In a little over 3 weeks, my beautiful wife will turn the big 3-oh. As the husband, it is my duty to ensure that this is a celebration worthy of the event. Unfortunately, there are a few obstacles to this happening:
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[li]I am severely deficient in the planning-of-events department. Much more of a wing it/by the seat of my pants kinda guy[/li][li]My family didn’t celebrate birthdays overly, especially as we grew older. For us, it’s a nice little day, a phone call, a birthday card (usually late) etc[/li][li]Her family celebrates birthdays like there is no tomorrow. Gifts, calls, more than one card, more gifts, etc[/li][/list=1]
So, not only do I have big expectations to live up to, but very little skill in doing so. So I turn to the board for some ideas.
Here’s a little about us. We live near Hartford, CT - about 2 hours from Boston and NY. We’ve only been here for two years (moved from Oregon) and we don’t have many friends in the area. A couple of her best friends in life however live in Boston. We also quite enjoy going to NY to see a show. Lastly, the very same week of her birthday she is starting her masters in architecture.
I originally was going to take her to NY for a play and dinner and shopping, but wanted to do something a little more representative of where she is in life.
Oh yeah, we don’t have kids.
Ok - give me some great ideas! I beg of you 
My friends down the way celebrated her “Dirty Thirty” party, with ‘naughty’ fortune cookies and your good-natured humorous stuff from a local Spencer’s. Don’t know what your comfort level is, but hey . . . it’s a thought. . .
Tripler
Spencer’s: A novelty gift shop in the mall.
It depends on the amount of money & time you have for this. If both are surplus, why not have a nice dinner & a show in NYC the night before her birthday (just the two of you). Then, on her birthday, go to Boston and have dinner with her best friends. That would be a celebration worthy of turning 30. If you only have the time/money for one, go to Boston, really. You can go to NYC for her 31st - this one is a milestone and if it were me, it would mean a lot more to spend it with life long friends.
Have Fun!
Since you don’t have kids, you probably spend plenty of time together.
Invite the friends from Boston up, have a nice dinner out. Give her a nice gift. Jewelery? Spa Day?
My mother turns 60 this year. We (my two sisters, myself, and my Dad) are giving her a girls weekend with her daughters in San Francisco. Mom has never gotten to travel like she would have liked, so we are spending three days in SF. Since my sister lives half way across the country, getting her girls all in one place is the best treat of all.
I had this fantasy for my 30th (didn’t come to pass and now I’m turing 31 with no fanfare) that I’d have a ‘wake’ style party-- lots of flowers and black and rent a coffin that I could just lounge around in with my gin and tonic and receive guests who could eulogize my youth
If you decide to go with Boston, you could arrange with her friends to spend a day and evening together. For the daytime, you could take an architectural tour of Boston. I remember hearing about a guided tour of Boston architecture, but I’m still hunting for info on it, so I may have dreamed it. You could start with books on Boston architecture, such as The Boston Society of Architects’ AIA Guide to Boston or Great Buildings of Boston: A Photographic Guide and build your own walking tour. Her friends in Boston could help a lot with this, in terms of planning what to see, in what order.
Then in the evening get a good meal in one of our numerous great restaurants. Then stay over in a hotel or drive back to Hartford. Some friends of mine who will be in town for a wedding the first weekend in Feb got an amazing deal at the Omni Parker House (important historic hotel) for around $60 a night. Not sure who they booked through, but Travelocity shows some good deals at the Park Plaza for this time of year.
Good luck, and let me know if you have questions about Boston.
Thanks for the ideas. I emailed her best friend, who lives in Boston. Haven’t heard back yet.