a birthday for the books

February 13, 2016 by Kirsten

The 24th one. A day of hugs and smiles and warm wishes and tea. After work I skipped my workout (BOOM- BIRTHDAY SWAG), showered and actually put on normal human clothes. And red lipstick- on a Thursday. I know.

I took myself down to Dave’s on South Main, where the wide windows were nearly opaque with steam from the inside and cold February wind from the outside. They seemed wholly unsure of whether to freeze or sweat. From where I stood, awaiting my matcha-latte-with-almond-milk-to-go, the escaped vapor of coffee beans turned to beverages ran down the windows like wax down the sides of a burning candle. Happy Birthday to me.

I walked myself (briskly with the setting sun) up to Benefit Street and right into the peaceful Providence Athenaeum. The historic library is one of the most breathtaking in Rhode Island, if not the entire country. I sat myself in one of their windsor chairs, reminiscent of my childhood in an 18th century home, pulled The Intimate Journal of George Sand from the shelf and began writing in a brand new journal of my own. (Happy Birthday to meeeee.)

When the Athenaeum closed and I returned to the east side, my favorite cousin M was awaiting with a bevy of glorious gifts- including a cheese-cake consisting of my favorites: brie, smoked gouda, and a cute, stinky, delicious little round one to make up the top tier. We lit the beeswax candles (dang, isn’t she cute?) and I made a wish before blowing them out. A cake of cheese was all I truly wanted for my birthday. Apparently it took me 24 years to figure this out. #wisdom

Friends filtered in one by one, all of them bringing presents with their presence (see what I did there?) and showering me with all of it quite righteously. We sipped Cliquot, nibbled cheese and I unwrapped and unwrapped, giddy as, well, a birthday girl. We headed out into the cold night under a slivered moon, which resembled- with almost eerie similarity- the very earrings decorating me, the ones A had just gifted me with. Birthday magic. Next it was off to The Grange (of course) to meet with even more friends and drink a flaming cocktail. Yes, the drink was on fire. Yes, it was cool. There were also brussel sprouts and pomme frites and potato croquettes. There was joking and cheers-ing and merriment all around. It was birthday with, for, but certainly not by the books, and I’d like to do it all again next week, pleaseandthankyou.

24

February 11, 2016 by Kirsten

static1.squarespace-4 static1.squarespace-3

hours in a day, meters in a slinky, carats in pure gold, years in my life…

Today is my twenty-fourth birthday and I can’t quite decide how that makes me feel. At once it’s confusing (how in the world did I get to be this age? I started this blog when I was EIGHTEEN), scary (does this mean I’m in my “mid-twenties” now?), and exciting (after all, nobody likes you when you’re 23). The confusion is a bit of a comfort, though, as it seems these days indecisiveness is both my practice and my police. There must be something about this between-the-early-and-mid year that has made the decisions feel bigger and more important, but my intentionality in making them (and waiting for the proper time to actually make them, letting them go when they don’t matter quite as much as I thought they might, etcetera) seems to have developed with an equal and opposite fervor.

This year I’ve learned the beautiful art of treating yourself, I’ve started- at least trying- to reduce my consumerist footprint, and adopted a much more conscious approach to living. I’m a clutter-arranger inspired by minimalism, a crafter with no free time to create, and a student of the universe. I make sugar scrubs (well, plan to), compost tea bags and kill plants (though I’d love to keep one living sometime, just to mix things up).

When I look at the photo above (taken on a recent collaborative photoshoot), I see crow’s feet- GAHHHH- and happiness. If every belly laugh like the one captured above means I deepen those crinkly little bird prints just a tad more, well, bring it on.

photos by Kelly Louise Photography

twenty three

February 11, 2015 by Kirsten

Today I am 23. I receive socks, homemade granola, lip balm, a tiny glass meant for single-serving wine nights and am genuinely pleased. Throw in a miniature pin and some itty bitty liquor nips and I am completely over the moon- boy do my people know me well. It’s the first birthday where I’m even slightly hesitant to answer how old am I noooowwww and that, my friends, does not bode well for 30.

However unsavory the idea of celebrating the 23rd reunion of my birth may be, this day itself has been absolutely amazing so far. I spent the entire morning surrounded by my favorite people, we worked on Coma all day, and the sweet barista at Seven Stars even bumped up my small chai to a medium, adding a special birthday message to my cup, to boot. There were chocolate dipped coconut macaroons and a strawberry-coated cake in my honor. How special do I feel? Very. Terrified of how quickly the years seem to pass as I rack up yet another into my collection of 20’s, but special, yes very.

Cheers to facing fears and 23 years! Have a piece of cake for me tonight.

floral feet

April 21, 2014 by Kirsten

The best gifts are made with love.

