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Published: June 26th 2017
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Today marks a special occasion, as our very own Ashley Faith Kubel celebrates her 19th-birthday in the City of Light! Her only birthday wishes were to eat
escargots, and to watch the Eiffel Tower "sparkle" at night, so we did our best to make them happen. I had made a reservation at the Bistro Saint Dominique, a short walk from the apartment, for 8 o'clock. The plan was to walk toward the Champ de Mars after dinner to watch the hourly illumination of the tower at 10 o'clock, or at least we believed it would happen at that time. However, as it turned out, the show did not take place until 11 o'clock, so the timing caused us a bit of confusion; more details below.
With no sightseeing planned for today, the girls slept-in until 9:30 this morning, which is highly unusual for Dee. I think all of us are beginning to run out of gas! We relaxed throughout the day, while Ashley received celebratory phone calls (from Mom and Grandpa Moore) and numerous text messages from back in the states. Late in the afternoon, Dee went with Ashley to do some last-minute souvenir shopping before we spruced-up for the
Toast to the birthday girl
Kir Royal is a French cocktail, a variation on Kir. It consists of crème de cassis topped with champagne, rather than the white wine used in traditional Kir. The apéritif is usually served in a flute glass. (Wikipedia) gala birthday dinner at the Bistro Saint Dominique.
When we arrived, the bistro was pretty well packed, so it was a good thing we had made a reservation. We decided on a table in a tiny alcove on the outdoor terrace, since the night air was very comfortable, and we toasted the birthday girl with Kir Royals before ordering dinner. Ashley already had her sights set on the Burgundy snails, and followed them with steak and green beans. The snails were quite good, as she offered us a sample, and both girls enjoyed their beef steaks with béarnaise sauce.
By the time we were waiting for our desserts it was already 9:45, just 15 minutes before showtime, or so we believed. We decided at this point that Dee and Ashley would hustle over to the viewing area, while I would wait for dessert, pay the tab, and then join them. This is when the impromptu plan went astray, as the befuddled waiter brought Ashley's crème brûlée (topped with a birthday candle) to the table that now had no Ashley!
When I made the dinner reservation, I had mentioned it would be her birthday, and requested a candle
accompany her dessert, but I had no indication the request would be honored. After I explained to the waiter that the girls would be returning shortly from the tower illumination, I decided to wait. So I waited, and waited, and then waited some more, but no Dee or Ashley. Finally, at 11 o'clock, I thanked the waiter, who graciously allowed me to take the bowl of crème brûlée home (with the bowl to be returned tomorrow), and I returned to the apartment.
I was becoming a little concerned by this point, so I used Dee's cell phone to call Ashley, but it went to voice mail (when they returned, Ashley informed me that her cell phone battery was dead!) At about 11:30 the buzzer to one of the apartment building's entry doors went off, Dee and Ashley trotted in, and the story thankfully had a happy ending. It turned out there had been no tower illumination at 10:00 after all, so they had waited until the 11:00 show. All's well that ends well, as Ashley enjoyed seeing the twinkling lights to top off her birthday celebration in Paris!
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Jeni
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What an amazing birthday celebration!
Happy Birthday Ashley! There was no better way to celebrate your birthday! The Iron Lady looks stunning at night. Dee- I'm so proud of you sleeping in until 9:30, when was the last time that happened? Enjoy these last few days in Paris.