lauri's birthday!

Birthday parties are such fun, aren't they?
In the photo, taken by the restaurant owner, are we party girls! From the left: Barbara, Alisa, Erica, Reggie (from New York), Christa, Lynn, Lauri, and me.
The younger of the "Sweet Caroline girls" was hitting the half-century mark and the older one of them had arranged this gathering to help her celebrate it.
What a great daughter-mother duo they are!
The site was a new restaurant - new to me, at least - and it was rather fancy, too. I had checked out The Grey's menu online, to get a feel for the prices.
The good news? The menu had prices.
The bad news? Those prices were a bit steep.
I decided on the smoked collards and the ash-roasted sweet potato. (I had some fresh, hot roasted chicken from the Food Lion before Barbara picked me up.)
I also opted for the Fruit Crisp, sans ice cream, to accompany my vegetarian meal. Thin, thin, thin apple and pear slices, alternating the crisp of the one with the soft of the other, mingled with crispy bits, and reliant on the natural flavors instead of sugar. So very good with the greens and sweet potato!
And to drink?
I started with water... but then I looked at the drinks menu. Argentine wines? No, alas. However, there was an Amontillado, so... in honor of the Poe story featured at this year's film festival, I ordered a glass.
Money well spent, y'all!
The combination of the eight of us women in the private dining hall, the finely crafted food, the expert handling of our group by headwaiter Jason, and the overflowing joie de vivre gave us a night to certainly cherish.
Good choice, Lynn!
Happy birthday, Lauri! I hope your Arbor Day Foundation tree will flourish in its new national forest!