Celebrating A Birthday - Linderhof Style

It was a big birthday this year . . . 

No "just a dinner out" for Husband Jim

Instead he took me to the city

For two days!

Which meant a night in a hotel

But not just any hotel

This one was on the Country Club Plaza

And this was the view from our room!

The Plaza lights

Which to me are magical!

Many birthdays have been spent eating dinner on the Plaza

In Junior High School and High School, it was often at Sidney's but it was Sidney's on the Plaza

and if we got the right table, the lights were our view.

Magical!

Christmas is not Christmas without the Plaza lights.

And this year we were immersed in them!

From down below

As we drive around the Plaza and look up and see the lights

Or from up above --

The roof of a parking garage which, in my opinion,

has one of the best views of the Plaza lights!

A trip to the Plaza is not without stopping by

Topsy's

For popcorn

cheese is Jim's favorite and I will admit that there is no other cheese popcorn

like Topsy's cheese popcorn

And cinnamon (I like to mix the two!)

There caramel is not shabby either!

After a spin around the Plaza admiring the lights,

And a wonderful dinner . . . 

We opened a bottle of bubbly

And toasted my birthday!

Dinner?

At the Bristol

which by now is a Kansas City tradition

it started on the Plaza but moved many years ago to Leawood.

The ceiling is as amazing as it's seafood!

My choice for dinner?

scallops with Brussels sprouts and carrots

I adore scallops and get them rarely

These were superb!

Alas, no birthday cake, but instead . . . 

 Birthday creme brûlée!

One of my all time favorite desserts!

But I did get a cake

Yesterday

When our Birthday Lunch Group celebrated my birthday

with lunch

and cake!

It was a memorable couple of days for a memorable birthday!

My feet are back on the ground and now we're getting ready for Christmas!