Summer of Joy

This summer, I did not have much time to write anything. I was busy engaging in activities that could not be recommended to others, but special personal events that will remain memorable for years to come.

Here are the top two events of the Summer of 2005:

1. I turned THIRTY!

I am not one of those angst-filled young people who fear the onslaught of maturity. I have always welcomed the years with open arms. After all, it is better than the alternative. Still, my birthday was on a weekday, and I did not plan to do anything special. My agenda consisted of eating sushi while watching Party Girl and Unbreakable.

Fortunately, my mother had other plans. As I have mentioned before, my mother lives with me and for several years, she has slowly been collecting phone numbers of my friends. That week, she called friends from college, law school and Bible Study to a "surprise" birthday party at my place.

I would have been surprised if she had not asked me the day before my birthday who prepared the party platters. A co-worker cleverly noted, "Your mother is no fool. She knows that you may have decided to go somewhere at the last minute."

She then prepared a feast suitable for meat-eaters and vegetarians alike. The menu consisted of some of my favorites: a pork roast, which we normally only have during the holidays, rotisserie chicken, rice and pigeon peas and asparagus. There were also party platters such as an assorted fruit platter, which consisted of pineapple, cantaloupe and honeydew, and a Mediterranean wrap platter.

Even though I knew there was a party, I did not know who was actually coming. As each person arrived and the disparate groups melded together as if they knew each other for years, I realized that the best birthday present was simply having so many people care for me. Best present ever!

2. College Roommate's Wedding

I alluded to this event while the preparations were still transpiring. Well, the great couple's big day finally arrived after several days of exciting events. I did not think that waking up at 6 a.m. for work throughout the week would enable me to keep going for three days of celebration, but in the end, sheer joy for the Bride gave me all the energy that I needed.

Instead of a bachelorette party, we had a Diva Night at Cuchi Cuchi and sang karaoke in a private room at the Limelight Stage and Studio. The party consisted of the following: the Bride, the Bride's sister, aka the Dancing Diva; the Best Woman, another college roommate, aka the One Woman Empire; and the Bride's high school friend, a Woman With Connections.

At Cuchi Cuchi, our host was the fabulous Wafita, who outfitted us with tiaras and boas. The Bride's beauty could not be marred by toppling tiaras, and every man in the restaurant was saddened to discover the reason for our celebration, even though that news did not stop some persistent admirers. I discovered that I should wear a tiara wherever I go because I look fabulous in one, but found myself sneezing whenever I got near the boas.

The tapas menu mostly consisted of Vegan delights, which was quite impressive considering none of us were vegans. We had stuffed artichoke hears (fried artichoke hearts filled with gorgonzola and pistachio nuts drizzled with garlic-lemon-olive butter); sauteed artichoke hearts (in evoo with garlic, sundried tomato pesto and black olives); grilled asparagus spears with mango-mint salsa; thai crab claws with chili sauce, grilled skirt steak with cocunut-ginger glaze; stuffed portabella mushrooms (sauteed vegetables, basmati rice, coconut milk); and brie en croute.

Then our limo shuttled us to our private studio to sing ourselves hoarse to tunes with the same titles as our names. As we prepared to leave, two guys did a great rendition of Jessie's Girl for the Bride. In the end, we cancelled our last stop, salsa dancing, in order to be rested for the next day.

The next night was the rehearsal and the rehearsal dinner at the Harvard Faculty Club. I was a little nervous about the reading only because I was not sure whether or not I would remember when I had to move to the front. Father Dave, the Groom's Uncle, provided a helpful reminder: "It would be nice when I sit down, if you would walk to the front. I can make an announcement if I don't see you move." In layman's terms, "Move your butt when I sit so I don't have to ruin the flow of the ceremony." Got it!

The rehearsal dinner was so moving. It was nice to spend more time with the Bride's family, and it was a privilege to meet the Groom's family. The evening was filled with poignant moments, including a dance dedicated to the Bride by the Dancing Diva; a beautiful slide show consisting of both families' photos from the nineteenth century, literally when the photograph was invented, and a toast for a departed loved one.

On the wedding day, the weather was cold but sunny and perfect for photos. I was able to spend the day with another college roommate, known as NYC Pal on this site. The Bride not only looked beautiful, but she looked like the icon of all brides. The Groom was obviously touched by the entire experience, and his visible adoration was touching. It was great to watch them becoming an actual married couple, not as a dramatic sudden change, but a smooth, natural transition.

The wedding reception was a blast. It was like a college reunion without the stress and the poignant moments continued. For example, the wedding day was scheduled on the birthday of the Bride's first female ancestor who arrived in America, and the wedding favor was Lingonberries jam, which came from a Norwegian field named after the Bride's last name! We danced all night, and the only disappointment was that the celebration could not continue forever.

Before the wedding, I displayed photos of all my friends except my college roommates. It was not because I favored them any less, but the only photos that I had were unflattering. Because we lived together, most of our photos consisted of pajamas, sweat pants, makeshift afros and tired smiles. They were treasured memories that would never be shared with anyone outside of the group. Even though not every roommate attended the wedding, it was nice that I finally had a nice photo with my dear friends. That photo reminds me that the party is just beginning.