Not a recipe today, this is one of those restaurant visits where Gregg took me for my birthday meal in July. I have been meaning to share it for a while now. We love the people here who are always so welcoming and friendly. The atmosphere is lovely too.
I enjoy the décor and as we were there at an 'off hour' (past the lunch crowd), it was fairly quiet and I felt I wouldn't be disturbing anyone if I took a few photos.
There is a fountain right in the middle of the restaurant.
And isn't this a wonderful work of art? It depicts the Mayan Calendar. According to Wikipedia, "among their other accomplishments, the ancient Mayans invented a calendar of remarkable accuracy and complexity." You can read more about it if you click on the red lettering.
I love arches, anywhere...
and this beautiful print of sunflowers, so cheerful!
A sculpture of the man with the horses, and the cactus.
Here is a more of a side view of that sculpture.
The young man who helped us overheard Gregg wishing me quietly a happy birthday. I truly do not like to make a fuss. However, at the end of our meal I saw several staff members heading to our table. There were no other customers around. My first thought was to look at Gregg with a quizzical look and a silent “did you?”! Gregg gave me a “wasn’t me” kind of a look. One of the young people had a guitar and started strumming the happy birthday song with a Mexican flair. He played well and had a good voice, as did the others. The pink hat was placed on my head and I was presented with a dish of ice-cream with a lit candle. They all had big smiles on their faces. They clapped their hands all through the song, and at the end they all wished me a very happy birthday, as they had done for every customer who ever celebrated no doubt. But what I really appreciated was their genuine happy demeanor for it was as though I was their first birthday customer of the week.
I gave my hat back and thanked them all very much, and I enjoyed my ice-cream, smiling broadly to Gregg as he knows I would run in the other direction at this kind of attention, but not this time. With this and our son and daughter-in-law's visit that morning, it all made for a very enjoyable birthday. I hadn't intended to go out but after saying later that afternoon, that I needed a new pair of ear buds for my iPAD, this restaurant was right across from the place we bought them and well, there you go.
I gave my hat back and thanked them all very much, and I enjoyed my ice-cream, smiling broadly to Gregg as he knows I would run in the other direction at this kind of attention, but not this time. With this and our son and daughter-in-law's visit that morning, it all made for a very enjoyable birthday. I hadn't intended to go out but after saying later that afternoon, that I needed a new pair of ear buds for my iPAD, this restaurant was right across from the place we bought them and well, there you go.
A very special birthday meal, thanks to my dear husband who took me there, and to those lovely young people who sang me my birthday song.
To finish off my post I found this online. I used to love cutting out paper dolls when I was young. I also enjoyed taking my colored pencils and drawing many of my own, and often made their dresses cut from old catalogs Mum gave me after she had finished with them. It was a favorite hobby. Fitting in with my theme, I found this one of the famous Mexican Artist
Frida Kahlo
1907 - 1954
The first part of her biography (found by clicking on her name) reads:
"Frida Kahlo was a Mexican painter known for her many portraits, self-portraits and works inspired by the nature and artifacts of Mexico. Inspired by the country's popular culture, she employed a naïve folk art style to explore questions of identity, post-colonialism, gender, class and race in Mexican society. Her paintings often had strong autobiographical elements and mixed realism with fantasy. In addition to belonging to the post-revolutionary Mexicayotl movement, which sought to define a Mexican identity, Frida Kahlo has been described as a surrealist or magical realist."
Thanks for looking and I wish you a great week!
To finish off my post I found this online. I used to love cutting out paper dolls when I was young. I also enjoyed taking my colored pencils and drawing many of my own, and often made their dresses cut from old catalogs Mum gave me after she had finished with them. It was a favorite hobby. Fitting in with my theme, I found this one of the famous Mexican Artist
Frida Kahlo
1907 - 1954
The first part of her biography (found by clicking on her name) reads:
"Frida Kahlo was a Mexican painter known for her many portraits, self-portraits and works inspired by the nature and artifacts of Mexico. Inspired by the country's popular culture, she employed a naïve folk art style to explore questions of identity, post-colonialism, gender, class and race in Mexican society. Her paintings often had strong autobiographical elements and mixed realism with fantasy. In addition to belonging to the post-revolutionary Mexicayotl movement, which sought to define a Mexican identity, Frida Kahlo has been described as a surrealist or magical realist."
