Birthday treats and epiphanies.

Yesterday was my good friend/ officemate Frank's birthday. After work, he (made me very happy because he) treated me and our other friends/ officemates to my favorite Italian place - Bigoli. I do realize it is already the nth time I am blogging about Bigoli. Please be aware that these are unsolicited and unpaid. I wish they'd send me some gift certificates, though LOL.

It was a lazy Monday afternoon and most people were still at their schools or offices so we had the restaurant to ourselves. It was great since we were able to take lots of photos without worrying about disturbing other people's meals. This is quite a picture-heavy post, with pictures taken by my camera and Watcher's new DSLR, a Nikon D5000. :)

group photo minus Watcher

from left to right: Frank, Mich, Marsha, me and Dane

there's Watcher!

Dane and Krissy

we've managed to stay friends :)

we may not be "together" anymore, but you cannot deny that we look good together XD

perusing the menu :D

what we ate

clockwise: Pork Strombolli, Fettuccine Alfredo, Italian Chicken, and Spaghetti Bolognese

 I ordered a slice of Turtle Cheesecake for the birthday boy :)

Double Chocolate Gelato. Heaven in a cup, seriously.

enjoying the food

these pictures are just too good not to share :)

Frank is undoubtedly one of the best people I met in my office - and I am not just saying that because of the free food :D

Here he is holding order number 21 on June 21 :)

one big happy bunch

me feeling so full because of food, laughter and friendship :)

Again, thank you Frank for this special birthday treat! Thank you, also, for all your wonderful advice. You are one of the most genuine and sincere people I know, always sensible and with a good heart. Whoever the girl who will capture your heart is, is certainly very lucky. :)

This is one of my favorite days in a long while. Thanks to my friends and to all of you who have helped me cope during my dark days. I get sad every once in a while, but now I don't let it get the best of me. I am stronger now, definitely :)

I can say that finally, I am not hurting anymore. I have learned to let go, and though he will always have a special place in my heart, I have now accepted that I should love myself first. My heart is not beating for someone right now, and it feels... weird - weird in a sense that I have not been single for a while ever since I turned 16. 

I am now waiting for the Autumn to my Tom, but he can take his sweet time to arrive. It's okay for me to wait, because while waiting I intend to be my most fabulous and awesome self that he will find it too hard to resist falling in love with me when we finally meet. :)