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#EatDrinkDesire Part 1: The birthday trip to London

Hey hey! I’m here! I’m sorry I’ve abandoned personal writing in public since I took off to Edinburgh — for the trip you helped make possible. I’ll have a full report. But here’s what Mike and I managed to write down about the first part of that trip. This is our oral history of my 35th birthday trip to London!

trip-to-london

Megan: Somewhere between LA and London, hovering between 34 and 35-years-old, as most of the plane slept, a flight attendant noticed that I was awake and excited told me to run up past first class (“tell ’em Selina sent you”) and look out the window to see the Northern Lights.

With my heart pounding, I raced past the un-aware passengers, blew through curtains, avoided the feet of the lay-flat first class, and pressed my face up against the tiny window in an emergency exit door. Sure enough, there they were: Pale and bright green lights, shimmering in the sky.

Northern Lights

Kind of like this, but imagine the trees and water as clouds. (Photo by CC BY 2.0

I debated not waking up Mike for a second — boy needs his sleep — but then I was like, “I’d murder him if he kept this from me.” So I rushed back and shook him awake, “You need to get up right now and come with me to see the Northern Lights.” He was up in a flash and rushing back to the tiny window with me.

It was the first (and maybe only) time we’ve seen them. And I cried from happiness, and relief, and full-body-tingling awe, as we watched the towering green lights dancing above the clouds.

I thanked Selina, the flight attendant, for the incredible birthday present, and she poured us two glasses of champagne (I drank them both of course). I believe the moment I turned 35, I was standing above the northern hemisphere, glass of champagne in one hand, Mike’s hand in my other, the aurora borealis shining behind me, and the rest of my life, looking just as bright and wondrous, in front of me.

After that excitement, and a few more glasses of champagne, I slept surprisingly soundly. I can’t say the same for Mike.

I was still riding the Northern Lights high as we deplaned and zoomed through customs (as much as you can zoom while standing in a long queue). I got a “happy birthday” from the customs agent, we snagged our bags, and were off to Mike’s college friend Pete’s flat in Richmond, with a cab driver that managed to annoy us with his personality as well as the fact that he took speed bumps like he was trying to launch his black cab to the moon.

Pete and his place. You can see some of the cool sky lights in the kitchen from the angle!

Pete and his place. You can see some of the cool sky lights in the kitchen from this angle!

Pete’s flat was charming and not without its quirks — steep staircases, tiny hallways, and… creative access points to let light in (aka. a terrifying grate in the bedroom floor!?). Since his sister, Soph, was in town, and his son, Leo, was staying with him the next day, we were given a blow up mattress in his office, and was told that it may have a slow leak. Although, to our delight, he assured us that he ran his moist face over every inch of the mattress and couldn’t find/feel a leak. But, at 4am the next morning — when we found ourselves practically sleeping on the hardwood floor with air mattress all around us — we had, indeed, confirmed a leak.

Mike: The taco bed!!

Megan: Anyway… around noon, after a quick pub lunch in the garden (they have gardens and children’s playgrounds in the bars in England!), and a birthday Guinness for me, that blowup mattress in a cramped space looked and felt like absolute heaven as we napped.

tactical-nap

Then it was up and time to rapidly get dressed all fancy-like for my Special Michelin-Starred Birthday Dinner in London. But first… busses, and trains, and subway rides galore, as we wound our way from Richmond into my favorite city in the world.

Mike: Two Michelin stars!

Harrod's in the background!

Harrod’s in the background!

Megan: Once properly ensconced in the city — Harrod’s to the left of us, “the most expensive condo in the world” to our right, and crowds, double-decker busses, and useless red phone booths all around us — we blindly followed Pete around, wildly guessing at which direction the restaurant was.

We eventually found it, but not before Mike and I squabbled about whether or not I was going to be hit by that bus. (I think I was totally safe.)

Mike: Megan is still alive, thanks to me.

Mike, Megan, and Pete looking all fancy and shit.

Mike, Megan, and Pete looking all fancy and shit.

Megan: Dinner was such a freaking treat! First of all, it was in a super-nice hotel. Our table had a gorgeous view of the trees in the park next door. And everyone was so very posh and British. I was in proper English heaven. Adolescent Megan, who dreamed of eating fancy meals in London, was just squirming with delight. Okay, Adult Megan was doing the same thing. Although as good as the food was, it wasn’t my favorite…

dinner-by-heston-menu

Everything was a bit challenging for me, and I still feel bad that I ate and hated that frog leg, knowing now that Pete would have loved it… as he loved ALL the things.

dinner-by-heston-blumenthal

Our starters of “meat fruit,” “rice and flesh,” and savory porridge with frog legs.

