Best. Birthday. Ever.

With my 30th birthday coming up Tuesday, I decided to have dinner and drinks last Saturday with my closest friends. Dinner was at Indigo, and was a blast. Having studied the wine menu in advance online, I knew to order the 2001 Ridge Geyserville, a favorite of Susie's and mine. Drinking quite well, thanks, though perhaps not quite the best we've had. The food was good; the wine was good; the gifts were generous, abundant, and thoughtful; the company delightful. I had planned to say a few words to the assembled company, but the time never seemed quite right. To paraphrase, this year has been a difficult one, and I have never been more grateful for the love, support, and friendship I have around me.

Jade bar was groovy. We had nearly enough of a posse to take over the upstairs area, and certainly a loud enough one to scare off any remaining patrons. The drinks were coming fast and furious(ly), and I was hard-pressed in my attempt to break my lengthy streak of getting sick every year on my birthday. I wasn't able to avoid the Red Bull and vodka, the kamikaze shot or the inevitable Glenmorangie, but I managed to not finish a Long Island that Ben tried to sneak in, and I ducked the one-two punch of the Scotch and chaser that Fennis tried to hit me with towards the end. Even Joel was drinking (only the third time I've seen him drink), so you know it was a good time. In the end, I didn't get sick, and I was actually able to enjoy my Sunday. Perfect!

And my actual birthday dinner is still coming up. Susie started a tradition of taking me to a different top-tier SF restaurant every year. Since the last three have been Elizabeth Daniel (now closed, sadly), Gary Danko, and Fifth Floor, I'm sure tomorrow's won't disappoint.