Thanks for looking and I wish you a great week!
A very happy belated birthday to you. The venue looks charming, the food delicious, the birthday wishes wonderful - and the company great. Hard to ask for more isn't it?
ReplyDeleteI am a big, big fan of Frida Kahlo too.
Thank you EC, no would not ask for anything more. It is all I need :)
DeleteI love magical realism, but have never heard of this author! One Hundred Years Of Solitude may be my favorite book ever. I like all of Gabriel Garcia Marquez's stories. Plus Isabel Alende and others. I will have to check her out. This place looks fabulous!! Even the front door is lovely, not to mention the fountain and calendar. It was just the right place to go for a wonderful birthday treat.
ReplyDeleteHi Ginny and thank you for the authors' names. I will check those out.
DeleteYou went to buy ear bids??? What a great restaurant and meal. HAPPY BIRTHDAY. The Mayan Calendar is amazing.
ReplyDeleteHi Diane, we call them ear buds here. You might know them as head phones maybe? Not sure what you might call them. These are wireless ones that Gregg asked if I would like them as one of my birthday gifts.
DeleteBelated birthday greetings and a belated wish for more happy birthdays. I think your readers enjoyed your day as much as I did. Thanks for sharing, Denise.
ReplyDeleteHello Valerie, thank you. So glad you enjoyed this post and you are very welcome :)
DeleteHappy belated birthday and this place has so much atosmosphere who could not have a wonderful meal there. it really is a beautiful place. love that statue and the hats. growing up I had an old suitcase full of paper dolls, none like this one though. I did the same as you, drew my own clothing and used Sears catalog for clothes. I went so far as to glue the models on pasteboard that came in daddy;s laundry shirts, cut out the models and then make clothing...
ReplyDeleteYes it was wonderful and I loved the ambience. I remember those pasteboards from the shirts. I used to use something a little thicker than paper but can't remember what it was now.
DeleteI'm with you . I would be quite upset if the well meaning happy birthday singers showed up at my table. However, it likes like a very good place to eat.
ReplyDeleteHi Red, it is a very popular practice here to sing to a customer who has a birthday. Sometimes a family or friend sets it up beforehand or on arrival without the birthday person knowning. I've always said to my family please don't do that but as this was an impromptu birthday meal, I hadn't said. Howevere, I didn't realize our friendly waiter was listening :)
DeleteHi Denise, thanks for sharing your special day - you were eased gently into that birthday celebration weren't you. I think that's lovely. Both you and your dear husband's meals looked so good and it was a most pleasant place to be. Love the art and statues. A great post... and, cheers! xx
ReplyDeleteThank you Sue, that is a good description of my day :)
DeleteHappy belated Birthday! I loved doll cutouts too! Thanks for taking us to Mexico with this post!
ReplyDeleteThank you Christine and you are very welcome :)
DeleteYou looked very happy, Denise, and what a lovely way to celebrate your birthday.
ReplyDeleteYes it was a fun day and a fun way to celebrate. Thanks Dorothy :)
DeleteHow lovely your birthday meal and surprise wishes must have delighted you, Denise. I don't like attention for celebrations either, but you were sweet to accept the gesture of the staff. I love the darling paper doll. My Nanny used to make me paper dolls from the Sunday ads in the paper. Thanks for the reminder.
ReplyDeleteHello Martha Ellen, it was a lovely way to celebrate. Those dear people were so sincere, there was no way I could have sent them away. Generosity of spirit is a special gift when given in such a way. How lovely, another paper doll fan and you are very welcome for the reminder :)
DeleteHappy belated birthday to you, lovely pictures.
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
Thank you Jan, all the best :)
DeleteHi Denise Happy birthday my friend,what a lovely place Greg took you too and i love that the restaurant made it special for you.
ReplyDeleteOh i remember the paper dolls i used to make my own clothes for them out of pages from old magazines ,hope your day is a good one Denise xx
Hi Sheryl, and thank you. We like this place very much and will be going back again. We just don't go out to restaurants too often these days. Another kindred spirit with the paper dolls :) I hope you have a great day too xx
DeleteThe Mayan calendar is eye catching!
ReplyDeleteThank you William, I thought it was amazing :)
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