The Continuing Poem Saga About the Winter of 2006 Arrives At the Occasion of My 30th Birthday

January 9, 2006
Birthday weekend

Friday took my floating holiday
finished making the paper lanterns
walked to the Japanese baths
and while there thought about turning thirty
On the way home bought pink and black candy
fancy groceries
peonies and wine
tidied up the house in the afternoon
and made the poppy seed covered cheddar cheese ball
that looked like nothing so much as a pile of dirt
But it was black and black food has turned out to be hard to find

That evening I went over to Berkley to meet Bill for birthday dinner at
and this is pretty amazing
Chez Panisse
where neither of us had ever been before
olive branches and red ranunculus
champagne at the table sent ahead by my parents
lillet blanc, lobster, beets, risotto, green garlic, squab, brussels sprouts, turnips
excellent bread, poached pears and chocolate sauce

On Saturday my actual birthday
we went to the farmers market
for cherry blossoms, macarons, and oysters
Came home on the cable car
and spent the afternoon getting the house and food ready
cleaned and hung the lanterns and
taped squares of pale pink and dark pink and black
tissue paper into all the panes of all the French doors
Turned the table into the window and set out the pink and black food
pruciotto wrapped around watermelon
mini hot dogs on pink frilled tooth picks
petit fours, licorice whips, black gum drops, junior mints
pink m&m’s and pink animal cookies
chocolate and pink grapefruit macarons
cheeses with black wax
and the pile-of-dirt cheese ball surrounded by black seaweed crackers
black olives
blackberries

Then everyone came over
And it was real live swell swanky party
a small crowd
a festive atmosphere
The Pink and Black Ball

did I mention the pink light bulbs?


image source is here