Raspberry Mojitos

I bet I’ve left some of ya’ll thinking I didn’t make it through my 21st birthday. Well, I’m alive! You’d think I would have been enthused to report back immediately on my birthday festivities, but actually the opposite occurred: I lost my blogging mojo. Perhaps it was the realization that my much-anticipated 21st birthday was now over, that it would never happen again, and that it turned out shy of extraordinary. Perhaps it was the fact that Sunday I experienced my first real hangover and my diet consisted of Detox Tea. Whatever it was, I did not feel inclined blog. Then I got a tweet from my birthday twin.

It was all the inspiration I needed. So here I am, sweaty from a 52-minute run in the Redwood forest, and semi-full of steel cut oats, ready to share…

After spending an enjoyable [and windy] afternoon at the Oyster Festival with my friend Daisy, I got ready for a night of celebration.

For my birthday dinner, I chose the Looking Glass House, a cute house along the Humboldt Bay shoreline.

The restaurant has a subtle theme of Alice in Wonderland, of course.

I cracked open the drink menu as fast as I could.

My first legal drink: Fresh Raspberry Minty Mojito – mmm!

Then we ordered food…

Spring Pea & Roasted Garlic Fondue

Organic Mesclun, Raspberries, Cypress Grove Chèvre, Candied Pecans + Maple Sherry Vinaigrette

Utterly delightful.

Grilled Vegetable Skewers + Pesto Cream Sauce

Potato Mashers: mashed potatoes breaded then fried served with gorgonzola sauce [hey, it was b.day!]

Dad’s Dish: Wasabi Seared Ahi with Cilantro & Ponzu Vinaigrette

We didn’t plan on ordering dessert, but the sweet server was clearly aware of the occasion on hand. I knew there was an extra-special birthday cake waiting for me, but you can’t pass up dessert on the house — at least I can’t!

Chocolate Cupcake Explosion with Chocolate Mousse Filling and Melted Chocolate

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Tipsy me tried to ‘blow out’ the sparkler – hehe!

Dinner was delightful: zero complaints from the food critique. Alright… maybe they could have ironed the table cloths.

After dinner, I met up with a few of my girlfriends for THE cake* and champagne. The night didn’t end there of course. What’s a 21st birthday without the bar scene? I’ve probably mentioned my town plaza before. Three sides of the square consist of everything from a French bakery to a bead shop, and local art galleries. On the fourth side, there are four bars in a row. I’ve always had a liking for the heart of my town – mainly because it has one! – but it’s odd to think that I’ve only been able to experience 3/4 of it until now. On Saturday, I was finally able to crush my curiosity and explore the fourth side. I hopped from one bar to the next to redeem my free birthday drink at each. The night was no-doubtedly filled with laughter, crazy costumes, and vodka. With that experience crossed off my list, I think I’ll stick to the adjacent sides of the square – coffee & clothing are more my thing ; )