Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Fabulous


As I mentioned earlier, there were two ladies in our family celebrating birthdays this past weekend.


Yours truly (in the back next to my mom) and Chase’s girlfriend, Cat (next to Chase). Actually my birthday was yesterday and Cat’s is today, but with the likelihood of me being in the office on Sunday and the certainty of me being in the office at 7:00 a.m. Monday, Saturday night was the perfect time to celebrate. We had a fabulous meal at Shoreline Grill at the Four Seasons. Here’s me with my mom and brother at the entrance.



Everyone had such busy schedules we arrived in 4 cars! I brought my mom, and my brother brought his girlfriend.



Cat brought her sister who was visiting from Colorado.



And Chase came after he got off work, kind of late. I took the liberty of ordering lots of vegan dishes for Chase and me to share. That method worked out great for Chase, because they brought the food as soon as he got to the table. My pictures didn’t turn out so great, but it was so beautifully presented and all so incredibly delicious, I have to show them anyway. Here’s what I ordered.


Roasted tofu with edamame and potatoes.


Microgreens salad with dried cranberries and hazelnuts. Chase thought it was hysterical they put craisins in their salad.


Veggie stirfry on soba noodles.



I’m so sad not a single one of the pictures I took of this dish turned out. It’s potato wrapped sushi rolls! Look again at this blurry closeup.



It’s filled with rice and asparagus and came with pickled ginger and excellent wasabi. Chase and I concur it was one of the best things we have ever eaten. How I wish I had asked the chef how he prepared it.

We went back to my mom’s for dessert, which I made. I really took a risk making an ice cream pie to take a 20 minute car ride to my mom’s house when it was 103 degrees, but it arrived okay. The pie was fantastic and perfect for a hot summer night. I made an Oreo Mint cookie crust. I love how black it is. It was a little hard to cut once frozen though. It may have been a little too thick.


I filled it with So Delicious coconut based chocolate ice cream and topped with a minty fudge sauce. The crust and sauce recipes were adapted from The Everyday Vegan and Vive.


Mmmm, it was so good!


I’ve thought a lot about this birthday, and whether or not I wanted to divulge my true age. You all know my son is 23, so you probably figured out I’m pretty old. Oh, I know you’re as young as you feel, blah blah blah, and in my head I’m 35. In reality, I’m now 50. Yep, The Big 5-0. Five decades. Half a century. If I’m honest I can’t check the box on surveys for 30-49 year olds anymore. I guess it’s now 50 and over? – ugh. Most people are kind enough to say I don’t look 50. I know it’s just a number, but it’s also reading glasses, aching joints, crazy hormones, sagging skin, love handles, and what used to be fine lines but are now definitely wrinkles. I weigh the same as I did in high school, but it sure doesn’t look the same. One thing that definitely keeps me feeling young is hanging out with all you fabulous bloggers, many of you the same age as my son. Your energy and creativity continually amaze and inspire me. Enjoy your youth! It seems weird to be 50, but on the other hand, being 50 brings a sense of empowerment and accomplishment. So okay, yeah, I’m 50, but I will be 50 and Fabulous, and next year I’ll be 51 and that will be all right too. Am I where I thought I would be at 50? No. Do I have any regrets? Maybe a few, but mostly no. The best thing about my entire life is my loving family, and my proudest accomplishment is raising my son on my own. Chase is a gorgeous man, hardworking, compassionate, smart, and considerate.



And now, after working like a crazy woman the past few weeks, I get to take a vacation. I’m meeting my sister, brother-in-law, and nephews on Thursday for a week at the Florida beach – woohoo! So I’ll be back next week, 50, fabulous, relaxed, and refreshed!

36 comments:

LizNoVeggieGirl said...

Beyond fabulous celebration for a beyond fabulous woman!!! So glad that you enjoyed yourself and time with your loved ones; and now it's time for you to go have fun on your well-deserved vacation!!! :-)

ChocolateCoveredVegan said...

Not that 50 is bad or anything, but you look waaaaay younger! I would've guessed in the 30s (if I didn't know you had a grown son). You look fab!

Soja said...

Happy Birthday!

snugglebunny said...

Happy Birthday. And just to let you know, I stopped celebrating my birthdays when I turned 30, since if felt that after that age really didn't matter that much. Hope you enjoy Florida and it won't rain to much on you when you are here.

Catherine Weber said...

Glad to see you had such a happy birthday! Enjoy the beach!

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday, Diann (and Cat too)! It looks like you had a wonderful celebration.I hope you have a great trip to Florida.

Lisa said...

Happy, Happy, Birthday! Your dessert looks so professional! Have a great vacation.

Krista said...

Happy Birthday! It's always nice to celebrate with family.

I love your eats--you are so creative to make that delicious looking pie! And the sushi rolls are making me drool. lol..

Hope you have a great trip!

kmouse said...

Happy Birthday Diann! You do really look so much younger! Must be from all the healthy delicious food you eat!

Pistachio and Cardamom said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I've been following your blog for quite some time, and just wanted to let you know that I love reading about your food adventures and awesome family. I also want to commend you on your honesty-you truly don't look 50! I hope all your birthday wishes come true!

-Maggie

Jes said...

Happy birthday! And you don't look a day over 40, really!

The dinner looks so delicious, I can't wait to try out the potato wrapped sushi!

Andrea said...

