Birthday Weekend

Last year's birthday was nice, but a bit dull. I didn't know that many people in New York yet, I didn't know where to go, so I ended up having a drink or two and heading home early with a small group of friends. This year, however, I was determined that things would be different. I planned dinner at a great Japanese place that is very authentic (and cheap!), karaoke at a place down the street with private rooms for groups, and follow-up drinks in the same neighborhood.

Alex, one of my best friends from Vanderbilt, flew out from Austin to spend the weekend with me. Another friend of ours from Vandy, Nate, lives in New York now, too, so we had a reunion of sorts on Thursday night. Dave bought both boys a beer and endeared himself to them forever. Alex had never been to New York, so we wandered around midtown on Friday afternoon, then went to the restaurant to meet the rest of the party. I was a bit nervous about whether everyone would get along. I'd invited people from Japan, from Teachers College, from Cate, from Vanderbilt, and everywhere in between. A few of them brought friends/significant others and that added even more variation to the group. I needn't have worried; it was fantastic. Everyone got along wonderfully, all 16 of us!

Dinner with the group. Ferran, in the foreground, is predictably ruining the picture.

After dinner we spent a few hours singing karaoke, which was great. My friends from Japan were old pros, of course, but the newbies picked it up pretty quickly, too. Eddie was, predictably, a hit, but my Spanish friend Uri was the real surprise of the night. I'd known he was in a fairly popular band in Spain, but I had no idea he was so spectacularly talented. He absolutely brought down the house. I thought Eddie was going to fall off his chair.

Nate and Alex wailing.

With Uri, vocalist extraordinaire.

Drinks followed, and I messily at the cupcake my friend Seint had brought for me while trying not to get frosting on my birthday cards, new poetry book from friend Chris, and "Gone with the Wind" DVD from Dave (which he was happy to buy me but refuses to watch). Late night pizza followed, and I don't think I was asleep until almost 6:00 AM! Who says you slow down as you get older?

Down the street from the karaoke place. Ferran is ruining this one, too...

If my birthday was any indication of things to come, my 28th year is going to be a great one.