Fast forward to 2019 and my dream comes true, as I find a local ranch that offers horse rentals for film and shoots. You can imagine the slack I got once I told people that I was going to do this type of shoot. Comments came left and right from people calling me “extra”, that I was “doing too much”, and that it wasn’t even a “milestone birthday”. Obviously I started feeling embarrassed and even thought about canceling the shoot, I mean, was it really necessary?

On January 19th, I celebrated my 31st birthday with my closest friends in Downtown LA. While I’m big on birthday celebrations and tend to go overboard during my birthday month, I decided to keep things on the quieter side with an intimate gathering for those who have done nothing but support me and love me unconditionally throughout the years.

30 years later and I finally get the birthday party I've always wanted! Growing up, my birthday celebrations were small and only included family members - all 5 of them. I never got a sweet 16, nothing to celebrate me being an adult at 18, and I don't even remember what I did for my 21st. Wait, was it Dave & Busters?