This year, I celebrated my birthday at least five times over the week.
On my last day of 58, Naomi and I went to Otaki for an amazing lunch at YamaNeko. They were having a special strawberry crepe event and I have never had such a delicious crepe – it was sugar crispy on the inside, with a mascarpone filling, fresh strawberries, two kinds of gelato plus with strawberry sauce and pistachios. It was beautiful as well as delicious.
And on my birthday, I woke up early, thanks to the cats. I tried on my 30 year old “birthday dress” (it still fits, yay) and then bundled up for a trip into the city.
Tod & I met in Nezu and visited art supply stores (I really loved the pigment store!) a bookstore, and had lunch. But the weather was dreadful – freezing cold and raining. I was underslept and overstimulated by the noise and city energy. Our plans to go out to dinner turned into curling up on the sofa eating pizza. I really don’t suit the city any more. I was happy to get back to the countryside the next day.
I spent the next few days of birthday week playing with watercolors in an online class with Michelle Armas. Her style is very wet and fluid. It was fun to follow along and try some new techniques.
And on Saturday night, Hitomi and Kengo hosted dinner at their house. Hitomi baked a three-layer strawberry cream cake. We laughed a lot over dinner.
I wound up birthday week with another art workshop, this one in person at at Tasukake. I enjoyed making fun marks on paper with bamboo sticks and ink overseen by the paper artist, Naoaki Sakamoto.
