2 Saturdays ago: 25th Birthday Fete!

Fact: Planning a birthday party is always harder than it should be.

NYC Truth: Organizing a party in Manhattan will drive you to madness.
Real Life-ism: Nobody cares about your party [as much as you do].
Conclusion: Calm the eff down, plan something fun for all, and wear a pretty dress and shiny shoes that make you happy.

It's such a blessing to gain WISDOM with age. *Whew.*

Thus:
The fun plan took the form of an improv comedy show at the UPRIGHT CITIZENS BRIGADE, starring actors and writers from "30 Rock," "The Office" and other hilarious shows, followed by dinner at La Bottega, located in the Maritime Hotel.

Pretty dress? Check!


Shiny shoes? Check!

(ELM, SB and The Bunny)


I think my friends are gorgeous.
I've noticed lately that my peers--meaning specifically those people born in 1984 and 1985--are looking ravishingly gorgeous and seriously radiant.
Quite simply, they look the best they've ever looked.
Even on Facebook, when I peruse current photos of people I haven't seen in the flesh since we were 9, it's obvious to me that they've reached a beauty "critical mass."
Mind you, that isn't to say that the best isn't yet to come, because I think it is, but this is a pleasant plateau to reach following the not-yet-distant-enough pains of pre-and-post-adolescence.

I think there will certainly be a time in my life when I'll gaze with jealousy upon the cellulite-free and curve-less figures of teenage girls, and long for that phase in my physical development (which, if I'm honest with myself, never actually existed).

But for now, I think my friends, and even I, look the way we're supposed to--and hopefully feel a little more comfortable in our own skin, too.
That sense of peace is a true birthday gift.

They're such a happy bunch; I'm tremendously and unduly lucky...

(A(K)K, EJS and LAT)


(LAT and BJE)


(DM and CCR)


(MVG, G(A)S, and CLB)


(ELM and SB)


(CJM)


(DM, CCR, ESG and CJM)


(CJM, MVG, G(A)S, and CLB)


(CLB and CJM)


(BJE, CJM and LAT: Even wearing heels it's sort of hopeless with these two...)


(Princeton Girls: LAT, A(K)K, MVG, EJS, and CJM)

I've got a GOOD FEELING about year #25...
In the words of the wrapping paper on one of my gifts, here's hoping that every day grants each of us a...

Cxx.

Last Thursday: Aging a Quarter-Century in the company of Dinosaurs

So, it happened. I turned 25.

I had been dreading the occasion for no particular reason, but it's been a week now and 25 has been nothing short of DELIGHTFUL.

On the day itself I arrived at work to discover a lovely (and scrumptious) box of Jacques Torres chocolates sitting on my chair, courtesy of two co-workers:

Later in the day I grabbed some yummy Shake Shack and my co-workers and I held a little picnic in Central Park. The weather was PERFECT:


When I returned from lunch, a pretty package was sitting on my desk, containing
SUGAR SWEET SUNSHINE cupcakes!

Remember my friend, MBS?
Well, all those nice things I said about her in a previous post weren't merely lip service.
She took it upon herself to make my day EXTRA special by calling up--from her far away home in Kansas City--my favorite cupcakery in NYC and having a half-dozen bits of baked euphoria delivered to me. Talk about the PERFECT surprise. I am still in (sugar) shock.


After scarfing down burgers and cupcakes, I had to make my lardy-self presentable for the American Museum of Natural History's Spring Safari.
The vintage rental I was hoping for fell through in the end, but it allowed me to slip into one of my favorite Lilly pieces in my collection: The lobster bubble dress!


Turning 25 in a room with a 65-million-year-old dinosaur puts things into perspective...



As you can imagine, everything was swathed in Lilly fabric: tablecloths, pillows on seats, and the handsome attendees.


Somewhat against his will, I photographed this fine gentleman in his PANDAMONIUM trousers!

(I love a man who isn't afraid of pattern.
Full Disclosure: I own the shift in this print.)

Speaking of Pandamonium, the print made it easy to spot Janie, Lilly's Design Director, in her customized gown. For all of you who voted for this gown on the Lilly blog, you made the right choice! She looked fantastic:


Celeb DJs Harley Viera-Newton (in green) and Cassie Coane (in black) provided the beats in the Hall of Mammals and had everyone dancing:


Adding to the energetic and colorful ambience was the Lilly print team, who painted several pieces over the course of the evening:


Since I had some birthday money burning a hole in my clutch, I gave into the temptation I resisted on Tuesday at Christie's, and bid on a 3.1 Phillip Lim bag in the silent auction...and won!




I also took home another bag that night:


My gorgeous date, EJS, doesn't often pose for photos but made an exception for my birthday. Good karmic acts pay off! I ADORE this photo:


Thanks to EVERYONE who made April 15, 2010 a magical day for me from start to finish and then some.
Cxx.