Steve’s birthday

One of my favorite people just turned 28!

I was relieved. I never ever want to be 27, nor do I want my loved ones to be it. Did you know that your 27th year is the year the stars realign closest to the position they were in at your birth? It can be a “rebirth”, but that can be PAINFUL. Witness all the people who didn’t make it past 27- Janis Joplin, Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix, my beloved Amy Winehouse. It’s just bad news, that age.

Steve is past it now :) We celebrated with wine!

 

The pre-birthday adventure on which I took Steve was actually a birthday gift to ME from my mom: a Groupon for a wonderful wine tasting excursion at Cobbler Mountain Cellars.

Locals, it’s only an hour from the DC area and just five miles from Route 66. HOWEVER. Driving around the windy roads surrounded by gnarled trees, ringed by mountains, passing through their beautiful property, you really expect a fairy tale character to jump out at any moment. This place gives you the feeling of having been utterly transported!

Then you go up to this beautiful house…

 

And step into their Alice-in-Wonderland-esque tasting room.

If you give me chocolate to taste your wine with, you will be my friend.

All their wine was GREAT, guys.

They’ve got cred:

We ended up opting for the most distinct, multifaceted, thoroughly delicious Chardonnay ever. Who knew Chardonnay could be that? It was like EATING. Can’t even thoroughly explain it.

Though it was cold we camped out by the (unlit) firepit for a bit.

To NOSH! The wine tasting came with a goodie box with bread, various tasty local cheese, and honey.

Then we climbed vertically up a mountain. Pictures did not do this killer trail justice. Suffice it to say it was vertical. My buns felt it for days (though I suppose that’s good).

Then we wandered down the long, rambly driveway and found an adorable picnic area by a stream with a TIRE SWING WHOO!

 

There are not enough tire swings in adult life. Being a grown up is rubbish.

A wonderful, beautiful day.

We stopped at Cracker Barrel on the way back. Steve had never been which is absurd. Their portions were made for him.

Witness:

I got the beans ‘n greens. So good. NOT vegetarian. Definitely not. Doused ‘em in hot sauce.

As for the birthday itself, it was my first day of class, so I was running around semi-maniacally.

We went out for dinner for Indonesian food at Satay Sarinah which is delicious and offers a 14-course meal for my speedy metabolism’d boy, and meant I DIDN’T HAVE TO COOK WHOO. I was beat.

I did contribute something though. Dessert was quick but heavenly- similar to what I made following last year's birthday bacon extravaganza.

Same peanut butter custard (see previous link for details). Not the most attractive thing I’ve ever made, eh? But ohhhh so rich and tasty.

Sliced bananas.

 

And this truly decadent chocolate concoction I made that mostly consisted of melted Sees candy. Thus the occasional nuts. Mm.

 

Layered in a tasty parfait!

 

Happy Birthday Stove!