Tillykke med fødselsdagen TIL MIG!!!!!

It was just my birthday, and a lovely one at that. Tillykke med fødselsdagen is Danish for happy birthday but it means, literally - congratulations on the day of birth! So when danes say happy birthday they often just say "tillykke!" or, to me, "congratulations!!" Which is very nice but always makes me giggle because I feel like my birth is one of the things for which I'm least deserving of congratulations. But thanks!

These photos are all shamelessly taken from Lotta's blog... http://lottaleverlivet.wordpress.com/

Nice weather on my birthday!! Apparently that means I've been a good girl this year. You're welcome, Copenhagen!

Birthday lunch

Yum, Yum.... that Danishest.

Studying....

Søde Mari made an individual apple cake for me for my birthday!

View from the window :)

Birthday pants

Rasmus, the consummate advocate of political correctness, gave me an offensive Danish children's book about pygmies for my birthday.... pretty spot on gift, he knows how to irritate me like a brother :)

My sous-chef.... whenever I mentioned that I needed something she popped up to get it done before I could tell her otherwise!

Lotta loves her jumping photos.... 

 Danish licorice shots...

Day after birthday... bahahaha

I had a great day. After waking up at 4am because I was so excited it was my birthday - YES, I am a child - I listened to some podcasts and went back to sleep until 11. hahaha.... then went to a friend's house where a group of us studied for our upcoming exam by discussing - but I came just in time for a delectable lunch, a bit of discussion and then some cake. Mari, who hosted us, was kind enough to back a cake! A traditional Danish fall cake with apple - she made one big one and then one little individual cake for me! So sweet.

Lotta helped me set up for the party.... after shopping we got back to my apartment at 5pm with the guests set to arrive at 6:30 and the place was pretty much a disaster. Lotta only remarked, "Oh, this isn't how Hege and I would have approached it!" Then I putzed around in the kitchen for a while getting stuff ready and Lotta, clearly about to burst, just said - "OKAY, we need some Nordic efficiency Alice, where is your vacuum cleaner." I did need her Nordic efficiency, a truer thing has never been said. So I order her about in the kitchen and she saved my ass organizationally.

We skyped with my family while we cooked but the connection wasn't so good so it was essentially just my mom and dad cutting in and out saying I LOVE YOU ALICE, ALICE!!! WE LOVE YOU! ALICE??? while Lotta looked on in amazement. After about fifteen minutes of love-festing she told me  that that she had now perhaps heard my mother tell me she loves me more than her mother had said that to her in her entire life. I mean, my parents even brought in the dog and declared that "Pearl loves you!!!"

As we approached 6:30 miraculously the dinner was pretty much ready... and I started to get texts from Danish guests who were going to be "late" meaning 6:35-6:40.  It was so so fun to have people over and cook for people I love. I was totally blown away by the kindness of my friends - two groups of them joined together to get me birthday gifts - it was so sweet to even think to get me anything, much less such thoughtful gifts. Vibeke got me one these ingenious Danish latte makers that I always admired in her kitchen when I lived with her this summer! Many of you can expect them for christmas, they're AWESOME. And then there was Rasmus' precious politically incorrect pygmy book :)

Most people ended up going home early since we have exams coming up... but hell, it's my birthday and I'm in Copenhagen! Lotta, Hege, and Rasmus and I went out and someone Lotta and I didn't get home until 5am... I like the Danish going-out scene. It's pretty chill! At one point we were finishing up a drink at a bar and I almost immediately was asking people what they wanted to do - stay, go, another drink? what?? and they were just like... uhhh let's just chill out, right? The nights last longer because people aren't quite so go-go-go pressured about it as I've seen in the US. We ended up dancing at a small PACKED place. It was super fun. Thanks, friends!

And thank you always to my ever-supportive family... I got birthday cards from many of you - snail mail is the most thoughtful and welcome treasure, thank you.

Kærlighed,
Alice