I had the pleasure of attending a double husband/wife birthday party on Saturday night at the Old Stone House. The house was decorated beautifully by Christine Murphy Fine Art Decorating with colorful saris, tiny Christmas lights, and handmade chandeliers.  There were pictures of the birthday couple as children and through the ages. Votive candles lit the room

She was turning 50, he 60. They moved to the Slope, with their now 8-year old son, five years ago from San Francisco and the crowd was a mix of new friends and old. A large number of friends and family traveled from California, Texas, and elsewhere to celebrate with them.

An hour or so into the party, a young man called everyone to attention. "I’m not sure if you’ve been told but you’re about to have a SWING DANCE LESSON!"

A moment of panic ensued about this dancin’ surprise. But most in the crowd obediently assembled into couples and this young man began teaching the crowd to swing dance. Hepcat shoulder kept him from dancing so I partnered up with a woman whose husband seemed to mysteriously disappear (he has a knee injury).

Within a half hour we were really flying, twirling, twisting, and doing the swing thing. It was great, great fun. A fabulous idea for a party.

The music aged upwards as the evening progressed and by 11 p.m. Madonna, Abba, and other 1980’s faves were blaring from the speakers. The West Coast visitors were the most  uninhibited dancers of all — soloing within a circle of friends.

If 40 is the new 30, the 50 is the new 40 and 60 is surely the new 50.

The party was a melange of many ages – all conversing, connecting, twisting and turning: a group of revellers who are re-define "aging" in a most inventive and inspiring way.