Checking off yet another item under my "Something To Do Before I Die" list!

Though my potential serious health issue is still on my mind, I pushed it to the back of my mind yesterday so I could (hopefully) enjoy my 27th birthday!

And enjoy it I did.

It began by my waking up to the intoxicating smell of an omelet breakfast complete with bacon and sliced-up kiwi on a plate right under my nose held by my husband, who woke up early to make me breakfast in bed.

Things just got better from there.

Brent, mom, and I went for an awesome bike ride along the river, then topped it off with a Starbucks Strawberries and Cream Frappuccino, which I only drink on my birthday because it comes with a terrible, yet delicious 15,982 calories.

Then we relaxed in front of my TiVo'd season finale of "Hell's Kitchen" and took our time getting ready to go out to dinner at a mysterious place Brent made reservations for a month ago.

It ended up being at BLT Prime, where I ate steak that literally melted in my mouth. It was amazing!

Afterward, my mom and I went on a mysterious mission at Whole Foods, where she insisted that she needed to buy a cake for my friends and I to enjoy. At a bar. Yeah. So I convinced her that mini, one-bite cupcakes were a better way to go. Mmmmmm. Cupcakes and beer.

And yet they were a hit not only with my friends who showed up at Bar 9, which is two blocks from my apartment, but random people who saw that we had cupcakes and made friends with the birthday girl. Gotta give them credit for that!

Now I probably wouldn't have chosen the hole-in-the-wall bar that is Bar 9 if I was just choosing a bar for my birthday party based on my preference. But we were at Bar 9 because my closest friend in New York, Janine, lives next door to an all-guy cover band, save for their lead singer, who is a girl. I've seen them perform a few times, and although they are a newer band, they are pretty awesome. And since their lead singer was going to be out of town for a gig they booked, they asked Janine if she knew anyone who could sing, and she suggested me solely on the basis that I once told her that I loved to sing. Maybe I should have elaborated to her that I love to sing... by myself... in the shower or car. Yikes.

Though I was more nervous about this than almost anything else in my life, I studied their song list because I knew I'd hate myself if I passed up the chance to sing lead vocals in a band. So I did it, and ended up singing lead vocals to "Basket Case" by Green Day. And it was awesome! But I attribute that to the fact that I had many friends cheering for me in the audience - mostly from my basketball or football team. (The photo to the left is of my basketball team plus some random guy raising his arm behind us with his girlfriend. Weird.)

But I also have to give credit to my mom, who stayed out with me until 2 a.m. when I was ready to walk home and get some sleep - much later than Brent lasted. She rocks! As did my birthday.

I guess 27 is my lucky number!