Claudette’s 40th Birthday Party
Claudette and her husband Zach both turned 40 this year, so they threw a big party. “We thought about a sit-down dinner,” she told me. “But we love being silly, we love wigs, we love karaoke, so we thought, what if we turn this into a kid’s birthday party but for adults?” Here are a few very fun photos, plus Claudette’s recap…
“We liked this neighborhood dive bar called Boat, but they didn’t have a phone number or website or email address. So, I went there three or four times and became best friends with the bartender and convinced her to let us have a party in the back.”
“My dream was to wear a dress that was over-the-top. I searched for pink dresses and ordered two: short and long. I couldn’t decide, but Joanna came over and I tried them on, and Jo said, ‘You can wear the long one anytime in your life, but this mini one is like, “This is 40!!!!”’ And I felt really hot that night, so it was a great choice.”
“For food, we decided to go high/low, like chicken nuggets with caviar, plus big piles of French fries. We also put up decorations, like fringe garlands and paper chains, and the balloons were our birth year, 1986.”
“We were like, let’s get a face painter! We were also going to do temporary tattoos, but someone was like, you should do REAL tattoos. I didn’t even know that was a thing, but you can hire people to come to your party. My brother was like, no one is going to get a tattoo, but eight people did!”
“Of course, we did karaoke. Here, Freddie and Zach were singing The Backstreet Boys’ I Want It That Way.”
“My karaoke song is Miley Cyrus’s Flowers.”
“We invited family, neighbors, and friends from all facets of our life. I love when people jump in and just belt something out, even if they have terrible voices; that’s my favorite.”
“And we served a vintage-style cake — the more colors the better.”
“At the end of the night, Zach and I sang Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield, which is a crowdpleaser. We love dancing by acting out the lyrics. For “feel the rain on your skin,” we’ll pretend it’s raining. For “staring at the page,” we’ll be reading books. And for the Journey song that goes, “I’m just a small-town girl,” we act out like we’re on a train or under a streetlight, and he’ll be the street light and I’ll be standing there.”
“We loved the whole night so much. It was a real reflection of who we are. I love attention, and Zach’s along for the ride.”
P.S. The weird thing I did at my 40th birthday party, and 12 readers share their favorite birthday celebrations.
(Photos by our friend Ana Gambuto.)
Comments
67 commentsomg block blast is an incredibly cute idea.
such a joyful party! Happy birthday, Alison and Zach! If I was at a party with a tattoo artist and enough Sarti Spritz I would definitely walk out with my first tattoo at 46.
I met my husband in that bar!
The same weekend as this party, some friends hosted a “90th” birthday party – he turned 50 this year, she 40. They recently moved to the midwest (Columbus, which they affectionately referred to as “Central Ohio” haha) from NYC and 30 of their lifelong friends (many from college and other walks of life) came to town for this big weekend-long celebration. They said it felt like their wedding, minus all the formality and way cheaper! And just like Allison’s party, the big event their weekend was also in the back of a local dive bar with karaoke, pizza, cupcakes, etc.! The karaoke was SUCH a great icebreaker and the best way to get the party going. Instead of everyone standing around making small talk and trying to hear eachother in a crowded bar, it was a dance party and everyone was having so much fun! My go-to song is “Call Me Maybe”, and I must say, I think I rocked it. Anyways, shout-out to creative celebrations! Happy 40th Allison!
Everything about this birthday bash = heart eyes. Happy 40th, you lovebirds!
Came back to this post just to see the faces of people having a blast. What a mood lifter! Happy Birthday, Alison!
I turned 40 right when the pandemic hit (wah-wah). My parents brought me a gigantic package of toilet paper topped with a shiny bow. :oD So this is GOALS for 50! Thank you for sharing the joy!
love this! I would love suggestions for a 40th birthday for someone who doesn’t love attention. The idea of being the center of attention immediately makes me feel nervous, and I am terrible at celebrating myself (loved reading through the “what are you proud of? post comments because this is exactly the kind of thing I am working on). I also have some anxiety around rejection and get so nervous inviting people to things because I’m afraid they wont come or even worse, they will feel obligated to when they don’t want to. I was very brave this year for my 39th birthday and invited a few friends to dinner had such a lovely time– outside of this the last time I celebrated my birthday was over 15 years ago. So anyway, would love some inspiration on fun ways people have celebrated their birthdays.
