This evening, we were joined by Kris and Maya’s friends Sarinnagh and Claire to celebrate her 26th birthday, a day in advance. Unfortunately, her brothers were unable to attend. Kyle is in Portugal touring the wine country, and Nico is in Arizona dodging rattlesnakes (literally). Maya requested that we dine at the Dali restaurant, a Spanish tapas bar she has always wanted to try. The food and ambiance were exceptional but no match for the friendships around the table. Maya has been best friends with Sarinnagh since kindergarten, and with Claire since middle school. Jeanine and Kris have been BFF for nearly 50 years. The warmth of the celebration reflected the profound relationships among these women.

After dinner, we reconvened at Maya’s apartment, where she introduced us to Wally and Kurt, the sibling cats she lives with.