A lovely little tin packed a big punch on my 40th birthday thanks to my immensely talented friend Anne. She oozes creativity out of every one of her pores and I’m always amazed at what she comes up with. Fortunately I was the recipient of her latest creation – a beautiful cake that she baked, decorated and then shipped 3000 miles from Connecticut to Oregon.

It took me a while to taste it since I just couldn’t bear to cut into the cake right away. But my sweet tooth eventually won out and I just enjoyed a little slice of heaven.

Ahhh, but this is just the tip of the iceberg. First, Anne outdid even herself with a birthday party for her daughter Ella who turned five this week. Her blog features that party and so many other recent creative endeavors. Prepare to be inspired.

Second, I was treated to an amazing array of celebrations this weekend thanks to my friends, especially Tara for organizing a surprise night out and Tricia for hosting an incredible cocktail party. I’m still in awe over how much fun we had at Por Que No, sore from the 80s night dance party at the Crystal Ballroom, and dreaming about the citrus infused cocktails we consumed. 40 is fabulous!