It's my 40th birthday this week and we have been partying hard chez Fun and VJs.
I've been told 40 is the new 30, but that's from people who are much older than me. No one in their 20s or 30s has told me that, they just look at me pityingly...
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| Fresh pineapples are the new decor item of the moment. I predict the coconut to be next summer's icon of the moment. |
On the weekend we gave the Sow's Ear's kitchen and deck it's first real party test. Deck parties are fraught with danger with the many news stories you hear about deck collapses in Australia...but it was all good fortunately. Our public liability insurance was left unscathed.
We had about 40 good friends come over to help me celebrate reaching the milestone. It was a casual island themed party. Think palm fronds, pineapples and cheesy Polynesian ukulele music and that was the Sow's Ear on Saturday night.
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| Deck decorated with Golden Cane palm leaves from our garden. |
We hired mobile Brisbane caterer
Standing Room Only to prepare the finger food for the night, while my lovely handy-in-the-kitchen friends made some killer desserts. It was seriously great food and I would recommend Andrew from Standing Room Only in an instant to anyone hosting a cocktail function in Brisbane. Not only was he super-professional, he was the nicest person. And we like nice.
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| Andrew finalising the most delicious lamb koftas skewers to be circulated to the hungry crowd |
The long island bench in our kitchen worked a treat for food prep.
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| My lovely friend N made these fresh raspberry and chocolate cheese cakes. To die for. Profiteroles in the background. |
I wore a navy hibiscus dress and the highest red heels to the party. When the last of the guests had left after one o'clock in the morning, I was never happier to kick off those shoes. My poor aching 40 year old feet.
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| Waiting for our mates to arrive... |
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| Party lights and tropical shirts on the deck |
It was a great weekend.
Now I have to pick up the boys from my Mum's place. Her birthday gift was babysitting - a couple of child-free days has been very nice and relaxing...and I kind of feel young again...
Very 60's retro - tiki theme going on there!
ReplyDeleteI love pineapples as decorations, trouble is finding one that hasn't been 'de-headed' by the shops. I usually stick one or two frangipani flowers in the leaves as well
Happy Birthday! Looks like a fabulous night!What pressies did you get?
ReplyDeleteAnonymous Natalie
Happy Birthday! Looks like it was a great party - the food certainly looked good!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday kiddo (I can say that cause I'm older than you!)
ReplyDeleteAnd YES, 40 is definitely, absolutely the new 30! It has to be, because it means that 50 is the new 40 which makes me feel A LOT better about my own advancing years!
Goodness I thought 40 was the new 20! Everyone I know who is remotely awesome has either just turned 40 or is about to this year so nearly every weekend we are at a "gathering" (that's what cool 20 year olds call parties). Mine is not far off either but unfortunately our deck is too dodgy to even contemplate such a thing, I'll be quite happy to make do with a few child free days. Glad you had such a wonderful time and the sows ear was all complete just in time! mel x
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday! 40 is wonderful, 20 and 30 don't know nothing.
ReplyDeleteI am listening ll the time to the Descendants soundtrack on Spotify, wonderful Hawai'ian music. I sing along, falsetto!
Happy Birthday! Of Course 40 is the new 30, just remember that when you are getting out of bed each morning. Love the tropical theme and the shoes look like they were worthy of the pain.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday and Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteI too can attest that 40 is the new 30. The youngsters don't tell you that because they don't know it yet. They're all so smug and satisfied with themselves in that way that only 20-somethings can be. The joke's on them. They're still living their most difficult years. By the time you hit 40, you've already done most of the hard stuff in life. Then when you're 50, it really gets easy - except for a few aches and pains. This may not be true for men but I think life definitely gets better for women. Enjoy. (and those shoes are beautiful.)
Happy Birthday, Brismod! I'd love to see your presents too! Your party looks like lots of fun, and I'm all for catering. Why cook when there's someone who can do it for you?! I'm glad 40 is the new 20 because I'm one of the oldest people at my work! Humiliating really. Pineapples are de rigueur.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday week Anita! Yay for 40!
ReplyDeletexx
Happy birthday, Anita! That glimpse of your dress looks divinely tropicalatastic and the bash must have been super fun. If afraid 42 is the new 40 but you're nearly there.
ReplyDeleteWelcome to the Big Four-Oh Club, Anita! I can highly recommend membership. Yes, do show us your pressies. J x
ReplyDeleteGreat party! Everything looked beautiful (including your dress and toes), and the food looked out of this world! I'm glad you had such a happy birthday with good friends, and I know having a child-free weekend made it a little easy to get your partying on. Aren't we grandmothers wonderful? :)
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday! Spot on getting the caterers in, leaves you free to enjoy!
ReplyDeleteWe are all getting younger.. yippee!
Oh Wow! Happy Happy 40th Birthday Brismod! How exciting! Looks like it was a great party and well done with those gorgeous shoes! You must have looked great! Birthdays and birthday parties are always exciting. The caterers look wonderful. I hope you have a great birthday week! Mxxx
ReplyDeleteI think you're right about the coconuts - we'll be ingesting them in every conceivable way. Probs even wearing them. It's gunna be big, Baby!
ReplyDeleteAnd Happy Happy Birthday. I'd tell you that the 40s are it, but I'm not 20 or 30 so you wouldn't believe me. X
Happy Birthday (and welcome to the new age bracket!) Your party looked like it was a hoot. I wanted to celebrate my 40th in style but alas I was pregnant with No 4. I intend on having a MASSIVE house warming party to make up for it. xx
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for all the lovely Birthday wishes. It seems I'm in a good company with my 40 status!
ReplyDeleteI will definitely do a post about all the lovely gifts I received, MMMC and Anon Natalie.
And Caroline...you do not look like you're 40!!
Thanks again everyone!!
Happy 40th! Love the decorating.
ReplyDeleteSarah
Happy Birthday Brismod!!!!!
ReplyDeletehappy 40th darl, hope you had a great day. By the looks of it, it was fab!!! xxx
ReplyDeleteHappy belated birthday, Anita! All the best people are 40+!
ReplyDeleteSusan xx