apricot almond vanilla glaze and cinnamon served with Martinelli's

Yes, the Beef Bourguignon was Julia Child’s recipe, yes, did take me the threatened 5 hours, and yes, I did conquer my fear and touched raw meat for the first time in my 22 years. But, it was literally the best beef stewy/ roasty kind of thing I have ever had. Totally worth it, but probably the only time I will ever make it. I am actually quite proud of how it turned out.

Except for the minor clothing crisis, the dinner went off without a hitch. Everyone had a great time. The food was amazing, though I do say so myself, the music was great, and we even got in some quality sing along time. I wanted my 22^nd birthday to be memorable and this one certainly makes the books.