The Birthday Festivities 2006

What a better way to end a long grueling week at work than to leave at 3:00p on a Friday rather than the 6:30p take up your entire evening because traffic sucks norm. Add a trip to San Diego on the end of that and things all of a sudden don't look so bleak.

After a four hour drive that's supposed to take two and a half, we checked into our hotel in Miramesa and dropped our bags. A quick change of clothes and we were off for dinner at Miami Grille, a place that I had been hearing about since I met the guy. The food was off the hook. And so inexpensive it was unbelievable! The rum bar served the best Rum Runners I've ever had...and I've had a few. Another reason San Diego rules.

Then came Saturday. Sea World. Shamu. Sunshine.

Believe Shamu Show

I've never been so impressed with the cleanliness and upkeep of a themepark. Other than the fact that there were bratty little kids slobbering on railings and wiping their snot everywhere, the place was Spic 'n' Span. We were there from noon until 11pm without a moment to spare. Dolphin shows, Sea Lion skits, two Shamu presentations, a freshwater aquarium, a saltwater aquarium, the 4D Haunted Lighthouse special effects interactive movie, polar bears, baluga whales, flamingos, penguins, sharks...the list goes on.

I can't remember the last time I had so much fun in just one, action-packed day. I was such a sucker in the gift shops, too. I was dying for Jared to buy me the cute, fluffy little dolphin, but I just couldn't rationalize what I would do with a stuffed animal at this point in my life. So we bought two; one for his niece and one for his nephew. I did end up with a killer purse/bag from the Roxy store. I couldn't help myself.

Me & My Guy

The day/night ended in complete exhaustion. I hardly remember falling asleep that night. Next thing I knew, it was noon on Sunday in the dark hotel room and that only meant one thing. Time to walk across the street for some good country cookin' at Denny's. We were famished.

...but not for long...

Once we scarfed down our French Toast and Grand Slam breakfasts, respectively, we headed north to the nearest mall. What's a birthday weekend when you don't have a shopping spree? And it was a successful one; Macy's is the devil.

We ended our nice relaxing Sunday with a Mediterranean dinner and a movie. World Trade Center to be exact. I was a bit reluctant to watch it, seeing as I was about to turn one year older the following day and I didn't need anything else to get me down. My curiousity got the best of me and I'm glad it did. The movie was a great depiction of what families (and America) went through during 9/11. I highly recommend it. Don't worry, it's not terribly difficult to watch. They did a great job sensoring it just enough to where you still get the effect but not too much of gut-wrenching misery. We all have enough of that left to last a lifetime.

It was a wonderful birthday weekend. Calm, relaxing, fun with lots of laughs...spent with my amazing guy who calls himself my boyfriend. Good times. And after the authentic, exquisite French dinner with some of the best wine I've ever had at Figaro Cafe' in Los Feliz on Monday night, it's safe to say...

I don't feel a day older.