Birthday Festivities

People were compelled to sing to me this year in honor of my natal day. The festivities started out with my morning latte and the Starbucks crew singing the birthday song. I headed up to Cleveland where I was joining my friend, "Kitty Griffing" (see Policy Change - next post). We were going to see Masterworks From The Phillips Collection currently on display at the art museum, before the museum closes for renovations for SIX YEARS.
I arrived before "Kitty", and was horrified to see bus after bus lining up by the museum. The place was overrun with children. I was filled with dread.

Well, "Kitty" arrived and we bravely entered the exhibit and attempted a strategic deployment to the end of the exhibit first, to get away from the swarms of children.

My favorite pieces were all four works by Paul Klee (especially 1937's Picture Album), a marvelous piece by Kandinsky which I have never seen before, and a gorgeous small canvas, Melancholy (1874), by Edgar Degas.

The big showstopper is supposedly Renoir's The Luncheon of the Boating Party, which is all well and good, but it made me REALLY want to go and see J. Seward Johnson' s bronze life-size reproduction of the painting. That would be cool.

We then went to check out the Drawn with Light: Pioneering French Photography from the Cleveland Museum of Art exhibit. I think my favorite piece was seeing Nadar's 1855 portrait of Alexandre Dumas père. I had seen it often in books, but it was truly beautiful in person. As were the works by Eugène Atget, of course. Many of his works look like fairy tale landscapes to me.

Before we knew it, it was time to cross the street, walk by the Geary building and get some lunch at....Sergio's! At lunch, I received a call, which was the second rendition of the birthday song so far. I am happy to report that today, under the influence of "Kitty", I tried dessert there for the first time, a magnificent coconut butter cake with a divine warm sauce. It was truly amazing.

Knowing my proclivity for ruins and cemeteries,"Kitty" then drove me to a tiny, hidden cemetery. I was completely enraptured and can't wait for the opportunity to return with my camera. It is an outstanding hidden treasure.

She then took me to Hessler Court, which is the oldest street in Cleveland - it is paved with "bricks" which are made from wood blocks. Mindblowing!

A few friends called, and more singing.

After all of this fun, I had to go to work.

My co-workers felt compelled to bring out a big sheet cake, in front of everyone at the registers and sang the birthday song yet again, over the intercom. I like it much better when the guest of honor is not me. Still, it is very nice to be remembered and celebrated.