I remember in 2004 I was twelve years old when 13 Going on 30 came out and I fell in love with the movie. I wanted to be just like Jennifer Garner, turning 30 overnight, having my life “together,” living on my own without parents in New York City and having a “hot” fashion job. When you are a teenager living at home all you want to do is be an adult and make decisions for yourself. You have no idea how easy you really have it at that age until you really do become that adult in your 20s and 30s.
I am proud to say I did live up to my dreams of becoming Jennifer Garner’s character, Jenna Rink, living in New York City in my 20s with my amazing husband, with my “hot” fashion job as a New York Fashion Week designer and Top 5 Forbes Influencer in 2020. I had the beautiful condo at Columbus Circle, wonderful friends and loved my career, but none of that happened overnight like it did in the movie. I had to wait each year as I counted down to becoming an “adult,” or counting down to what I thought was being an adult the last twelve years since I had turned 18.
I always pictured when you turn 30 to be this magical moment of really becoming an adult. I did all of that in my 20s and still, something about turning 30 was the ideal age to say, “Hey, I am an adult!” In my dream of becoming an adult I hoped to be married and have a baby before I turned 30. Some how my personal life came true. I married my college sweetheart at 25 years old, I had a beautiful baby girl at 28 years old, we bought a house and left Manhattan to begin our lives as a family. Even after all of that, I was still counting down to being an adult at 30 years old.
I turned 30 last month, and I have to say it hit very differently then I ever expected it to! My husband turned 30 last May and he jokingly kept saying he didn’t want to leave his 20s, that really meant he was an adult and was leaving his child adult years of his 20s behind. I kept making fun of him and telling him to get over it. Well six months later came around and I turned 30 to. The entire start of November I all of a sudden felt the same feelings he was feeling. Yes, it is just a number, but it was the next decade of truly growing and raising our family and leaving those crazy New York City nights and college parties behind. I never realized it was going to affect me so much until the big 3-0 came on November 25th!
Well it has been a month since I turned 30 and yes I am totally fine now! Those feelings leading up to it were wild. I never expected to care, especially since I was so excited to say I am Thirty, Flirty & Thriving. The line I have been waiting for since 2004! I took full advantage of saying this for my back to back weekends of 30th birthday celebrations.
I have been waiting to share my celebrations with you all because I truly had the best time! The weekend of my birthday was Thanksgiving so my husband and I were down in Florida with my family. We snuck away for a little trip that weekend and had ourselves a spa day and dinner at one of my favorites, Il Mulino. I loved my Cinq de Sept dress, Ted Baker shoes and my favorite Chanel purse.
The weekend after was a true back to back birthday party weekend. Something I learned at 30, I cannot have back to back parties, let’s just say I was more tired then I have ever been!
Saturday afternoon some of my girlfriends took me to get a blowout and our make up done before we hit Philadelphia. I cannot even remember the last time I left my baby girl for the day to enjoy a girls day like that. I was so excited for my outfit that night! My husband got me new Azia 110 Jimmy Choo’s, which I paired with my skinny Gucci belt, my one of a kind Chanel purse and this beautiful strapless fitted jumpsuit with a feather trim around the top from Revolve.
With a few of our close friends we drove into Philly for a really nice dinner at Scarpetta in Rittenhouse Square followed by a comedy show at Helium Comedy Club.
When we got home that night at 1:00am I was definitely starting to panic because the next morning my girlfriends and I got a party bus to take us back to Philly for a sequin themed girls drag brunch show! I was way overtired, but thank goodness my hair from the night before was still on point, I touched up my make up and got my SH!T together to make it on time. I loved my hot pink, sequin dress, which the style was inspired by the classic 13 Going on 30 dress. I added black and pink Jimmy Choo’s, my YSL black purse and of course we all had face jewels and boas!
We arrived to Fabrika and the venue was stunning. By far the most instagramable location I have seen in a long time. 13 girls, drag brunch, sequins and tons of photos, what’s not to love! I am not one that is easily surprised, but my mom some how flew in from Florida and showed up at brunch and I literally had no idea! It was such an awesome day with my best girlfriends, cousins and mom.
Needless to say by the end of the weekend I was exhausted and realized I am definitely 30! I look back at that twelve year old wishing that I could turn 30 overnight, but then I remember if I didn’t just wait those 18 years, then I wouldn’t be where I am today, surrounded by the best of friends, the most loving family and the luckiest wife and mama!
“I want to be thirty, flirty and thriving.” -Jennifer Garner Playing Jenna Rink 13 Going on 30 Actress