Over the last few days, I’ve been lucky enough to celebrate my 29th birthday with some of my absolute closest and dearest friends.  Last year, my birthday was jam-packed with events, clubs and bars – but to be honest, it was absolutely exhausting and at the end of the weekend, I felt like I spent my birthday surrounded by a lot of people who actually barely new me. Not to say that my closest friends didn’t make the day uber special for me, but you can’t get into a meaningful conversation about your life trajectory when you’re pounding shots in the middle of a dance floor.   This year, I went for a different – more mature – approach.  For starters, I spent Friday night with my boyfriend, his mother and their extended family for some wholesome beer- drinking, cake-eating fun.  From the second I walked into Bowery’s Brewery, the room was full of warmth and amazing vibes; the entire bar welcomed me with a ‘Happy Birthday, Amanda!’ and I was whisked away to our table, fully equipped with balloons and friendly faces.

For my actual birthday, we had a relaxing kickback with lots of wine and laughter – and not a whole lot of people.  If there’s one thing I’ve discovered growing older, it’s that having one or two friends that you can depend on day in and day out is far better than having a group of ‘party friends’ that know absolutely nothing about your personal life; quality over quantity, right?  We laughed and caught up for hours while we celebrated being part of each others’ lives, and two days later I’m still basking in that birthday afterglow, feeling absolutely blessed.

In the past year, I was able to both live and fulfill my dream of being a contributing editor and journalist for The DJ List, I spent hours and hours volunteering for the sake of adorable kitties; I’ve seen friends come home, leave and come home again and I let myself fall into a love so profound that I wake up giddy every morning.  I’m so proud of what I’ve been able to accomplish as a 28 year old – and can’t wait to see what 29 will bring!