Dinner Party Fever

I'm such a birthday person. Ever since I was little, going to a birthday party was my favourite thing to do, and growing up, this really hasn't changed. And then it got even better when I moved to London because my three best London friends and I discovered that all of our birthdays are within five weeks of  each other. So we dubbed it birthday season and look forward to it every year.

It's mine first. And with a week to go, I decided it was time the celebrations began. And having left my Cheshire friends to return to the city a month ago, a dinner party at my family home seemed the perfect excuse to celebrate and catch up on each others news. I'm not much of a cook, so luckily I had mumma on hand to provide advice and culinary expertise. I was also relieved when Laura arrived early afternoon to help prepare and calm my nerves. She had travelled up from Bristol to make it, so I couldn't have been more excited and thankful to see her.

We prepared all the food as much as possible, laid the table in timeless cream and gold, not forgetting the champagne flutes and dashed upstairs to get ready.

With an hour to spare, Tom arrived with endless candles, beautiful flowers and beads to finish off the table, we chatted about our day and our excitement for the evening ahead while dressing our centre pieces.

 So proud of his creations

Everyone filtered in about 8pm and we toasted myself, the other Tom (who celebrates his birthday the day before mine) and Sophie's new job before migrating to the dining room for dinner. I went and put the finishing touches to the goats cheese and caramelised onion tartlets, topped everyone up with a glass of wine and we all tucked in. It's always so nice to catch up on all the news from home. Combine it with great food and wine and I'm in my element. 

 We then moved on to main course, with a hearty home made lasagne on offer, perfectly accompanied with a top up of wine. Last year Tom and I hosted a large soiree at his home to jointly celebrate our birthdays, which quickly escalated with the assistance of cigars, dirty pints and the questionable use of some insect spray. And while that was a total blast, I decided that for turning twenty, something more civilised was required.

Feeling incredibly full, we paused pre-dessert for some light entertainment and a group photo. So many things have changed for me this year, and I am so thankful to every single one of these for being there for me.

Having laughed off enough room to squeeze in dessert, we headed back to the dining room. Mumma had made two of my favourites; banoffe pie and meringues, complete with strawberries and cream. But no eating was to be done until "Happy Birthday" had been sung and sparklers had been lit. (Everyone knows my hatred to birthday candles). We then tucked in, accompanied with dessert wine and animatedly began planning a weekend away at Easter. After the fun of Plas Uchaf (http://lavidalondonista.blogspot.co.uk), a weekend in Abersoch is most definitely going to be welcome.

We spent the rest of the evening making our way through cheese, port and home brewed spirits, drinking our way into the early hours. But not before presents. Both Tom and Sophie had kindly given me wonderful bottles of Lanson and Verve, while I excitedly unwrapped a cigar (from memories of 3am rickshaw rides), a copy of Rush (formula 1 is our favourite) and a bottle of pear grey goose from the other Tom.

We awoke the next morning with fragile heads (some more so than others) to a dreamy hangover breakfast of bacon, eggs and toast before saying our goodbyes. 

First attempt at being a mature twenty-something? Check.