Turning 40 has been the biggest milestone birthday for me yet. There is a lot of chatter around this number, sometimes positive and sometimes negative. I’ve had some friends say to me you can’t admit how old you are and others say 40 is the new 30 and will be your best decade yet! My takeaway is you get to enjoy life more at this age. Our kids are old enough that they don’t need us as much as they did, our son is finally old enough to babysit. At this age we are financially stable and able to enjoy travelling and doing things we love. I have always loved my birthday, it’s my favourite day of the year but for some reason this year I am dreading it. For weeks it’s all I could think about; ugh I don’t want to hit this age, I’m not ready, I want to stay in my 30’s! I decided instead of dwelling on it I should embrace it; so I started party planning and thinking of ways I could celebrate this milestone birthday! I didn’t give myself very much time to throw this together but I was able to connect with some of my favourite businesses in Edmonton to help me out for the special occasion!
The Cake
There hasn’t been a birthday that I haven’t celebrated with Crave cupcakes & cakes over the last 15 years. We discovered them when they opened their first location in Calgary and I was hooked ever since. When we moved to Edmonton I would have people visiting from Calgary bring me cupcakes because I couldn’t live without them, they are hands down my favourite! When they decided to open in Edmonton I nearly lost my mind!
The Edmonton location made my birthday dreams come true with the most beautiful cake in my favourite flavour, Red Velvet! To me the most important part of any birthday party is the cake!
The Food
Culina popped onto my radar earlier this year when I worked with Cindy the owner. I started following them online and enjoying all their drool worthy photos of everything they have to offer. I reached out to Cindy about the party food and left it up to Culina for the menu. Since I was so last minute all I could think was I just need to feed the guests and boy did she deliver! The birthday guests were RAVING about the food and presentation of the dishes. I was so impressed by the quality and taste and loved everything they offered us. Cindy used locally sourced foods which included Sylvan Star cheese, and charcuterie selections from Muewlys, Marchyshyns and the Italian Centre. The harissa spiced prawns were a great addition to the charcuterie with aioli dipping sauce.
The Wine
We had the opportunity to meet up with Chase, the wine expert at Wine & Beyond which was such an awesome experience since I am clueless when it comes to selecting wines to serve to guests! Chase was knowledgeable and spent some time with us showcasing different wines they carry and what made them a great selection. I was really impressed by all of his wine knowledge and so thankful we connected with him! We served a selection of wines that included:
Belle de Provence – Subtle and elegant, light red fruit flavor with herbal and floral notes, pair with summer salad, sushi, chicken, and fresh fruit
Lini 910 Lambrusco – Zippy and fresh, popping bright cherry and red plum fruit, pairs well with charcuterie, tapas, and dessert
Tarima Monastrell – Warming and full bodied, baked blackberry and blueberry fruit, nuances of licorice and spice, pairs well with roasted / stewed meats, and grilled vegetables
Marchesi di Barolo Zagera Moscato d’Asti – Sweet and balanced, aromatic florality and complementing stonefruit, pairs well with vanilla dessert, crème brule, panna cotta, cheesecake
Fitzpatrick Interloper Gewurztraminer – Fruit forward with laces of honey and spice, pairs well with blue cheese, pork, and curries
D’Angelo Miscela Tempranillo – Balanced earthy-fruit character, dark cherry/plum, leather, and spice – pairs well with lamb & game, stews, and bbq’q vegetables
The favourite was Lini 910 Lambrusco, our guests were not expecting it to have a red wine bubbles in it!
The Balloons
My go to for balloons is always Balloon Source. My favourite part about this local company is THEY DELIVER! One less thing to have to worry about the balloons were brought right to our door. They did a great job of matching the balloons to the cake and I was so happy with how they turned out. We have used Balloon Source for all of our balloons the last year and I can’t recommend them enough!
I wanted to thank everyone who took the time to celebrate my 40th birthday with me this year. It was an amazing night filled with laughs and the best company a girl could ask for.
Here’s to 40 and to hoping it really is the new 30……just kidding. Here’s to a new decade of new adventures, travel, experiences and enjoying time with my family and friends!
