Did you ever think we’d make it this far?!? We stand with 97 posts behind us and I couldn’t be prouder to have stuck with this project. A while back when I debuted Little Conqueror’s new look, I made a promise to give out some compliments. I’ve always been a woman of my word, so here goes nothing.

Kristina Paulsen- On the superficial front, Kristina is one of the most skilled wearer of scarves out there. I don’t know if it is her degree in fashion from Pratt or her upbringing on chilly Cape Cod, but girlfriend knows how to rock it. On the real real front, Kristina is one of my closest, most supportive friends and knows how to be there for you whether you’re going through a life trauma or just trying to make it through 90 minutes of hot yoga. You’d be hard pressed to find anyone more self-assured or willing to say and stand up for what they believe in or anyone who is dressed as cute while doing it.

Betsy Hoffman- You guys, isn’t Betsy just the greatest?? I don’t get to see her as much as I’d like to, but I remember a time where we spent many a night at McManus managing to have real talk in a room full of comedians. I always looked up to Betsy and think of her as someone who can just have fun and enjoy life moment to moment, while still being able to maintain a sense of normalcy and get stuff done. Betsy’s enthusiasm is contagious and she is one of the most genuine people out there. Also, she’s like really pretty!

Steven Slate- Steve is so cool! He is a GREAT example of being who you are and sticking to your guns, and not being scared to go against the grain once in a while. Steve was another one of my McManus peeps and helped make my early 20s a lot more fun and manageable all at the same time. He’s got a great sense of humor and doesn’t need to be the center of attention, which is a rare and amazing combination. Good good people.

Matt Thornbury- This kid could give away all my secrets. We had the joy of going to high school together and Matt was the Dawson of Carmel, Indiana. He always wanted to be a film-maker and did the impossible of getting out of Indiana to study film at USC. Matt was (is) funny, kind, hard-working, and open-minded to all of people’s quirks. Even if that quirk involves him making a video submission to an *N SYNC contest for a friend. Matt, you better not still have that footage. He also has an adorable baby and a beautiful wife, and I couldn’t be happier for him.

Ariele Rosch- List all the qualities of a good person and a good friend, and you’ve just described Ariele. She is the most supportive and enthusiastic person I know, and the second you say you want to try something, she’s with you %100. Ariele is also very talented in her own right and brings that talent to her writing, photography, illustrations, and basically everything she touches. She is hilarious and refreshing and I don’t think I could have made it through my 20s without her. This girl is Fearless and I am constantly inspired by her willingness to take chances and look fondly on all the times we took those chances together.

Laura Sarginger- Laura is one of those people that I was supposed to be friends with. Back in college, in the span of two weeks about fifty different things occurred that all lead me to this person, and I had no choice but to get to know her. Life couldn’t have set me up with a better friend. She’s the girl who fits in perfectly at a black tie ball (which she goes to) and a backyard game of beer pong (which she also goes to). She is one of the most motivated people I know and has managed to go from a girl from Philly working part-time at a muffin shop to a partner in a high profile company in a span of five years. The thing about Laura, though, is she’s is so much fun and down for anything. A night out with Laura is always an adventure and the only guarantee is that you’ll have a great time.

Andrew Mills- Andrew’s one of those people that I really wanted to be my friend, and now ten years later, that friendship is still going strong. Andrew is artistic, talented, funny, and marches to his own drum. If it weren’t for him, my hipster vocabulary would be seriously impaired and I probably wouldn’t have seen half of the movies that are now my favorites. He was the first person to introduce me to things that were off the beaten path and music that wasn’t on MTV or the radio. He’s thoughtful and open-minded, which is clear from his eclectic group of friends. Andrew is a good egg, and I look forward to at least ten more years of being his friend.

Farley Elliott- Faaarllllleeeeeyyyy!!!! I always say you can judge a person by their appetite and Farley writes about food professionally, so that should say a lot. He is friendly, energetic, HILARIOUS, adventurous, thoughtful and kind. He is a force to be reckoned with and makes a room better just by being there. If I lived in LA, I’d be bothering Farley to hang out all the time, because between the good company and the inevitable good food, it just doesn’t get much better.

Emily Lytle-Painter- Emily is my oldest friend. For whatever reason sophomore year of high school, she decided she liked me and we’ve been buddies ever since. The thing about Emily is she is honest. She will tell you exactly what she’s thinking, even if it’s not what you want to hear, and her take is usually dead on. She’s not scared to crack a few eggs and she taught me to be the same way. Because of her I’m able to be speak up for myself and her friendship has helped mold me into a confident person, that would probably be very different otherwise. I am SOOOO proud of Emily and everything she’s done. She’s kicking ass at the art museum in Indianapolis and had the most beautiful wedding. We might have met as kids, but I now look at Emily as an amazing woman.

Mallory Schwartz- I met Mallory as an intern and knew right away that she was destined for big things. Mallory is talented, hard-working, down to earth, and also in a dance crew… So she’s kind of all the best stuff rolled into one. I’m so excited to see where life takes Mallory and happy that I get to be there for the ride.  Watch out for this one… I smell an EGOT in her future.