27 has finally arrived...

Lots to update you on. I intended to do it yesterday but I never got a chance so i'm a day late and a dollar short. Overall I would say I had a great birthday. There were moments where I was an emotional wreck but I think those feelings are allowed based on the year that I've had.

The birthday celebration started Thursday night. Our company gives us off on our birthday's but because mine fell on a Saturday I got Friday off this year. Thursday night was such a relaxing night and it was definitely needed. Warm spring air, some wine, my best friend, her dog, and an amazing heart to heart conversation. Moments like those are my absolute favorite. It's as if the outside world seems to stop for just a few short hours and life is as it should be. I need more those moments that's for sure. Can I just tell you how awesome Sarah's dog is for a second. She is the SWEETEST, MOST GENTLE dog ever. You can smoosh her face, throw her around, squeeze her like Elmyra and she just takes it. Not only that but she sleeps ALL the time and will even sleep later than you in the morning, is completely house trained, and hardly ever barks. So meet C.C. (short for Coco Chanel)...

I mean seriously, you just can't help but LOVE this dog!

Friday was a wet, cold, and dreary day. But, Nicole & I ventured into the City anyway and went to the Museum of Modern Art. We stood in the pouring rain, on a line that was half a block long (a NYC block) just to get in. Good thing it moved pretty fast. I was worried about Nic's umbrella actually starting to work at some point (lol). Moving on... I'm almost ashamed to say this but as an avid art fan the only NYC art museum I have ever been to is the Metropolitan Museum of Art. So Friday was my first time at the MoMA and I LOVED it! Standing in front of Van Gogh's Starry Night was such a surreal experience. Being in a room filled with Picasso's, Kandinsky's, Monet's, and Rothka's was amazing, humbling, and moving. Those artists never desired to be famous. They painted as a way to express their life, their emotions, their struggles. It was an outlet for everything that was built up inside them. That's what makes those pieces so real, so raw. That's why art trancends all generations. Enjoy some of my favorite pieces...

This piece is just... there are no words. Van Gogh's "Starry Night" is classic

And those are just some of the amazing art pieces there. There were definitely moments where i teared up. Mostly because I love art, I love the City, I love doing things with the ones I love and part of me has lost that over the last few years. I've lost part of who I am and being at the MoMA on Friday helped stir up those feelings that I thought were long gone. I'm slowly rediscovering myself and it's scary and exciting all at the same time.

We left the museum hoping to catch the 3:06pm train back to Westfield but we missed it by 10 minutes. We caught the next train at 4:13pm and then met Sarah and Liz for Happy Hour at the Jolly. Good times with those girls! Then it was date night with my husband. He had music things to do on my birthday so we went out Friday night instead. He had callilies waiting in the car for me. They were gorgeous. Then we went to Monster Sushi for dinner where I got my asaparagus rolled in teriyaki chicken (A-MAZING). When I was ordering though I thought the waiter had said, "ok, thank you Nicole" and Tommy and I both did a double take like, "did he just say my name? how the heck does he know my name? nah, he didn't say my name - he barely spoke english so he probably said something else." Well, he did say my name because later on they sang Happy Birthday to me. My sister had called the restaurant to make sure they embarassed me properly. Love her. Afterwards we went to the coolest place. It was this indoor, glow in the dark mini-golf arcade called Monster Golf. Decked out like Halloween. CRAZY FUN! Probably the hardest mini-gold i've ever played. But, of course, I won. Yes, i'm gloating. Here are some pictures...

Once I claimed the victory I met up with Sarah at 16 where the girls (the bartender's who are now our friends) got me a card and this beautiful bouquet of flowers. So super sweet. Love them!

Saturday morning (my actual birthday) I met up with Chrissy, Adie, Lane, Joanna, and Karina for breakfast. So yummy!!! Chrissy and I then went shopping for an outfit for that night. I was told by Sarah that I needed to dress like a biker chick so I purchased some ripped jeans (which by the way fit SO PERFECT), a black skull and cross bone tank top, and a short black hoodie. Then I picked up some makeup to complete the ensemble. I actually LOVED the outfit. It was so comfortable. That night I went over Sarah's and she started the night by cooking one of my favorite dishes - Penne Vodka.

That sauce looks gross but it was AWESOME! Prosciutto, mushrooms, and peas in a pink cream sauce.

After dinner we started the night at this club called The Den where they were having a drag queen runway show. Hilarious! So fun!

After about a half-hour the show got boring so we ended the night at this bar in New Brunswick called the Knighclub. Not much dancing but definitely a lot of fun. We followed it up with some late night disco fries at a local diner and then I stayed over Sarah's because we didn't get home until 4. Even though I live 2 minutes away Sarah has a driveway and I was not about to get up at 9am to move my car from behind my building.

I spent Sunday morning cleaning my apartment and then went to my parents where we had a mothers day/birthday dinner for me and my mom. For those that don't know my mom is a pack rat. They are in the process of remodeling the house and buying a new shed for the backyard. My mom has crates, crates, and more crates filled with useless crap. I now belong to a white trash family. Take a look at the backyard. That's not even a quarter of what my mom has collected.

Once dinner was over I went home and Sarah came over with the dog and we vegged on the couch.

Monday morning I got up early because my dentist appointment from last week was rescheduled for 8am. I couldn't make it up the parkway in time because of the rain and flooding yesterday so the extra hour I could have slept was wasted. I needed it to because I barely slept all weekend. When I was done with work I went home and passed out for 45 minutes. It was necessary. Liz and Sarah both came over when I woke up and we watched some tv. After Liz left Sarah and I watched "27 Dresses". We both had seen it already but we LOVE that movie so I purchased it last week when it came out. Please see it if you haven't. I laughed, I cried - it was perfect.

I still haven't slept though. My insomnia is back. Hate it. I'm going to get an Iced Mocha from Starbucks in a bit. Bringing back a classic. I'm really hoping to hit the gym tonight. It's been too long (just like this post).