seventeen

today was chanda's seventeenth birthday.

 we looked back at the past year's accomplishments through some photos.

she was able to sein in the east river, dance with her isadora duncan group at bethesda fountain, visit cape cod and her grandparents in florida, tour the viking ship, and finally get her ears pierced.

we visited eataly for lunch with morgana,

 and were able to sit upstairs.

 we had a mushroom truffle pizza and gnocchi with marinara sauce

 trying on pointe shoes at chacott on 20th street.

 looking at some very expensive shoes, i think.

 she decided on maker L in size 4.

afterwards, she visited her friend in the east village while morgana and i walked through tompkins square park on our way to a local jewelry store.

 a squirrel asked us for food and we heard and saw a hawk fly by overhead.

 we were on our way to jillery, jewelry by jill fagin.

 all wrapped up and ready for the birthday girl.

 morgana helped me make dinner and the birthday pie. 

 we had a salad with endive and prosciutto and radiccio and savoy cabbage, and saffron risotto: two recipes picked out by chanda from the italian country cooking cookbook.

 madeline made sure all ran smoothly.

 it's finally hot chocolate season.

 an apple pie birthday cake . . 

and the "jillery" earrings (which were from morgana . . greg and i gave her a different pair of earrings in the morning).