Ryan ChartrandIt sucks being the oldest out of all your friends. Not only do I get older before all the rest of them, I’m the mother of the group, making sure I carry the mints and the tissues. I’m fine with it really.
I spent my 2lst birthday with my mom and best friend in my apartment. With classes starting the next day, we all just took one shot and said good night. Finally, after months of waiting for a real 21st celebration, my best friend joined the 21 club.
Since this is a once in a lifetime opportunity, we decided to make it a week long extravaganza. Little did we know what we were getting ourselves into.
Monday was the quiet before the storm of events about to unfold.
The celebration began at midnight on a Tuesday or should I say Wednesday morning. We hit Downtown Brew for a couple of pints of Honey Ale and called it a night.
Wednesday night it was Vallarta’s for the free 60 ounce margarita. Little did we know that her mom had been planning for a stripper for more than month, and he would be performing. Let’s just say my friend had to finish her whole margarita because the stripper, with his pimply back, was nothing to get excited over.
To finish off her true birthday, a few of us headed to the bars and this time it was pure craziness.
Everyone wanted to buy my friend shots, and by the end of the night the birthday girl was still looking beautiful, but she could not sit in her seat. At 1:30 a.m. we made the drunk walk home. Thank the Lord it was only a couple blocks.
Even after all of that, all the girls still went out Thursday. This time all the girls were going out. To tell you the truth, my mind goes blurry at this point, but I did make it to my comfy bed that night.
Friday night her family came to town: her mom, dad, stepfather, grandma, aunt and cousin (set to turn 21 that night as well).
Once again we all got dolled up, and went out. First we hit Mission Grill for the free champagne followed by Downtown Brew and Frog and Peach. The next day the family and I were going wine tasting in a limo, so we were told to make sure the other birthday girl didn’t have too much to drink that night.
Ten drinks later and 8 a.m. rolls around Saturday the birthday girl did not feel so hot. The limo and the family arrived at 10:30 a.m. so we fed her toast, coffee and Smartwater. She got dressed and looked presentable.
My best friend and I got dressed up in our floppy hats and dresses with heels to be all posh-posh for wine tasting.
The birthday girl made it to Robert Hall Winery fine, but complained about how there should be chairs at wine tasting; my feet agreed with her.
At Clautiere Vineyard she told us that the limo driver was going to take her back to our place. Oops.
Even with one down, the crazy Clautiere Vineyard lifted our spirits. It was incredibly fun trying on all the wigs.
On the way to the EOS Estate Winery we shoved the deli cuts and cheese provided by the limo service down into our starving bellies. EOS had a great Chardonnay if I recall correctly.
The last stop was at Tobin James Cellars, whose there Syrah is one of my favorite wines ever. The atmosphere is old western and there is no tasting charge. By that time we were all pretty buzzed.
Sunday was the day of rest.
Let’s just say I’m taking the next week off.