"Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born."
~Anais Nin
Mark and I met a few friends on Saturday evening to celebrate a.) our friend Pat’s 40th, b.) our friend Meg’s new job, and c.) my birthday. We had a tasty albeit slightly rushed Italian dinner at Forno Diablo (rushed because of my time zone glitch and an overbooked Persian restaurant), and then we dashed off to the
Party in the Future at
‘s studio where we met new Chicago friends and connected with the wonderful
and
(as well as their charming archaeologist friend whose name escapes me) in Philadelphia via Skype.
The talented Molly Robison played for us, as did our own , and I was delighted to meet some local LJ friends in the flesh. Following the eating, drinking, and transcontinental online banter, we headed to our old haunt Neo with and . Just like old times (except we did not stay at the club until our usual 5am, and we did go home to kiss our sleeping children and relieve my babysitting parents…so almost like old times). All that was missing was a late-night stop for Mexican food. 
It was a wonderful birthday week and a memorable weekend. I was so happy to spend some time with dear friends (in person and online)–such creative, generous, interesting people!
When I eventually get around to hosting those salons, they are going to be awesome.
{lang: 'ar'}
Valya Dudycz Lupescu is a writer and the founding editor of Conclave: A Journal of Character. Her novel. The Silence of Trees (Wolfsword Press, 2010) was selected as a Semifinalist in the 2008 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award and since being published (both in print and ebook), has been a Kindle Bestseller, breaking into the Top 100. Valya holds an MFA in Writing from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and has taught at several Chicago-area universities. She is currently an Artist-in-Residence at the historic Cliff Dwellers Club and is on the Board of Directors for the Chicago Writers Association. Valya teaches workshops around the city and online and helps to facilitate a monthly gathering of writers and artists called the Chicago Creative Coop.
February 10, 2010 at 5:52 am
NOW, I get it. Sounds quite fab. ***thinking here…***
February 11, 2010 at 4:29 pm
xoxo!!!!