So, Stinger's bday was Saturday, and even though we didn't get to do all the stuff I had planned (we got rained out) it was still a pretty cool day. I wanted to take him to the Corvette car show in cute little downtown Vermilion, OH--which also happens to be where one of our favorite restaurants is. The rain scotched the car show, which was meant to be held outdoors, in the square, but we didn't let that keep us from enjoying a lovely dinner on the covered terrace at Chez Francois. Our table looked out over the Vermilion River, which leads up to Lake Erie just a few yards away. Even with the rain, it was a pretty view. We had seared foie gras with rhubarb compote (as Thomas Keller says, the great thing about foie gras is that it's foie gras--you really can't mess it up. However, the compote was swimming in some sort of completely unnecessary oil that did not enhance the dish). And then I had the lobster ravioli in truffle butter sauce (yum!) and Stinger had the Beef Wellington, because he's a classic like that.

For gifts, Stinger got a mousepad that says "I am a romance writer's inspiration" on it, the French Laundry cookbook, tickets to the Cleveland Symphony, and a painting. This painting is one I've been sitting on since April, dying to give to him since I bought it while visiting my pregnant friend from nursery school in Raleigh. The artist is a friend of hers, a young rising star who's making a name for himself locally. I got to meet him and see his studio, which was fascinating, and I paid a fraction of what the paining would've cost in a New York gallery. Plus, I love it. It's of a bridge in Savannah, GA, and if you want to check it out, here's Luke's website. Hold your mouse over the image and they'll start to scroll--the one I bought is the fourth painting down.

A good time was had by both of us. Now I've got to figure out what we're going to do next year for the big 3 - 0.

Posted by Louisa Edwards at 8:09 AM