Meredith's 30th Birthday

After cocktails [see previous post] we sat down to a large 17 person dinner party. Rob, Genevieve and Alexandra brought up cured meats, eggplant Parmesan, and bread. Charlie and Nicole brought sausages and homemade tomato sauce from Vermont, and Margot and Matt grilled corn on the cob to make roasted corn salad.

Nothing says "I love you" more to Meredith than a red velvet cake from Magnolia Bakery.

We put Piper in her crib when she got fussy, but all she needed was her bottle of baby wine.

The Big Chill

This weekend was Meredith's 30th birthday!!!

Being that it was also Labor Day Weekend we did it right and all headed up to the country for a 4 day celebration. It was one of the best vacations of my life - a house full of friends, synchronized swim routines, grilled food and loads of wine and beer, dance parties, hammocks, hikes, waterfalls and wildflowers, and a giant house and 40 acres to run around in and on like pack of maniacal, wild animals.

We lived here and it was awesome.

Talk fest down by the pool.

Synchronized swim team - this is our "genie in a bottle" move.


Charlie holds Office Hours under the apple tree.

There was a small waterfall on the property.

Matt studies the hunks during an intense game of Heartthrob.

I want to wake up with my friends every morning.


The birthday girl!

Before dinner we had cocktails on the lawn and a birthday pinata. We got dressed up in our nicest clothes, but also made a few trips to the "accessories bar" to beef up our outfits.

Shrewsbury: Home Sweet Fun

Went up to Shrewsbury for the weekend.

Allyson (my BFF since 7th grade) came over Friday night and we had a big dinner with my parents and two of their friends. We ran out of beer so Allyson's brother dropped off a 12 pack of Natural Light - what a good little brother! Allyson slept over and in the morning we laid in bed gossiping. My mom poked her head in and said "Wow, it's just like in high school!"

Allyson loves Natural Ice and loves Tom Brady, but doesn't want that Stetson getting too close to her beer.

Saturday night was a collision of worlds. My friends Dawn and Mike (from Brooklyn) were in town visiting another Shrewsbury person that they're friends with so the three of them met up with me and 4 other Shrewsbury people at the Dragon 88.

I was halfway through one Mai Tai (they have the best Mai Tai recipe ever) when a girl at the bar said "Ryan?". It took me a second to realize that it was the daughter of my parents' friends - I used to babysit her and now she's 21! I texted my dad that she was at the Dragon and my dad texted back "OMG".

After we left the Dragon we headed over Dave and Brit's house where we had a major impromptu dance party.

Sunday I went over my aunt and uncle's house and harvested some rhubarb.

Jessica's Birthday & Beacon, NY

Saturday night was Jessica's birthday/housewarming party at her new condo in Williamsburg. We must have danced for at least 4 hours. I just remember looking at the clock at 4:30am and not believing it was correct.

Note the power drill.

The next morning I was reminded of my age when I tried to get out of bed and was so sore my knees buckled.

Abe and I recharged with egg sandwiches & iced Americanos and hit the road. We grabbed our friends, Luke and Kim, and drove up to Beacon, NY for a day of art and fresh air. I didn't take enough photos, but I think it was just because I was having too much fun. It was such a dreamy day.

If you have never been to Dia: Beacon you need to go before September 2009 when the Sol Lewitt exhibit ends.

Over Here, Over in Times Square

Friday night Abe and I went to see the final performance of Over Here, Over There part of Manhattan Repertory Theater's Summer Fest series. The play was written by Vincent A. Apollo and starred our very own Ryan Fitzsimmons. Congratulations to Fitz!

We walked over the Pulaski Bridge to catch the 7 train.