Birthday weekend….bingo bongo

My Birthday weekend in Chi-town was aces and thanks to all those that made it so so special – you really are a bloody brilliant bunch. The festivities started on the Thursday night with Ferrick’s Birthday. We went to this great place called the Violet Hour which is a bar set in the prohibition times. There’s a hidden door in a big green wall – no signage and you have to knock to be let in (a bit like the Caz Bar on the Cowley Road in Oxford). You then go through a curtain into an uber cool bar. Here the girls and I had a few cocktails, followed by a couple more drinks and then I joined the softball lot for a cheeky drink….which turned errrrr messy.

Friday’s fun included some driving range action (I hit them ok….my friend, errrr not so much….sorry Joe!) and then off to the hairdressers to try and look remotely nice for the big night out.


Now for the Brits among us, the Blackhawks (Ice Hockey Team) are in the final of the Stanley Cup, which is a really big deal. The final consists of 7 games and who ever wins the best of, wins the cup. So Friday was game 4 and Chicago was buzzing. So we changed the plans slightly to engineer watch the Hawks and went to Piece in Wicker Park to watch the game and it was brilliant. The bar ended up giving us the pit and we had a giant screen to watch the match – Suzy and Dust got me a Hawks t-shirt which I love – so I wore that for the night. (Unfortunately the Hawks lost that game - but it’s not over until the fat lady sings).

We then ended up at a bar called Innjoy where there were slippery nipples, dancing, shoulder snogging (not me I hasten to add) drinks being spilt into poor boys laps and just general chaos – it was much fun. On the way home, our neighbours in our building were having a party, so we called in to consume a bit more wine (because clearly you can never have too much wine). I don’t remember a lot of that party but Suzy reckons there was a man swimming in goggles….I wish I could have seen that!

On Saturday – the Birthday marathon continued in true Carpenter fashion and Suzy and Dusty and I had Birthday breakfast. I then skyped the family and we had Internet present opening (man skype really is the best thing ever) – the only down side being that you could blatantly tell if I didn’t like a present (sorry Mum!) But Ads (my mum) excelled herself this year – two lovely tops from old Ted – so I was so happy as I do miss Ted – jewellery and an England whistle! And C-bass and Simon got me the best England Shirt ever ready for the big game next week. Suze also got me spaghetti hoops ready for spagehetti hoops on toast with HP sauce – I’m so excited.

After that Suze and I had a bumble and had our nails done, had a cheeky mimosa and then we all went off to Alex and Lindsay's BBQ just down the road. They’ve just moved in together so it was a celebratory BBQ (with little birthday cup cakes, that were delicious!) AND It was an absolutely RIOT! There were so many games but highlights we’re ‘You’ve Been Iced’ (which unfortunately I did within about 2 minutes of arriving) flip cup, slapping the sack, dance offs, knee slides, crunk, shower curtains being pulled down by mistake). Hilarious.

Sunday Funday then involved softball – which was fun. We lost 9-10 but had a good come back in the last couple of innings. A few beers in the pub (and a fish bowl…don’t ask!) then a game of bags (another great game) and a cheeky beer and then off to Schoolyard to watch the Hawks and YESSSSS it was a bloody brilliant game and we totally won. So know it’s all down to Wednesday’s game and I’m in California, which I’m excited about, but I did also want to be in Chi for the Hockey.

Bring on the trophy….it you like a lot of trophies in your cabinet join our club (sang to the theme tune of the Club chocolate bar advert…for those in the know!)