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The Magnificent [Twenty] Seven[th Birthday]
I had an amazing surprise birthday! It all started when I got home from running errands around 4 pm Saturday. The house was empty, so I knew something was up. I was told to get ready and have an overnight bag packed by 6:45 pm. When the time came around, a black BMW town car arrived to pick me up. The chauffeur drove me around for a few and then dropped me off at The Hotel Zaza. Once I got out of the car, an employee met me at the front door and took me to the room.
We walked all over the hotel. I almost thought he was walking us in circles -- until we walked through a locked glass door with a neon sign over it displaying "The Magnificent Seven." He opened the door, so I walked in. As I turned the corner of the foyer, everyone yelled "surprise"! My first -- just like in the movies -- surprise party! But not just a surprise party, a surprise party in a Magnificent Seven 2,125 square feet suite, catered, full open bar, silver platter 'strolling' hors d'oeuvres, and full scale in-room dinner for 8! When I saw everyone (Jay, Meryl, Sheldon, Clay, Danny, Moses, & Hector), I was in shock. I always wondered what I would do in a surprise party situation -- now I know. I stood there with a blank look on my face and my mouth open -- like a deer in headlights! LOL.
Once it sank in, I ran around the room giving everyone hugs. There was so much to take in. First, seeing everyone, but also the room! The room was superbly decorated in two ways -- the hotel itself and also for the party. The room was a cozy, romantic, dark, gothic style -- red couches and all. And for the party, it was done up with candles, balloons, and presents!
After giving everyone hugs, the hors d'oeuvres began ''strolling' the room. 3 servers began rotating the room with Brisket, Bacon, and Cheddar Slider; Pickles Shitake and Cashew Chicken Spring Rolls; Mini Kobe Corndogs with Spicy Mustard; and Micro Tuna Taco with Avocado Pico -- all of which start the party off right! They also brought you any drink you wanted (because of the in-room platinum level open bar). With the party in full swing, we all sat down at the 8 person dining table and picked out our entrees for dinner. Once ordered, we all talked around the table and had glasses of champagne. Dinner rolled in a few minutes later and everyone enjoyed a meal from the hotel's 4-star restaurant, Dragonfly. We all enjoyed sea scallops, steak, salmon, mac & cheese, truffle tater tots, and more. I had the salmon which was divine, if I do say so myself -- a perfect complement to the h'orderves from earlier.
Once dinner was done, the servers brought out a 2 layer spice cake covered in cream cheese frosting! With one candle on top Two of the servers stood on either side of me -- with at the time appeared to be flame throwers -- I was later told, industrial size sparklers! The cake was frosted with trees and white picket fences on the sides. I found out later it was from my favorite bakery in Dallas, Celebrity Bakery. It was perfectly moist and spiced just how I like it.
After dinner, we all sat in the living room again and I opened presents. Can you believe it? After all of this, there was even presents! A bar of chocolate once told me "your presence is often the best present," and it's right. So thank you everyone who could make it to my birthday! You being able to celebrate this experience with me was a gift in itself. And the actual gifts, were cherries on top of a perfect night! Thank you!
And one more thing specifically to Jay: a birthday like this most people only get to see on TV or in a movie -- needless to say, only dream about even. To have actually had the chance to experience it -- and to experience it with you and all my friends, is, well -- I am speechless again -- just like when I turned the corner of the foyer and saw everyone! This birthday experience was truly a surprise and a memory I will never forget. It was truly surreal and made me feel like a celebrity -- I new I liked Celebrity Bakery for a reason. LOL. Thank you!
Plants: Lilac
Well, it's April -- Landscape Architecture month. Frederick Law Olmsted (the "Father" of landscape architecture") was both April 26, 1822 along with some other good memorable people, such as: Charlemagne (April 2, 742), Booker T. Washington (April 5, 1856), Leonardo da Vinci (April 15, 1452), Wilbur Wright (April 16, 1867), Charlie Chaplin (April 16, 1889), J. P. Morgan (April 17, 1837), William Shakespeare (April 23, 1564), and Adolf Hitler (April 20, 1889) -- okay maybe not all good memorable people. But that's beside the point, the most important April Birthday is MINE - LOL! (April 16, 1985). LOL, i'm not that vain, right? Anyways, some interesting events happened in April too: G. Washington inaugurated as the first President of the United States on April 30 1789; Joseph Smith founded the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in April 6, 1830; Louisiana became the 18th state on April 30, 1812.; and Television first publicly broadcast from the Empire State Building on April 30, 1939. But that's not really want this post is about. It's my Birthday month plant post! And in honor of my Birthday, I will talk about my favorite flower, Lilac. For as long as I can remember, I loved the smell of Lilac. Syringa is a genus of about 20–25 species of flowering woody plants in the olive family (Oleaceae). It's a deciduous shrubs or small trees that flowers in shades of purple (often a light purple or "lilac"), white, pale yellow, pink, and even a dark burgundy.
