IT WAS MY BDAY, AND I PARTIED LIKE IT WAS MY BDAY

36? OMG! I know, I know, you can't believe Im 36 either!! One more year of my mid-thirties...now that is something to relish, right?

The last 36 years have been wonderful. I feel lucky to have traveled the world as much as I have, that I met Ernesto 10 years ago in the Columbus airport, and that my friends and family are the best that a girl could ever ask for.

Yes, I have some grey hairs now, and I have noticed more wrinkles in my face, but the bright side of this is that I know they are from laughing so much throughout my life. Ernesto is so silly (like me) and my family is all about humor. We are always laughing at/with each other and if there is a sad moment I can count on them to make me smile....every. single. time.
I am really excited for the future as it's sure to bring more excitement and surprises my way!

Speaking of my awesome family, I had this idea that my brother and sister should come celebrate my birthday with me. Jenny flew in on Delta Thursday night and we got some serious girl time Friday with coffee talk, eating lunch at Taqueria del Sol and doing some thrifting. Can you tell that we are sisters? A few people told us they saw a resemblance??????My great birthday weekend got even better when my brother Brrrian drove to Atlanta from Asheville Friday night! I was so excited when he got there. Smita was cooking, Jenny was chatting and having a drink, Nester was showing off his mask. (which Brrrian loved!!)

Brrrian always brings his guitar, and so after dinner, and many drinks, the entertainment began. This picture alone makes me crack up: the masked man with the guitar....

Once he started singing [impromptu as he often does] we really were laughing. The cackles sometimes overpowering the music. (also the Rihanna interview was playing on tv)

I don't think I need to say anything else about Friday night. Too. Funny.

Brrrian woke up Saturday morning wanting to adopt a dog. We perused craigslist and saw so many cute dogs. That got us excited for him! We looked up Atlanta Humaine Society and it was actually just a few miles from my place. I can see how someone turns into a cat lady or maybe has too many dogs. If you go in here be prepared to feel some sadness. This is a great facility though, very clean and you can see the animals are well taken care of. They have a huge yard where the dogs get to go outside and run. Brrrian immediately fell in love with this little guy:

Brrrian paid the $50 adoption fee and they put a sign up in his kennel "ADOPTED" . We had to leave him there while we got some supplies. Here is the proud new father taking the first picture (of many). Im so excited for Brrian and also that this cute doggie has a home! Bruno is the name and I think it fits his Dutch Shepard looks!

Later that day we went to Smita's house. She wanted to make my birthday dinner. I had requested a pie instead of a birthday cake and Smita did not disappoint. She made the crust from scratch and I must say it was the best I have ever tasted. The recipe is from Tyler Florence and can be found on her blog .

Blackberries, raspberries and mango! Oh my!!

It was a great night. We were laughing so hard the whole night. I love mis hermanos!!

We must have been making a lot of noise. Smita's neighbor Wesley sent a text message to shut up. We told him to come over. It was obvious that he had already started partying, as you'll see on this video. Although it's sideways and quality is not the best, I guarantee a chuckle.

For more laughs we decided to head to Clermont Lounge.

The Clermont is a very seedy bar that is also an Atlanta landmark. Not everyone has been there, but they have probably heard of it. If you don't have a sense of humor, don't even think about stepping foot into this basement dive bar.

Yes, it is an "adult club" as the sign says above, but there is somethin' different. The women who dance there are older, fatter, and less rhythmic then would ever be allowed in a "normal" club. Like I said, a sense of humor is needed. Brrrian had actually been there before with Neto a few years ago, but it was Smita's first time and I thought it would be so funny to take Jenny and not tell her anything about it. When we walked in her face was like a deer in headlights. ha! I was laughing so hard. I let her take it in for a few minutes before asking what she thought. "Stunned, I am Stunned!" I knew she would like it! You do find yourself asking...where are we? Who does this? ha! Somewhere along the line, the Clermont turned a bit trendy, clearly for the trashiness that you won't find anywhere else. The clientele is a huge mix of young/old and blue/white collar.

You can only watch for so long. We were lured over to a small dance floor though and danced to a good mix of 80's that the DJ was spinning. On the way out we asked the parking attendant to snap a photo with the infamous fluorescent sign. Not surprising the lounge is in the basement of a disgusting motor hotel that rents by the hour!

We walked to Virginia Highlands and hung out at Hand in Hand for a while.

We look a bit "worn out" and that is because....we were. Come on! Im 36 now, I don't usually stay out that late anymore.

To wake us up, Nester decided we needed a full on breakfast. Where do you go for breakfast at 2am in Midtown? Another Atlanta landmark, the Majestic Diner.

Since Sunday was my actual birthday and it was 75 and sunny, I wanted to have a picnic at Piedmont Park.

Nester brought the party hats, Smita brought the blanket and we picked out some great picnic foods for munching.

Neto also brought my birthday present, beautifully wrapped in turquoise paper with a big bow. I was a tri-pod for my DSLR camera, a gift I had requested. Thanks mi amor!

Even better than the gift though, was the card he picked out for me. I really like gifts from the heart, and this card, I can tell, he thought was perfect for me.

{front and inside of card}

We needed the afternoon to relax after our fun filled weekend , and that we did. A special thanks to everyone who shared such a special weekend with me!

This was Bruno's first day out of the Humaine Society and boy did he get a treat in the park. There were dogs everywhere and he was so socialable with all of them. He's just a sweet dog.

He so lucky to have Brrrian. I am too!

This is my beautiful friday post being shared over at the Inspired Room