Brian had asked me what I wanted to do for my birthday.  After giving it much thought, I decided that after the awful winter we endured, it would be great to get outside for the day since the weather was foretasted to be gorgeous.  I decided on a family hike, ending with lunch and drinks at an outdoor, dog-friendly eatery.

There was a hike that I had saved on my All Trails wish-list, and have been intrigued ever since with the photos and description of this hike. The hike was at Wissahickon Valley Park.  We left the house at 9am to drive to Valley Green Inn, where our hike would begin.  When we arrived at Valley Green Inn, Brian, Cello, and I completed a 3.37 mile hike filled with gorgeous views and interesting trails.

We then headed over to the Fairmount Neighborhood in Philadelphia.  What a great time we had!  We stopped to take in the awesome Eastern State Penitentiary before heading down Fairmount Avenue to The Bishop’s Collar to cheer on the Flyers as we enjoyed a bite to eat and a celebratory birthday cocktail. Our next stop was at London Grill/Paris Wine Bar where we enjoyed a glass of wine.  Next, we stopped at Urban Saloon for a quick drink before heading further down Fairmount Avenue to Hickory Lane American Bistro, where we enjoyed some delicious bruschetta.  Our last stop was at Jack’s Firehouse for a glass of wine and some uniquely prepared calamari.

We didn’t get home that day until about 7:30pm!  What a fun-filled birthday outing I had!  The hike was gorgeous, and we packed a lot of culinary and historic experiences in to our day in the Fairmount area of Philadelphia.

To top my birthday off, Brian bought me a (much needed!) new laptop, from which I am composing this blog! Before this, I had been using a slow-running 7 year old laptop with a broken “A” key, and faulty battery!  Brian realized how much I have enjoyed creating this site for Cello, yet how frustrating it was to work on an insufficient computer.  He was thoughtful enough to purchase a great portable laptop so that I could transport it to work and to camping trips.  I am a very, VERY lucky gal to be married to and loved by Brian.

Thank you, Brian, for a GREAT birthday filled with fun, adventure, and new experiences, and for picking out THE most perfect gift!  You are the greatest husband, and best friend a girl could ask for – I love you with all of my heart!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!