So, I just had a big birthday.  I am “Big People” now as some West Indians would say.  lol

I wanted to take the opportunity to say how grateful I am to be this age and find myself in a room surrounded by my sometimes kooky and always loving family and my wonderful friends, some of whom I have known since I was in diapers.

It was a cool mix of all of my social circles and it brought back so many memories of when we were all young and silly – and now all grown up and still able to be silly.

My event was a lovely amalgam of the strange places in my mind that run the gamut from little green men hanging out at the charcuterie boards, mini rubik’s cubes on random tables, and a poster of 3 year old me – sweet as pie – affixed to the exposed brick wall in a bistro in my hometown.

The night was a smashing success, but the planning did not go off without a hitch or two.  I can be honest about that.

I eloped and as such, did not get a chance to plan a big wedding; to go a bit wedding-planning crazy and become a Bride-zilla.  I had my opportunity when I planned my birthday party.

I became a Birthday-zilla!  A tiny one.  But one, nonetheless.

My original idea for my birthday was to charter a plane and take all of my friends to Las Vegas, rent all the rooms on an entire floor of the MGM Grand and hold a private party in the nightclub located on site.  I should have indicated that the prerequisite for this grandiose idea was that I first win the lottery…. I did not win.  So, as a result, no Vegas.  Sorry folks!

Option # 2 was to rent out a movie theatre and subject my friends and family to my favourite movie.  The theatre wanted me to pledge them my first born child and they wanted the contract signed with the blood of a virgin.

Needless to say, Option #2 was a bust.

So, as it happened, one day I was driving down the main strip in my hometown and I saw this sign for Cork & Bean.  My girlfriend and I had recently started checking out local coffee shops searching for a place to hang out and get the creative juices flowing and I suggested that we check this place out, and boy was I glad we did!

As we sat perched at pub table sipping coffee and nibbling butter tarts in the window-  looking very chic and modern I might add – I blurted out, “This is the place!  I want to have my birthday party here.”  My dear friend nodded in agreement and the plan was afoot.

I contacted the owners and requested to rent out the entire bistro.  I wanted to be surrounded by familiar faces and listen to the music that made me the happiest.

They agreed and I set about ordering various Caribbean dishes from a couple of my favourite restaurants (Beryl’s Pepper Pot in Ajax and Island Mix in Pickering), ordered parisienne potatoes from Churrasco of Portugual and got some smoked chicken wings and Southern cornbread from a local favourite, Buster Rhino’s.  And of course the sauciest, tastiest meatballs you have ever had the pleasure of eating, prepared by none other than moi!

Cork & Bean supplied wonderful charcuterie boards, delightful salads and butter tarts that you thought only possible in your dreams.

All of this: friends, family, music from 1982 to 2002, delicious food and some quirky decorations culminated with the sabering of a couple bottles of bubbly and some cake.

I want to say a special thank you to everyone who helped make the night a success; from the poor guy at the balloon store who had to deal with me and my space cadet brain, to the various people I asked to make last minute runs for me here, there and everywhere, to my dear friend and birthday twin who was in step with me the whole way – Spacey Birthday-zilla tendencies and all.  Thank you!!

I shut down a bistro to throw a party.  Bucket List: Check!

It was truly a night to remember.

 

Check out all the nice things I said about Cork & Bean in my review on Google!