Goony and Smershy show off some bling.

Meghan's birthday at the Brooklyn Beer Hall on Saturday night had been planned almost a month in advance.

But last last week while I was still in LA I got a call from Meghan saying she was engaged!.

The birthday party became an engagement party.



Katie and Semmes arrived in NYC mid-week (here to cash-in Katie's amazing birthday gift of flight/hotel/dinner/Springsteen concert) and had been planning to attend Meghan's b'day turned engagement party...but on Saturday morning when I called her to ask when she was going to Meghan's, she replied, "Dennis....I'm ENGAGED!!!!!"

Katie's toddler cousin Sophie had approached her to ask her to help retrieve this little box she had spotted in the bushes.

Katie gave it a cursory glance and said, "Sophie, I'm not crawling in there on my hands and knees to get that. You get it."

Somehow this situation resolved itself and Semmes went to retrieve the box from the bushes. In doing so he went down on one knee and it was a ringbox and there was shock and disbelief and happy smiling family members all around, etc. etc....

And with that, Meghan's Birthday/Engagement Party turned into a MegaMarriageParty for childhood best friends turned soon-to-be-warring brides.

I kid. Everyone was super-smileyfaced and as soon as Katie and Semmesey arrived at the bar there was a huge huddle-y embrace complete with screaming and jumping and squealing.







I squealed myself when I found out that the Brooklyn Beer Garden sells beer by the liter.





The joy and drunkenness was infectious.






And everyone found out about AsianBabygate on the spot.




Congratulations Goony and Smershy!

I love you guys so much and am so super excited for the epicness that is to come.

What a way to kick off the new decade.








For everyone who's going to be involved in the photo-explosions in the months and year to come, please remember: spray-tanning, teeth-whitening, and regular aerobic exercise will save me a lot of work!