Monday Mandate: Week of All of the Detox (La Boum Brunch Review)

image adapted from Hyperbole and a Half

This week I'm not only doing a spending detox - I'm doing an entire life detox. The life detox is necessary because I spent the weekend being ridiculously unresponsiblish. I won't feel guilty about it - it was my birthday - but I was really very horrible. It was so. much. fun. After having a great birthday dinner Friday night at Le Diplomate (and trying escargot for the first time - delicious!) I woke up on Saturday prepared for birthday brunch at La Boum - a brunch where they snap the blinds closed, and turn a cute French cafe into a mid-day disco. I won't even tell you about it, after all pictures are worth 1,000 words. Well - these pictures are actually grainy and sometimes blurry - but given the surreal quality of the experience in general, I hope you'll forgive me. 

Not Pictured: The naked-except-for-pasties burlesque dancer. 

On the way home I, wonderful friend that I am, offered to carry Laura. It did not go well. I have bruises on both knees. 

If you have a special occasion coming up, and you'd like to have an insane 3 hour brunch - do La Boum! I was originally worried that it would be too much for me - seeing as I generally prefer a glass of red wine and conversation to loud music and dancing. Club music is generally my cue that a place isn't for me. This was different somehow and so much fun! Only advice: wear something comfortable and eat something small beforehand. The food was great, but drinks were flowing before food was served, and you'll be dancing on your chair while eating your entree. 

A few hours after the brunch I basically forced the boyfriend take me to Five Guys. It was really difficult to convince him. 

It was an awesome decision. However, after spending the weekend acting like a hedonist, I need to treat my body and mind to some healthy living. Up this week on the blog: healthy recipes, how to make iced coffee at home, and some advice on deciding whether an expensive item is worth the investment (which I'm clearly qualified to give). 

Worth the Splurge: It's My Birthday And I'll Blog If I Want To (blog if I waaaant to)

I have always loved being born on June 21st. First, my birthday is on the summer solstice - the longest day of the year. Second, being on the cusp means I have two zodiac signs: I'm a Gemini and a Cancer. Also, there's that eclipse that blacks out the sun on my birthday every so many years - although I'll have to wait until 2020 for the next one! Perhaps my favorite trivia bit - legend has it that women born on the summer solstice are fey (if you don't watch True Blood, that means magical, or fairy). I'm still waiting for my powers, and - if I can choose - I'd like to be able to move things with my brain like Alex Mack. Okay universe? You can get on that now.  

So typically my birthday brings the longest day of sunshine, but then once every so often makes the world go black. I suppose what this says about my personality is open to interpretation. 

I know. I was the world's chubbiest baby! I was born a premie - red, wrinkled, and skinny, but two years later I had gotten so fat my uncle nicknamed me the "Michilen baby." 

I guess I could be slightly upset about turning 27. Its officially late twenties. Last night I did get a little ridiculous at 11:58 - "only two minutes left of my mid-twenties!" I can be prone to melodrama after good scotch (thanks Laura!). But mostly - I'm really excited. 

My early twenties were about figuring out what I wanted: college ended, and I got one useless graduate degree and started another (kidding! my law degree better not be useless or I don't know what the hell I'm doing studying 8 hours a day for the bar). My mid-twenties were about figuring out who I was: getting out of a toxic relationship, finding out that I quite liked myself, and learning that happiness (as cliche as it sounds) is about the way you choose to think and the people whose thoughts you choose to care about. I'm looking forward to my late twenties. I know who I am, I know what I want - I'm happy. My late twenties can be about enjoying being me, loving the spectacular people in my life, and starting a career now that all the school is done. Of course, I have some goals for 27 - 

1. Get a job (preferably dream job with the ACLU) 
2. Okay, get any job.
3. Run another marathon. This time faster. 
4. Continue to get better about the shopping (I guess I shouldn't have bought that dress for my birthday. It was on sale Mom). 
5. Take a trip somewhere I've never been.
6. Give up Diet Coke. Not happening. 
7. Pass the bar. 
8. Get better at mornings.
9. Learn another language. Spanish would be most useful, but I really want to learn French.  
10. Convince boyfriend to get another dog (Um universe? I take back the wish for the Alex Mack power. This is the only power I want). 

So- I will be continuing my spending detox during 27. But this weekend is my birthday. You've gotta splurge a little teensy bit on your birthday! So tonight will be dinner and drinks and tomorrow will be girls brunch at La Boum. Where I hear they spray you with champagne and put on a burlesque. (There will be photos). I'm also going to break from studying at some point today to walk over to Georgetown and get this with the rest of my Madewell gift card :)

Because you know, I clearly need another maxi dress. 

P.S. Am I the only one who is really loving the new video capability on Instagram? I took my first video last night while trying out my birthday scotch! 

The scotch? delicious.