Celebrating my birthday

We celebrated my birthday a few days ago, on the 16th.  Spenser and I spent the day walking, eating, and eating some more.  Oh yeah, and lots of smiling, there was that too. ;)  We started out at Lagomarcino's, an old-fashioned, locally owned confectionary and soda fountain.  Such a cool place, a step back in time with amazing sweet treats.

That was my sundae!! Eeeee!  I ordered the Quad City Special.  It was my birthday, go big or go home.  Can you tell what it's supposed to look like?

 After ice cream, we took a walk through The Village.  It was Spenser's first time there. 
I had always promised to take him, since it is one of the "neater" (is neater even a word?) places in the area.

 ^^Valentino the Chihuahua

Spenser came late on the fifteenth, so that we could start celebrating my birthday right at midnight.  He always brings the fun!  I had classes the sixteenth, but he waited patiently and we made the most of the time in between classes.  We went to Lagomarcino's and had the most marvelous ice cream sundaes.  If ever you're looking for delicious confections/desserts, it is the place to go. So good.  Spenser ordered the Italian Sundae due to my recommendation (it was the first sundae I ever ate there and still my favorite!)  and I ordered the Quad City Special, which was a mountain of ice cream and cookies and everything else they could fit in.  The sundae was supposed to look like a riverboat, to live up to it's namesake of the Quad Cities which are directly on the Mississippi river.  They even put a paddlewheel on the back made of cookies.  Cute! 

 

After ice cream, we toured The Village.  We stopped in a bunch of small shops, tried on silly hats, and marveled at parasols (does anyone actually use them?)  In one of the shops, 3 Gypsies Designs, I was looking at jewelry when Spenser said, "Look down."  I almost tripped.  There, running silently around my feet was a tiny white dog.  I wouldn't have even noticed him.  He was a friendly Chihuahua whose name we found out was Valentino.  How great is that, a Chihuahua named Valentino?  I found it quite charming.  He received lots of pets and holds from us.

 

I had an evening class that night, but afterwards we kept the party going by having dinner at Ihop with our friends Katie and Adele.  Then, since it was my 21st we went to the Front Street Brewery to have a fancy beer.  Good birthday and a good day.  Thanks for celebrating with me, Spens.