Happy birthday, everybody.

(Yesterday was our birthday).

The New York front was swell; though lonely without Aimee, where in Austin, I ask you, could I get pizza like I had last night?

A meal at Co. was my birthday dinner, Co. of the charred crust and clean flavors. A seasonal salad of shaved raw vegetables was at turns sweet, bitter, crunchy; it was elegantly simple yet utterly complex, and consistently, endlessly refreshing. The pure quality of those little early Summer vegetables, basking bright in their sprightly vinaigrette—floral, herbal— the dish’s overall crispness in both texture & execution, made me grin.

And then there was pizza. A tender crust with tar-black scars from the oven. Melting, mild sheep’s milk cheese with the gentlest of a tang that quivered upon the tongue, a base of sweet crushed tomato that had the bite of black pepper and red chile. Over it all was a blanket of top notch arugula.

It was pretty swell to have a birthday comprised of such nifty foodstuffs; earlier I had had a brilliant salad of my own doing for lunch, with baby lettuces, sweet spring beets, cucumber, chopped tomato, medium boiled egg, homemade croutons toasted just that morning, and a smattering of herbs— mint, basil, thyme.

Grand and glorious meals!

Now, I would like to direct your attentions elsewhere:

First, this inspiring, beautiful post from Brian. Perfection! Viva, June!

Second, last but so far from least, is something newfangled and very dear to my heart. From the Chicago front, the big sister made something, for me; I in turn will present it to you, to everybody. Happy birthday. So, go ahead— please visit my website!