Penne alla Vodka & my darling husband

I was dragging my ass up the front steps after a horrifically long (hot) day at work, and there sat my husband. Looking sexy, I might add, in his business man attire.

"Hi! You look tired, and beautiful. [ed. note: yes, he really tells me I'm beautiful, even when I'm sweaty and grumpy.] We don't need to worry about dinner, because, gosh, we have these totally random dinner reservations - I don't even know where they came from. We can push them back if you need some time to relax ..."

"Are you kidding?" I said. "Reservations? What? What are you up to? No, let's go now! I'm starving! What is this all about?"

So we hop in the car, and he pulls a card out of the glove box.

"This was hanging around, figured it must be for you."

I open it, and it's the sweetest love note, marking our 13th anniversary - not our wedding anniversary, but the date we celebrated until we got married - the day that we met. Oh - my - goodness. What a guy!

Five minutes later we are pulling up outside of 3 Doors Down - easily one of the most consistent, delicious restaurants in Portland. Not only did he remember an anniversary I forgot, he took the time to get a table reserved at a place he knows I love, and buy a card, and write a touching, funny note in it. I am so lucky.

And I counted myself even luckier to have ordered my favorite thing, the 3 Doors Down specialty - Penne in Vodka Tomato Cream Sauce with Sweet Italian Sausage. Good god, it's amazing. This followed an appetizer of parmesan-prosciutto arancini with roasted red pepper aioli, and a butter bibb salad with bacon and creamy chive dressing, so my inner hedonist could not have been happier.

Thank you, Smooth Melon, for a fantastic evening.