At the longest table of Pizza Beach in the Lower East, the wine flows, countless watermelon margaritas with a little chili are served, the men prefer beer over that pink drink, and we eat the best pizzas in the neighborhood. Together with my dearest friends from New York, we celebrate my birthday and I feel like such an incredibly rich person. Everyone is laughing, everyone is drinking, and this year surpasses last year again. This is the best birthday ever. The candles are still burning on the table, the music is getting louder, but all eighteen of us get into a taxi. I am loaded with bags of gifts, they just as cheerful as I am, all with the final destination ACME. The club is expecting us and once inside, it goes wild. What a fun birthday this was again. But perhaps the best part of all is that I have to blink twice every time I see my blonde soul sister standing there. As a surprise and especially for me, she flew to New York. So not only is my dearest blonde there, but also my dearest Italian brunette is there at ACME at that table in the back left. I may not have blood sisters, but I have certainly been lucky enough to have these.

On the morning of my birthday, I lie in bed, unsuspecting and busy tapping on my phone. My husband is taking Blue for a walk and my Italian dearest friend gives me a hug and a cappuccino. Both say that I really need to stay in my room for a bit because ‘she has streamers and stuff’ and wants to prepare a breakfast. I nod, sip my coffee, and call my mom, friends from the Netherlands, and then suddenly there is shouting. I need to come now, like right now. Just in time, I hang up to capture this streamer-with-breakfast scene and suddenly next to friend J, the other friend J is jumping. I can only scream and shout. My sister from the West Coast is in my house for my birthday! And so this is already the best birthday ever. With cake. Gifts. Streamers. My great loves. Everything is perfect. What a wealth.

It was certainly heavy the day after...

It is cool, but my jacket can still stay open. Outside we sit with snacks and bubbles on top of the William Vale, staring at the sunset. You shouldn't miss this if you ever find yourself on this side of the water.
Comme une Parisienne, we drink coffee in the sun before we go to see art at The Metropolitan. I walk around and realize that as a member of this museum, I should visit here more often. Every time I am impressed. Officially, this is also my favorite museum.

Everything comes to an end. Blue is just as sad as I am and tries to lie on the passport to prevent the return of his dear aunts. Unfortunately. As I said: everything comes to an end. But I do have another amazing memory. This year is definitely the year, you know. 2017, you are beautiful, I wish you would last a little longer.