Dave earned some props!

Dave earned some serious props for pulling off a big birthday surprise! While I am not always the best at waiting for a surprise, I do love that moment when it all comes together and the surprise is revealed. I honestly had no idea what to expect but knew that it would be something fun. As we were driving to the secret location I kept trying to figure out where we were going. As we would pass a particular landmark I would shout out a destination, sure that I had figured it out, only to be met with a sly grin and clear no. After several guesses and several failures, we finally arrived at out destination. Even then, I was still unsure where we were and what to expect. We parked and walked in to the lobby level of a building in the LA's art district. Dave waves at someone but I don't see who. People are walking around sipping wine, nibbling on appetizers and enjoying the art. As we turned a corner I see an old friend- the friend that Dave waved to earlier. Now it all made sense. This friend works for this amazing catering company called Room Forty. We were there to attend one of their "Wine Maker Dinners". After some pretty amazing appetizers in the lobby, we headed up to the 22nd floor to begin the rest of our 6 course meal. The bare bones industrial styled room was set up with large tables and benches and lit only by candle light. There were a few pieces of art hanging on a couple walls and simple vases and flowers adorning the tables. And the best part of all was the amazing panoramic views of the Hollywood HIlls all lit up in the night sky. It was just amazing! We sat down and met the people at our table. A couple with one small child who recently moved from the DC area. Another older couple who are well versed in these types of dinner engagements. The owner's wife, a friends of theirs from church and another couple with 4 kids and a lot of interesting stories. The conversations were as great as the atmosphere and food. And speaking of food, I have never had anything like it. Scallops with a new white wine, duck with a great white, rabbit with smooth red and steak with an amazing red with a little kick followed up by a delicious dessert. While it sounds like a lot of food, the portion sizes were much smaller and few people ate everything on the plate. It was the perfect amount of food and wine. It was amazing! All of this wonderful food, while conversing with some pretty amazing people we just met and the soft sounds of the acoustic guitar being payed by an amazing musician. It was unique and distinctly LA. In a million years, I could not have imagined or planned a better way to spend my 30th birthday. Dave did an amazing job planning and executing a truly special night all the while keeping it a secret from me!! It is quite an accomplishment. My hats of you Dave! And, thanks for an amazing birthday celebration that I will ALWAYS remember!