Joel (my dh) and I went to see local, long-running band Umbrella Bed last night as our Valentine's Day date. My friend Eva (another St. A SAHM) plays the...wait for it...french horn in the band. I love seeing live music, and I love the Triple Rock Social Club where they are playing. They actually have excellent food, which you wouldn't necessarily think for a dive in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood. Check out their menu here.

We didn't eat dinner there, however, but rather opted for the newer Thai place by our house, Sen Yai Sen Lek. This loosely translates in Thai to "big noodle little noodle", which describes about a third of their nicely-sized menu. I have heard mixed reviews and am glad I went to experience it for myself. We had a very tasty appetizer of crispy spring rolls over fresh cabbage, served with a sweet-sour-spicy and delicious sauce. I ordered a Thai-style iced tea, which was a sweet brewed tea with sweetened-condensed milk over the top. Joel had spicy noodles with chicken and bean sprouts and I had traditional Thai cashew chicken. Both were excellent. My sister, who lived in Thailand for several months last year, confirmed that all the dishes and drinks we spoke of were traditional and was happy that they did not shy away from true Thai spiciness. She went on to decribe the yin and yang balance that Thai food is all about, something that the menu also promotes.

It was a lovely night out with my sweetie.