As it happens, Troy flew back from the States the same morning that my best friend Angie arrived here from Germany. Angie directs the international sales department of a high-end audio company, a position that brings her to Europe several times a year. She was able to tack on a few days at the end of her latest trip to come visit us in Brussels -- hooray! Whereas on her last visit she was hobbled with a broken foot and the weather was bitter cold, this time we were both sound of feet and the days were long and warm(ish). So, it was with a very light heart that I ran down to the Gare du Midi to pick them both up at the station. It was a little bit like something out of a movie!
At the Châtelain Market
At the always-packed Mamma Roma, our favorite pizza place here in Brussels
Underneath the Place Royale (on the now subterranean Rue Isabelle) at the Coudenberg Museum
Angie spent three days here, which provided us with perhaps the most uninterrupted stretch of time to just hang out and talk that we've had in years. We visited the Châtelain Market, checked out a show at the Music Village (coincidentally the KMGs again!), went shopping, visited a cool underground museum, ate lots of good food, and talked ourselves silly. Poor Troy said it was like listening to a couple of magpies!
Enjoying some fine Belgian beers at the Music Village
The KMGs squeezed nine players on that tiny stage!
Two of my very favorite people in the world!!!
We had such a nice visit, and I was very sorry to see Angie go. We're already looking forward to the next visit! Thankfully, though, I didn't have much time to get sad as I had to start planning for the next big event: Troy's birthday! The first project was cookie baking, though this year's output was slightly smaller at just 84 biscotti since we didn't have a class to worry about this time around. Since Troy has been traveling a lot recently and had an early train to England the morning after his birthday, we decided to keep his day-of celebration rather chill, and I made one of his favorite meals: fajitas and guacamole!
The birthday boy!
These peppers were SO gorgeous. The pic doesn't do the colors justice.
A colorful meal and a yummy one too!
While recently I have ventured into making cakes for Troy's birthday, this year we went in a different direction. We were shopping at the Flagey Market after we dropped Angie at the airport and spied a beautiful bunch of fresh rhubarb. With delectable strawberries now arriving daily from Wépion, I decided to make a strawberry-rhubarb pie, another of Troy's favs. (As an aside, I fashioned a make-shift pie guard out of aluminum foil and it worked perfectly! Evenly baked crust and edges!)
Strawberry Rhubarb Birthday Pie, hot from the oven
Troy and I don't really do presents anymore, but when I found an antique copy of some of O Henry's short stories at a second-hand bookshop in the neighborhood, I couldn't resist picking it up for him.
Troy with his vintage book
Since we celebrated seulement à deux on Troy's actual birthday, we decided to have our friends Josh and Maisie over for brunch on Saturday morning to celebrate once more. Using a French-language cookbook and an English-language cookbook written by a Parisian (just take a second, it will make sense), plus adding a healthy dose of my own ideas, I made what turned out to be a de-li-cious quiche as the main part of the meal. Troy, always charming, said it was the best quiche he had ever eaten in his life.
Tarte aux lardons et oignons
Troy's extended-birthday-weekend ended up being a super fun one! The evening after the brunch, we went off to a birthday party for one of Troy's colleagues. Then on Sunday, we met up with some friends to watch the Italy - New Zealand match at a local pub, followed by a fun apéro at one of my choir friend's houses. Whew! We're so grateful for all of our friends, and what a fun few weeks we've gotten to spend with everyone.
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Sounds like it was a great birthday celebration. happy birthday do Troy!
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