Last Friday was Carolyn's birthday. We had a lot going on for her Big-2-6. While we were planning to go to Schlitterbahn the weekend before, the rain cancelled our plans and we ended up just taking a very relaxing Saturday bumming around the house. But this Friday, on her actual birthday, she invited a couple of her friends to Vino Vino where we drank wine, ate food, and enjoyed each others' company.

Then over the weekend, we drove to Houston since she was involved in a bridal shower for one of her friends. We also had time to eat dinner with her parents and aunt and uncle, as she celebrated their involvement in her life over the last 26 years.

Then yesterday was my surprise to her. Carolyn is a big foodie. She loves watching shows like "Top Chef" and hearing about different ingredients being mixed together to create a delicious palette of flavor. In fact, one of her favorite parts of "Top Chef" is when the chefs discuss why they made a certain dish, or what their inspiration was for creating certain tastes. So I took her to Uchi's, in what is now becoming one of her favorite restaurants in Austin. I had made a reservation ahead of time, telling them that it was Carolyn's birthday. Joe, the manager really went out of his way to help us. Not only did he come by to check on us and wish Carolyn happy birthday, but he got the Sous Chef, Casey Wilcox, to come out and wish Carolyn happy birthday. The chef was so gracious to spend some time telling Carolyn how he gets some of his ideas to put together the daily special menu. He then sent us out a seared scallops dish with basil and yuzu sauces on the house.

The manager was also very gracious to send us a dessert in honor of Carolyn's birthday. I don't remember what the dessert was exactly, but there was some gelatinous sweet mango juice stuffed into the ice cream, so that when you busted it open, it spilled out like the yolk of an egg. Amazing!