There’s nothing quite like champagne when it comes to a big celebration. Except I wouldn’t know, as I’ve been drinking sparkling wine all these years. Because when your budget maxes out at $30, it’s faux-champagne or no champagne, and bubbles (even if they aren’t French) add a certain sparkle to a celebration. But this was wasn’t just any birthday; it was The Birthday. So it was time to go big, or go home.
Being completely unversed in things alcoholic, I headed to a specialist wine store and asked the sales guy what he recommended, knowing full well that I’d take whichever bottle he suggested, no questions asked. Five minutes later, he was wrapping up a beautiful bottle of Nicholas Feuillatte 2002 Palme D’Or while I was staring at the number on the credit card machine, wondering what the heck I was doing.
Let’s just say it cost 3 figures, and the first digit wasn’t 1. I have never spent so much on a single bottle, and probably never will again. As I left the store with my unassuming paper bag and its precious cargo within, I briefly wondered if I’d gone mad and I seriously contemplated returning it right then and there for a full refund. But I kept walking, reassuring myself that this was the key to completing my list, and that I should be splashing out to celebrate my big birthday.
I’d always been planning to do this challenge last, as a fitting end to my ’30 By 30′. So, on the 14th March 2015, the eve of my big birthday, the suitably chilled bottle of fine French champagne joined us and some friends for dinner before we headed out to party on a frozen lake (true story).
There wasn’t a lot of arm-twisting involved when I asked the select few if they wanted to help me tick off my final challenge, and sample some real (as in, real expensive) champagne. As I carefully opened the bottle and poured the good stuff into 6 flutes, I managed to splash some on the side. “Don’t waste it! That’s like $10 right there!” exclaimed my ever-frugal husband, who was taking photos, “Lick it up!”
As we all took a glass, I made a toast, to turning 30, to fine French champagne and to the wonderful friends who were there to share it with me. And as I took a sip of the deliciously smooth champagne, I couldn’t have cared less about the price tag. Because I did it! I finished my list! Despite several points of potential failure, I’d made it. And now it was time to celebrate!
Champagne selfie!
Disproving the theory that drinking expensive champagne makes you fancy, dinner was eaten off delightfully bright ‘Celebrate 30’ paper plates while we sat on the couch and watched music videos from our youth. We mused over how old BSB’s ‘Larger than Life’ seems now, reminisced on all our teenage pop crushes, and tried very hard not to kick over our remaining champagne. Then it was time to bundle up and head out to the inaugural Lake Shaker, where I tried ice fishing on a frozen lake (unsuccessful), throwing a hatchet (semi-unsuccessful) and lounging on a bison rug by an open fire (so successful we made it onto their Instagram feed). All in all, a great night of firsts to mark the final night of my 20s!
Insta-famous!
2002 may have been a great vintage for champagne (and our bottle was delicious), but I reckon 2015 might be my best year yet.
Here’s cheers to 30 years! So far, it’s not that bad at all…
practicallyprairie 
I love it!!! I just did my #30before30 can’t wait to start marking them off!! -H