Marking Andrea's 30th and Jessie's 25th

Having been asked to go to Ballarat to help complete some assessments, I managed to create a long long weekend for myself. Only having access to the office for half a day meant that a had the perfect excuse to find other thinsg to do...which included a much enjoyed massage for a tired and over worked body!!

Friday night I went to the Tokyo Grill House, to have dinner and drinks with Andrea to mark her 30th birthday. Our table was reserved around one of the big grills, ready for the cooking show. The teppanyaki, via a banquet meant that the food kept coming all night, which was just as well, given the BYO wine consumption! Ordering drinks proved to be a challenge all night, with brandy instead of bundy - just shows that the simple beer and wine is always the best!

Discovering that Andrea had somehow made it to thirty without discovering a Jager Bomb, and the fact that her and Dean were out for the night baby free, a crawl through the Ballarat venues ensued. Haida Bar was the venue for Andrea's introduction to Jager, and then on to Karova Bar...mainly due to walking proximity!

Sunday night back in Melbourne, a gathering at Jessie's house for drinks and pizza in the sweltering heat, started for Jessica's 25th birthday, on Monday. The group wondered on to St Jerome's, before walking the streets on this Labour Day Eve to find a dance off location. Sadly, not a lot was open, to the groups surprise, and thus a crusty pub was found for it's drink availability and it's jukebox - Roxette for Jessie, what else!

Jane's 30th at the Grace Darling

Jane's birthday is today, however given that she's to fly to Timor for work, she marked the turning of 30 on Saturday night at the Grace Darling.

The theme was 'come wearing something you have always wanted to, but never had the chance'. Now, we can be disappointed in Jane's red lipstick effort, however many of the gathering went to some crazy effort! Rambo, full hooped dress, blonde wig, former bridesmaids dress....I wore my pyjamas.

After setting up Jane's cakes, ordered from Sugadeaux, I wandered off to watch the second half of the footy at a crusty pub - with a surprisingly good menu - for the semi final between Hawthorn and Adelaide. A loss to the Hawks, for the semi final of 2007 replay, but not without a few moments of sheer brilliance from Buddy Franklin, which I am sure would haven't given Crow's fans PTSD flashbacks!

Back to the party, there were speeches and much drinks, and dancing. Happy Birthday Jane! Welcome to 30!