Girls Weekend at it's Finest

My best friend Claire - since 2nd grade - flew out this weekend for some much needed girls time. 

Joel was away on business this weekend, and with my birthday falling on Thursday, we figured this was good enough excuse as any. It's SO rare to have one on one time with girlfriends, and even more so since my move, and it was so good for the soul.

On Thursday Claire landed around lunch and took a cab to my office in Beverly Hills. We had a late lunch, got manicures and then decided to head home to freshen up. 

 

You've got to love a lunch of salads...and fries. 

Joel took the red eye out Thursday night so he was able to join us for dinner at Milo and Olive. Of course, I failed on getting a picture of the three of us.

Friday morning I took off work and we started the day with a hike on Westridge. 

 

The weather this weekend in LA was HOT, but since Chicago (and most of the country) have been through weather hell, Claire did not seem to mind.

There is nothing better in this world than oysters and cold white wine, and Coast in Santa Monica do them both flawlessly.

 

Every time Claire visits, this is our must-go spot, and it didn't disspoaint this time around either. After our long lunch we shopped along the promenade and just enjoyed ourselves. With the hike and an entire spent out walking, I hit my PR on my fitbit coming in at 19,000 steps!

We decided to stay in on Friday night, catch up, order pizza and watch movies - which was basically perfect.

And skinny margaritas on the patio as a pre-game weren't half bad either.

 

Saturday morning, we decided to drive up to Malibu with some of my girlfriends for a pre-birthday celebration. 

Paradise Cove is a private beach in Malibu where you can bring your own snacks and alcohol (although you do have to pay $40 to park). We got there around 11am, and pretty immediately the mimosas started flowing - all was right in the world.

 The girls brought snacks and games and music, and we had seriously the best time. It was such a fun Saturday - one of my most favorite in a long, long time. 

 

 

 

Every year around my birthday, I feel especially grateful for my girlfriends. I'm a girlfriend kind of girl, and I need them as much as I need oxygen. I've been so beyond lucky to have met each one of my girlfriends and I truly, truly cherish each one.

On Saturday night, Claire and I dolled up and went to dinner at Cecconi's in West Hollywood. We had a late reservation so we had a few glasses of wine at the bar. 

Cecconi's can get very scene-y, but the food is amazing, and so is the ambiance, so I try to look past it. Of course, as we were about to get seated at a "Great Table because we were so nice", in walk Ken and Lisa Vanderpump. The hostess scuttles away, profusely apologizes for having to give up our table but "The Vanderpumps neeeeeed to be seated". 

I was pretty annoyed at the whole bit. They're far from royalty, but it's a funny story and we laughed about it as sat in the back corner to eat our yummy pasta with the rest of the common folk.

After eating enough pasta, bread, too many mimosas, we decided to sneak in another hike Sunday morning. We did the hard part of Runyon which seriously worked our sorry asses! 

Luckily we had massages booked at a Thai foot spa by my house, so that was pretty amazing afterwards.

After lunch and stroll in Brentwood, I sadly had to drop Claire off at the airport. Reality awaits us both, but it was such an amazing weekend and one that will need to be repeated annually.