Elba, I’m not a center of attention person either. I like to celebrate my birthday with travel. For my 40th, my best friend and I met up in Seattle for a long weekend. It was wonderful! I also do something my kids have taken up as well, which is maximizing the birthday fun by spreading it out over time. I’ll have some one-on-one dates with friends—coffee, lunch or dinner. I enjoy smaller groups of people or hanging out individually instead of a large gathering.
I did a birthday hike recently! It was very casual, I just let some friends know I’d be hiking on my bday and gave them the time and location. Whoever wanted to show up was welcome but I didn’t really have to plan anything and it was nice to have a focus/activity. I feel like you could do this with other things too, if you’re into hiking like go to botanical gardens, a museum, a walk.
I recently had a hysterectomy and decided that I’m going to get a tiny green line tattooed to my low belly to match the one my dog got when he was neutered. It feels like a waste to book a whole session around such a tiny tattoo but a PARTY TATTOO to celebrate being sterile and twinning with my dog?! Amazing!!
omg this is an incredibly cute idea.
This is SO awesome!!! Thank you for sharing your joy (and ideas!!) with us!
I love this so much!!! My mom has always poked light (??) fun at me for celebrating my birthday every year with friends — taking huge trips, karaoke parties, house parties, whatever. And I’m just like, MOM, live a little!!!
Uhmmmmm…..well CLEARLY Freddie does not skip arms day. WOWZER!
Right?!? It’s cute how as the night wore on he got (temp) hotter and then bunched up his sleeve and OH, HELLO! (and I’m a gay!)
Happy birthday Alison and Zach! There is so much joy embodied in this party. As someone who has lots of trouble with that, it is inspiring to get a glimpse of it in other people’s lives. Way to embrace it all!
Aww, thanks Debbie. It’s sometimes hard to feel joyful with everything going on in the world! I struggle with depression & anxiety and have been working with a therapist over the past few months so I can be present and celebrate moments like this. Sending you love! xx
I turned 40 this year, too, and celebrated at my favorite local indie bookstore with a party themed around books, bubbles, and…pizza. I opened a tab so each guest could choose a book to take home, a little thank-you to the people I love most. At the end of the night, I found out my sister had secretly covered the entire bill. An overwhelming night in all the best ways!
The sweetest gift! And your party sounds incredible. I didn’t know you could host parties in bookstores!
10/10 no notes, especially for the venue choice. My husband’s first NYC apartment was in Boerum Hill/Carroll Gardens and our first apartment as a couple was on Wyckoff Street (this was 2003-2007). Boat was his absolute favorite neighborhood bar. I’m amazed/thrilled that it’s still around through all of the transformation that neighborhood has undergone over the past 20 years!
OMG! I lived on Wyckoff Street from 2010-2019. Such a soft spot for that neighborhood and my favorite, Cafe Pedlar (RIP)
It really is iconic.
This is absolutely the most adorable thing! Zach and Alison are couple goals all the way in this! And I’m completely FLUMMOXED by EIGHT PEOPLE GETTING TATTOOS?! Wow!!
To be fair, I warned some people who I thought might be interested (so they could think about it in advance.) ;)
i’m totally freaking out at the idea of a real tattoo artist at a party. i absolutely do NOT want any tattoos. but if i’m at a party and i’ve been drinking, who the hell knows?! i bet i’d get one. that’s a dangerous situation!!! Happy Birthday, though!
lol I feel like there might be a tattoo in your future! ;)
My thoughts too hahaha; this sounds like the exact kind of impulsive thing I’d do at a party
I laughed so hard at this comment hahaha. I bet would totally get one too, given the alcohol. COJ readers are so fun!
Happy happy birthday Alison & Zach! I love this so much anytime, but esp now when joy really feels radical, important, even. NGL my fave touch is the caffeine free Diet Coke! YAAAASSSSSS THAT IS 40!!!! Xoxo
caffeine is a no-go these days! ha
Are we allowed to say Freddie is a smokin cuuutttie! Yay for you Joanna! Also yay for more fun in life, always. Looks like a great party.
that last photo!! framer
Definitely taking notes!
