Thursday, August 16

My birthday dinner

Although dinner was not until 8:30 pm, my ex-gf who sort of invited herself to my dinner claiming that she should have been invited by default anyway, asked me to pick her up at 6:30 (Feel free to translate that however you like...). However, when i showed up at her door, there was no answer. It was a sign of bad things to come, i thought. When i called her cell, she answered immediately but sounded a bit lethargic. "Come in Marc, the door is unlocked" she said groggily, "What is wrong" I inquired with concern in my voice, and once again she asked me to just help myself in. I prepared myself mentally for what was to come (because it was either really good or really bad, right?). Once inside, i saw that she was sprawled out on her bed. She had been napping apparently (damn it!). I realized then the situation was going nowhere, Fast!

By design, i thought, picking her up at 6:30 meant she was going to be ready already, not so i was subjected to waiting around while she got dolled up slowly. I did request that she look delicious that night (Yes that is the term i used...), but i didn't necessarily mean i wished to be witness to the methodical process. Besides i wasn't dressed up yet, i still had to get back home... I looked up at the clock and it displayed a manageable 6:45 pm. Hmmn i still may get a 'special treat' out of this yet, i thought. I tried to relax while she was in the shower but i found myself shifting around quite a bit on her couch, restless, and constantly glancing at the clock, hoping for it to stop moving lol. I turned the TV on to try to keep occupied, but to be honest i couldn't tell you what was on if my life depended on it, i was too restless... She finally got out of the shower after what had seemed like forever (about 25 minutes...) and began to dig through her dresser for what i presume is underwear ("They better match damn it", i cursed under my breath... quietly though haha). Luckily though, she'd already prepared her True Religion jeans and a white top before i had arrived, and that saved us at least a good 2o minutes i'm sure (seriously!). I must have done a real excellent job at concealing my annoyance because there was no sense of urgency in the way her make-up was being applied. And we must have walked out of her apartment and back in four times because she kept forgetting something (God help me, i'm gonna kill her!). Then as if to drive me more nuts, she said she'd forgotten her powder when we finally got on the road (OMG!!!). I just kept drivin'... Suddenly, after a somewhat awkward and quiet few minutes of driving, she demanded StarBucks. I just about cried...

When i pulled up at the house we had a very promising 30 minutes to spare, despite her nap and StarBucks but so i thought. Not a couple of minutes later, my friend Christian called saying he'd arrived at the restaurant already. Wtf! Haven't he ever heard of Jay Gatsby?... And there in an instant, all hopes of a "special treat" had disappeared like a fart in the wind (F'ck). "We have to go" i told my ex. She perked up, smiled, stood, and trotted towards the door without question and said "Yea i am hungry let's go"... Beotch!

Anyways the restaurant was kind of cool. It's got that Time Square charm to it, albeit the lack of brilliance on adjacent structures. It's situated right in the very busy south-west corner of Ventura and Sepulveda Blvd in the somewhat swanky City of Sherman Oaks. Unless you're seated in the back or in one of their private rooms, the backdrop is the hectic intersecting boulevards plus the modern structure of the Fashion Square and its rapid river of people, through its panoramic windows. I really liked it. However, the interior was not very impressive, i must say. But i'm not about to turn this into a restaurant review lol. What it lacked in decor, though, it made up in excellent service. While i waited outside for Christian to emerge from the Fashion Square (to kill time i guess...), two members of the restaurant crew came outside to offer services, and finally a third one informed us my table was ready anytime i felt like waiting inside for the rest of the guys. Impeccable i say!

How about the food? Well my ex said the Chicken Fettuccine is just like any other she has had before-- no surprise there really. She couldn't tell you if Wolfgang Puck himself prepared it or instant Pasta-Roni from Vons, and i mean that in the nicest of ways :). Adrian had the roasted chicken with seared taters or something which he later claimed to be "too roasty" and "could have used more spices". But evidently it was nothing ketchup couldn't fix. Now if they had Jufran Banana Ketchup, all would have been forgiven-- whether too roasty or flavorless, don't matter! I am not quite sure how my sister liked her meal because she mostly ate off her bf's and Christians plates and just dabbled at her own. I think she actually ordered the same as Adrian's, though she probably would have picked at his plate too had he been within reach lol. I overheard Trixy saying she liked the Seafood Al Bianco she decided on, a dish i actually mulled over until the Goat Cheese in the "Chicken linguini with goat cheese" caught my attention. I like Goat Cheese a lot (especially in Salad... Yes Melissa, i said Salad...). Our very helpful waitress even recommended it over the the Chicken Penne, the only other one i considered ordering...

My plate, despite its savory ingredients (sundried tomatoes, mushrooms, olive oil and garlic tossed with linguini pasta and topped with goat cheese), tasted a bit bland without the goat cheese. Perhaps it was prepared precisely that way, to be consumed with lots of goat cheese-- and there was plenty of it. Otherwise it was delish... I suppose if i had to play food critic and give the Sisley Italian Kitchen a grade, i would give it a very respectable B+. But i'm not a food critic now, am i? Besides, that night ain't all about the food, its about my birthday (That's right Melissa, its about me, me, me, and yea, me...)...

I would like to thank everyone for being there and paying the bill (I'd been more than happy to pick it up, but Trixy snatched my card away from the waitress...). To Adrian for being not only my cousin but for being a good friend and for always having the knack for coming up with a great though not always appropriate venue (i'm still mad at him for coaxing me to take that one girl to that SeaFood place in Santa Monica). My sister for leaving work early for me and the boyfriend ("The Korean" i like to call him). To my ex, for being unmemorably memorable. Last but not the least, to my good pal and long time friend, Christian, for never forgetting about me despite all those years apart. Salamat!

Ricky, i meant to invite you by the way...

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