My birthday

I spent half the day in the office and the other half in Los Angeles. I got to visit a triathlon store and then got to visit the USC Triathlon Team and pass out some magazines. Super fun! Then I met some friends for dinner and they made me the birthday queen. Super cheesy photo of my crown! I don't look that cheesy outside of a camera shot.

Happy birthday!

To my mom!

Love seeing the men hoisted from the Phoenix in Chile. So moving.

Happy Birthday to Me

In my 32nd year, I accomplished the following:
1. Completed an Ironman
2. Completed a marathon in Europe
3. Ran 4 half marathons from AZ to UT
4. Completed another half ironman
5. Lived by myself
6. Completed many triathlons
7. Wrote a lot
8. Had braces for 4 months and now have straight teeth

In my 33rd year, I will do another couple of international marathons (I hope, depending on my health) and work on my writing and cooking skills and maintain a positive attitude. Last year I learned that misery does not always love company.

Los Angeles Times Festival of Books

I spent the weekend in Los Angeles attending the fabulous festivities of the Festival of Books that overtakes the campus of UCLA. I enjoyed celebrities and writers and celebrity/writers. I listened to Bernadette Peters sing, Henry Winkler read from his children's book, Meg Cabot give a very cute Powerpoint presention, Todd Bridges complain about child actors, Jeffrey Ross roast audience members, Alicia Silverstone discuss the power of super hero vegetarianism and female vampire novelists and single female memoir writers. I also ate delicious food, walked a beautiful pier in Long Beach and spent time with great friends. It was the second city stop of my around the world birthday tour. Happy birthday to me tomorrow. The next stop is Tempe, then Lima, Peru.

Best Birthday Ever, Part II

So on Sunday I had the best day ever! I have a huge crush on Australian chef Curtis Stone. I am not afraid to admit it. He is a gorgeous man who can cook and he speaks Australian. Well, he was coming to the Festival of Books and I had to be there. I had dreamed about what it would be like to meet him, and let me tell you, he did not disappoint. It was perfect!

He put on a wonderful cooking demonstration and had all the ladies swooning. Afterwards, he was signing copies of his cookbook. I stood in line to buy the cookbook so I could finally meet my Australian dreamboat and the person right in front of me bought the last one! No!!!

But alas, my friend Vicki saved the day. Apparently, they announced to the crowd (after I had taken off in a desperate attempt to find a cookbook) that anyone wishing to donate to charity could take Curtis Stone's poster and cookbook and move to the front of the line. So, Vicki, being my superwoman, whipped open her wallet, thrust money in front of him and gave me the best birthday present...a meeting with Curtis Stone. It was all too fabulous and I was just gushing. Lucky girl or what? I was so nervous I couldn't even speak to him. He asked me how I was doing and all I could say was...it's my birthday. So lovely, beautiful Curtis signed his poster and wrote in the cookbook "Happy, happy birthday Jennifer, love Curtis Stone XX" XX!! I got an XX from Curtis? So is XX a hug or a kiss? I don't know xoxoxo, which is which. I'll pretend it is the kiss. This photo is my new wallpaper.

Second year in a row I was wished happy birthday by an Australian man. Again I say, lucky girl or what?


Do I look like I'm in love with this Aussie? Curtis Stone and I (he's touching me!)


I'm giddy as a school girl


Thank you Vicki!

So I'm flying high. Then that night my dad calls me to wish me happy birthday and says he is going to San Francisco the next day.

On Monday, my actual birthday, my family friends, my mom and I take a long drive to Laguna Beach for brunch. I ordered pancakes that tasted like birthday cake with sweet Maple syrup. As my taste buds were watering, my mom all of a sudden starts screaming..."OH my gosh" and in walks my dad!! Totally surprising me for my birthday. We are in this no-name restaurant over 90 minutes from LA and in walks my father with a birthday card signed by him and my brothers! What a total surprise. This weekend can't get any better. Best birthday yet!

We take a walk down to the water and I enjoy the sand slipping beneath my toes.

Me


My dad-didn't expect to spend my b-day with him

After brunch, my dad and friends left me and mom to do a little retail therapy. I also enjoyed my first experience at Pinkberry.



My mom and I watched a movie and enjoyed the last minutes in Los Angeles. Perfect weather, perfect friends, perfect Aussie Curtis Stone, and a perfect birthday.

Thank you to everyone who made it so special. I have been just glowing.

Tinseltown, here I come!

Off to Los Angeles this weekend for the Los Angeles Literary Festival where I will meet authors and turn pages and pages of beautiful books full of inspiration. I've been writing my book and no doubt this weekend will liven my spirit with people who have achieved success and possess infinite literary skills. I absolutely adore bookstores. They are one of my favorite places to spend time.

Looking forward to seeing my great uncle, family friends and eating delicious birthday cake. My birthday will be spent in the glorious city by the water: Newport Beach. Shopping, brunch with pancakes that taste like cake, and good friends. What more could a girl need?

On my birthday, a long run is in store for me. So I'll be up early, but I'll work off the cake before I eat it.

So this weekend, I'll have my cake and eat it, too.