Benfield Does Georgetown

I know the quality of this picture sucks, but it has been in my collection for nearly nine years now, and there's only so much I can do to prevent wrinkling and bending.

I'm posting it today for a reason, though. It is my friend Suzanne's 30th birthday (the other girl in the picture...right in the center) so tonight we are off for our second 30th celebration in a week (not that I'm complaining - I like 30th birthdays nearly as much as I like weddings, and that's a lot).

So tonight will be filled with lots of things I love: Annapolis, my high school friends, and an open bar on a boat. The picture gets me in the right kind of spirit. It was taken in Suzanne's Georgetown apartment on New Years Eve 1996, mid-pre-party (the liquor bottles in the foreground were courtesy of Pete and lasted us all the way through our April Violent Femmes/bar crawl weekend). We were especially festive and dorky after we realized we'd all gone to school together from at least second grade until we graduated from high school. Nothing gets us more excited, as I've noted here before.

After this shot, we found ourselves splitting up into twos at Old Glory (a bar that will always hold a special place in my heart). Not surprisingly, the night ended ridiculously and mildly inappropriately for all of us. Those days were so much fun.

As are these days. Our last Severna Park 30th was Pete's, at the beginning of July, and that was extremely fun, even for our parents. Tonight, undoubtedly, will not disappoint either. Unfortunately, Suzanne and I might be the only people from the above group in Annapolis tonight. Most will be spending the night in the hospital, probably. Pete's pediatricianing in Hawaii, Rasim's radiologizing in Baltimore and CJ and his wife have a baby due TODAY. And Rob...he's in Charlottesville, but who knows. He could show up. He's surprised us before.

Anyway, looking forward to a big night of Severna Park and sailboats. What could be better?

P.S. Just wanted to share my favorite quote of today, coming from my friend Chris, on the fabulousness of Severna Park and how it is sometimes lost on those who didn't grow up there (like my husband and his girlfriend): "They just don't understand. It was Laguna Beach before the Real Orange County."

Couldn't have said it better myself.