Perennial sunshine boy/man child Milton Townsend sailed into his fifth decade on Friday celebrating over lunch at DaMarco with two dozen fashionable girlfriends. Jackson Hicks, Milton's debonnaire partner of 23 years, hosted the delicious — in so many ways — repast.

As the ladies mingled through the restaurant's sunny back room, Milton and Jackson, who heads the esteemed catering/events firm Jackson and Co., recounted their summer escapades in Woodstock, Vt., where they just purchased the quaint colonial home where they've been spending summers for several years.

But the real Milton adventures — jumping off the balcony at Rich's, swirling through life in total carefree mode — those were saved for later hours. And there were later hours as a handful of partying die-hards moved on from DaMarco to the Hicks/Townsend historic home in Montrose and finally over to Spanish Village for a Tex-Mex and fried chicken supper.

Back at DaMarco, Jackson delivered a heartfelt tribute to Milton that centered on Peter "I'll never grow up" Pan. "I never imagined that after 25 or 30 years of being enthralled with Peter Pan that I would actually meet him," Jackson quipped.

Rather than go through his X-rated list of Milton antics (and he did have one much to the birthday boy's chagrin), Jackson quoted passages from the children's fairytale that he felt best exemplified Milton. "I am youth. I am joy. I am freedom . . . I'm a little bird that has broken out of the egg." Indeed.

On the mutual affection between Peter and Wendy Darling, Jackson said, "In some ways, I think each of you are his Wendy. It's hard not to be captivated by him."

And there were so many Wendys in the room ranging from the ladylike Susie Criner and Ann Kennedy to the spirited Holly Waltrip and Annie Amante. From the artistic Marquita Masterson, Libbie Masterson and Rebekah Johnson to the business-oriented Beth Madison, Carol Barden, Laurann Claridge and Dr. Layla Salek.

The love toasts flowed throughout the luncheon with Phoebe Tudor, Cathy Brock, Maggi Jones, Lesli Pendergraf, Marianne Green and Tonya Riner among those raising their glasses.