The Birthday Blues

I love love love birthdays. Not just my birthday, anyone's birthday. Because I'm so into birthdays of course mine is a big deal. Usually. Well this year I'm at a loss of what to do. I'm still pretty new here and don't have many friends. (The friends I do have work so Tuesdays suck and the other friends live at least an hour away so don't want them to have to come down on a Tuesday.)

The last two years I had great dinner parties to celebrate my birthday. Last year we went to Mirabelle's, my favorite restaurant in L.A. I met friends for happy hour (they have the best sangria), then other friends joined for dinner. Good times shared w/good friends. The year before that I had a Moroccan feast at Tagine's in Beverly Hills! It was so great - we sat down for like a 5 course dinner. Absolutely amazing! The year before that about 12 of my friends met me in Miami for a weekend of festivities.

But if I remember the year before that it was a lot like this year. I was in L.A. interning for the summer. I pretty much worked all the time and didn't hang out much (I waited tables at night to earn money b/c my interns didn't pay). My friend Mistie worked at this cool place that had just opened called Dominick's (now it is super popular). She took me out to dinner and we had a good time. I recall being sad though. I hate not really celebrating my birthday and while I was grateful she took me out, I wished for something more. That big celebration.

This year I feel that sadness. I want to celebrate but not sure how. Maybe I'll have a solo celebration. I've considered driving to Florida for some alone beach time and maybe I'll do it that day. If I stay in town, maybe I'll do something fun alone. (That doesn't sound very fun but maybe I can come up with something cool.) I made a hair appointment and I'm considering a cut. I need to make an eyebrow appt so maybe I can have a spa day? My gift to myself this year is swim lessons and I'll probably sign up for them on my actual bday. My birthday is an eclipse night and while I don't think it'll be very visible here, maybe I'll do something outside. What I don't want to do is go out and party or get drunk (so not a fab-o birthday experience).

So any thoughts of birthday fun for me? How do you celebrate your day?