Birthday Party!

 My handsome roommate/perma-boo, Jake, turned 30 last week. It makes for good "you're old!" fodder, because he's more than three years my senior, but honestly he looks younger now than he did five years ago.

Here in Chicago, I pampered him with a hot lather shave at a barber shop. In his words it was, "neat but terrifying and a little painful." Afterward, I surprised him with a sushi dinner under the "stars" at home. We drank champagne from my Long Island trip out of my Great Aunt Dot and Uncle Bill's wedding flutes from 1956.

Over the weekend, we made the pilgrimage back to Iowa to visit my family and our family of friends. We were fortunate enough to go play at our old coffee stomping grounds. Jake made me a delicious macchiato, and I reminded myself how much I love making drinks. I made the latte above--I still got it!

For dinner, we joined about thirty of our closest friends at the Tic Toc for our favorite fried foods, stiff drinks, and Katie's homemade cupcakes topped with mini Jakes. We finished the night by cashing in a free keg party at our regular bar. Seen above, we all celebrated our love for him by wearing our best Jake ensembles--mostly western or plaid shirts tucked into jeans, with a big belt buckles. Cory, on the left, made an homage to the hospital employed Jake of yore.

Friends, I am in love with you! And the birthday boy seemed to have a perfect time.