A Lovely Night...

Greetings Wonderers, and a happy belated Valentine's Day to you all!

In the event that this year I enjoyed my first Valentine's Day without using a euphemism for something more singles-oriented, I felt it was something so positive that I absolutely must post about it.  And I wanted to have a post or so between Eat Me! posts, which are piling up.

Curly, Twirly, and Very Girly!

So without further ado...

Anyone who knows me knows I am always looking for an excuse to dress up.  Lucky for me, that's something my boyfriend enjoys about me.  And even luckier, he arranges occasions where I can do just that.  For a combination celebration of Valentine's Day and my upcoming birthday, he took me out for a fancy dinner in West Hollywood.  The location was, of course, a secret.  He did at least give me the head's up that it was fancy, when I asked if I "had to wear a nice dress."  Just so we're clear... "do I have to wear a [nice] dress?" actually means "do I get to wear a [nice] dress?"

We had been staying at my godmother's apartment in Brentwood for the weekend for a little bit of much needed privacy.  I had cooked him dinner the night before - several courses, leading up to a manly meal of steak, potatoes, and green beans.  While he was at work the next day, I did the dishes, visited my aunt and Gamma, and dipped chocolate strawberries.  I wanted us to have a special moment alone after dinner with some champagne and the strawberries.  Truthfully I just wanted an excuse to buy - and drink - champagne.

I also spent about two and a half hours getting ready for the evening.  I even managed to successfully curl my hair!  So naturally, I had to take a picture to savor the moment.  I wish I had a picture of the two of us, dressed up all nice, but I don't. :(

I met him at his office, since he didn't get off until half an hour before our reservation.  We stashed his car in a parking garage and were on our way to the still undisclosed location,

Imagine my surprise, when we pulled up to The London Hotel.  I still had no idea where we were going, all I knew was that I really liked the driveway, which has archways covered in ivy.  We valeted the car, and wandered around the entrance before heading to the restaurant.  We walked past a little stand at the doorway which held a menu type flyer and two little words caused my mouth to drop open.  Gordon. Ramsay.  There will definitely be an Eat Me! post about this meal.

I took a picture of the menu because, as I told my man, it may be the only time I ever see the name Gordon Ramsay on a menu.  The meal was quite the marathon, leaving my body and my mouth at war with each other.  My body - now two pounds above the weight on my drivers license for the first time ever, and thereby almost 10 pounds lighter than I was at my birthday last year, thankyouverymuch - was saying "please, no more, I'm going to be physically ill."  My mouth, however, countered with "EAT ALL THE THINGS!!!" For now, I'll leave you with this collage of images, which you will see in more detail later...

Yeah. Eat all the things.

By the time we got back to the apartment, we were both so stuffed that we didn't even make it to dessert and champagne.  We just passed out into a blissful (albeit, slightly uncomfortable) food coma.  In each other's arms.  'Cause, y'know... Valentine's Day.