Pete’s pure enjoyment of the food was one of my favorite parts of the meal. Well, that and the meat fruit (chicken liver paté that looked EXACTLY like a tangerine from the outside. Except, surprise! It’s meat inside. Apparently it’s an OLD British practical joke, and now an inside joke, as it supplied endless conversations, between the three of us, about our German metal band called “Meat Früt.”). I also loved the little portable liquid nitrogen ice cream cart they push around the restaurant.

After dinner we walked to the original Soho House, in fucking Soho! It was awesome — very different from LA’s. It was an old sprawling brownstone-type building, with tons of tiny little drawing rooms filled with tables, or couches and cozy chairs, or small bars. But, due to all the quaint tiny spaces, it was crowded beyond comfortable. So we sweated profusely as we waited for our drinks (once again Pete reminded me of the joys of the espresso martini when you’re starting to really feel the late hours and previous cocktails catch up to you) and then journeyed downstairs to sit at their lovely (but small) outdoor patio. So small that we were forced to share a table for a while with Tobias Menzies (of Outlander and Game of Thrones fame!!!). Of course, I didn’t realize it was him, until we were happily seated at our own table a couple of steps away. But another unexpected birthday sighting to close the night? I’ll take it!

Mike and Pete on the bridge.

Mike and Pete on the bridge.

We ended the evening with a late-night stroll around London. We checked out statues and took selfies on bridges… until Pete remembered that he’d left his cell phone back at Soho House. So we Black Cab-ed back to Soho House and then all the way back to Pete’s, where we crashed on our Leaking Air Mattress Taco Bed.

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The next day we ate a breakfast of avocado toast and tea in Pete’s sunny shared garden space, and worked out our plans which included drinks, walks, and the thing that I think I loved the most on this trip…

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My birthday: The Jesus Year and the year of the brat

Today I turned 34.

Me on the morning of my 34th birthday.

Last night, on my last night of being 33, a friend asked me if the past year was, indeed, a “Jesus year” for me.

My favorite definition of the term “Jesus year” comes (of course) from Urban Dictionary:

“The 33rd year of your life where you are reborn in some sense. Perhaps a mid-life crisis, perhaps an ego death, perhaps the year where you abandon old ways and start new …. or perhaps you were affixed to a cross and came out the other side a spiritual figure that historians, theologians, worshipers and dissenters make the subject of many a conversation.”

My response: Well, let’s see… this last year only my WHOLE ENTIRE LIFE changed.

By the time my 33rd year would end, most of the things I had used to define myself were stripped away: My 10 year relationship with that guy I married would be over, I would no longer be a doggy mommy, I’d be eating foods I swore off or swore I’d never eat, I’d be making dental appointments!!! Oh, and I’d also be in a new relationship (more on that later).

I had in a way definitely been reborn on my 33rd year. Some of this change was forced upon me, some of it was by choice, but all of it was exactly what I needed, and I couldn’t be happier heading into my next year of living on this planet.

Now I’m starting my 34th year with nothing but optimism and excitement. It’s no wonder that today has already been one of the best birthdays I’ve had in years, and it isn’t even over yet.

So far I’ve…

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How to make an easy-yet-super-impressive Rice Krispie treat cake



how to make an easy rice krispie treat birthday cake

I thought I’d let you in on the easy-but-impressive Rice Krispie treat cake secrets, and ALSO tell you how to make the most delicious browned butter, sea-salt Rice Krispie treat recipe…

Inspired by this post on Offbeat Bride, my buddy Jessica and I made a three-tiered Rice Krispie cake out of her famous browned butter Rice Krispie treats.

Here’s how you can follow suit and make one of your own…

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We celebrated Aaron’s 40th NYE birthday like fancy-ass adults

fancy finleys

Aaron turned 40 this year. I met him six months after he turned 30, so I haven’t been around for any of his “milestone” years… till now! I decided to go all out and throw him a big fancy 40th birthday to celebrate his “big kid” status. Okay, I’ll be honest… I was also an excuse to wear the vintage ball gown I purchased 4 or 5 years ago and has never left my closet.

I joined forces with a team of my best buddies and brilliant hosts to pull it all off…

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Turning 33 and trying a different kind of birthday celebration

My favorite photo from my birthday weekend.

