Happy Birthday...

Day 3...

Today I woke up at 5am again... only today is my birthday. 40! How did that happen? I don't feel any older than I did when I was 20... youth is wasted on the young! So I opened all my birthday cards, yes I brought them with me! thank you, you're all ace! I shall spend my dollars wisely!

I was out by 8.30am and thought I'd go give my mind a treat in Tiffany's. How the other half live although I'm not sure I'd shop there even if I was loaded. I like chunky silver jewellery, preferably not with 'Tiffany's' scribbled all over it although in my usual double standard form I've spent a lot of time this afternoon looking for the Dolce & Gabbana shop to buy a new watch as mine is falling to bits. I figured it would be a good way to buy something to keep. Alas they've stopped selling them so I fear I was a little hasty in my decision merely to look in the window of the Jimmy Choo shop! That mistake decision will be unlikely to be made twice!

So after pottering round Fifth Avenue for a while I treated myself to a cab downtown. You've no idea just how much of a fud I must have looked grinning all the way. I suspect I'm behaving like a twelve year old! I don't care either! I went for a coffee as the tattoo shop doesn't open until 12pm and found myself in The Cupping Room (one of my recommended places) but it was accidental more than anything else. Since throwing my spreadsheet out I appear to just be finding myself at places I'd wanted to visit. This city just sucks you in and carries you away and I'm loving every second of it!

I've been plotting this tattoo for several months years and I knew what I wanted to write, I just had no idea how I wanted to write it. I knew I wanted to have it done today so I did some homework before I came out here. There are a lot of tattoo artists in NYC so it took a while. However, I came across this lovely man, his name is Luke Wessman. I looked at his work, read his website, watched a little video he made and I admired his work ethic and his morals. I wanted him to do my inky art for me. You know when you find yourself with a gut feeling about people? I love it when I'm right, he was utterly charming too.

I scribbled my words on a post-it and gave it to the guy behind the desk... he took it away, asked what sort of design I wanted, to be met with a bit of a blank look and a tongue tied 'not really a list' sort of thing and he came back a little while later with what I can only describe as the perfect design for me. I have no idea how he did that... well obviously he's good at what he does... but to design something for someone you've never met and for it to be so awesomely me is a talent! I love, love, love it!

I've had such a lovely day, I can't think of a better way for my 40th birthday to be. I've decided that I like spying on people, I like street signs and I love New York City with all of my heart!

Thank you for all your birthday wishes, the hearts and stars and lovely comments taking the Flatiron of yesterday all the way to spotlight again! x

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