7 months ago I had an idea of making my 29th birthday one for the books. I wanted something unlike my usual dinner and or trip. I wanted a tea party. Sounds a bit lame when you think about it. But, I didn’t want just any tea party, I wanted it to be very posh, with a very British afternoon tea vibe. You know, the pastels, the broad hats for me female guests and the accent. LOL. With this idea in mind, I knew 7 months in advance would be enough to find the perfect place (I live in Japan), make the guest list and inform the guests of the dress code. I tend to make my birthday a big deal. Haha! The search was on.

My city, Nagoya, is just like any other major city in Japan. It’s filled with great restaurants and event spaces, you just have to know where to find them. Since I wanted this British afternoon tea setting, I pondered over whether it would truly make sense since my birthday is in winter. I googled “afternoon tea Nagoya” and found the perfect spot. The Strings Hotel had everything I wanted; the menu, the decor, the lighting (gotta have that good natural light), the place was perfect. I was very excited and a site visit was in planned. When I visited The Strings Hotel I was even more awestruck by its beauty than I was, seeing it online. It was just right.

STRINGS CUT LOOSE

The idea of The Strings Hotel was short-lived. I tried to ensure my guests wouldn’t be spending any large sum of money and the tea party would be too much. So I had to let the fantasy go. Luckily, I always have a backup plan. I recalled seeing an Alice in Wonderland restaurant in my city and thought this would be an amazing back up. My guests were excited about it and so the second venue was decided on.

I thought for sure everything would go smoothly but little did I know what was on the horizon. The cake shop that I had made reservations with to bake my cake closed down for renovations, so I was now cakeless. I felt like I was being punished or something. To make matters worse, I felt as though my guests weren’t giving me positive feedback, remember I’ve been planning this for 7 months, so I cancelled the whole thing. Everything seemed to be pointing to me not having a party. Full on panic mode! It was then that I saw a post from one of my friends on Facebook, about a pastry chef in Japan. I searched for the Instagram account and stumbled upon a spectacular feed.

I was sold. I messaged Trish, the owner for the account, and placed an order for some red velvet cupcakes. I informed her that I’d be dining at an Alice in Wonderland restaurant so she had full control over creativity. Trish came up with the most beautiful designs for my cupcakes and believe me when I tell you, they tasted just as good as they look.

Having now secured the cupcakes, it was time to confirm my reservation with the restaurant. Now this is where I feel like God was having a good ol’ laugh with me. Such a jokester, that God.

The restaurant closed down.

I couldn’t believe that this was happening the day before my party. I started to panic and was the verge of tears. Maybe I did shed a tear or two but it was my birthday I could cry if I wanted. I gave my head a good wobble and went back to the drawing board. I had another backup for my backup. It pays to be a planner. I wasn’t going to let 7 months of planning go down the drain.

After all the cancellations and disappointments, I now had a new venue and my two guests, who would celebrate with me on the 16th (had to celebrate before my actual birthday cuz of work).

The Light Cafe turned out to be the perfect choice. It was obvious that everything which occurred happened how they were supposed to. I could now enjoy this beautiful place.

Thanks to my friends Dani and Kerisha, I had a bomb ass time. I laughed so hard by Kerisha’s antics and my girl Dani was right there to capture my silly moments as she has done for quite some time. The food at Light Cafe was other worldly. I got the Chicken Parmesan w/ potatoes, rice and the best salad you’ll ever have and a tequila sunrise cocktail. The perfect lunch combo. 美味しい！

This is my last year in my twenties and I must say it has started off well, in spite of everything that led up to the milestone. I can’t wait to see what the year has in store for me.

Check out my Instagram: @chatterboxkeirn

CHATTERBOX KEIRN