My favorite photo from my birthday weekend.

My 33rd birthday is tomorrow. I don’t have any “big plans.” Last year, post-disappointing-turn-out-birthday-party, I decided that I was not going to attempt any big birthday party plans again until I turn 42 (the Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life).

But I have been having mini celebrations with friends throughout the weekend. This will be a boring round-up of activities that will probably only be interesting to me. But it’s mah burfday so indulge me…

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My Meadowfabulous 31st birthday

Love for year 31.

I can’t believe it’s been a year since I turned thirty! If you recall, last year I had a big birthday party — my Nerdy Thirty — AND I immediately went to my first Meadowfabulous. This year Meadowfabulous WAS my birthday celebration. Though it was hard to not be surrounded my close friends on my special day, it was nice to not have to worry about planning anything special and surrounding myself with my new (and getting closer) friends. With zero pressure on myself, I just kicked back and enjoy whatever the day brought. And you know what? It was pretty much one of the best days of my life — stuffed full of almost everything I love the most in the world.

Here’s a rundown (mostly in photos) of all the wonderful things I did on the day I turned 31:

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Travels and aging ahead


Guys, I’m so stoked! I just booked a two week trip to Maui… for $430! It’s also the first trip I’ve ever booked just by myself. I may be met out there by Aaron and a few friends, but that’s not all confirmed just yet. But if you’d like to join me… Hawaiian Airlines is having a sale on flights from the West Coast right now.

Jump on that shit and join me?

I also just booked my birthday trip to Washington for next weekend. Interestingly, it looks like the Seattle trip is going to cost me more when all is said and done — airfare for me and Aaron, lodging, taxis, etc — than my trip to Maui for two weeks.

And yes, I did just drop the mention that birthday is coming up next weekend. I’ll be thirty-freaking-ONE. I’m STILL in shock that I’m thirty. How did this happen so fast? So, though I just dropped around $1200 on travel, I can write of one of the trips and I’ll look at the other trip as a gift to myself.

YAY TRAVEL!

Aaron’s 37th NYE birthday blowout

Aaron's 37th NYE birthday party

Once again, Aaron’s birthday rockin’ eve was an amazing time. There was a lot less people at this party then at years past, but it was just as much fun as they’ve always been. For those of you who don’t know, Aaron is that guy I married and his birthday is 12/31. We both used to hate that birthday date because, well, making reservations for dinner is a nightmare and most of your friends can’t hang out because they’re trying to give their partners a nice evening. So we started throwing an annual New Years Eve birthday party for people who don’t feel like celebrating New Years Eve with the masses. And it’s been our favorite day of the year ever since.

Here’s how this birthday blowout went down:

Animal masks were donned:

Megan (koala) & Aaron (giraffe), Daren (monkey) and KayLee (tiger)

Aaron's 37th NYE birthday party

Ari as the creepy horse.

The Finleyquists were together, as always:

Aaron's 37th NYE birthday party

There was much dancing:

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Thirtyfabulous

No time for a full-on post about my birthday weekend. It suffices to say that my birthday party was incredible, followed by a weekend at Meadowfabulous that was almost life changing.

Real quick: Meadowfabulous is a weekend of camping at Ariel’s mom’s commune on Bainbridge Island, Washington.

To tide you over until I can possibly one day find the time to write more about my experiences this past weekend (spoiler: I made a salad from SCRATCH — life changing), here is a Flickr slideshow from Meadowfab:

Getting excited for my Nerdy Thirty

Over a week ago Coco reminded me that my “dirty thirty” was coming up soon. To which Aaron interjected, “With Megan, it’s more like her nerdy thirty.” And thus, a theme was born! I have since sent out evites and invited a few of my closest buddies to my “nerdy thirty” birthday party…

Since then I have had a week to make it all to come into fruition. A couple days ago I did some birthday preparatory shopping and it just got me even MORE excited. Aaron and I were shopping for toys and we were BEYOND giddy about all the cool things we found, running up the aisle and exclaiming “oh cool!” “whoa check this out!” and “is $150 too much for a Lego Millenium Flacon?” (Yes, we decided it was, but not without much back and forth.) But mostly we were in the market for Nerf guns. I was inspired by a wedding I shot recently where Nerf gun fights were erupting everywhere and it was SO MUCH FUN!

The best part of being an adult is that you get to buy all the toys you want!

Here are a few more things that I’m excited about:

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