Another year of birthday celebration! Another year of being spoiled by BFF! Every year we celebrate our birthdays "post" style. (Meaning we pick a date WAAAAY after our actual birthday.) You know what's great about waiting weeks even months later to do a belated celebration? The pressure is off, our birthday gets extended for another date so there is more happiness to look forward to. Then on that day, we are celebrated all over again! This year, I celebrated my birthday in February then again in April with BFF. How can a girl not feel special?!
So BFF and I have been observing this belated birthday tradition for over a decade. And it's so much fun! The venue over the years has been The Ferry Building except for the last couple of years after I became a member at SFMOMA. This year, I chose to go to The Ferry Building once again since it's been a while. (Another awesome thing about our tradition is the celebrant gets to choose where and how to spend the day!) Plus, it was storming pretty hard.
Hint: If you find yourself in SF on a rainy day, go to the Ferry Building. It is an indoor "farmers market" and a gorgeous place to cozy up eating delicious food, drinking fine wine, and browsing at rustic yet pretty stalls.
I didn't really have a particular restaurant in mind except all I wanted was to satisfy my cravings for noodles! Slanted Door was my random pick this year. Slanted Door has garnered many kudos over the years including the coveted James Beard award for outstanding restaurant. It is one of San Francisco's Top 100 restaurants.
BFF and I started off with our drinks while catching up and enjoying a breathtaking view of the bay. I had a glass of champagne while she ordered from the cocktail menu. Then we devoured the following:
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| Vegetarian Bann Bot Loc: Mung Bean Tapioca Dumplings with Chili Soy Sauce |
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| Shrimp and Imperial Roll Noodle Bowl |
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| Grapefruit and Jicama Salad |
Thanks to BFF's generous birthday treat, our lunch was divine with the delicious food, lovely company and nice bubbly.
We reminisce about our years of friendship celebrating our tradition of birthday afternoons. It did not matter that it was a rainy day. The scene outside the Ferry Building was still breathtaking!
As always we go for a stroll inside the Ferry Building tasting olive oils, chocolates, food samples, trying on lotions, touching everything and looking at flowers!
Then we go for coffee at Peet's and share a pastry from Frog Hollow Farms. I had a matcha latte with our delish pastry.
Then she gave me my presents. Yes, plural with an S! This girl just spoils me! She got me tons of cute and sweet presents -- a pretty card, bottle of champagne, journal, lotion set, stickers, chocolate cookies, a customized notepad with my name, a cute "But First Champagne" makeup bag -- among many things. She knows me well and she knows what will make me happy.
Thank you very much, BFF, for celebrating my birthday and spoiling me all year round. I am so blessed to have you in my life!
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| It was a magical afternoon of friendship as always! |
1 Ferry Building
San Francisco, CA
Embarcadero
YUM FACTOR: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
STAFF FRIENDLINESS: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
WALLET FRIENDLY: $$$$(spendy)