Xtine ("X" for short) celebrated a milestone birthday in style last weekend. On Sunday, we had a leisurely brunch at B Bar. On her actual birthday on Saturday, she held court in the historic Marble Cemetery on East 2nd Street. Here, dear readers, is the illustrated version of the X Diaries, birthday edition!
The unparalleled Xtine (whom you have seen here on several previous occasions) recently sent us pictures commemorating her sixty-fifth birthday. Ever tongue-in-cheek, she held a little gathering in a picturesque local cemetery, and sent photographs later on. Much to our chagrin, we could not be there, but enjoyed the photographs so much that we asked if we could 'reblog' them. Here, in the order we received them, and with the original photo captions, are pictures capturing a very happy day.
Thank you all for a great birthday!
Start with beautiful flowers...
and end with crazy accordion lady.
What a day in the cemetery!
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| Sean's beautiful flowers |
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| 65, still alive |
The behatted birthday girl herself!
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| the birthday gang |
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| da hand |
(The be-bakelited hand of the birthday girl)
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| Helga's fruit |
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| Richard, X, JB, Riitta, Katie |
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| Richard, X |
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| Helga, Richard, X |
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| X, Riitta |
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| Sean |
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| Woman with accordion |
X wrote later to say that the lady with the accordion often plays in the cemetery, so it was serendipity that she simply happened to be there to provide entertainment for the party. Don't you just love her kindergarten photo -- with added cat-eye glasses?
Since Jean was driving back from New Hampshire and Valerie was at a TV taping, neither of us could make it to her garden, er, cemetery, party. So, taking matters into our own hands, we invited her to a BDay Brunch at BBar on Sunday.
We snagged a large booth in the main room, opting for air conditioning rather than outdoor dining in August. Xstine is wearing her Veuve Cliquot champagne cork cage as her own millinery tribute to turning the big Six Five!
Bakelite and bangs! This profile shot gives you a better idea of X's haircut, and her multiple pierced earrings, fingers full of rings and wristsful of bakelite bangles. (Remind you of anyone?) Not many women could carry off this look as wonderfully as she. What we love most about her is her fearlessness. The way in which she celebrates rather than fears getting older inspires us.
Had to show you her amazing hat. Don't you love how she peeks out from under the brim?
After a long and luxurious meal (pancakes for Valerie, waffles for X and fruit salad for Jean) and some wonderful bubbly champagne, we stopped for a parting shot before heading off into the afternoon sun.
What we're wearing:
X is wearing a wonderful Jill Anderson black and white buffalo check dress; Jill Anderson skirt and matching black and white check crinoline; John Fluevog boots; lots of bakelite bangles and black hat.
Jean is wearing an Issey Miyake dress (for which she traded the skirt Valerie is wearing); Rick Owens tee shirt; DIY customized Dansko clogs; ivory colored vintage bakelite necklaces, earrings and bracelets and Tibetan straw hat from the Ruben Museum.
Valerie is wearing a green straw hat from Paris's Printemps (bought on her last trip to Paris in 1996), green plastic earrings (Monies imitations), Issey Miyake dress and skirt (see Jean's note, above), yellow wood bangles from Zara (on sale at 2/3 off!), and Charlotte Olympia leaf shoes from a resale shop ("Charlotte Olympia" is French for too expensive to buy at manufacturer's suggested retail price.)
A cemetery is a most interesting choice of locations for a birthday celebration - I'm very fond of cemeteries myself, so I think that's pretty cool. I can see why the three of you are friends, you have very similar style sensibilities. I love X's hair, mulitiple ear piercings, and amazing arm party. I wish her many more years of fabulous outfits and get-togethers.
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