The Fourth Birthday Candle

Last night, I celebrated my birthday for the fourth and final time for this year.  All four of my mini celebrations were noteworthy and memorable but this one was doubly so since it was also my nephew's one month celebration.  Everything worked out incredibly nicely and we went out to dinner at a fabulous restaurant on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood where everything was absolutely perfect... really, no exaggeration ... at all.

Cravings is a restaurant owned by a Turkish chef Ibrahim Oztok that we had dined at on one of our prior visits to LA; it had left me with a favorable impression but this time the experience was just unforgettable.  I have been on a gluten-free diet since the beginning of the year and this can be most challenging when eating out.  As I have been doing for the past seven months, first thing I did was to ask our waiter if he could  possibly help me out to find something suitable from the menu.  He just gave me an assessing look and uttered what I most wanted to hear- "I think you can pretty much have anything you want on the menu but give me a minute, I'll go and check" leaving me gaping in his wake.  He came back to confirm his original bold statement and I went on a heavenly eating spree.

Before anything else, I chose my entrée, Crab Ravioli in a light lobster cream sauce and then proceeded to consider my other options.   I was pretty much like a kid at a candy store running through the menu forward and backward trying to find the most unattainable.  I finally decided I was craving for soup; I asked our assured waiter what kind of soup it was and he said it was a fantastic Chicken Curry Soup.  I was also informed that I couldn't have the rolls in the bread basket since they were made of wheat and only the Ciabatta was gluten-free.  I was so excited, I could've jumped up to kiss him on both cheeks... I refrained... we went on with our dinner.  From that point on every single thing we had was amazing...

Chicken Curry soup that was both delicious and light at the same time.  The little vegetables that could be discerned in the soup added a fresh and healthy edge to the already incredible taste.  I could go back there just to have this soup again.

My brother and Wendy ordered the Steamed Spicy Manila Clams in a white wine sauce with scallions, garlic and fresh herbs.  This was so good that we even finished off the sauce right down to the last drop ( dipping our ciabatta's into it... mmm.. mmm)      

My Crab Ravioli in light lobster cream sauce.  I always prefer pasta with a cream sauce and this one was one of the best I ever had.  The ravioli was more similar to Chinese Dumplings than the ravioli we are used to and this made it even more interesting; it was a savory mouthful with a delicate sauce to complement it to perfect harmony.

The Chicken Parmiggiana served  with fettuccine in a tomatoes sauce.  This is usually served with a Parmesan cream sauce but Wendy ordered it this way and was very happy with her choice.

 

This was Cenk's Traditional Lasagna which he said was good but would rate it third after our two incredible entrées.
I got so carried away with the food that I just realized I didn't mention anything about the restaurant... it is a first-rate Mediterranean restaurant with outdoor dining which is always a plus especially in a place like LA where you have near perfect weather year-round.   The service was exceptional; all three of us asked for water in a different way and our glasses were always filled properly.  It seemed like he knew what we might need one second before we thought of it ourselves.   The service made the whole dining experience all the more enjoyable.

Everything we dined on was so fabulous that I had to ask the waiter to recommend a desert for me. He didn't even blink when he said the Chocolate mouse meringue cake was incredible ... I didn't think twice.  Just around the time we were finishing  up our dinner, Prometheus decided to wake from his nap and demanded to be noticed, so we took our cake home with us.   Right before calling it a day we lit two candles, one for me and the other for Prometheus; Wendy and I blew out the candles together and went on to finish the heavenly concoction with delight.  It was the perfect ending for what had to be one of the most wonderful days... holding my little nephew, having a lively, stimulating conversation with my brother and his wife, indulging in one of the most unforgettable meals of the year and all of this as only one quarter of my birthday celebrations .. what more could a girl ask for???

CRAVINGS RESTAURANT
http://www.cravingsrestaurant.com/
8653 SUNSET BOULEVARD,
WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA 90069
TEL:  (310) 652-6104

The Party That Never Was... the Birthday Stories Continue...

One fine day, back in June, as I sat on the porch looking at my flowers, I had an image of a table set with my mother's linens - an array of wild, exotic colors that match and complement the flowers growing in abundance in containers all around us... or... an all neutral color scheme of white table settings and pillows with a score of white candles burning to set the mood or to just ward off mosquitoes... I liked the picture I had in my mind and decided it was definitely doable... only... we needed an occasion.  The whole family tends to tred reverently when it comes to my mother's linens, so I definitely needed to find an auspicious occasion  for such an indulgence and, find it I did... my birthday dinner... I was quite smitten with the idea and decided that we would be a big happy crowd of the whole family along with a few friends or neighbors.  It didn't quite turn out that way.. but still, I got my wish.