1) Common Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) This is the typical Lilac you can find around, especially public parks in the North East. It does best in full sun and acidic/neutral well drained soils. But, it has an average water need, so water regularly. It is very attractive to bees, butterflies, and birds.
2) Alba (Syringa vulgaris 'Alba') the term French lilac has come to mean all cultivars of the common lilac that have double flowers. But this is a white double flowering variety. White Lilac. Now that's an oxymoron!
3) Charles Joly (SyringaVulgaris 'Charles Joly') Shiny purple buds opening into double, magenta flowers that are very fragrant, and excellent for cutting. This strong, long-lasting shrub has an upright shape and is easily grown in average, medium moist, well-drained soil in full sun. Charles Joly Lilac tolerates light shade, but best bloom is in full sun. It prefers organically rich, slightly acidic soils with good drainage. With its lovely spring accent, it makes a wonderful screen or border specimen. This hardy, disease and deer resistant lilac, is simply stunning as it shows off its vivid coloration of the deep, wine-red flowers. It is considered to be the best in its color class.
4) President Grevy (Syringa vulgaris 'President Grevy') vigorously growing French Hybrid Lilac with double, lilac-blue, fragrant flowers that are produced on large panicles in May. It is a leggy, suckering, deciduous shrub, somewhat irregular in shape. This is a strong, long lived shrub that will give a lifetime of flowering satisfaction. President Grevy Lilac prefers full sun, good drainage and air circulation. If one removes flowers as they fade, as well as older wood and suckers, it will improve the plants appearance and flower production.
5) Ludwig (Syringa vulgaris 'Ludwig') red-purple flowers in early June that are excellent as cut flowers because of their very fine fragrance. This lilac is beautiful as a hedge or background planting. The blooms come late spring, extending the lilac season! This lilac has an outstanding open branched, upright habit useful in mixed shrub borders or in mass plantings. It is easily grown in average, medium moist, well-drained soil in full sun. Ludwig Spaeth tolerates light shade, but best bloom is in full sun. It prefers organically rich, slightly acidic soils with good drainage. Once it is established, it only needs occasional watering
6) Evangeline (Syringa x hyacinthiflora 'Evangeline') Evangeline is an early flowering, attractive hardy hybrid that is a profuse boomer; non-suckering and deer resistant too! Since Evangeline is an early bloomer, it flowers a week or more before common lilac. Sites with full to partial sun and well-drained, mildly acidic to mildly alkaline soil are ideal for this early flowering lilac. Evangeline is an ideal old-fashioned shrub for screens, tall hedges, or specimen plants. The blooms make a lovely flower arrangement!
Plants: Clovers
I don't really know of anyone that would say ground cover is their favorite kind of plant -- and I am no different. But, I do have a favorite ground cover: clovers. In honor of March and St. Patrick's Day, I thought I would write about the Oxalis family. First, there are multiple plant families that have three leafs, but Oxalis is what I think of. The iconic green three leafed plant is a shamrock, which is a three-leafed old white clover. It is known as a symbol of Ireland, with St. Patrick having used it as a metaphor for the Christian Trinity. My personal favorits are:
1) Wood Sorrel (Oxalis acetosella) A perennial herb common throughout most of Europe and parts of Asia. Oxalis acetosella, commonly known as wood sorrel, grows in clonal stands typical of self-pollinating plants. The leaves of wood sorrel are clover-like, and for that reason it is sometimes referred to as a shamrock (though shamrocks also often refer to true clovers, Trifolium spp.) and given as a gift on St. Patrick's Day. Wood sorrel, like spinach and broccoli, contains oxalic acid, a common ingredient in cleaning products and rustproofing treatments.
2) Purple Shamrock (Oxalis triangularis). Yes, this is edible -- and looks great as a garnish on pasta salads. This wood-sorrel is typically grown as a houseplant but can be grown outside in zones 8a-11, preferably in light shade. It is endemic to Brazil.
3) Bronze Dutch Clover (Trifolium repens Atropurpureum). This creeping perennial has deeply divided, reddish-bronze leaves edged in green. White pom-pom flowers adorn the top in summer. It will do tremendously well draping over a retaining wall, filling gaps in flagstones patios, and edging a pond or surrounding ferns and hostas in a shade garden. Also terrific in a container over top of flower bulbs. Needs adequate light or it will stretch. This plant will be more red in sun, more green in shade.