They Say It’s Your Birthday
Mar 2nd, 2010 by Kristin
The funny thing about birthdays is that you think the older they become, the less of a big deal they are, beginning to taper off until it’s a week past the big day and you realize you completely forgot to even acknowledge the passing of another year. You think after 21, it’s all downhill, that all the “big” birthdays left are days of mourning—30, 40, 50, 60 and so forth. This has not been my experience. I turned 27 last week and celebrated five times.
I know, I know—vain any? To be frank, this wasn’t all my doing. You see, I happened to be back in Tennessee the week before, working on my book in Memphis, and so both of my parents came up for a night to go see Andy Roddick do his thang at the big annual Memphis tennis tourney, then spend the night with me at the glorious Hunt-Phelan House. After we checked in and had a nightcap somewhere around the midnight hour, they presented me with a bag full of presents saying “they’re nothing big.” So no one was more shocked than I to find a KINDLE inside. The funny thing is that the Kindle was essentially made for people like me, jetsetters who are known to forgo the packing of clothes to make room for 11 books (yes, that’s precisely what I did when SVV and I took off to Guatemala year before last…and read every last one and were bookless by the end of week two). Yet, it never even occurred to me to want a Kindle. Nor did it occur to my mom to give me one, until we gave both her and my 88-year-old grandfather each one for Christmas, and I asked to borrow Granddaddy’s for our upcoming Africa trip. But then she thought, I was as good a type as any to need a Kindle, and lo, that’s how I came to own one. I don’t have a picture of me and my new beloved electronic device, so how about one of my Mom and her favorite offspring instead?
And prior to Memphis, I was in Birmingham visiting the other cousins, and ER resident-by-day, gourmet chef-by-night, Drooski whipped up a “birthday” batch of bananas foster. Seriously, who does that, I ask? Just says, “I think we’ll have bananas foster for dessert, carefully prepared in my awesome chef’s kitchen.”
On my actual birthday day, I took a page out of my good friend and fellow February-born gal Holly’s book and took the whole. Day. Off. If you know me, this is a huge deal. I tend to work seven days a week, into the wee hours of the morning if you don’t stop me. Ever since I went the freelance route two years ago, I had all these grand plans of seeing movies during the day while other people were at work, getting a manicure when my nails deemed it time, window shopping along Fillmore Street on carefree sunny days, the works. And this has yet to happen once. Not once, I say! Until last Tuesday, that is. I braved the never-ending drizzle, went shopping in Union Square, used credits from two birthdays ago to buy shoes at Macy’s, utilized an “It’s Your Birthday!” coupon at Anthropologie to score this impossibly cute dress (seriously, what is it about having 15% off that suddenly deems Anthro’s exorbitant prices acceptable?):
…got a mani-pedi for super cheap at a really nice spa courtesy of a Groupon that happened to fall in my inbox the day before (seriously, Groupon? best concept ever), saw Valentine’s Day finally (meh), got a massage courtesy of another amazing deal I found on Yelp at a spa I’d wanted to test out for ages and, lastly, had dinner with some lovely ladies at my friend Megahn’s house.
This past Friday night, the celebration continued. Some of my closest San Francisco friends and I convened at Madrone on Divisadero and concluded six hours later at Fly Bar for some late night nibbles and cocktails.
And who knew you still got friend presents at the ripe old age of 27? I scored a dozen cupcakes from my very favorite cupcakery in the whole wide world That Takes the Cake and a mani from my dear Moose, an awesome dive book and travel planner from Holly and Sean, an African-themed wrap and apt “K” necklace from Autumn, and tons of jewelry from a slew of my other closest gal pals. In one word, they all rock.
SVV also gave me a couple vintage items to add to our ever-growing collection—two awesome globes, to bring our mantle display to a whopping lucky number 13—that were so perfectly wrapped when I got back from my Tennessee work trip.
Then, after the excitement died down it was time to celebrate again! Only this time with SVV’s family! They all made the trek from Fair Oaks and Cameron Park to our new city dwelling to celebrate the February babies (that would be me and my awesome sister-in-law-to-be/fellow Southern belle Vanessa). So not only did I get to see some of my very favorite people and eat, drink and be merry once again, but the rain subsided long enough to create the most beautiful spring day ever, so we spent it lounging on Ocean Beach.
All in all, best birthday to date. If this is 27, I can’t wait to see what 28 holds.
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Glad it was so lovely! I’ll be joining you at 27 in just a few weeks—hope mine is HALF as awesome.
Happy belated birthday, my fellow turning-27-in-February lady! I too took the day off (not hard when you don’t actually have a job, heh) and got a massage and a mani-pedi. A good way to spend a birthday, I reckon.
BTW, Fair Oaks, huh? I was born there! Good times…
Happy Belated Birthday! It looks like you had a blast! Hope the rest of the year is just as awesome for you.
Happy birthday! The wrapping paper on your globes cracks me up . . . man wrapping is my favorite
You were spoiled, INDEED. (You deserve it.)
Well Happy Birthday to you! What a great group of friends and family you have. And, your friends know you very well because as soon as I saw the jewelry gifts I knew they were totally your style! And wow, I can’t believe you didn’t have a Kindle before; I know you’ll love it. Thanks for sharing =)
I always celebrate my whole birthday month. Meaning any event happening in June doubles as a ‘birthday celebration’!
The older ya get ya just got to spoil yourself!
I also discovered last year the key to an awesome birthday is doing what YOU want all day
Happy Birthday!
Shit, woman, you sure know how to celebrate! (And it’s very clear that you’re very loved by those around you.)
Also, those dresses? Adorable.
Oh, and also also? You’ll love your Kindle, I promise! I got one as a college graduation gift, and it’s amazing.
Happy birthday!
From one who has just turned 30…1) it just keeps getting better and 2) birthdays become even more reason to celebrate as you get older (I think anyway)!
Happy Birthday.
What is the doodad covered with white buttons?
Glad you had such wonderful birthday celebrations! And good one you for taking the day off on your birthday, I know that had to be hard!
You are a girl after my own heart. I take a birthday month:) And sometimes throw in a 1/2 birthday in October!
Happy happy happy birthday!!!!
Welcome to 27!!! I can tell you it’s a pretty good age to be!
Looks like you had some fantastic celebrations, as you should have!!!
Wow, some celebration, that!
Happy (belated) birthday.
Happy Birthday!
My most recent birthday (25!) I considered more as a deadline than a holiday. I’ll be remedying that situation for next year, though, because a day of relaxation sounds way better than stressing about minutiae.
my jaw dropped reading this post. YOU HAD THE BEST 27TH BIRTHDAY IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD! amazing! it kept coming and coming. great family and friends indeed; happy belated birthday KL! : )
so excited for your HCMC and SA trips!!!! 2010 is rocking. Oh, and the highly anticipated wedding ;P
I’m glad you had a lovely birthday! I’m also a February 1983 baby – I was born on the 9th.
Happy (belated) birthday!
THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH CELEBRATING YOUR BIRTHDAY FIVE TIMES. LET NO ONE TELL YOU OTHERWISE.
I feel better now.
So jealous of your jewelry presents :}
Happy belated birthday! 27 is such a great year – one of my favorite years ever. I turned the big 3-0 last year and literally celebrated for the 8 days before my birthday. I was actually kind of exhausted by the time my birthday came around.