Friday, July 2, 2010

BIcycle Birthday Bash: 2010

Every year on the first day of summer, we hop on our bikes and head to the boardwalk to celebrate my friend's birthday.  This year, feeling pretty smug about my growing photography skills, I toted along my tiny pocket camera to document the tradition. Luckily, nobody was expecting much of me. Because it's impossible to take a decent picture when you wait until you're one and half beers, one pineapple downside up martini, and two bottles of wine into the evening to pull out the camera.

So, the big bicycle birthday bash of 2010 scrapbook has no pictures of bicycles. No pictures of presents. And no pictures even remotely in focus. I guess I'm not grown up enough to be a professional photographer just yet.

And since I'm still immature, I'm going to take you along for the ride anyway. Grab your helmet.

The party starts off with dinner. In a nice restaurant. On a night that happens to be half price wine night. So, of course, we have to order twice as much wine. But not before BSD knocks over his martini. And is immediately brought another one. That he doesn't need.


After dinner, we ride over to an outside bar. Where we sit around the fire pit. As I'm enjoying the view and the fresh air...

our friends order a round of Lemon Drop shooters. Our friends who are all members of the Lemon Drop shooter professional team. Lick, Down-the-hatch, Suck. Or is it the other way around? I have no idea. Because they are so quick. And I am trying to take pictures. For the birthday girl. But everyone is moving so fast. 

See? They wouldn't sit still! 



Seconds later the team captain is paying the bill. 


And I still haven't figured out how to play the game. In the end, I went with lick, sip, suck. Lip, sip, suck. Lick, sip, suck. And I took a lot of crap for it. I don't think I made the team.


Back on our bikes for a long ride down the boardwalk to a bar called Waterman's. Famous for their gift shop. Their cool chandeliers. 


And their Orange Crushes. I don't know why they're so famous. They taste like St. Joseph's baby aspirin to me. At that point, it would have been much more helpful had my cup been filled with crushed baby aspirin and soda water. 

But still holding out hope of making the team, I had one Orange Crush. I'm pretty sure everyone else had two. I couldn't keep track. Everyone kept morphing into hyperdrive. I guess you get that super power once you've been on the team for a few years.


From there, we go off in search of dessert. Like flies to a bright light, we land at Dairy Queen. See the neon Dairy Queen sign? You don't need glasses to make out those letters.

I was too busy scarfing down my extra large peanut butter cup Blizzard to take any pictures of it. Sorry. But I did manage to get some GREAT pictures at our next stop. 


Check it out. See my friends riding the Fun Slide? You can totally make out the smiles on their faces.



And here. Look at the birthday girl waving her arms in the air on the ferris wheel.


Maybe I should be a photographer when I grow up after all. I'm not going to cross that one off my list just yet. Nope. I think I have real potential.


                       What Am I Going to Be When I Grow Up? 
                                      8.    Professional Lemon Drop shooter team member
                                      9.    Spokeswoman for the responsible drinking and riding coalition 
                                    10.    Photographer

    13 comments:

    Bridget said...

    BAHAHAHA!!! Totally cracking up at your description of your evening and the pictures to go with it!!! :D

    Melissa said...

    BRILLIANT!!
    think you & i would be on the same -slightly less able team- but right up there with enthusiasm and a camera!!!

    you've got a lot of time to grow up & be a photogra later hon!!

    melissa x

    sloan said...

    Definitely leave photographer on your list, Kim - these photos match the night's activities perfectly - love 'em! They really capture the feel and fun of the night - what a hilarious birthday party, thx for sharing!!

    {cindy} said...

    Now that's funny!
    Great way to start the morning for me!
    "looks" and sounds like a wonderful time!
    Enjoy the day

    knack said...

    so,so funny!! love the photos with all of the descriptions! perfection!

    ....and you do have photography skillz......

    xo

    Dani said...

    Ha! Way to make excellent use of less than perfect pictures! Nice!

    Sounds like a very fun evening.

    I had a similar experience last weekend. Too many glasses of sangria kept me from even getting my camera out. I missed my first 365 shot due to "falling asleep" (passing out) before midnight.

    Hee, hee!

    liz said...

    What a fun night! I loved those slides, too. Just the hike up that sucked.

    Heather said...

    You are hilarious!! Love these photos! What a fun night!!!

    Sorry it took me so long to get this info to you. So my juicer is called the Omega juicer. It is top of the line (right up there with the Green Star) The benefit of having a good juicer, is that it takes out more of the fiber than the cheaper ones, which in turn, makes it so your drink has more enzymes and will keep longer in the fridge. With the Omega and Green Star, you can make your juices 3 days in advance and they will have the same amount of nutrients until the 3rd day. I do all my juicing in one morning, and put the rest in jars with lids for the next few days. With many other juicers, you have to drink it immidietly after you make it to get the full nutrient value. However, as long as you are juicing... you are doing amazing things for your body! My juices usually consist of half carrot juice, and the rest is vegetables. (celery, kale, spinach, cucumber, ginger, you name it!)

    Sorry this is so long! Have a great weekend! XX

    Bring Pretty Back said...

    OHHHH! please invite me next time~!!! This sounds like such a fun night!!!! ( :

    Jen said...

    See...this is proof that blurry photos are worth keeping after all. Love the play by play! That slide looks like fun too!

    Unknown said...

    I don't mean to be the BLOG COP, but I have to set your readers straight. You ARE THE CLUB - definitely not trying out for the club! Yes...you need to work on your Lemon Drop expertise...but that is NOT a club criteria!! :) I LOVE the pictures - totally capture the randomness and frivolity of the night. The birthday girl thanks you very much for documenting the night. You're the best! (Please send them to me!!) Love you.

    Seizing My Day said...

    *ok ok I have a grip now ... no longer rolling on the floor ** =) how on earth did y'all ride your bikes after all that fun?? that is what is really making me laugh the most... imagining you all riding bikes down the street "after"... I am a visual person! =) fun blurry pictures!

    Kerri said...

    You are so funny! I felt like I was out on the boardwalk with you! I wish! Beer, Martini's AND ice cream...that's my kind of evening! I would skip the orange crushes...they taste like baby asperin to me too!