This weekend my favorite cousin and I finally reunited after a significant drought (3 months of separation- the struggle was real!) and she gave me some belated birthday presents, one of which left me completely speechless. A quick tear of the balloon-stamped wrapping paper revealed vibrant splashes of hand-embroidered flowers, blooming together into the ever familiar shape of two resting pointe shoes. And I do mean very familiar…these pointe shoes are my own! The portrait’s base is a photo I took of my feet on the final day of Peter Pan rehearsals back in January. Leave it to M to turn something from battered to beautiful. So much talent. They remind me of those gorgeous Jose Romussi ballerinas I fell in love with a few months ago. Now I have my very own embroidered photograph, personalized and stitched with love by one of my loves. Does it get any better?

And you know what they say, April flowers bring…embroidered flowers? I think that’s how it goes…

22

February 15, 2014 by Kirsten

This week I turned 22. To combat the frigid winter temps, we decided to throw a Kiki in honor of the big b-day. It was an extremely festive event, with 10 hour balloons, prosecco, and 25 gourmet grilled cheeses (my absolute favorite food) catered by the roomie and me. In case you feel like drooling this morning, I’ll just say this: tomato/pesto/mozzarella/salami, havarti/arugula/dijon mustard, apple/cheddar, fig jam/caramelized onions/bacon/cheddar, nutella/banana/cinnamon.

birthday {wish}list

January 22, 2014 by Kirsten

With my 22nd birthday less than a month away (when did I get so old?!), I can’t help but daydream of beautiful goodies I would kill to unwrap come February. Today’s snowy day off from work has gifted me a slow morning filled with homemade oatmeal (thanks, T), cozy pj’s past noon, and ample couch time to….do….well….what else is there to do but compile a wishlist (emphasis on the WISH) of gorgeous things on a snow day anyway?

clockwise from top left: 2014 calendar, cashmere beanie, ballerina earrings, pj set, gucci bag, rayban sunnies, mulberry bag, marc jacobs watch

cause for celebration

July 24, 2013 by Kirsten

We’re home from Maine, and now it’s time to cross that big old bridge to Newport for the date we’ve all been waiting to celebrate- my cousin’s 21st birthday! This two-day-long fiesta will surely include (more than) a few cocktails, a delicious dinner out, dressing up fancy, and of course dancing. See you on the other side!

entering adulthood

May 22, 2013 by Kirsten

This past week, two of my best friends, Tegan and Brenna, both turned 21. Of course there was a fair amount of ~~drinking~~ celebrating around here, but in the lull between festivities (somewhere after the mimosas and before the mojitos), I really got to thinking about what it is to turn 21. Every year on my birthday, at least one person hits me with the cliché “So, do you feel any older today?”, to which I’ve always replied with a shrug and a half-smile. But this year was different. Turning 21 really does make you feel older. While anyone over the age of 35 reading this may be shaking their head and giving their computer screen a furrowed brow and a sarcastic chuckle, turning 21 has made me feel old. Okay, not old. But older.

Although I swear I was just taking my permit test on my 16th birthday yesterday, the fact is I’ve been 21 for over a month now. Which means I am a real adult. Nothing is stopping me. When I think about it, it actually feels like a very advantageous and exciting time in my life. I have finally been accepted into the “secret society” of grown-ups who kibitz over martinis and discuss their preference for red or white wine at the local watering hole. Now that my friends are joining me in the exclusive club that is adulthood, I can’t wait to really explore the Over-21 world I’ve anxiously viewed from the outside for so many years. So cheers to birthdays, liquor store perusing, champagne bottle popping, solo cup clinking, and perfecting the hangover cure.

stay young, go dancing

February 12, 2013 by Kirsten

My 21st birthday dinner was everything I could have asked for and more. Fancy drinks, great company, amazing food, and funfetti cake (with Cafe Nuovo‘s signature rock candy sprinkled on top, of course!). The best meal of my life (seriously cannot stress this enough- if you ever have a chance to eat at Cafe Nuovo, DO IT) was followed by bar hopping with all of my very best friends, where a basil/lemon concoction invented by the brilliant bartender at The Eddy took the prize as best drink of the night. A wonderful night of eating, drinking and dancing surrounded by everyone you love the most…is there anything better? I think not!

21

February 11, 2013 by Kirsten

Today is the beginning of a new era for me. My twenty-first birthday. A new year that plunges me head first into that exciting and liberating decade of life we call the twenties. While my birth certificate says I was born 21 years ago, I still cannot wrap my (soon-to-be-mimosa-fied) brain around it. Sometimes it feels like my 17th birthday was two days ago, and other times I feel like I am such a completely different person than who I was on that day. Considering how immensely you can change after just a few birthdays inspires me to keep aiming higher and higher. For my twenty-first birthday, my gift to myself will be a year of striving towards becoming the young woman I want to be. Oh, and a lot of wine. Cheers!

Setting The Barre

Tag Archives: birthday