Birthday Joy

I just have to say that I have the most wonderfully loving friends and family a girl could ask for. Though my birthday day/week was overwhelming busy with work and I had to attend a conference over the weekend when I was planning to have a big party, it was truly a memorable and lovely birthday. Starting with my dad taking me out to dinner on Tuesday at The River Cafe. I felt like a princess, all dressed up, out with my daddy, a spectacular view of the city (the restaurant is under the Brooklyn Bridge overlooking downtown Manhattan), and some of the best food I've eaten here. A very kind German couple sitting next to us volunteered to take our picture and said they would send it to me. That has yet to materialize, but nevertheless, a truly great evening.

Then Thursday (my actual birthday) was just perfect. I knew that a few of my girlfriends were planning on taking me to dinner, but I was thinking it was going to be 2-3, or maybe 4 people, and I had no idea where we were going. I literally knew nothing. Alexandria actually came to get me after work and took me to the restaurant, so I would have no idea until I stepped in the door where I was going to be, and there 6 other friends met us for a lovely Italian dinner. It was perfect. Good food, good friends, and a little bit of tambourine Happy Birthday action at the end.

These would be the flowers that Carrie got me. Given the tight quarters of the restaurant I asked the waiter to put them on a windowsill. He came back with them, still fully wrapped, in a jug of water and set them on the table. Special.

My peeps.

So then the fun continued on Saturday with a Kentucky Derby party, sundresses, seersucker, and all. And yes, mint juleps. And key lime pie. And Kentucky Hot Browns. And cheese grits. Can you tell I have a lot of southern friends? This was not intended to be in any way (as far as I knew) a celebration for me, but I guess the homemade carrot cake was just dying to have candles put into it and lit especially for me. More wonderful love. And then Hayley and Cassie (in the picture below) "sang" me a birthday RAP as only these two white girls can. Good times.

All in all, a wonderful time, and I feel so blessed that I have such a rich "family" here in the city, and I would like to thank everyone who contributed in some way, shape, or form to my birthday. I truly appreciate it.

Now only 360 more days to go until I can rent a car without paying an extra fee for being too young...