I know a young lad named Joe
Who dreams of beer, boots &
snow
He looks great is plaid
Cuts wood with his granddad
And finds time to bike like a pro.
Some friends use Yosef as his
name,
Traveling and talking are his
games,
He has a passion for maps
And loves to take naps
He is enjoying the hunt for a
dame.

Red Wing each day is a haul
But he loves his home in St. Paul
He pounds shots of wine
His dance moves are divine
Happy Birthday Dear Joe, have a ball!

I usually save my lyrical genius for my journal, however I felt it was necessary to craft a little something for my dear friend Joe to celebrate his 28th birthday tomorrow.  This may not seem like a milestone birthday by any means, but each year we survive is an important step on the journey to that place they call “adulthood.”  No one really wants to get there, so you should at least have a blast on your journey.
I have very much enjoyed the last year with you.  We said goodbye to Whitney Houston, watched the Red Bull Crashed Ice (or attempted to), became regulars at the Lowertown Bulldog, started & ended the wine shot fad, found your doppelganger and celebrated lots of little moments.  
Moving to St. Paul was one of the best decisions you’ve made and as you contemplate your next move, I want to make sure you indulge yourself into all the best parts of the city you currently call “home.”  Here is your list of to-do’s and I will treat you to any of the following as your birthday present:
  1. Ice Cream Cone at Grand Ole Creamery
  2. Midnight grease meal at Mickey’s Diner
  3. Wintertime stroll through the tropical flowers at the Como Park Conservatory
  4. Ice Skating in Rice Park 
  5. Pizza or Pasta at Cossetta’s
  6.  A burger at the Nook (I can’t participate in this, but I’ll cheer you on)
  7. Margarita at La Cucaracha and also at Boca Chica
  8. Taking in the torchlight parade to end the Winter Carnival celebration
  9. Meat Raffle at Schroeder’s on Saturday afternoons
  10. A quiet lunch at W.A. Frost (preferably in the spring/summer – their patio is GORGEOUS)
We can obviously add more if we feel the need.  The Gopher Bar night was a BLAST and it’s awesome how often we have been to the Bulldog.  Let us know where you would like to celebrate your birthday – our Sunday brunch this week didn’t really count… no bloody marys – no brunch.  Hope you have a lovely day tomorrow.   
Sincerely,
Your Pretty(?) Friend