23rd Birthday!

As of May 19, I'm a 23-year-old! 

This was my Birthday outfit! Being a Wednesday, I had to work (with special ed kids, mind you) but didn't care and wanted to wear a dress darn it! Oh, I did wear purple flats at work though, and slipped on the purple heels for dinner.

Dress: Target

Belt: Forever 21

Sweater: Target

Bow Headband (not that you can see it well): Valleygirl (Australia)

Shoes: Tahari brand -- THE most comfortable heels I've ever worn!!!! My best guy friend Cisco bought them for me as a present, and I couldn't be happier with them!! Plus they're purple :)

I wore this when I went out to dinner at Red Robin Burgers with my boyfriend... It isn't a fancy place, but it's kind of *our* place. It's the first place I took him to, the day he arrived in America, and he loves it! So do I, mm mm mmm. I got the "Banzai Burger" sub Gardenburger patty. It has pineapple and teriyaki sauce, and their steak fries dipped in Honey Poppyseed dressing is HEAVEN! Oh, and he treated me to a top-shelf Margarita!!

 Because no special day is the same without a silly face photo.

David's present to me. My face: "What the heck could this be?!"

"No way!!!"

"*singin an electric guitar lick*" ROCK ON!

So exciting.. I got loads of cards from all my family and a few more from friends came the next day.
I got the adorable carry-on luggage and oven mitt from my aunt. She knows I love polka dots!
My aweeesome brother got me the entire series of Fraggle Rock!!! HE rocks. Ahh, childhood!
My dad and stepmom got me some jewelry making supplies since I've been wanting to get into that! and a gift certificate to a fancy bead store.

above & below, from their website

On Friday, my family took me out to dinner to a Neopolitan Pizza place -- one of the only 30 in the US certified by the organization in Naples. It was pretty good -- my favorites were one with roasted garlic and melted Cambazola cheese, and one with Italian sausage and caramelized onions. Yummo!

For dessert, I had the most delicious hazelnut gelato ball! It is called "Chocolate Tartuffo" described as having a "Zabaglione cream center (which to me tasted of amaretto, almond, or eggnog), surrounded by chocolate gelato and caramelized hazelnuts, topped with cocoa powder" Or as I describe it, "absolutely insanely decadent delicious heaven in my mouth"

After dinner, it was my idea to go wine-tasting at Sweet Cheeks Winery, which *little did I know* had a gorgeous view! It had been raining, but stopped once we got there, to give us this lovely rainbow across the valley! The photo really doesn't do it justice, it was much more vivid.

The winery is in Crow, Oregon... hence the crow mascot, I suppose. Such a striking logo!

It was lovely.. There was 3 wines to taste, free cheese pairings (tiniest little samples though!), and a live musician, playing guitar and singing many Beatles songs.

I love this raincoat I got at Kohl's for only about 20-30 bucks! So pretty. The dress is also from Kohl's but over 3 years old.

I really liked the wine glass holder. It was very pretty with all the leaves and little crow. And the metal sign had a very raw industrial, yet still pretty, feel.

That wine there was a sparkling dry red. Very tasty and interesting! Like a red champagne.

All in all, I had a decently good birthday! My coworkers made me feel special, and the little kiddies sang/signed "Happy Birthday" which made my day :) A lot of people made me feel special from home.. I just wish that I could be there. I miss California, and I miss my mom, and I miss my best friends! Birthdays are always an excuse for "the girls" to get together for dinner, and I'm sad that I always miss out on that by living far away. Oh well. At least I had my lovah, who always treats me very special. I woke up to find Happy Birthday notes all over the room. Plus he got me Guitar Hero! yahhh! :)

♥

Oh, and thank you all for the Birthday wishes on my last post!! :)