Surprise Birthday Weekend

It all started with a phone call last Friday morning from one of my sisters, the one who lives just two hours away.  She said she was in town to visit her son and his wife, but they were tied up for lunch, so why didn't we have lunch together?  Of course, I agreed, left work, and we met at our favorite Tex-Mex place.  We ordered and began visiting over our fajitas, when I noticed people standing by our table.  I looked up, and it was our other sister from Nashville and my daughter from Houston!  To say I was stunned is an understatement.  I was totally gobsmacked, and I think my daughter feared for a bit that I might have a heart attack!  It was definitely one of those "this does not compute" moments. 

The three of them had apparently been plotting for MONTHS to pull off a surprise birthday weekend, and they certainly succeeded!  My husband was in on the scheme, as were my boss and our office manager.  Yes, it was quite a web of deceit they spun!  My birthday isn't for a couple of weeks, so I wasn't suspecting anything.  However, I should also point out that I am extremely gullible. . . .

After lunch, I dashed home to throw a few things in a suitcase and we took off for Fredericksburg in the Texas hill country.  They had rented a B&B in the country that turned out to be the perfect getaway.  The 1920s farmhouse was lovely and well-stocked with breakfast goodies -- plus it had a hot tub on the back deck.  My daughter had brought appetizers and wine, which we enjoyed outside, and she also whipped up a quick pasta dish for dinner, so we didn't have to go anywhere.  It was a wonderful evening, with lots of laughter. 

My sisters presented me with some darling turquoise boots that I had had my eye on after buying a pair in cognac last year.  Apparently, my husband had QUITE a time locating the existing boots in order to find the right size to order, but he finally found them buried in the out-of-season closet.  (It's still hot here in Texas.)  I can't wait for the rain to stop so I can wear the new boots! 

Saturday morning we broke our fast with some divine chocolate croissants that my Nashville sister brought frozen and let rise overnight.  We shopped in the fun shops on Fredericksburg's main street in the morning, then had a great lunch at El Milagro.  If you ever go, don't miss their amazing mini pies!

After lunch we stopped at a produce stand to buy pumpkins, then visited some of the area wineries for wine tasting.  That was fun, and we enjoyed learning more about the area from the servers.  Who knew grapes could grow in Texas??  Two of the wineries had live music, and the last one we visited had a lovely big deck with an amazing view of the hill country. 

Here I am (on the right) with my two sisters.  

For dinner that night, we went to the Cabernet Grill, which I also highly recommend.  Don't miss their three-cheese grits as a side dish!  Sunday morning it was time to head home, but not before my daughter served her made-from-scratch biscuits and fluffy scrambled eggs. 

It was a wonderful weekend from start to finish, and I felt well-loved and well-celebrated!

Sunday Brunch on the Queen Mary

Last week I was in Long Beach, California for a conference, and it was a delightful trip!  The weather was gorgeous -- sunny and cool -- and we enjoyed wonderful restaurants and fabulous shopping.  Since my "hobbies" including eating out and shopping, I was happy!  My husband went with me, and he was in charge of finding restaurants.  On our first full day there, we enjoyed Sunday brunch on the Queen Mary.

The ship, which originally crossed the Atlantic between the mid-1930s and mid-1960s, is permanently docked in Long Beach and now houses a hotel and restaurant.  Tours of the rest of the ship are also available, but after our brunch, we weren't up for climbing ladders!  Here's a view of the gorgeous flowerbeds with the ship in the background.

We had a table along one side of the big dining room, right next to a porthole, so that was fun!  The photo below is the view of the dining room from our table.  The service was wonderful, and our champagne glasses were never empty for long.  There was also a harpist playing, and we enjoyed her music.

There were several buffet areas, including one with traditional breakfast foods, another with salads and cheeses, a pasta bar, a carving station, and a Mexican buffet.  (As Texans, we did not sample from that last one!)  The dessert area was beautifully arranged, and in addition to bite-sized pastries and mini-desserts, they had homemade ice cream with various toppings.

We agreed the experience was worth the money, so if you're ever in that part of the country, consider Sunday brunch on the Queen Mary!

I will be linking this post to The Tablescaper's party, "Oh, the PLACES I've been!", so check out other fun destinations there on Fridays.