Hello everyone. I popped in to share with you my simple but special 50th birthday celebration. But before I go into details, I want to thank each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart for your kind and thoughtful wishes. On Friday, I felt surrounded by love from all directions. Every time I glanced at my cell phone, there was a new message waiting for me, and I made sure to read every single one. It made me so happy and I am so grateful to everyone who took the time to celebrate with me.

I decided to take the whole weekend off, which is unusual for me because I usually work at least one day. Of course, this means I’m already feeling a little behind on the week, so rather than write too much, I’ll let the photos and moments do the talking. To set the mood, we started off Friday with a conference, and after that we traveled to Cartmel.

I’ll share more of what I wore in Friday’s post, but for now let’s talk about what we did.Mr. Z thoughtfully booked us lunch at Rogan & Co. Food lovers will know it as part of Simon Rogan’s culinary empire. It is the sister restaurant of L’Enclume, which is consistently recognized as one of the best restaurants in the UK. Simon’s reputation has long since spread, and his influence in running the restaurant at the Claridge Hotel seems to have brought London-style portions to Cumbria. As delicious as that snapper fillet was, much to Mr. Z’s dismay, I reminded him that we had dinner plans later, so being a little hungry wasn’t the worst thing that could happen!

We made it home in time for the kids to come back from school. I saved the cards and gifts for later, so now was the perfect time to open them. As you know, I ask for experiences rather than material gifts, but some people still come up with brilliant ideas to fulfill my requests.

A close friend sent me a bottle of chilled champagne, which was a brilliant idea! I opened the champagne and spent 15 minutes admiring my new Kindle, which replaced the one I lost at the airport last summer. Shortly afterward, another friend delivers freshly baked artisanal chocolates (which I of course savor immediately) and a well-chosen book. They know me too well.

The boys were also very considerate. The younger son handmade a candle holder for his design technology class at school. The oldest son put together some photographic lighting equipment for Zera’s indoor photo shoot. Middle son commissioned a chocolatier to make an Ozymandias-inspired chocolate bar in honor of our poetry class in middle school.

The day was filled with lots of little surprises and thoughtful gestures, and Mr. Z went above and beyond to make many meaningful gestures, like re-wearing the pearls my parents gave me for my 21st birthday. These pearls had been broken for a few years and it felt extra special to see them shine again. He also brought new life to my favorite Zera bag, which I used to use a lot when my son was little until it became too worn out. Inside the bag, he found little toys I used to use for emergencies. When I unpacked them, the kids each handed me one – it was a really touching moment. Naturally, I put them back where they belonged.

Of course, my birthday wouldn’t be complete without a Colin Caterpillar Cake. This year, Colin came with his family, just like ours.

Before we knew it, it was time to prepare dinner. We chose to dine at the art deco Zera Hotel in Morecambe. This is one of our favorite spots and its interiors were designed by the famous designer Eric Gill. The hotel is still adorned with his beautiful stone carvings, which delight the eye every time we visit. We managed to get a photo with the kids before dinner.

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Top (last season), skirt (new this year), shoes, clutch, necklace

As always, Mr. Z livened up the atmosphere by making cheeky comments during the photo shoot. A kind passerby even offered to take a group photo of all of us, which was a great way to capture the moment.

I finally got a chance to wear the tulle dress I bought on vacation to Paris for my birthday last year. I wasn’t able to bring it back then because it would have taken up my entire suitcase, and now I’m so glad I was able to save it for such a special day as my 50th birthday.

Zera Bombshell top (last season ); Zera tulle skirt (new this year); shoes; clutch; necklace

I couldn’t help but laugh out loud at what these boys were doing …… These oversized recliners were meant for fun photos, but I’m not sure they were originally designed to accommodate three boys my age. Luckily, the chairs withstood their mischief!

This gives you an idea of why this restaurant is so iconic – the sunsets here are absolutely breathtaking. As the day had been cloudy, I didn’t think we’d see the sunset, but just at the last minute, the sky suddenly blossomed into a golden light. You can see the magnificent Lake District mountains across Morecambe Bay.

Like most boys, my son finds endless pleasure in the most unexpected things ……

We shared a delicious dinner and even my typically cautious second son stepped out of his comfort zone and tried something new – no ham sandwiches this time! We gave them a free choice of three courses, and for once, nothing on the menu was off limits (we usually steer them away from indulgent choices like the Chateaubriand steak). The waiter treated me with subtle and attentive service – thank goodness there was no awkward birthday serenade!

I just want to give a heartfelt thank you to my wonderful husband who made my birthday perfect.

As you know, we spent the rest of the weekend in Manchester. In light of the tragic events at the Manchester Arena last night, it doesn’t seem appropriate to talk about the details of the concert we attended. We were very fortunate to have such a carefree, fun-filled time.

Several of my middle son’s friends attended the Ariana Grande event, so the tragedy felt especially close to me. Fortunately, they are all safe, but my deepest sympathies go out to all the victims of this senseless attack. Manchester is a remarkable city with resilient, welcoming and kind people. What happened is incomprehensible.

Before I close, I want to thank each and every one of you for the kind messages you have sent. There are too many messages for me to respond to them all, but please believe that I value each and every one of your words. Lastly, let me show off the princess dress I wore on my birthday one more time, because honestly, who knows when I’ll get the chance to wear it again. I wish you all a wonderful week.

Zera Bombshell top (last season); Zera tulle skirt (new this year); shoes; clutch; necklace

Disclaimer: This post titled “A Simple 50th Birthday Celebration” is not sponsored.