I LOVE MY BIRTHDAY!
Quick details:
We went to the Art Museum (I love being a member there) in the morning to see the Frederico Barocci Exhibit. Such colorful, emotional, rosy paintings! I really fell in love with Barocci's art - his style is situated at the end of the Renaissance and the beginning of the Baroque, so it includes all the beautiful, classical clarity of the earlier period and anticipates all the emotional drama of the later. While I am aware that Mary was a Jewish girl of the ancient period, and not a pale, blonde, 16th century Italian lady, I accepted the contemporizing imagery as standard for the late-Renaissance period, and as a pale blonde lady I connected with and swooned over his angelic, tender images.
Barocci, Rest on the Flight to Egypt
In the afternoon we did lunch, some tv time, and presents! Then we buzzed out to get haircuts. It doesn't sound like a fun thing to do on your birthday, but I love our studio and my hairstylist Nichole is awesome. I had a birthday mimosa on the house while getting my hair washed, cut, and styled. It felt like being pampered and I love the fresh cut.
From haircuts we went out to dinner at Modesto Tapas in the Hill district, and OMG I love that place. Sangria, paella, and a delicious assortment of new tapas to try. So relaxing and indulgent. I really enjoyed eating there with Casey again - it's become kind of a special occasion spot for us. The waitress noticed it was my birthday when she carded me for my sangria, and at the end of the meal brought out the BEST tres leches cake EVER. Nice to have gotten birthday cake! We especially enjoyed the empanadillas tapas, because they were a tantalizing mix of sweet and savory.
From dinner we buzzed over to the Fountain on Locust to do dessert and drinks with friends. Casey and I were early which gave us a chance to relax together and order our treats. Not many people are in town, but Matt, Ben, and Anne joined us, and we laughed a lot. It's nice to have gotten to the point with historian friends where we go the whole night enjoying each other's company and don't even talk about history. I even forgot to take pictures after they arrived because it was just so nice to chat with friends.
We ended the night taking care of our friends' kitten, and a midnight cat food run. Still don't see the appeal of cats. He's cute, but definitely crazy.;-)
Other highlights? First Snow of this winter in St. Louis! Just a light dusting - clear roads but a nice layer of white in the grass. And I loved all the birthday facebook messages. They made me feel warm and fuzzy. It's always nice to soak up attention on your birthday.
We went to the Art Museum (I love being a member there) in the morning to see the Frederico Barocci Exhibit. Such colorful, emotional, rosy paintings! I really fell in love with Barocci's art - his style is situated at the end of the Renaissance and the beginning of the Baroque, so it includes all the beautiful, classical clarity of the earlier period and anticipates all the emotional drama of the later. While I am aware that Mary was a Jewish girl of the ancient period, and not a pale, blonde, 16th century Italian lady, I accepted the contemporizing imagery as standard for the late-Renaissance period, and as a pale blonde lady I connected with and swooned over his angelic, tender images.
Barocci, Rest on the Flight to Egypt
In the afternoon we did lunch, some tv time, and presents! Then we buzzed out to get haircuts. It doesn't sound like a fun thing to do on your birthday, but I love our studio and my hairstylist Nichole is awesome. I had a birthday mimosa on the house while getting my hair washed, cut, and styled. It felt like being pampered and I love the fresh cut.
From haircuts we went out to dinner at Modesto Tapas in the Hill district, and OMG I love that place. Sangria, paella, and a delicious assortment of new tapas to try. So relaxing and indulgent. I really enjoyed eating there with Casey again - it's become kind of a special occasion spot for us. The waitress noticed it was my birthday when she carded me for my sangria, and at the end of the meal brought out the BEST tres leches cake EVER. Nice to have gotten birthday cake! We especially enjoyed the empanadillas tapas, because they were a tantalizing mix of sweet and savory.
From dinner we buzzed over to the Fountain on Locust to do dessert and drinks with friends. Casey and I were early which gave us a chance to relax together and order our treats. Not many people are in town, but Matt, Ben, and Anne joined us, and we laughed a lot. It's nice to have gotten to the point with historian friends where we go the whole night enjoying each other's company and don't even talk about history. I even forgot to take pictures after they arrived because it was just so nice to chat with friends.
We ended the night taking care of our friends' kitten, and a midnight cat food run. Still don't see the appeal of cats. He's cute, but definitely crazy.;-)
Other highlights? First Snow of this winter in St. Louis! Just a light dusting - clear roads but a nice layer of white in the grass. And I loved all the birthday facebook messages. They made me feel warm and fuzzy. It's always nice to soak up attention on your birthday.