Erin's birthday dinner

us
us'n up
this chick was hittin on mike right in front of me!
we heart up
one wall

"everything happens for a reason..." Erin said this to me at one point during dinner on Saturday night. She's a firm believer in this saying. As with anything relating to faith, I am stuck in the middle of the argument, unable to lean to one side or the other. Although the events of that night weren't anything dramatic or life changing, it's fun to believe that there was a reason our plans didn't unfold the way had them mapped out.

As you may, or may not know, Sunday was Erin's 26th birthday. Naturally we wanted to to do something to celebrate on Saturday; a nice dinner, some KTV (Taiwan kareokee) a cake, maybe a drink or two...The night didnt really end up that way though. After taking up a co-worker on his suggestion of a local Mexican restaurant (actually owned and operated by a Mexican who's from Canada) called Eddy's, we blindly headed in the direction that I thought it was. (of course Erin had her doubts that we should try and find a place that we actually did not know of its whereabouts but, eventhough we both know better sometimes, she followed as I lead the way)

Usually when we walk around our city, ANYWHERE in our city, we see a place we can go inside and grab a bite to eat to settle our gargling stomaches. This time however, it happened to be that the direction we chose took us down a street inhabited by street vendors pushing cheap plastic toys, homemade crafts and food that was unsuitable for even the hungriest of creatures. After searching for a little over an hour and a half we decided to call it quits. As were walking past the riverbank area, a stretch of carnival-like tents selling squid cooked every possible way imaginable and 18 inch ice cream cones, Erin recalled a restaurant that we had seen the last time we were in the area.

BEEF AND BEER. That's what it says on the sign. we walked in and were greeted by a bunch of college aged workers who took us up to the second floor. Right away we liked this place. the sign alone, BEEF AND BEER, is marketing genius. the atmosphere was fun, a bunch of colleged kids working together and chatting it up with the customers like we were all friends. at this point erin stated that this was the reason our hunt for the canadian mexican spot was unsuccessful, "everything happens for a reason...see...we're suposed to be here tonight. then we noticed the pictures all over the walls. the walls were being covered in polaroids of couples kissing. guys kissing girls, girls kissing girls, dudes kissin dudes...you get it. little did we know we would soon be a part of the restaurants new renovation project. after an introduction to our waiter, who's english name was Up , we ordered what was probably the best beef i've ever tasted in my life, no joke. after getting to know Up as he cooked our beef for us at our table, we had a few drinks and wanted to include our new friend in the celebration. all of a sudden we are rushed by a crew of waiters pushing beers on us and shoving cameras in our faces like were Sean Penn and Madonna. after a few kisses and a couple flashes of the camera (at this point Erin was beat red; those who know her know she is not shy but when it comes to PDA she is heavily opposed, whether in good fun or not. but she'll admit it, it was funny) there we were, a permanent fixture on the walls of homo and heterosexual lip-locking. after that we were brought some free meat. HAHA. i guess thats what they do here. anyway we spent the rest of evening hangin out with the waiting staff drinking beer and treating them to a few rounds of Saki as they closed up. it was pretty fun, and a good way celebrate ones birthday in a foreign land.