1) That dress! 100/10! 2) OMG Freddie you ROCKED!
HBD Alison and Zach! 🥳 🥂🍾
Any excuse to dress up like Jem and the Holograms is tops in my book. Happy Birthday!
Ha! Truly outrageous!
Oh, you just UNLOCKED that in my brain!!!
Everything. About. This! Celebrating in a way that is pure joy for everyone feels so good. As a fellow attention lover – way to own it, Allison! My next act is to send this piece to my teenage daughters for all the inspiration.
BAHAHA the best end to a great post: “I love attention, and Zach’s along for the ride.“ Awesome party, happy birthday Alison! This reminds me of my 18th birthday. In my hometown, THE cool party spot as a 2nd-3rd grader was at the elementary school where the gym teacher ran an hour of kickball games, scooter races, and capture the flag, followed by pizza and cake in the cafeteria. I did this for my 18th and it was so fun to have a bunch of high school seniors playing these utterly fun and nostalgic childhood games. This theme is inspiring me as I think about my upcoming 40th!!
omg obsessed with this!
wow such a cool party – HB!!!!
Happy 40th Birthday, Alison and Zach. Thank you for sharing your moment with us. You two clearly love being with each other, which is so refreshing and heartening in these crazy times.
put a smile on my face
Man, as someone who turns 40 next year I’m loving this. I’m over the phase of faux-modesty of pretending to not care too much. I LOVE my birthday, I love people gathered around me for fun. Let’s do this!
I love this, Saren! I hope you have a super-fabulous 40th B-day celebration next year!!
Two thumbs way up. HBD Alison! Xoxo
Omg say more about the 8 tattoos!!
Totally! I’d love a round up of these! I’m amazed by someone who can make that commitment on the spot!
My 3 yo made the same expression of pure joy that is Alison is making in the top photo at my brother’s 40th bday party this weekend when it was time for cake! So cute- true kid birthday party energy! And happy birthday Alison!
All great ideas, especially the stack of decaf Diet Cokes! My girlfriend is turning 50 on Halloween! Naturally, she will be wearing “Sally O’Malley’s I’m 50” costume, but the rest of the party will be an SNL theme costume party! Can’t wait!
I’m turning 50 on Halloween too! I’m throwing a costume party for myself (well, my husband is kind of helping) with all my favorite people, catered by a Middle Eastern restaurant because it’s my favorite. And Halloween can koozies for everyone. A friend suggested Sally O’Malley, but I am instead dressing up like the pre-reflecting pond (blue sequins and a Washington Monument on my head) and my husband is a post (Ghillie suit). Obscure but maybe funny? And blue sequins.
I love obscure costumes, especially if they’re done well and yours sounds perfect! I think there’s a whole Japanese thing about obscure costumes and they are all so erudite they go way over my head, but I still love the idea!
I love that she said, “I love attention.” Own it girl!
*shrugs* It’s just a fact! haha
This is so awesome!
I’m floored/delighted to learn that you can book a tattoo artist for a birthday! my only tattoo is a little one from a flash sheet at an art festival… I would totally have gotten one at your party!
Allison knows how to enjoy life! Taking notes!
Boat is such a great bar! When I lived in the neighborhood I used to go there to hang out every time I locked myself out (happened way too often lol). My kind of place!
So fun! A few observations/thoughts: – the dress is amazing! – it’s so sweet that you had a joint party and clearly love being together – Freddieeee and Joannnaaaaa! Love looks good on you – I really appreciate you saying you invited ppl from all facets. This always stresses me out and I need to be more brave about it! – all I can think about is lice when I see those wigs (traumatized by Pre-K patenting) Love it all so much! Happy birthday!
Hahaha same including the wigs. Some things just stay with you!
oh god, I hadn’t even thought of lice. reconsidering all my life choices.
Welp This is the best thing I’ve seen in a while.
Great idea! Looks like so much fun!
Incredible! Thank you for sharing such a wonderful reflection of you and your husband. We all wish we could have been in attendance to this one. I would forgo my sweatpants and falling asleep on the couch to attend this party.
I would freaking love to show up at a party and get a little tattoo!