Birthday weekend shenanigans

Tomorrow is my 37th birthday, and every year I make a point of doing something big. I'm mostly an extrovert, so my big deal is to get as many of my friends as I can together to do something fun and silly. Because I have young kids and a limited budget, my social life is very erratic usually. On Tuesday, I took my kids up to Dallas to stay with my folks, and I visited there too for a couple of days and came back to Austin solo yesterday afternoon.

My spouse and I got some much needed alone time, and used one of the deep-discount dining certificates he gets at work to go out to eat. My parents like to go out to eat as well, so I've had some practice over the last few days with managing the restaurant scene.

We went to Austin Land and Cattle (which is a local place, not the Texas Land and Cattle chain), and I think I did OK. I still don't have much restriction, so I totally ate more than I should have, but it wasn't too bad. Two little nibbles of their awesome bread before I pushed the basket all the way over to M's side of the table. heheh

We split a seared Ahi tuna appetizer that was absolutely melt-in-your-mouth divine. He ordered the MASSIVE ribeye, and I ordered a grilled chicken breast with poblano cream sauce (on the side). I asked for extra veggies instead of the mashed potatoes, and the server brought me a metric ton of carrots, spinach, and broccoli.
I ate a few bites of M's ribeye (SO good!) and one of my chicken breasts. A bite or two of veggies and I was done. AND I have another whole delicious chicken meal waiting for me in the fridge today!

I did indulge in a cocktail for the first time in months. I think I was able to eat more because I had to sip on that thing through dinner to get it in without it knocking me on my ass. So yummy, though. Maker's Mark bourbon with lime and Grand Marnier does indeed make for a tasty Side Car.

Nominally, that cocktail was a test run so I could get a feel for my tolerance before tonight's festivities. Let's just say I have almost NO tolerance, and I will be VERY cautious about what I imbibe this evening, and how much.

Tonight we'll be heading to Phara's for mediterranean food and to watch belly dancers. Another deep-discount cert will take $100 off our whole party's bill (I think there are about 15 people coming to the dinner part of the evening), so it's well within budget. :D

After Phara's, we'll hit Austin Karaoke! This place is one where you reserve a big-ass room with your own huge screen and karaoke machine - it's pretty affordable when everyone pays for themselves ($5 per person per hour). It's a private room, so it's all us, not shared with the general public. It's BYOB, and we'll have coolers and ice and cups and such. I've done karaoke here for my birthday for the last two years. Before that, I had one regular house party here in Austin, and then had the karaoke thing going in Dallas for a couple of the years that we lived there. Usually about 40-60 people show up over the course of the evening, and it's really a great time. Lots of silly singing, dancing, flirting, kissing, and general mayhem.

Oh yes, I also insist that anyone attending be bedecked in some sort of shiny/sparkly/snazzy/sexy/shimmery attire. Tiaras, boas, sequins, glitter, etc., are all encouraged. I like to see my friends looking spectacular, and they do it so well! *grin*

I'm afraid that my attire this evening may not be up to snuff. I'm in a sort of 'dead zone' in my wardrobe right now. I have a whole lot of stuff in the 18/20 range, and a whole lot of stuff in the 13/14 range. But not a heck of a lot in a size 16. 16s are slightly too big for me right now, but my 13/14 stuff is still at least 10-20 pounds away from fitting comfortably.

So, I'm not sure what to wear, and I'm not buying anything. I'll come up with something.


Hopefully, I can keep my eating to an enjoyable level of moderation, and the alcohol intake to a minimum. I do, however, plan on maximizing my fun! hehehe

Maybe I'll have a few pics to share afterwards.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend!!