When we moved up here, I knew I would have to start plotting a birthday extravaganza (or small outing at least) for Allistair’s 32nd. He almost lost out on all the great birthday fun when he got on my nerves by stating ‘I decided that I was only celebrating every 5 years. I’m too old for birthdays.’ Yeah, that was annoying enough that I almost returned his gifts and canceled his plans. Luckily, he is charming enough that I forgave him and he was showered with love and attention for the better part of a week.

The gang got in around early afternoon and we proceeded to commence the celebration at the local dive bars and lined our stomachs with bbq. Delish!

It turned out that some of Allistair’s closest friends (one of which has a birthday just 2 days before his) decided to come for a visit as well as some of my own close friends. That called for a group visit to a vodka distillery plant located just on the other side of the bay— Hangar 1 Vodka! This is his favorite vodka of many and he was totally surprised that after a 30 minute car ride that wound through Oakland and Alameda would end in a very generous tasting of a flight of vodka, whiskey and liqueurs. Yummy! We ditched the tour early as the guide was a wanna-be spoken word goddess who made constant comparisons to the distillation process and STD’s. Not the birthday gospel we had in mind.

A ginormous lunch with lots of shenanigans was next followed by naps and then some more bar visits. After all, what’s a 32nd birthday without multiple hangovers?

Allistair was gifted: Vodka, Vodka, Vodka, a chef’s knife, a cook book, walking tour cards for San Francisco and from me- framed pictures he took in New York and a clothing steamer (he LOVES it).

He and I went to sushi dinner on the night of and the following evening my bff came by for a meal. The birthday fun just didn’t stop.

Thanks to everyone that helped make Allistair’s first San Francisco birthday so fun and memorable. He has been warned to not be a grumpy old guy next year or else I really WILL cancel his birthday. And Christmas. And maybe even New Year’s.