20 January 2008

celebrating with friends

On Saturday night, a few friends joined me for a birthday dinner at Impromptu Wine Bar in Seattle. This restaurant is a very special place; with only twenty-five seats in the entire restaurant, my birthday dinner took up nearly one-third of the restaurant's available seats. My friend Peggy introduced me to the restaurant when she found a piece in the Seattle Times about Gluten-Free Girl whose husband is executive chef at Impromptu. This is a place where someone with food allergies like mine may dine with complete and utter abandon and enjoy a sumptuous meal; the restaurtant is almost entirely gluten-free.

Not only were the food and wine ridiculously [as in close your eyes & moan] delicious, but I could not have been surrounded by better company. I was joined by my sister Kaari, my friend Peggy and her husband Adam, my friend Ilse and her boyfriend Brian, as well as Taylor, one of my good friends and partners in crime from work. It was a cold night, but I was enveloped in love, laughter, and warmth. I am every bit as fortunate with my friends here as I am in the blogosphere; and that, my friends, is a lot of love. And who could ask for a better celebration of life than that?

peggy & me

inside the restaurant

from inside the restaurant


getting ready @ the hotel

the wine list

kaari & me getting ready @ the hotel

L to R: adam, peggy, me, taylor

everyone! clockwise from L: adam, peggy, me, taylor, kaari, ilse, brian

see all 30th birthday dinner photos

23 comments:

  1. This looks so fun Kirsten. Seems like you're all better too. It's no surprise to me that you have a lot of people around you who love you like crazy. Who wouldn't love you?

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  2. looks like an elegant, boisterous, and joyful affair! Happy Birthday to you!!

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  3. Ooh la la, HOT MAMA!!

    Seriously, girl, you are hot. And look at those arms! :)

    I agree with Terri: who wouldn't love you?!

    So glad this was wonderful in every way, and I love all the pictures in your Flickr about this night. You take fun impressionistic shots that are unique, and I like the way you choose to see things in those shots.

    Gorgeous girl, I could just squeeze you because you're so cute! :)

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  4. Kirsten,

    Nice to know that there are fine-dining, gluten-free restaurants.

    I'm not gluten intolerant, but I am a health-food nut. Although, I have been a bit wayward the past month. I'll be back on track soon.

    It looks like you had a blast. And that makes me smile.

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  5. Terri - It was a blast!! Everything I hoped for & so much more. And you're going to make me cry again ... I am ridiculously (how many times can I use that word?) blessed with all my friends, I almost can't stand it. Almost. ;o)

    Suz - It was so much fun!! Thank you so much for the birthday wishes.

    Christianne - Aw, thanks girl!! You know it doesn't hurt for a girl to hear that she looks good. ;o) I felt really good that night, having started the day with a relaxing facial (whoa, momma! that was NICE!) and gotten my hair done for the occasion. It really was a fabulous evening & was happy to be surrounded by the people in my life I really care about and vice versa. It was such a treat!

    And hey ... we'll be squeezing each other very soon!

    Nathan - I agree! And in a place like this, there's not a thing you're missing with no gluten being there.

    I have this dream in my mind where all of us bloggers will get together one day & share such a meal together. Wouldn't that be a blast!?

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  6. Looks like a great place and a great memory for you all.

    Love the dress. (I'll need it back sometime next week, btw)

    Thanks for sharing.

    :]

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  7. You look great, I am glad you were feeling better.

    Have a great week at work unburying from what you missed, then just in time to head to Florida! They have this thing there called the sun, I hear it is pretty cool. (LOL)

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  8. Oh this looks like bliss.
    Here's to good friends and yummy food and living life fully.

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  9. the food was delicious, and the company even better! So happy I could celebrate with you!

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  10. Hey Kirsten,

    Happy belated birthday!!! I was out on vacation seeing family, so I didn't see this until now.

    So what does it "feel" like to be 30? I'll be there later this year and for some reason, it "feels" like a big deal to me and I typically just let the birthdays roll right by with a decent amount of partying.

    Say, have you tried Beaujolais wine yet? It is fabulous with most foods, very simple in taste and texture, and I was able to spend a couple months smack dab in the middle of the district during college 8^D You gotta try it if you haven't already.

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  11. Yee haw! Looks like an AMAZING party! I'm glad it was all that!

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  12. 23 Degrees -- Oh really? Haven't we been over this? I told you I looked better in the dress, & that I'm keeping it.

    So there. ;o)

    Hi Carl -- And thanks, I was feeling much more like a human being & less like a virus monkey. I imagine that I'll just start feel back in the swing of things before I head off to Florida. Too bad I couldn't have planned it all better & had two weeks off!!

    Bella -- yes, it was a perfectly blissful evening. Wonderful food, excellent wine, & the best kind of company. Total & utter delight!

    Hi Sean!! -- 30 does feel big to me, feels like I'm on the edge of something, as if all the events of the past couple years are and will be coming to a head this year. I look forward to seeing what's out there and am more determined than ever to lay ahold of that which God has for me. I'm so excited, I can hardly stand it!!

    I haven't tried Beaujolais wine yet, but am always willing to try new ones!

    Sarah -- It WAS amazing. I could not have planned that the evening would be as wonderful as it was. The restaurant, the people I was with ... it all made it so terribly special, I still have bruise marks from pinching myself! :o)

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  13. I agree (as he tries to think of a humorous comeback, he realizes that indeed his arms may be a tad bulky for such petite fashion) just keep it.

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  14. Happy b-day girl!

    You look like you had a blast and as one who hates to miss out on any parties anywhere in the world I am extremely jealous yet happy for you at the same time.

    I feel so conflicted . . .

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  15. You and 23 Degrees are hilarious. Made me laugh out loud, both of you.

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  16. 23 -- ha ha ha!! i loved your retort (and the fact that i get to keep the lovely outfit & perhaps make good use of it in the future).

    thanks, dave! -- it would be the fulfillment of a rather huge dream of mine of all of us were to gather around the same table, share a meal without any constraints of time, enjoy one another's laughter, & just hang out. i think that would be one amazing, rip-roaring kind of party. so who wants to organize?!

    mr 23 degrees is pretty freaking hilarious, isn't he, christianne? :o)

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  17. Sister, I am sooooo glad you had a fun night. You looked MARVELOUS and it looks like the party was just the right size. I can even see me in spirit there. :o) I'm sorry I couldn't make it, but from the read of things, you were treated to an amazing night. Happy Birthday, Kirsten!!

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  18. wow, i see my husband stopped in. that's pretty impressive given that the guy t-y-p-e-s r-e-a-l-l-y s-l-o-w and works a million hours a week in a truck with no internet. he must love you. :)

    oh, and i'm really sad that your job is being poopy to you and making your head hurt. but soon you'll be at the edge of a warm ocean with christianne, so that makes me happy.

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  19. Terri -- That is really cool that Dave stopped by. When you highlight the fact that he works in a truck with crazy long hours ... that makes me feel pretty dang special. :o) You two are too cool. I'm proud to be an honorary family member.

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  20. Looks like it was a great party. It is nice to celebrate with family and friends.

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  21. Hmm, I have the song "leavin on a jet plane" stuck in my head...I wonder if anyone I know is going to be doing that soon?

    ~Carl~

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  22. Hi Greg! I really could not have asked for a better celebration.

    And Carl ... hmmm. Who could be leaving on a jet plane ... leaving behind this 20 degree weather for a time for sunny Florida!? OH wait ... that would be ME!! :o) 3 days & counting ...

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  23. I'm getting so excited for your trip! I'm lifting you up and praying that this is exactly what the doctor ordered for you and Christianne both.

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