As it turned out, my husband wasn't able to come back from Turkey with us and my mom was extremely busy as she always is around this time of year rushing to get ready for her trade show in New York at the end of the week and the people I wanted to invite weren't available.  I did not let any of this dampen my enthusiasm and went on with my plans of a big birthday dinner for myself; I wanted to cook and eat at home and was determined to make a good show of it. 

Two days ago I asked my mother, Nuko of Nuko Creations, if she had six matching pillows that she could spare for the house; a definite advantage of living in such close proximity to a home textile designer; she came home from work last night with a bag full of such vibrantly colored pillows that they made me jump.  I ran outside to the deck to put them around the table but was a little deflated to find it so hot and humid that it would have been impossible to eat outside.  Having already baked the cake and cooked and prepared to my heart's content, I decided to play around a little bit.. the boys were still at the gym anyway... we had plenty of time. 

So, as my mother was setting the table for us to eat inside, I set my fantasy table outside.  The linens she had at home for our use were perfect with the pillows she had brought home, a very deliberate coincidence, I am sure... and of course there is always an abundance of  materials in any of her homes for hundreds of different table settings.  So I played around for a little bit, the heat making it almost impossible to linger for too long, and created the picture in my mind.  After taking a couple of pictures, I went in to enjoy the meal I had thoughtfully and lovingly prepared for my family. 

Everything from the guacamole I prepared for Hasan to the steamed vegetable salad my mom loves, to the cookies and cream ice cream for Murat and pistacio ice cream I bought for my father were all thought thorough with care.  And of course I baked a gluten-free chocolate cake for myself from a cake mix that my amazing husband had found for me some time ago.   (This is my classic cake that I have been making since 8th grade, that everyone, absolotely loves.Due to the consistent success of these ready cake mixes, I have never really learned how to make a cake from scratch; I will go to any length for any other recipe but I refuse to make a cake that may never live upto the results I get from this.)  My frosting for the cake was Jello instant pudding - in this case it was the sugar-free Cheesecake that turned out wonderful.  And it was topped with fresh strawberries and banana slices...yummm... Oh, and of course it went great with the three different kinds of Haagen Dazs ice cream. 

So I blew out another candle, my third so far, with my sons and my parents; I am taking my pink candles with me to LA to light them on my fourth cake and celebrate with my nephew, brother and sister-in-law tomorrow.  It will be Prometheus' first month and my 44th year - I can't think of a better reason for a celebration.

It's My Birthday and I'll Celebrate it How I want To

It's my birthday today... It is the forty-fourth year of my existence in this exquisite, challenging and exciting life. This past year has been very interesting, full of enlightening experiences to bring me to new levels of awareness and I thought it only fitting that my birthday celebration should be just as unique.  To begin with, I wanted it to be about sharing and connecting with others instead of expectations for myself.  I also wanted to do what pleased me without waiting for approval or surprises... and I decided this year, I would celebrate four times in four different places and different people...
With these thought in mind, I bought myself a birthday cake last Saturday and went to have a double celebration with my great aunt, Sabiha Hala; she turned 98 this year and unfortunately I missed the birthday party her neighbors threw for her last month.  

Instead of the traditional Happy Birthday greetings, I picked one that said 'We Love You, So Glad You are Among Us' for the message on our cake.  Anyone who has ever met my Sabiha Hala would definitely agree this is the perfect sentiment for her... I would also like to hope that some day it would a sentiment my nieces and nephews would think in regards to myself...

I had bought her a bracelet with the evil eye to ward away 'Nazar' (bad things that can come upon a person due to other people's enviousness.)  So, at 11 in the morning, I got her out of bed to sit at the table I had set for her and blow out candles on a birthday cake for the two of us.  I don't remember ever having a more meaningful or memorable birthday experience.  She assured me that I reminded her of herself and she would 'bestow her hand' (pass on her wisdom and knowledge) upon me; in return I insisted I wasn't ready for the honor just yet.  


Later on in the day, I blew out another candle with my husband since he wasn't going to be with me today.  Although, his voice was the first one I heard this morning as soon as I woke up.  And now, I am ready to start my festivities here in New Jersey with ... who ever is available... 

I am planning to go bake a gluten-free cake for myself now and invite one or two people over for dinner.  We'll see how the rest of my celebrations will turn out... but... I have already received so many wonderful gifts this year ... a nephew, an incredible summer in Bodrum, news of another expected newcomer into the family, hope for a great year with my whole family nearby, and I have also given myself the gift of enriching my life through connecting and sharing...


Happy Birthday to Me...  So Glad to be in Among this World...