Birthday Dinner - Manila Style

By a mere coincidence, our first full day in Manila is my birthday!  (Happy birthday to me.  You're older than a Sequoia tree).  2B was very excited about taking us out to one of their favorite places.  (Yes, Asian foodies experience here we come!)...a steak place ???

Actually I'm just making fun.  We know from our conversations over the last year and a half that they've had all kinds of issues finding places that they felt provided quality and service.  Plus when you're an expat there is a desire to find things that remind you of home.  I'm happy having anything good with those I love.  2B brought a couple of bottles of wine with him.  The steak was really very good

 Wife had this awesome tenderloin on the bone (like half of a porterhouse)

I had the super prime rib eye

 After the meal, they brought out a sampler of lovely desserts and some flaming glasses of sambucca (an anise flavored liqueur).  I was giving 2B a hard time.  "What you mean no little candle in the desserts for the birthday guy?" 

Then around the corner comes the waiter with....

Ta Da!

It was very sweet.  But the best birthday present of all today was earlier when the grandkids came home from school.  Little 2.3, who has always had a hard time relating and warming up to us with us being so far away, runs up to me and says, "Let's play piggyback!" with a big smile.  It was our favorite game together when we saw them last in Hawaii last summer.  And off we went.  Joy.