Happy Birthday, Dear Sister

We've laughed and cried together through life.

Sis's work friends invited me to join them to celebrate her birthday at dinner tonight. As you know, my sister is a research scientist--the team she's on focuses on prosthetics and rehabilitation. They work with a lot of servicemen who lose limbs fighting for our country.

It was fun to be out with this nice, smart group of women who are doing important work. Three [Nicole, Elizabeth and Marguerite] are doctors. Charlotte is a physical therapist.

We went to Harding's on East 21st Street between Park Avenue and Broadway; Nicole had a coupon for 20 percent discount off our meal from savored.com.

The place was great, and I'd like to go back there with H. It was softly lit with simple chandeliers and little white candles in glass. Most of our meals were served on old-fashioned white plates. The food was surprising and artful, like a beautiful painting, but every bite delicious. A handful of toasted nuts over beets, a dusting of dark cocoa on whipped cream, puddles of crème fraîche on a salad plate. So good.

My favorites, some of which we shared: fig toast with warm whipped goat cheese, mission figs and rosemary honey on country bread; blood orange and herb salad with pistachios and crème fraîche; pan-seared day boat scallops with grilled spring ramps; and two blue-ribbon desserts, priced at $12 each--Griddle Cake [with moonshine ice cream, raw maple syrup, zested lemon] and Chocolate Pudding [with whipped cream, hazelnuts and cocoa dust]. So homey and spoonable and right. The birthday girl chose a white ramekin of Lemon Meringue served with dainty shortbread cookies. I knew she would as soon as I scanned the dessert list. My Sis loves lemon desserts.

I hope my dear sister and I share many more birthdays together.

Good night.