My Life~ Christina's Birthday!

It was my bestie Christina's birthday this past week and on Saturday we celebrated her! It was a love and fun filled night~ the perfect combination of amazing girls and guys, killer cocktails and food, laughs and hugs. Nobody deserves happiness like this girl~ she is an absolutely unbelievable friend, the kindest, sweetest and most thoughtful of people. Ever. I feel so lucky to know her and to be able to call her my friend and it was such a treat to celebrate her. My beautiful Berg, to many many more birthdays together! I can't wait!

(that's the gorgeous birthday girl in the middle in purple!)

The Three Musketeers

The beautiful birthday girl!

At the restaurant, Society in Yaletown~

instead of bread to start they bring COTTON CANDY! Now that's my kind of place!

Muah!

Besties xoxo

Frank Gehry for Tiffany&Co.

For my 30th a few weeks ago my grandmother wanted me to have something significant to mark the occasion. I was happy to oblige with selecting something meaningful to me, as my mother told me my grandmother's wishes as we were wandering through Tiffany & Co (for the record we don't just hit up Tiffany on a normal basis, we were picking out my amazing key, my birthday gift from my parents). I tried on everything I could get my hands on that seemed under a billion dollars~ necklaces with baby diamonds dotted through them, gorgeous and chunky bangles, but I knew I wanted a ring. And I knew just the man to provide me with that. 

I've been lusting for a piece of Frank Gehry's collection for Tiffany since its launch several years ago. Gehry, a Toronto born architect, is a master at his profession (look at this amazingness) and teamed with the company to design a line of jewelry reminiscent of his iconic designs. The line is everything you would expect and delight in from an architect~ strong, sculptural, interesting, detailed. It was dang hard to pick but I chose the open Torque ring in sterling silver and I have yet to take it off. While my personality and taste in jewelry is decidedly more feminine and delicate most of the time, I adore the strong lines and clean, modern simplicity of the ring. 

While not inexpensive, Gehry's collection for Tiffany provides pieces that you will be drawn to and want to wear forever. His designs are absolutely wearable art. Next up? I'm lusting after his amazing Torque bangle, above. And I don't want to wait until the next big birthday! 

The ring I selected, and love, the Open Torque ring

Another incredible bangle, like the bigger version of my ring

Visit the Frank Gehry Collection at Tiffany.

A Few More From The Dirty 30

Humor me! My lovely girlfriend Christina kept taking photos long after my camera battery died the night of my 30th surprise party and I couldn't resist posting a few group shots I didn't have before! 

ps- The party was supposed to be a White Party, as it's my favourite thing to wear in the world! See how much my BFF knows me? 

Thank you, Berg, for the fabulous photos! I love you! 

My Dirty Thirty

My amazing best friend Leah organized the sweetest of birthday surprises for me yesterday. Despite my constant protestations that I wanted to do exactly "nothing" and that it was my "un-birthday" (very Alice in Wonderland) she lovingly ignored me and threw me a surprise birthday party! Held at Yew at The Four Seasons Hotel, I cocktailed and dined the evening away with my closest girlfriends, the loveliest and kindest of women, and felt utterly spoiled and loved. I haven't had a birthday party since I was a little girl so it was truly wonderful to be surrounded by the people I love most in this world! To Leah and my incredible friends~ thank you for making my birthday so special and even more, for being in my life! To my amazing and supportive parents~ thank you for being who you are and making my concept of family so wonderful. I love you all.

xoxoxo

Quote of the Day~ Birthday Edition

"No wise man ever wished to be younger."
-Jonathan Swift

"Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be."
-Robert Browning

"Age is a high price to pay for maturity."
-Tom Stoppard

"Everything I know I learned after 30."
-Georges Clemenceau

"Few women admit their age. Few men act theirs."
-Unknown

"In the end it's not the years in your life, it's the life in your years."
-Abraham Lincoln

"There are 364 days when you might get un-birthday presents... and only one for birthday presents you know."
-Lewis Carroll

"May you live all the days of your life."
-Jonathan Swift

(Photo via Paper Tissue)

Dear 30

Dear 30,

Hi! I know you are going to be amazing. The best decade so far. I have a feeling this is going to be a piece of cake, 30s. So welcome to my life. 

xo Ally

ps~ Today is going to be filled with family and friends, laughter, love, food, cocktails~ I can't wait! 

Little Notes

Dear brain,

Why do you have to be so overly analytical and, plainly, just an old fusspot? You should relax. Jeez. 

Dear Thierry,

Please bottle the scent of your roasted cherries so I can douse myself in it and smell delicious every moment of the day. If you did this you would become a millionaire, I swear. 

Dear Bon Iver,

Thank you for the amazing song Lump Sum, which I have listened to no less than 80 times in the last three days. Chills, truly. 

