Four sheets

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Today was the big day, and while I got lots of heart-warming birthday wishes, a few people seemed intent on making an issue about my age...  I was ambushed in the office by a few of my friends, including a three-year-old who sang "Happy Birthday" to me.  I'd already gotten a call while having breakfast, when an 18th-month-old sang "Happy Birthday" over the phone...  What does it mean when your friends' kids are now the ones doing the singing?

Dinner was celebrated with Tigger, Piglet and co.  I was secretly hoping to go back to Pierre, but we ended up at Otto e Mezzo.  Nevertheless, I was looking forward to more of Bombana's yummy cuisine, since my previous samplings ended up with smiles all around. 

My first course was risotto with mushrooms and beef tongue.  This was perfectly al dente, with a nice blend of mushrooms, creamy but not too rich and heavy... I was surprised at the cube of beef tongue, though... but it was so soft and tender.  Now, if they had given us two (or maybe three) cubes... that would really make my day.

I debated with myself about having the same dish again, but in the end I chose to have the Colorado rack of lamb again.  It was such a mind-blowing experience that I wanted to do it again.  And I was not disappointed on my birthday.  Two smaller pieces were served tonight, but still just as tender and juicy.  I used my knife to play with it, showing the others how soft and wobbly it was... only to get scolded for playing with my food at my age...  The fat was very, very yummy...and oh-so-lightly charred to impart the right amount of flavor.  I wasted no time in cutting off all the meat, then picked the bones up to strip them clean with my teeth per SOP.  I couldn't be happier.

Of course Tigger got me a cake on my birthday.  Yes, it had to be peach.  And yes, he got it from the Mandarin Cake Shop.  The boy is predictable... The whipped cream was very nice, but the cake itself was a little rough in terms of texture... and the peaches were not fully ripe.  But it's still a very nice birthday cake.

As is traditional, we drank a bottle of wine from my vintage.  My last bottle of 1970 Latour drank pretty well.  It was so classic... smoke, spicy, peppery and minty on the nose.  Actually spicy on the palate, too, with a very long finish.  Latour is Tigger's favorite wine, and I hope he liked this bottle...

A very nice way to spend my birthday...  Thanks to everyone who showed me some love today...and there were many of you.