Russian Tea Time SURPRISE!

So, yes there was a cold and rainy Cubs game as part one of my birthday surprises. But we were dressed for it (he told me this part of the surprise the night before to be sure that I wore proper attire). It rained off and on but not enough to stop the game. We stayed for the entirety to see a rare win for our Chicago Cubbies playing last year's World Series winner, the San Francisco Giants. I am not a baseball fan, per se. However, going to Wrigley Field is always an adventure, so ...well, the truth is I was slightly disappointing at first, especially knowing how crummy the weather was expected to be, but once we packed up and were off on our 24 hour adventure I decided to just go with it and enjoy every minute. Granted, this is not always possible for me, but this time I mastered the technique.

The second part of the surprise was truly a surprise all the way til the last minute. My Taxman told the cab driver the address, without using the name of the restaurant and I had no clue which restaurant it would be. When we turned the corner and I saw it was The Russian Tea Time restaurant I squealed with authentic delight. I've always wanted to go there and my Taxman would not have ever opted to go on his own (Chicago is known for having amazing restaurant choices) so this was indeed a personal treat for me. You see I am of Russian heritage and enjoy the food and culture of my ancestors. We did not have tea, but we did enjoy vodka flights. Here are the rules of how to partake of endure vodka flights:

1. Your two ounce shot of iced vodka, served straight, comes with pickle and pumpernickel bread bite. Keep it within reach.
2. Announce a brief toast "Na Zdorovie!" - "To Your Health!" Sniff your piece of bread deeply.
3. Ceremonially say, "Nu.." ("So..."). Take a deep breath. Tilt your head back, and down the entire shot.
4. Exhale loudly, producing a sound just short of a whistle. Then, give a quick sniff to your slice of black bread in a quick ritual gesture. (Some people smell their shirt sleeves, but this is optional).
5. Eat your pickle neatly but quickly.
6. Say, "Oh Khorosho" ("It feels good"), or "Khorosho poshla" (It went down well").
7. Repeat the round in 15-20 minutes; slow down if you feel fuzzy warm, comfortable and your attention span is not at 100%.

All in all a completely wonderful day. Thanks for all your birthday wishes yesterday. I truly appreciate each one.