Dear brother,

Thank you for putting away the dishes. That is the only reason I let you eat the rest of the lasagna. That was your reward. You did good, kid. 

Dear Amber,

They are Susan and Louise. 

Dear Tiffany key necklace,

I am trying really hard not to put too much emphasis on "stuff" in my life, but, to be honest, I'm really excited to get you. Are you on a plane right now? Please get here soon! 

Dear summer,

I can feel you slipping away as I gaze at sweaters and boots in the stores and as more leaves start to drift down from the trees. I'm ready for fall, but it was a fun one, summer. Thank you. 

Dear Mom and Dad,

Your 38 years of marriage sincerely inspires me, everyday but especially today. Happy Anniversary, parents. I love you. xxoo

(Photo via Paper Tissue)

Dear 30

Dear 30,

Why did you smack me in the face with panic last weekend? I thought we were going to get along just fine and then you made me into a monster in a matter of a day. Why, 30, why? I was forced to go home and eat candy and chocolate in a matter of minutes. And then I felt worse. I buried my face in Lulu's fur trying to feel something other than, well, weirdness, but even that didn't work. I went to bed early and woke up feeling slightly more human because, 30, I realized I don't have to have it all figured out the day I meet you. I don't have to have any grand answers. I don't have to feel all this pressure to keep up with those darned proverbial Jones's. I am only me and I can only do what I can do right now. My goals and my dreams are still there and they are still attainable. And one day I will meet them too. 

So, 30, back off and stop trying to rile me up. We're good. See you next Thursday. 

xo Ally 

(Photo via Paper Tissue)

Dear 30

Dear 30,

You will be here in just a few short weeks and I thought I would be more scared to meet you. I mean, I'm a little scared, but not too much. Not stick-botox-in-my-forehead, oh-god-my-metabolism-is-going-to-hell-and-I'm-going-to-gain-thousands-of-pounds, is-that-another-grey-hair scared. Just mildly nervous and certainly a tiny bit sad to say good bye to my 20's. 

Oh, 20's, you have been quite the adventure. I have learned so much from everything you dropped in my lap in the last 9 3/4 years. And, oh my, have I learned. And learned. I would not give back one day. Some people say they have no regrets. I think those people are robots. I have tons of regrets, but I think those are the things you learn from. If you don't realize a mistake when you make it how can you possibly avoid it the next time? Mmmm hmmmm. Yep.

Oh sweet 20's. You have been so up and down, silly 20's. Thank you for the lessons. Thank you for Europe- twice- and being so happy on a train from London to Paris that I cried. Thank you for those bad boyfriends, who made me stronger and made me see the good ones out there. Thank you for, at 29, having four of the best girlfriends in the entire world, girls I could not possibly ever imagine living without ever again. (Who knew girls were nice? I didn't! Until now.) Thank you for Japanese straight perms, long wear lipstick, skinny jeans and brothers with good taste in music. 

So good bye, 20's. I won't be seeing you again, but it was nice knowing you. I will miss you a little because I will no longer be able to flip to the 20's section in the annual Age Issue in Vogue. I will no longer be able to listen to Slow Show in quite the same way (you know I dreamed about you, for 29 years, before I saw you). I will no longer have the excuse of being young and dumb! You tested me, 20's, but I'm glad for it. Without the lows I wouldn't be able to appreciate the highs. 

Hello, 30. I'll meet you in a few weeks but you're not so scary. There is still so much to come. And that I look forward to more than anything. 

xo Ally 

ps- Hey 30, I think I need new shoes. Pass it along. 

Happy Birthday

Today would have been my Nannie's birthday and I have been thinking of her all day, missing her more than ever and wishing she were here so much. She was a wonderful, generous and funny grandmother and I see her goodness and spirit in my amazing (AMAZING) mother all the time. We've been without her now for 8 years and it has felt like a moment and a lifetime in one. 

Things about my grandmother:

Her name was Julia Susannah Sterling Woodward Reid. (The Susan in my name is adapted from hers, Susannah, which I like better.)

She always had Fresca at her house. I loved that. 

When I used to ask her something she wouldn't say "Yes?" she'd say "Hello?" Very English.

She was allergic to eggs, as is my Auntie Di.

She loved the colour turquoise and always dressed my mom in it when she was young, therefore my mother hated the colour. I, in turn, love it. 

She loved watching golf on TV.

She would nap on the sofa with the weather channel on. 

The summer before I graduated high school she let me stay over at her house for a week or so because I needed a "vacation" from my house/parents/brothers/life. Her house was a great getaway! 

I miss you and love you, Nannie.

xoxoxo

(Photo courtesy of Paper Tissue)