Best Birthday Tradition

Wednesday it was Collin's birthday, again...and we celebrated it just like we did last year (and just like we will next year): Dinner at La Casa de Los Tacos, Party at Emily's house.

Collin, Anna, Anna's ice cream cone, and I met up at 116th and Lex and headed on over to La Casa

Various well-wishers were already there, such as Jared, Janelle, Karlos...

...Brenda, and Ashley.

And Kim, who made Collin an Wicket card.

We had called La Casa and told them to prepare for a mighty army and when we got there the tables were arranged in a large horseshoe for us and chips and guacamole were on the table...totally out of the ordinary for this establishment.
Partiers quickly arrived and assembled and we filled that restaurant up.


A few days before the party Collin emailed me a guest list for his party (prior to his posting of the revised list on his blog). I felt inspired to make sure all the guests made it.

Can you locate (this isn't exactly Where's Waldo, more of a "this is who I meant to draw"): the Mouth of Sauron, Tom Cruise, Salad Fingers, George W. Bush, Odin, Sister Bolster, a Somali Pirate, the Witch King of Angmar, Jules Vern, and a Kitty?

More of us, including Peter and myself.

Let me point out here the Hadleys, Gabe, and Rebecca.

Back in the kitchen I noticed all the tortas lined up in a row, each cuter than the last. It was like a visit to Babyland General Hospital.

Last to order, first to be served. Everyone getting their dinner was absolute chaos, La Casa (bless their hearts) can barely get an order straight for a party of four, let alone 35ish...it doesn't get any easier when no one remembers what they ordered, either. A lot of plates were swapped in midmeal to straighten everything out.

Jared prevented such problems by ordering unique items, like a taco de lengua of this beautiful torta cubana featuring egg, cheese, ham, milanesa, steak, pork, and possibly a few other meats.

Anna was our Rookie of the Night, diving into sopes with abandon and enthusiasm.

Collin and I, in addition to our tacos or tortas, split some taquitos.

This is during the singing, pretty much.

This is when I told everyone: put your hands up and cheer!

You over there, cheer too!

As the meal wound up I found myself in possession of a thick stack of cash. Later I realized this money was meant to pay for the meal.

After dinner the challenge was getting down to Emily's...it was about 10, the Emily events were to commence between 9:30 and 10:00, many had already departed for her place, but still many of us remained and we got to the subway just as the 6 train was shutting its doors. Some of us made it on, some of us didn't...in light of accusations that sufficient effort was not made to help the people who's metrocards weren't even out when we entered the station, I submit this evidence of Jared's door-holding wounds (when the conductor wants to go, the conductor wants to go):

Down at Emily's there was a whole new batch of well-wishers, like Kimmy and Lexia:

Several cakes, songs, ice cream, etc etc. Party stuff, you know.




Backrubs.

New shirts.

Man hugs.

Duane.

UWS Superstars.

I told everyone to be natural in this picture. This is what Jacinta naturally looks like.

Laughs over the guest wish photo with Collin's old pal Paul.

Who is also pals with Rebecca.

And that's the Collin party post.