Happy birthday, Diann. I never would have guessed you were 50 - you're very young looking and you have an exuberant, youthful attitude. And you make the most amazing pies!

Hannah said...

Happy belated birthday! I'm seriously shocked- You don't look a day older than 30 in my eyes! ;)

Melisser; the Urban Housewife said...

50 and FABULOUS! Seriously!
I hope you had a very happy birthday, I know I would with that ice cream pie!

jessy said...

you are amazing, Diann! happy birthday - and happy 50th! that rocks so hard! yay!

i hope you had the most fantastical birthday - and you're right - age is just a number - it really is! i don't even think about it or pay it any mind - why bother, ya know?!

so awesome on there being some vegan options @ the grill. i never would have thought! your family looks so lovely, and it sounds (and looks) like everyone really enjoyed themselves!

the ice cream pie looks absolutely glorious! you are too awesome! enjoy your week in Florida at the beach, Diann! wahooooooooooooo!

Anonymous said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! The food looks amazing.

Krys
twoveganboys

Ricki said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Looks like an amazing celebration--and that cake! I'll echo CCV and say that 50 is a great age, even though you don't look it! Besides, at 50 we can finally stop worrying about what anyone else thinks of us--it's very liberating. And you truly are FABULOUS!

Anonymous said...

Happy late birthday, Diann! I am so happy to have "met" you via our blogs, and I'm so glad you had a wonderful day to celebrate with your family. I just love that picture of you, your mother & brother - you all look so happy!
I know it's getting old, but you don't look like what 50 brings to my mind at all. I hope that in 15 years I'll look as amazing, and have as much energy and fire as you do woman! I think raising your son on your own is such an amazing feat, and you've done an excellent job indeed!

Kris said...

Happy Birthday! You should be proud to be 50! You look amazing and you're living a good life, what more could you ask for? Plus you are an incredible chef and open-minded mom, Chase is a lucky boy. Age really is all about how young you think you are.

That food all looks incredible, blurry pictures or not. Yum!

Dreena said...

aww, a VERY Happy Birthday to you Diann!!

AND, you make 50 look smashing good! :) Really, you don't at all look 50... especially when most folks who are fifty often look much older than that with the lifestyles they live. If we all took such great care of ourselves as you do, and had a beautiful perspective on living as you do, we wouldn't have the unfortunate stigma about aging in our culture - instead, we would embrace it. So, embrace it fully, you look incredible and share goodness and beauty with so many on your blog.

Also, you are so young to have a 23 yr old... made me start to think about how old I'll be when our youngest is 23 - yikes!! ;)

Erin said...

A very happy belated birthday! I never, ever would have guessed that you were 50 just by looking, so I'd say you're doing pretty well :)

miss v said...

happy birthday - you deserve that friggin' awesome cake! i'm so jealous!

and potato-wrapped sushi - i must figure out a way to make these! i'm so intrigued!

Amy said...

Happy Birthday to both you and Cat!! You DEFINITELY don't look 50! I assumed you were in your very early 40's (only because I knew Chase was in his early 20's). I hope I look half as good as you do when I'm 50.

I am LOVING that birthday cake!! YUM!

East Village Vegan said...

Happy Birthday! Enjoy your vacation and you look great for 50!

Trista Hill said...

Oh wow -- I would have never guessed that you were 50. You look amazing and I can only hope that when I reach that number I will look as good as you do. Keep up the great things you are doing for yourself and all of us!

Judy said...

Happy Birthday! You definitely don't look 50, but even if you did you'd still be a great person. Enjoy your Florida vacation!

Sheree' said...

Happy Happy Birthday! You are an amazing women. You are beautiful, caring, and have done a great job with Chase! Glad to have you in the 50 club. Enjoy your vacation! Hugs!!!

Bianca said...

They say 30 is the new 20, so that means 50 is the new 40. People live longer (especially healthy vegans) these days, so you're not old at 50 anymore.

Happy Birthday! And Chase's girlfriend is so freakin' adorable!

Anonymous said...

WOW! What a feast! Happy birthday!

A.M. said...

Happy belated birthday Diann!

Binx said...

50 is NOT OLD!!! With your lifestyle and eating choices, you will look and feel great for decades more. Happy birthday, you look amazing, keep doing what your doing, and I can only hope I look as great when I turn 50, too!

Amey said...

happy birthday diann!!!

you are so wonderful... here's to 50 more years of you! Hope you had a great vacation. :)

love Amey

Still Life in South America said...

Happy Birthday, Diann! I am a Cancer horoscope sign as well. I just turned 32. The years keep flying, don't they? I feel as though I am still 22.

To echo other's sentiments, you are a gorgeous, fit, and fabulous woman no matter what your age. I am happy that you live such a fulfilling life. Thanks for sharing it will us!

That ice cream pie looks perfect. YUM!

Wishing you many more happy years and a delicious vacation with your family.

VEGAN TICKLES said...

Happy Birthday and hope you have an awesome time in Florida!!!

Sheree' said...

Your flowers make me smile!

Susan G said...

Happy Belated Birthday, Diann! The celebration looks awesome - food and family.

I am right behind you (46), so I can relate to everything you say. Health and family (and food!) are everything - so what if we no longer look 20! It's all good.

Thanks for sharing your life and food. I love to see how close you are with Chase. You are so right in that he is your best accomplishment. Yay for 50!