Death and Dining

Is it in bad taste to tell you that my grandma died in the same post that I go on to tell you about the fancy dinners I had in celebration of my birthday? (For some reason, I really wish I could make "my grandma died" into a link to something, only I feel fairly confident that there is no web page about my grandma.) Ah, well...

My grandma - my mom's mom - died. It was time. She was unhappy...probably for the last 56 years or so. And sick, apparently. I feel like we got just enough extra time with her for her to meet my boys and husband...and to confirm that she was, in fact, ready to die. So although I'm sad in that vague, death-is-sad kind of way, I don't consider this a tragedy. (File that under "emotionally closed.")

So anyway, my birthday...better known as "the day before our birthday" by my boys...was good. I think I will like 32. And I got to have two fancy dinners (on separate nights), which leads me to believe that I should have as many fancy dinners as I am years over 30, every year! 

The first one was at Heidi's Restaurant, which I consider to be Minneapolis' little slice of Manhattan foodiness. And heaven. I had to show you my entree: steamed Scottish salmon with blue crab stuffing, passion fruit and sage.

Shoddy camera work aside, isn't that pretty? Pink salmon on purple potatoes! Naturally, I was in love before I even took a bite, but man, oh, man, the taste was even better. I will dream about that dish until we can be reunited. Delicious. 

Then, over the weekend, my husband took me to La Belle Vie, which you may remember from my birthday last year. While Heidi's has fancy food in a more casual atmosphere, La Belle Vie is fancy, fancy. 

Normally I would indulge in the tasting menu (I love tiny bits of lots of deliciousness), but both the warm goat cheese tart and the sautéed sea scallops with caramelized eggplant, asparagus and prosciutto were calling out my name, and they were over on the a la carte menu. They were divine, to be sure, but next time (as in, next year) I will return to the tasting menu because it's just more fun. 

Sorry, I have no pictures from La Belle Vie. I guess I got into the spirit of acting like a sophisticated lady who doesn't photograph her food...dumb. Next year, there will be pictures. 

And now that my binge of fancy dinners and cupcakes (so many cupcakes) has passed, it's back to trying to eat healthier...and exercising. And crossing things off my list.