Whether this is a DESTINATION BIRTHDAY PARTY, or you are my local buddy,
YOU ARE INVITED!

🦄 When:

Friday April 11 - Sunday April 13, 2025

🦄 Where:

Happiness Hills Farm & Retreat Center (8682 Battlefield Memorial Hwy, Berea KY)

AND Nicole’s House (10-min drive from Happiness Hills; address provided later)

🦄 (Evolving) Agenda

Friday:
🌟 4pm or later checkin for out-of-town folks. Please let me know your ETA so I don’t worry about you (773-879-1492)
🌟 6pm Dinner! Nicole & carole are cooking up a meal that will include options for all kinds of eaters (fish & vegan proteins, greens, sweet potatoes). Feel free to bring something but full potluck is on Saturday.
🌟 7pm “Talent Show” vibes in the barn: bring a song, something to read (written by you or someone else), some visual art, a weird talent, a video (I’ll have a projector set up). This is not a roast or a tribute—Nicole actually enjoys the artistic expressions of other people. There will be a basic PA system but don’t expect a lot of tech.
🌟 9pmish… fire/hangs

Saturday DAYTIME:
🌟 morning there will be coffee, tea, bagels & cream cheese over in Martin House for those staying on campus. Help yourself and others to breakfast!
🌟 daytime is unstructured but could include: a nice walk of the grounds at Happiness Hills and/or nearby Horse Cove, playing cards and games, reading tarot, taking naps, trips to Berea-town, blowing bubbles, playing with any children who show up, relaxation...
🌟 locals are also welcome Saturday daytime! come play games or let your kids run around! let me know when you are coming or just stop by and see what’s up.

Saturday NIGHTTIME:

🌟 6pm Dinner! Potluck offerings welcome
🌟 7-11ish moving into DANCE PARTY in the barn! A collection of mixes offer something for everyone. Nicole’s dream is that we begin slowly with some lightly led stretching etc to get us warmed up but we will see how that goes.
🌟 8ish simultaneous to dance party: fire in the fire pit!

Sunday:
🌟 Folks staying at Happiness Hills farm check out by 10am.
🌟 10am ALL are welcome at Nicole’s house for brunch!

🦄 What to Bring (Out-of-towners and Locals)

🌟 BYOB if you’d like to enjoy adult beverages. (The Bighill Food Mart is 1.5 miles down the road where you could also get ice, snacks, alcohol and non-alcoholic beverages)
🌟 Potluck offering for Saturday (out-of-towners don’t stress about this). Not a cook? Things that will always be appreciated: a bag of tortilla or potato chips, a bag of ice, dark chocolate, cans of seltzer. Locals: I don’t need to tell you anything, let’s go.
🌟 Outdoor chair (optional but appreciated, especially at the fire)
🌟 STRONG LOOKS for Saturday: Nicole loves all creative clothing/costume expressions. It might be chilly—dress in layers. Be fabulous, be comfortable, no stress. The barn where the dance party will be has cement floors—consider a shoe with some cushion, and remember the ground will be wet.
🌟 Children are welcome and invited. I am happy to celebrate my birthday with my young friends! I’m not creating special childrens’ programming but I feel confident we can get into some fun with littles.

🌟 Out of Towners:
🌈 Bedding, towels, etc are provided at the retreat center.
🌈 Keep your eye on the weather. Currently it looks cool but not rainy. But the ground will be WET because we’ve had a lot of rain lately—bring your boots.
🌈 FOOD: Everyone will have access to a kitchen or kitchenette in/near their living space. Bring any special foods that you can’t live without. There will be a ton of food on hand but if you need a particular thing, bring it. There is also a Kroger Grocery store that is a 20 minute drive and Happy Meadows Natural Foods that is a 10 minute drive.
🌈 Games, cards, tarot decks, art projects, a book, etc.
🌈 If you’d like to explore the area, check out the EVENTS page at Berea Tourism or ask Nicole for recommendations. There are truly wonderful arts & crafts places in town. The Kentucky Artisan Center is totally worth a visit, as is Berea’s Artisan Village.
🌈 Sunday brunch: I know some folks want to get on the road on Sunday but I’d LOVE to show you my cute little house in the country, so if you can stop by on Sunday morning on your way out of town that would be great!

🦄 Housing provided at no cost to you!

Indoor, cabin-style, with kitchens, bathrooms, & showers. RSVP to reserve your spot(s). 20+ beds available including couple/family arrangements. Meals will be semi-potluck / communal. If you have accessibility concerns please note that in the RSVP or reach out individually!

🦄 Traveling to Berea, KY

🌟 Nearest Airport: Lexington, KY (1 hour) . Other Airports: Louisville (2 hours), Cincinnati / Northern KY (2 hours). Get in touch if you need to talk about transportation or arrange an airport pickup!

🌟 Driving: There is a Greyhound Bus to Berea, KY. Other than that, driving is your only other option.

🦄 COVID Cautions / Protocols

Weather permitting, Happiness Hills Farm should allow for a lot of time outdoors. (Bringing outdoor chairs will help make that possible!). We will have some parts of our gathering inside of a very porous/drafty barn with large doors that we can keep open for air circulation, and the dance party can definitely spill outside. There will be COVID tests on site and everyone will be urged to test for COVID before coming and when they arrive. Masks encouraged, especially inside.

I also recognize that some folks may want to have individual conversations about COVID prevention and I encourage that! I endeavor to have this event be as welcoming and safe as possible.