Birthday by the Bay

God gave us the gift of life; it is up to us to give ourselves the gift of living well. ~ Voltaire

I worked from home today which I am fortunate enough to be able to do once a week.  I usually telecommute on Wednesday.  Today is Wednesday and it also happens to be my birthday.

My husband gave me a Kindle as a birthday gift.  I was very pleased as I read every day during my commute time to and from work. I sometimes lug very thick hardcovers in my bag along with my computer which makes for a heavy load.  I was reluctant to switch to an electronic book because I didn’t think I could give up the real thing.  I love the smell of and the feel of the pages.  But, alas, I don’t have the room anymore to store all my books and have been donating them to the library little by little.  The Kindle really is the perfect solution for my commute as it is sleek and lightweight and can easily slide into my purse. 

But that is not what this post is about; I just thought I would mention it because it was a lovely, thoughtful gift!

Guaymas by the Bay

Since I worked from home today, I was able to go out to lunch in my neighborhood as a treat!.  Brian took me to a delightful restaurant called Guaymas down by the Tiburon pier.  “The restaurant is positioned after the fishing village of Guaymas in Mexico on the Sea of Cortez.  The menu is inspired by the traditional Mexican foods of celebration and focuses on farm-to-table ingredients, duplicating the flavors of the small coastal village for which it is named.”  It sits right at the water’s edge by the port of the Tiburon ferry. 

We sat outside on the patio.  The sky was as blue as a robin’s egg and the sun was buzzing with summer warmth and autumn light.  It was a glorious day.

Lovely patio setting

Our view of the Ferry Pier and Angel Island

We were served three different types of salsas and all had authentic and unique flavors ranging from spicy to salty to sweet.  The tortilla chips were homemade.  I would have eaten the entire basket of tortilla chips but wanted to save room for my entrée (and maybe even dessert!).

Aren't they beautiful?

I ordered prawns with a sweet chipotle glaze and served with homemade guacamole.  What a delight it was to bite into those succulent charcoal grilled beauties!  

Brian ordered chicken enchiladas.  They were beautifully prepared with chunks of fresh chicken and a light sauce.  The rice was warm and fragrant and the black beans were healthy and tasty.  

Lovely Enchiladas de Pollo

I also sipped on a Top Shelf Margarita on the rocks which was prepared with fresh lime juice and a splash of Grand Marnier – just the way I like it.  It was a delicious, relaxing and enjoyable lunch.

And at the moment I was contemplating an order of the ice cream taco or the cinnamon churro for dessert, the server brought out a complimentary homemade flan topped with a birthday candle!

Happy Birthday to me!

I felt so fortunate today.  To me, birthdays are a celebration of life.  

And I have a lot to celebrate.