My 40th birthday wasn't all stomach virus recovering, nutcracker attending, and ice storm traversing. In addition to gaining perspective, I was also the lucky recipient of a rather stellar dinner party Sunday evening orchestrated by my amazing hubby and my dearest buddies and partners in crime Sam and Achlee.

Friends, it would be an understatement to say that the evening was seriously magical. A whole crew of my unbelievably kind friends spent hours transforming the studio into a sort of sparkly, glittery, haven-o-happy (that just so happened to smell exactly like my beloved Northern California due to the masses of eucalyptus and olive branch garlands gracing every conceivable surface). Long, candle-laden tables were set with gold flatware and individual handmade marble and wood cheeseboards, each topped with my of my favorite quotes. There was champagne and roasted beets and almonds and burrata and pork loin and curried lentils and butternut squash and dark chocolate and Italian cream cake. Wine flowed; immensely lovely toasts were made; Sixteen Candles was projected on the wall during dinner...

And just when I thought they'd pulled out every amazing trick in the book, after dinner my dad and Bryan performed a saxophone/guitar duet of "The Girl from Ipanema" (the first time they've ever performed together in the nearly 17 years we've been together).

It was, without a doubt, one of the best nights of my life. I am a lucky girl. Done and done.