I wanted this to be a special birthday, and from all I had seen of the Blue Rooster before it was small, intimate, and special.  But when we got there we were put into a large hall of diners, fortunately in a corner.   “This is a birthday,” we whispered to the waiter, who nodded, understanding that it was our secret, but as we went on with our meal, we began to hear the birthday song sung by the waiters –  table by table.  We were almost the last table to be sung to.  

Anyway it turns out the secret exclusive restaurant I had chosen with the exhaustive help of friends is really the standard saturday afternoon birthday spot.  

The last time I ate there the dinner was exquisite, unique, intimate.  Today was the opposite – but it made me feel as though we are part of a culture, beginning to recover from our isolation – maybe able to celebrate.