#a5a

Having a birthday the day after Christmas is not fun for many kids. I had not given it much thought until I met the bf. While his friends and siblings got a birthday party,  birthday presents sometime during the year, then Christmas presents, he often got a 2 for 1. 1 present for birthday and Christmas put together. Christmas parties also doubled up as his birthday party. Luckily he grew up to be a happy and well-adjusted adult. Still, I like to extra-spoil him on his birthday. I make sure that I give him his presents on Christmas then his birthday presents on the 26th and NOT wrapped with holidays wrappers.

Lucky enough for me, he is very easy to please. A nice steak dinner on his birthday makes him very happy. So every year I take him to different steakhouses in San Francisco. A5A Steak Lounge was the venue this year.

FOOD AND DRINK

Truffle Fries  $11 (appetizer):  White truffle oil, sriracha aioli

**32oz 

Bone-in Ribeye $64 (the bf’s):**      Brandy-peppercorn sauce, cipollini onions, sausalito watercress

10oz Prime Rib $31 (mine):      Garlic mustard rub, au jus

Truffled Mac & Cheese $13 (side):     Gruyere, mozzarella, cheddar

Mashed Potato $13 (side):   Smoked white cheddar, maple bacon

**Flying Lotus   $15 (my drink):  **Green Chartreuse, Pineapple, Yuzu, Falernum, Strawberry Dust

A glass of **Capita Vidal Brut Cava Spain

$10** while waiting for our table

Arnold Palmer for the bf

Ice cream cake for dessert

**Complimentary birthday cake **

2 **amuse bouches **from the chef  

OUR DINNER

A5A Steak Lounge is upscale and trendy. It was the perfect  venue to make the bf feel special on his birthday. Even on the day after Christmas, it was busy with birthday celebrations as well and couples on a date. Service was very attentive and friendly. Our server took time to carefully explain each dish.

The specialty of the house is wagyu. I encouraged the bf to order it but he opted for the 32 oz bone-in rib eye. He only managed to eat half and ate the other half the next day. He said that the steak was very good – moist and mediium-rare. We received 2 amuse bouches while waiting for our order before and after we finished the fries and bread. I enjoyed everything although I barely touched my prime rib because “Hello, Christmas!” Ha! Ha! I could barely move from Christmas feast the day before. I enjoyed my prime rib for lunch at work though. The truffled mac and cheese was rich, dense and delicious! The mashed potato came with thick slices of maple bacon which tasted like tocino. Divine! Aside f_r_om dessert we ordered, our server delivered a birthday cake with a lit candle. (I told them that it was the bf’s birthday when I made the reservation.) Oh, and that drink – The Flying Lotus – strong and yummy!

It was a splurgey dinner at $250 after tip but the bf is totally worth it and more. He is a wonderful man and a sweetheart — mine. And as his birthday present, I got him a gift card for Ruth Chris’ – another steakhouse. He was happy!

it’s late so this isn’t gonna be long and it might not make sense but:

the reason I picked ruri is because she’s just?? so sweet?? and a duel with her would be nice and simple and fun.

I didn’t choose yuya or yuzu or most of the other characters because I'd probably see their ace, panic, and then just play all my monsters in face down defense position (Yuya’s dragons?? good! but if u have to duel them? scary.)

one of the main things I wanted to see in arc v was a tag duel involving yuya and yuzu! we saw these two duel in episode two, and godamn their interaction and acting / entertainment skills were really fun to watch!

I'm a little bummed out we never got a tag duel with these two, but hey! it’s ok! their opponents don’t really matter to me, but a tag duel with these two on the same team would be so much fun and SO MUCH ENTERTAINMENT DUELING???? (please consider all the possibilities!)

I have a few runner ups!

tbh episode 127 as a WHOLE was suspenseful. we have ray’s reveal, Leo telling the story of the dimensions, and ray battling zarc.

Leo’s line in the beginning of the episode, “Sakai yuya is your son but at the same time he isn’t your son” (or whatever it was oops) had me questioning EVERYTHING for the entire episode. I was curious, and in suspense for the entire episode!

oh man I am sooooooo so late on this!! (I got sick and depression funk happened so I'm late! whoops!)

anyways!! explanation time!!

technically, yuzu vs masumi r2 and yuya vs yuri are tied for my number one arc v duel. I wound up making something for yuya vs yuri instead because I've already giffed the yuzu vs masumi r2 episode multiple times (I think I've done it like 4 times already oops)

so, yuya vs yuri!

the animation, the writing, the music, and so much more are reasons I LOVE this duel. it was AMAZING animation, and the actual duel itself was written so well (in my opinion)

I loved the ridicule world and smile world parallel. the scene where Yuma’s breaking down over smile world doesn’t fail to make me break down oh my god?? heck??? this was a duel a LOT of people were waiting for and I genuinely think the wait was worth it.

either way this is a good duel!! I love it sm!!

other duels I love that deserve mentions: yuzu vs masumi r2, yuya vs sawatari r2, gongenzaka vs yaiba, yugo vs 227, yuya vs sora r2, and reiji vs yuya r2!