Opinions expressed are my own

A Weekend I Won’t Soon Forget!

in , , , , , ,

This past weekend, I celebrated a milestone birthday. I’m not much of a birthday guy. I don’t care about gifts or celebrations. I’m happy to just have it be a normal day with little fanfare—except when it comes to milestones, then I like to have a party.

For my 40th, I had a big party at a bar in Newmarket with all my friends and a couple of live bands, including my own band, The Royal Pains.

A man wearing a checkered shirt and a birthday badge stands on stage, smiling as a woman presents him with an ice cream cake adorned with candles.

Here is a picture of me on stage, where I’m happiest. That’s Tanya presenting me with my birthday ice cream cake.

This year, being my 50th, I wanted to do the same thing, but I wanted to do it in the city. So we contacted Trinity Common in Kensington Market, Toronto and asked if they’d host it. I invited three live bands to play: Those Handsome Hooligans, The Week Ends, and The Royal Pains, and they said yes! It didn’t hurt that I’m in those last two bands.

So the stage was set—so to speak—for my 50th birthday party. I invited everyone I knew to join me to celebrate on the Saturday. What I didn’t know was that Tanya had some other ideas. She and a group of listeners of The Produce Stand Podcast were planning on surprising me. Tanya made up some excuse for why we needed to get a hotel and stay there the night before my party—something about dinner reservations for just the two of us. We got down to the city early Friday evening, checked into our room, and then quickly headed back out because we had dinner reservations. This is what happened next (sound on):

Here is what I saw:

It was the best surprise! We had folks from Toronto, Simcoe, Virginia, Missouri, Chicago, and (later on) Sudbury. I couldn’t have asked for a better gift! But it didn’t end there, we then went on to walk the city and have dinner together.

We had cocktails and dinner at the Queen Mother Cafe, where everyone on the patio sang me happy birthday.

Then we had more drinks on the patio at Score on Queen (formerly The Black Bull).

It was a great night, but that was just the beginning!

A young man wearing a black cap stands next to a table with a large, wrapped gift, while an older man in a black t-shirt smiles beside him. The scene takes place in a lively restaurant setting with outdoor seating.

The next day, we met up again at Hair of the Dog for some brunch. I received a gift from my TPS podmates Victor and Mat, even though I said “no gifts”—they were never good listeners.

Despite that, it was a very thoughtful gift. An equipment cart to haul all my gear. I immediately put it to good use that night. Speaking of that night…

Kensington Market was jumping! We had a great turnout! In addition to the visitors from the night before, I saw family and friends I hadn’t seen in a while.

First up on stage was Those Handsome Hooligans. They rocked it! The crowd loved them!

Then, between sets Royal Pains bassist Chris Dias led the entire bar in a rousing chorus of “Happy Birthday”.

Next up was The Week Ends…

Then, to finish off the evening, was The Royal Pains…

The crowd was amazing, all three bands rocked it, and it was a perfect night!

Two men smiling at the camera while sitting at an outdoor table in a casual setting, with people and buildings visible in the background.
A group of six friends posing for a selfie in front of the Toronto sign, with a water feature and city buildings in the background.
A large stone sculpture of a turtle resting on a rock formation, situated in a shallow pool of water with a modern building in the background.
A purple cocktail garnished with thyme and a dehydrated lime slice, served in a tall glass on a wooden table with a blurred background of greenery.
A cocktail with garnishes, placed on a table with a person partially visible in the background.
A refreshing red cocktail garnished with mint and a slice of lemon, served in a tall glass, with a light-colored straw, and a blurred background of people and dining setup.
A beautifully plated dish featuring grilled salmon garnished with lemon slices, orange segments, and fresh greens, drizzled with balsamic glaze.
A man stands next to a large wrapped gift inside a restaurant with outdoor seating, while another person adjusts their hat.
A person with glasses and long gray hair is joyfully posing at a street corner next to a chalkboard sign for a café, waving one arm while playfully lifting a foot off the ground.
Three women posing together in a photo frame with a colorful 'I ❤️ Sokha' message and festive decorations in the background.
A colorful birthday setup featuring large golden '50' balloons, various balloons in shades of gold and silver, and a tiered display of cupcakes in different flavors and colors on a table.
A table decorated with a tiered stand of colorful cupcakes, featuring various frosting designs, set against a dark backdrop with balloons and a candle.
A woman in a black sequin top smiles while holding a drink in a lively bar setting, with patrons and a brightly lit background.
A group of friends celebrating together in a bar, smiling and holding drinks, with a festive sign that reads 'More Fun Than Two 25 Year Olds' in the background.
Two friends sitting at a bar, one wearing a black t-shirt with a graphic design and the other in a yellow shirt, both smiling and enjoying drinks.
A group of five friends smiling and posing together at a bar, with neon signs and a rustic interior in the background.
Group selfie taken at a celebration, featuring several friends smiling and enjoying the moment, with a lively bar atmosphere in the background.
Group of friends celebrating at a bar, wearing themed shirts and holding drinks, with a festive backdrop and a sign that reads 'Rockin the Big 5-0'.
A group of people enjoying a festive moment in a lively venue, with some pointing and others smiling. The scene shows a casual atmosphere with dim lighting and tables in the background.
A live performance at Trinity Common in Kensington Market, Toronto, featuring musicians on stage with colorful lighting.
A band performing on stage in a dimly lit bar, with colorful lights illuminating the musicians. There are tables with drinks in the foreground.

The next day–Sunday–Tanya and I had breakfast at Fran’s with our US visitors–plus Michelle from Sudbury. Even though we were exhausted from the weekend, it was still Father’s Day, so we both had quick naps before heading to The Mandarin for an early Father’s Day dinner with mine and Tanya’s parents.

It was a packed weekend, but it was worth it! I owe all of it to this woman, who lied and schemed for the past few months to make it all happen.

I thought I was the one who had planned my own party, but that was just a small part of it. She made it special! I can’t thank her enough, but I will keep on trying.

A woman holding a photo frame with a birthday message at a celebration, with balloons and party decorations in the background.

So thank you to everyone who came out Saturday night! I loved seeing each and every one of you! Most of all, thank you Tanya! I love you so much!

Comments

What are you thinking?

Discover more from Al Grego

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading