June 5, 2010

Age ain’t nothin’ but a number

According to my facebook wall, yesterday was my birthday. I usually let it pass without occasion, spending the day by myself or with a close friend, but yesterday was different. Yesterday I hosted a dinner for a few friends at a restaurant in the Meatpacking district.

I spent the day alone, first eating breakfast in Chinatown at Bo Ky, then after a short shopping trip to buy linen pants, I went to the Met. I spent almost an hour on the roof with Doug + Mike Starn's Big Bambu before wandering aimlessly through the rest of the museum. I enjoyed the American Woman exhibit, but was disappointed to find that it ended just as I was getting into it (a companion exhibit that expands upon that at the Met can be found at the Brooklyn Museum). At the Met exhibition, I would also have liked to have seen examples of how men's fashions changed or didn't alongside the women's.

From there, I rediscovered Italian and Dutch paintings from the 16th and 17th centuries. I haven't spent much time in those galleries, but yesterday I was suddenly enraptured by the art contained therein. I wondered at the light these masters managed to capture, and the form and volume of their rendered subjects. I was astounded.

I ended the afternoon in the Egyptian galleries, resting by the Temple of Dendar before exiting through the remainder of the wing. I had gone to see the King Tut exhibit the night before, and was happy to balance that with the more rigorously presented work at the Met.

Dinner went smoothly, thanks to the restaurant staff, who were incredibly gracious and accomodating. After dinner, some friends pressured me to open gifts but, not wanting to turn the evening into a baby shower, I demurred. To appease them, they're posted above. If you suddenly hear the theme song to Il Postino (or the tune from Triplets of Belleville), that's me riding by. Ring! Ring!

Thanks to all my friends near and far, those who could make it last night and those who couldn't. "My life would be far poorer were not each of you in it."

Outside, a group is singing happy birthday.

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9 comments

I'm sorry I missed your birthday dinner and what great gifts!

shan | June 5, 2010 10:27 PM | Reply

Yeah! My friends are all really thoughtful and have great taste! Sorry you couldn't make it as well. How was the party you did go to?

eugene | June 6, 2010 8:30 AM | Reply

happy belated birthday! it sounded like a perfect day. hope to see you soon!

yohan lee | June 6, 2010 9:39 AM | Reply

Thanks Yohan! It was pretty spectacular! I hope to see you and your FAM soon!

Author Profile Page eugene | June 6, 2010 9:40 AM | Reply

You got a bike? Wow how did that wrap that?

Simone007 | June 6, 2010 10:23 AM | Reply

Yeah! The bike is amazing! It's sooooooo beautiful. Maybe next weekend I'll ride it up to the UWS and we can bike ride together! Do you have seats and things for the kids? It came wrapped in a card. :p I went by yesterday to get it fitted, and I'm picking it up today! I'm trying to find my bike helmet and can't unfortunately. I guess I'll have to buy a new one.

I feel like I need to be carrying a baguette in my arm with a beret on my head when riding it around. :p

eugene | June 6, 2010 10:37 AM | Reply

Oh, and you didn't see it parked in the corner Friday night? :p It came wrapped in a card. ;-)

eugene | June 6, 2010 10:38 AM | Reply

i wish i'd been ther to celebrate with u. i rarely get to c u, esp with everyone too. miss u much.
enjoy ur trip to southAf, n i'm with u in spirits.
remember traveling with u, so mch fun.
nxt time around, i'll b ready to go.

soph | June 8, 2010 2:34 PM | Reply

yes! it would have been awesome to have seen you and to have hung out with you. you should come to S africa! blow off that other thing you have going on. :p

eugene | June 10, 2010 11:18 AM | Reply

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