Italian Birthday Festa!

Doxies Rule at Chez Yama-Berna

Oh my! I had the most wonderful birthday party on Saturday night! I LOVE all of my birthday celebrations...brunches, lunches and dinners out with friends. However, the MOST fun b-day party of all was at Natalie's and Joe's house. Yes, this is the best Italian kitchen in all of Hollywood! Both Natalie and Joe are fabulous chefs and their hillside home is particularly perfect for a summer supper.

The KnitGrrlz and I always celebrate each other's b-days together. We missed Brit on Saturday. We started out with cocktails and hors-d'oeuvres at the bar as we watched our hosts prepare dinner in their open kitchen.

Natalie's wavy hair turned itself into devil ears!

We moved to the patio for dinner. I don't know the official Italian names for any of our repast, but we had a perfect  salad with Natalie's home-grown tomatoes, watermelon, cucumber, feta cheese and homemade focaccia. There were these divine breaded mushrooms on a bed of greens with balsamic and olive oil. Everything, of course, was accompanied by vino, vino, vino. Our main course consisted of HANDMADE PASTA with a divine sauce, greens, pine nuts, sausage and more. Handmade pasta, boys and girls. Yes, Joe made the dough, rolled it out and cut each noodle individually.  There's nothing as delicious as homemade pasta.

Click on Photo Collage to see that divine dinner up-close!

After dinner was the gift presentation.  WOW! These girls really know me. Absolutely every present was perfect for me. Nothing goes into the re-gift bin. Thank you, Sweeties!

Mary Jo gave me a Birthday Tiara. It never left my head!

Dessert was a yummy selection of Italian pastries.

Larry had given me the original Barbie Game as a gift.  Naturally, I brought the game with me for our post-dinner entertainment. Now I know why this game was in pristine condition. No one ever played it! The 4 of us slogged around and around that playing board, going shopping, baby-sitting, attending school events, acquiring boyfriends and getting rides from friendly "neighbors!" It took us FOREVER to finally achieve the goal of this game...to get to the PROM.  Mary Jo won. She is the Prom Queen! I think I may perma-plaque the colorful game board and hang it on the wall!

It was truly a wonderful celebration. I felt like a kid again at my own very special birthday party. Thank you Natalie, Joe, Darcy, Mary Jo, Larry, Sasha and Tank!