A Tale of Two Cities... Ale's Style

You know what you get when you're friends compete with each other!? MORE PRESENTS!!!!

Hahaahaha. JUST kidding!!!

So my lovely New York girls Dulce and Wallstr showered me with wonderful birthday presents on Wednesday! Then we went out for yummy Mexican dinner with Margheritas and sizzzzling fajitas, chimichangas and my staple mexican food choice, Mole Poblano! (Yes, I like my meat with chocolate!)




















So here is the rundown of the wonderful presents I got:

1. Gorgeous white Kenneth Cole bag!
2. Front Row - Biography of Anna Wintour (The Vogue editor for those of you that are still in denial that Vogue is a publication that really has the power to fix a lot of world's problems... I'll elaborate one day.)
3. Moroccan cook book
4. Vietnamese cook book (So I can experiment with my own fusion cuisine that's so hot right now!)

I never like to make big deals about my birthday, I guess that goes back to my family who have never been big on any holidays or gift giving. Don't get me wrong, we give lots of presents to each other, its just never specifically for birthdays, or christmas or anything. If someone's birthday is coming we simply just assign "Birthday" tag to whatever presents we happen to give that person starting with 3 month prior to the actual date. So its not a big surprise if ON the actual date there isn't any present exchange. Its just how my family is. We are also not big on surprises, we tell each other who is getting what and when. And I don't mind really, gives you more magical anticipation time.

BUT! I have been trying to start my own traditions and I think gift exchange with pretty wrapping paper and the surprising gasps are all great fun. And I think my family is also keen on this new development... who knew!

Anyway, back to my lovely birthday month! Yes today is the last day of March, and my b-day is officially over. I was going all mushy and sentimental and my New York girls don't do mushy so they kinda gave each other knowing looks and decided to "explain" the gifts...

"Ale, you're forgetting! We're NOT your Chicago girls, who are sweet and nice and want to give you cute gifts because its sweet and nice to do..."

"... amm.... no?" I didn't think so...

"Please, how could you think that we turned sweet and cute, are you crazy!! Think about it...
first of all the white purse is so that you look cute enough to be seen in public with us..." said Dulce

"And the cookbooks are really so you can invite us over and cook dinners! HELLOO!!!!" said Wallstr.

"OH! And... I expect you to finish reading 'Front Row' sometime soon cus I want to read it!!!" Dulce added.

pause...

"I LOOOOOVE you guyyyys!!!!" By that moment I was almost on the verge of tears because THIS is my New York girls, now I know for SURE there's love!!!!!

And yes, while I love my friends from the two cities and they love me (!!!!!!!) we will express it differently. For example if a Chicago girl wears stilletos its to look hot, if a New York girl wears stilletos is to kick ass and be as far away from the nasty dirty pavement as possible. Its just a different dynamic.

When Chicago girls give you presents for your birthday its sweet, when New York girls give you presents its because really they're planning on using it AND to compete with the Chicago girls...

Of course I'm only joking. Friendship and love is NOT measured by presents! But I do know my friends love me from both cities because it SAID SO IN MY BIRTHDAY CARDS!!!!! And we have established earlier that HAND written cards ALWAYS tell the truth!!!!

Message to my Chicago girls: Love you! MUAHH!

Message to my New York girls: Love you! Ewwww, whatever shut-up, MUAHH!!!!!