It's My Birthday Shout "Hooray" - Installment III

Around the beginning of July I was thinking

My birthday is coming up and I'd like to have a party but I'm afraid that if I threw a party for myself no one would come. Parties are like nicknames, they kind of have to be thrown for you. Who would throw me a party? All of my girls are out of town. Maybe Nick. Has Nick ever thrown a party? I threw him a pretty amazing Star Wars birthday party for him in December. I even learned how to make an orange creamsicle cheesecake for him. It would be nice if he could return the favor.

However, knowing my amazing brother like I do, he excels in many things but emotional intuition isn't one of them. He would never put it together that because I threw him a party it would be amazing if he returned the favor. So did what any mature woman would do. I texted his girlfriend (now fiance) and explained myself and said any help she could offer in helping him understand where I was coming from would be appreciated. I couldn't have picked a better future sister-in-law because she and he came through like nothing else.

Nick has the amazing good sense to marry Amy Burch. I have been friends with the whole Burch family for the last 15 some years. They know me very well too and Amy has 3 older sisters all of whom I count among my nearest and dearest. So she circled the wagons and asked for party ideas and the amazing Hannah came up with the idea of making it have a Club 33 theme. For those of you who don't know what Club 33 is here's a link and a brief history lesson. Walt, when he built Disneyland wanted to have a place for him and his buddies so he set aside some space in New Orleans Square where he hand his boys could have a drink and a cigar. It's evolved into a very fancy exclusive restaurant and one of the best places at Disneyland. So basically it's everything I love. Disneyland, jazz, dressing up, good food, and a quite place.

This all translated very well for a birthday party. I didn't put it together that I was turning 33 and it was Club 33 for a good hour or so. I was just so thrilled at the idea of a cocktail party. Nick sent out the invite, told everyone to dress up, that the dress code will be enforced and be ready for fun. Well naturally I had the best time finding a new dress (which was lovely and on clearance!) and practicing a new smokey eye look (which turned out very well).

We had it at one of our friends' amazing house, Nick and Amy got plastic champagne glasses and bucket loads of Martinellis. Our engineer friend made an expert tower of glasses. My awesome pastry chef friend made some amazing desserts, they got a mini marzipan cake for me and yes - people showed up. I wasn't allowed to help with anything. All I was told was where to be, when, and how to dress. Nick and Amy handled the rest. I was surprised to learn that this was the first party Nick has ever planned. Some of my nearest and dearest were out of town so Nick, sweetly arranged for all of them to, too, dress up and had them join us via a Skype video conference call. This was a total surprise for me. I cried one, because I missed them all so very much and two, because how sweet is my brother?!



You can't see the whole 30+ company of people that Nick gathered into the living room to see the surprise with me but they're there and I was touched. I was on the verge of grateful tears all night.

There's all 4 my new sisters looking as pretty as ever.

We had a bunch of other rogues that came through dressed up amazingly but sadly I was having too much fun being glamorous and loved to snap a lot of pictures. Here's a sampling though.

The Todd came in an awesome plaid get up and Joe chose some formal digs from his recent jaunt to India. Nick almost didn't let him in but he eventually passed dress code.

Nick and Amy being as cute and in love as ever.

The Emily x2

There really isn't anything more envigorating to me than a room of men in suits, ladies in dresses all of whom I love and all of whom are having a good time. It was a real gift how many people came and how well they dressed up.

One of my favorite moments of the night was when Emily and Joey came. They had just come from eating at Club 33 that afternoon and between the both of them they swiped all of the gold embossed Club 33 paper towels in the bathroom there and presented them in one fell cluster out of her purse. It was an amazing moment and we were beginning to run short on napkins. Serendipity? Methinks so. Walt knew we were having a party and wanted to contribute.

I took a moment more than once to pause, look around at my favorite people, listen to the buzz of them all enjoying each other, all looking so nice and quietly soaked up as much happiness as I could. I figured it would be good to keep a little bit of that contentment close to my heart to pull out when it's a less than ideal day. And honestly, how much better does it get? Maybe if Jon Hamm was my escort...

This was a remarkable birthday. Joey, Emily's sweet husband, said "I don't say this unless I mean it but Lizzie, you get better looking every year. Some people can't say that but for you I can say that I see constant improvement." He's very good at saying all the right things. I'm also choosing to believe that hes right. He is a pastor and all. He can't lie and stuff. I think the best is yet to come and with enough belly laughs, hydration, skin care, good friends and prayer each year can improve. My 30's haven't been the easiest but I can't complain because they've also been the most fun.

Best of times worst of times and all that. If the Dickensian circumstances persevere then so be it because with friends, family and nights like this I'm pretty sure I can weather anything. If you're ever on my side of town just say the word and I'll be back in my heals and satin for a reprise.

All in all I think Walt would be proud.