Annie's Birthday: Joey's Global Grill and Dirty Minds

Last night, Mack, Dickson and I helped Annie celebrate her birthday, starting with dinner at Joey's Global Grill & Lounge (9911-19 Avenue).

A restaurant I have been to numerous times since it opened a few years ago, it defines the "casual upscale" movement, and appears not to hire waitresses a day over 25. It was a typical Saturday night, where the wait time for a table was between forty five and sixty minutes. Luckily, Mack and Dickson arrived early enough to counter the fashionably late females.

My order was sadly predictable - the Wild Mushroom Soup and Caesar Salad. Unfortunately, not much else on their menu appeals to me (it is actually remarkably similar to the offerings found at Earl's, but slightly better). Still, the soup is consistently excellent, so I can't complain - creamy, sweet, and served with just enough mushrooms - it is the perfect choice to temper a cold winter's night.

Ginger beef appetizer

Bellini (it has been much too long since my last Bellini)

Wild Mushroom Soup & Caesar Salad

Mack's Lobster Ravioli

Dickson's Quarter Chicken

Annie's Chicken & Ribs

Present time!

Us

After dinner, we headed back to my house for dessert, movies, and a trial run of Dirty Minds. Dickson and Mack thought they'd try to bypass a quick trip to the grocery store by heading straight to my house, betting that my family would welcome them inside with open arms. A quick phone call to my Dad ensured that didn't happen, and is one of the many reasons I love my family - they actually let the boys wait outside on the porch until Annie and I returned. Sure, I felt a teeny bit guilty, but it was a good opportunity for them to test out the warmth of their winter jackets.

No dice!

Before watching Scary Movie 4 (crap) and The Fast and the Furious 3: Tokyo Drift (incredible stunt driving), we played More Dirty Minds. It was pretty fun, with Dickson even coming up with a teaser of his own! Annie and I ended up beating them through the luck of the cards we drew.

Dickson engrossed in his clues

Annie's D-i-r-t-y

It was a nice night overall. Happy birthday, Annie!