This is 30

Last week, I was honored to be included in a fancy schmancy dinner party for my friend Rachel’s 30th birthday at Osteria Mozza. Twenty six of her closest friends and colleagues were joined in a private room at one of LA’s finest, where the wine flowed and the courses were a continual parade of comforting bites. So very grown up. And so my kind of party…

But, the fine attention to detail did not take away from the real reason we were all there. To mark a milestone. Turning 30. And, by the way, when did 30 start to seem so young? For me, perhaps it was the moment I realized at 35, my 23 year old assistant thinks I’m ancient, proclaiming how much she loves “Girls,” the HBO sensation, which apparently perfectly captures the zeitgeist of today’s youth, something I couldn’t possibly understand since I’m still glued to the tube reveling in reruns of “Sex and the City” (way more MY generation). Or maybe it was when my celebrity dermatologist schooled me on the fact that I would need $400 worth of botox to fix the wrinkle in my ever aging forehead (ah, Hollywood). All I know is that 40 is breathing down my neck like a disgusting blind date I can’t escape and truly I never thought I’d be that girl who cares about getting older. But, so it seems…here I sit at 30something, wondering where the years have gone, afraid that I can’t possibly fit in everything I want to do before I’m a decrepit old woman.

As we all gorged our faces that night, Rachel’s husband delighted us with a birthday video filled with messages from friends and family, offering best wishes and things they loved about our guest of honor. The common theme was that Rachel preaches that anything is possible and no dream is too big, an attitude I happen to share. I just needed a reminder that no matter your age, or where you are now, it’s never too late to follow your passion. Cheers to 30 and beyond…may we always be inspired and young at heart.