MY BIRTHDAY

Since MY BIRTHDAY was also Election Day (and this election was a BIG one), I decided to celebrate the night before (Monday 11/3). I knew everyone would want to watch the decision results on TV and I didn’t want to compete (MY BIRTHDAY should be all about ME, ME, ME)! I planned a small dinner with family and friends and then a night on the town (Monday’s are surprisingly wild in Hollywood).

My friends Samantha, Zoe and I caught a cab to Hollywood (It’s not a Limousine but it’s still traveling in style. Don’t drink and drive)! We met up with my mom, sister Tracee, brother Evan and a handful of my closest gal pals at BLT Steak on Sunset Blvd. If you have read my blog before you know how I LOVE bacon, so having MY BIRTHDAY at this hip restaurant that has bacon (the b stands for bacon) in the name was a no brainer. BLT Steak has the most delicious steaks and even better side dishes. I think you could die from the deliciousness of the truffled cheese bread, popovers, potatoes au gratin and of course they had a sizzling side of bacon. I ate so much that I had to unzip the back of my dress (I felt like a little Snausage)!

I opened my presents and blew out the candles on the yummy strawberry frosted cake. In my family, we have this strange tradition of smudging your name with your finger and putting the icing on your nose. I’m not easily embarrassed, so even though the restaurant was filled with LA’s finest, guess whose nose was covered in icing? Hehe… Another tradition is to scream really loud when you get to the bottom of the first cut of cake. I didn’t want to hurt people’s ears (because I can yell seriously loud), so this year I just let out a little yelp. I’m sure the restaurant staff appreciated it too.

After dinner, I bid farewell to my family and headed just a couple doors down to ONE SUNSET. The Monday night hot spot is promoted by my friend Alex Quinn. He had set me up with a private table and a bottle of vodka. About 15 of my friends came and danced and partied till the clock struck midnight! HAPPY BIRTHDAY to me! We continued to dance and party till the wee hours of the morning then cabbed it home to climb into bed for some serious snuggling with my puppies (No man… but I may have wished for one when I blew out the candles ☺)!

I woke early and a little groggy (hung over). I walked and fed the dogs then headed out to VOTE. My polling station was just a hop, skip and a jump from my house and though the line was kind of long it took only 45 minutes to cast my VOTE. I didn’t want to be overly confident, but I had a good feeling about OBAMA’s victory. There was a buzz in the air for sure (a wind of change).

I spent MY BIRTHDAY doing things that make me happy. I put on my “BIRTHDAY GIRL” tiara and rode my bike to the Coffee Bean (I LOVE the Coffee Bean – check out July 18th, 2007 blog). They gave me a large, ultimate, vanilla ice blended with extra whip cream for free (YUM!) I had lunch with my friend Erin at Main Street Bagels (turkey, cucumbers, tomatoes on an everything bagel with chive cream cheese) then returned home to laze around the house (still a little hung over). I soaked in a bubble bath while I read my book, and then I snuggled with the dogs while I watched episodes of Heroes (I’m so addicted).

In the early evening, the polls on the East Coast started to close and TV coverage began. I went over to my friend Carolyn’s house for a Super Taco Tuesday party. We ate guacamole, chips and salsa as we watched the states turn blue and blue and blue. I knew it was gonna happen, I could feel it in my soul, but we’ve been fooled before so I kept my mouth shut.

Just as Carolyn called ‘Tacos are ready!” it was over. We had a new President! Goosebumps ran up my spine. It was a great moment in history to witness. AMAZING! I was completely shocked how early it was called. Polls in LA were not even closed yet! It was a landslide! A victory for America for sure! When OBAMA took the stage there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. His words of HOPE are just what this nation needs. What an amazing BIRTHDAY present not just for me, but also for America. SO EXCITING!

I went to sleep feeling inspired and hopeful for a better tomorrow. HOPE is FABULOUS and so was MY BIRTHDAY! Happy BIRTHDAY to me!