Birthday dinner
Friday night was fun. After work, some girls and I headed into town for drinks. These are my first Friday night drinks in the city and it all feels very exciting, although I am thoroughly underdressed for the occasion. First bar we venture into is called Bar 333. It's full of suit types and is a proper after work bar. We have one champagne cocktail and high-tail it out of there to a much more interesting bar called the Crystal bar. This bar is located in the catacoombs of the GPO on George St which is the heart of the CBD. I don't think you would ever know it was there if it hadn't been for L who told me it was a good date bar! Past the bouncer who definitely gave us the once over (in a make sure we were acceptable way) and then down the stairs into the lair. It's a Melbourne bar. Lots of style and an intimate vibe. Sandstone walls, with luxurious velvet curtains and crystal chandleirs. And table service which is my favourite. After perusing the extensive drinks menu, I settled on red wine as I was in for the long haul. This is of course the point in the night when my weirdo radar goes into overdrive and our little group gets accosted by the 2 Murrays. It appears that one of the Murrays was in the process of getting more drunk than I have ever seen at 7pm in the evening and all because it was his last day at work. The other Murray who claimed to be his friend was really the mastermind behind the whole thing. Oh! and the drunk Murray was his boss who had a real thing about claiming he was unemployable and how this was an attractive quality as it made him seem more mysterious. I didn't hold back in letting him know that this wasn't the case. Oh, both the Murrays claimed to be from Scotland as well, so we had to have that conversation as well - boring!
Then onto the Turkish restaurant, which was heaving by the time we got there at 8pm. It was pretty rudimentary, but had a great atmosphere and the food looked and smelled divine. It wasn't 5 minutes after we had sat down that the belly dancing commenced and our table was the first of many victims. The lady took a shine to C so he was the first up and then without stating the obvious it was my turn. And boy did she take a shine to me! I even got her scarf tied round my waist. And while everyone else at the table was tucking into yummy food, I was gyrating my way around the restaurant and not nearly as embarrassed as I should have been! That was it though, after 10 minutes of entertaining the crowds, it was time to sit down for dinner. We had opted for the banquet and it just kept coming and coming and coming. Sooooooooooooo yummy! All of it was so good that i couldn't even tell you my favourite part. I even got a Turkish tecnho music happy birthday and a cake with sparklers, so I was a happy woman. After being the last people in the place at 12 midnight, we crossed over the road to get some more drinks. Technically the restaurant falls under the area of Redfern which is the dodgy part of Sydney, but after Glasgow, Sydney is practically a Utopia and I never feel unsafe here. It's quite funny really to listed to Sydneysiders rant on and on about the place being sketchy and to be careful etc...which of course I am, but then I think about Glasgow neds and really! this place doesn't have that much to worry about. Began to get tired at the bar, so jumped in a taxi with R + M and headed home with them as they stay in the same neck of the woods as me.
Bit of an interesting taxi ride as the taxi driver at one point thought we were insulting him and tried to throw us out of his cab. I almost had a moment, but I let it pass and we all got home safe and sound in the end. When I got in Zain was sleeping like a baby after another evening shift which sucked as it meant he hadn't been able to do dinner and is working all weekend and on Monday too - them's the breaks though, huh??
All in all a good evening and although it was basically pouring with rain (that will teach me to expect a sunny southern hemisphere birthday!) it was SO warm. I ended up just walking around in my vest top in the middle of the night! No fireworks though and no special bonfire just for me. My birthday falls just the day before the Melbourne Cup though which is a big horse racing event in Victoria, so at least there is something special happening around the same time. Ahhh, until my 30th next year then....
posted by Yogini @ 1:05 am
2 comments
2 Comments:
So I see the 'if in doubt, shimmy' rule has come into play again! And I'm glad you managed to get a wee sparkler for your birthday if not the full Guy Fawkes, blowing things up, 3rd degree burns fiasco you normally get...
HAPPY BIRTHDAY! XXX
Happy birthday honey! Glad you had a good 'un. I had a wee drink in your absence - look forward to celebrating properly next year! Delighted to get a mention in your blog too! xxx
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