Michael Simon/startraksphoto.comHappy (early) birthday, Katie Holmes!
The actress, who will be turning 37 tomorrow, started the celebrations a little early by holding a dinner with some pals in New York City tonight. E! News learned Holmes and a few of her closest friends, including designer Zac Posen, gathered together at Beauty & Essex in the Big Apple to enjoy a great meal.
"Katie and her friends were in the Vault Room at B&E and the restaurant served some of their signature items," a source tells E! News, adding that the group enjoyed milk and cookies for dessert.
Holmes also took to Instagram to share a photo from her fun night, posing with chef Mario Batali, and captioned the snapshot, "Awesome birthday at #beautyandessex with great friends!"
The brunette beauty, who is mother to 9-year-old Suri Cruise, recently talked to Ocean Drive magazine about the lasting affects of being a mom.
"[Motherhood] changes you completely in such amazing ways, and I think that you become who you were meant to be," she said. "Being a parent also is a source of inspiration to just work really hard. You want to set an example—and, you know, [your kids] are what drives you."
And as far as where she's at right now in her personal life, things are going well. "I really enjoy my life," she said. "I don't really regret anything that I've done. I've learned from everything, and everything sort of leads you to the next place. I just keep going."
—Reporting by Sara Kitnick