A Food Blog

We all met for lunch at All' Antico Vincio for Huge and Delicious

italian sandwiches on the softest, focacdia bread (that apparently wasn't focaccia).

Lots of locations. I recommend going and I recommend sharing.

We had a matinee for Stereophonic, a play unofficially based on Fleetwood Mac.

Won a Tony for best play and best actor.

We thought it would involve great music and perhaps the making of the songs.

Instead it was about crappy relationships, drugs, anger and a band breaking up.

So not only was it depressing, it was boring.

Made me want to tear up my book out of fear that it

might be equally as boring as this play forcing the reader to slog through Jill's whirlpool of grief.

 

Ugh. Hopefully not. But watching something so bad makes you realize 

it's really hard to know if what you write is interesting to other people or not.

We perked up with Krispy Kreme afterward.

Another quick trip to Albee baby and a meal in the neighborhood before dessert at Serendipity.

We were so stuffed, we didn't know if we could manage another dessert.

But it's tradition. And so fun. 

And where there's a will, there's a way.

Central Park, Curling, Plays & Comedy

We've had more sleep-in/relaxing mornings than other Thanksgiving New York trips

when we've tried to pack so much in. 

So while Dan was in the gym and Chris was doing homework,

I got my bike from storage, bundled up and and rode two laps through Central Park.

We made a trip to Albee baby with Courtney and Michael to try out strollers, car seats 

and all things needed for Baby Girl P!

We decided not to go ice skating this year which was Chris' request,

so his back up idea was eating in an igloo.

We found "The Curling Cafe" at Bryant Park where you can reserve an igloo

and a "curling" track? lane? course? hold please... SHEET!

The food was mediocre, but it was to try something new and to have the sheet to ourselves.

(There were 7 or 8 igloos all with their own curling sheet.)

Afterward we perused the Bryant Park Christmas markets,

Then walked to dinner at a Brazilian restaurant,

where I had the black beans and meat stew I've been craving

ever since Colleen G. brought it at Chris and McKay's joint

mission farewells.

The parents all went to Delia Ephron's autobiographical play,

Left on Tenth with Peter Gallagher and Julianne Marguilles.

It was interesting, but I thought would be more engaging if they acted more of it 

rather than told the story from first person.

The kids went to a late night comedy club.

Puzzle progress:

Happy Thanksgiving!

It was pouring all morning making for a wet and cold parade!

Courtney and Michael braved the weather and an early morning for front row seats.

Dan and I slept in and at 9:30 took the subway to Columbus Circle

for a pretty good view of a few balloons and floats.

We walked up the streets and stopped at each block to watch another balloon go by.

Stopped at Breads Bakery for chocolate Babka,

(the BEST in New York, yes, I can attest. So good!)

chocolate rugelach and burekas. Everything was so good,

we'll definitely make a special trip to the east side location to try the black and white cookies.

Back at home, we cooked up omelets to accompany our babkas 

and watched the parade on TV. 

Chris arrived last night and watched with us when he woke up.

 It was nice to have time to relax and even nap after the parade and before late lunch.

I'm think this is a tradition to replicate in future years:

9:15 subway to Columbus Circle for whoever wants to see parade live.

Stop by Breads Bakery on 63rd and Broadway for babka and the rest.

Omelets and bread and parade at home until 11:30.

Puzzle and football until Thanksgiving meal.

Michael and Courtney arrived soaking wet, but happy,

changed out of wet clothes and helped with the puzzle.

Dinner at 3:00 at Maison Pickle.

Dan, Angela, Chris, Courtney, Emily, Michael, Becca, Rhonda, Bob

Front decorations at The Belnord.

Bob and Rhonda joined us for Cowboys football, puzzle and naps.

Then we all gathered back for a 7:00 showing of Wicked.

IT WAS SO GOOD!

I can't wait for streaming so I can have a personal sing-a-long at home.

We walked home from Lincoln Square afterwards,

saying goodbye to Bob & Rhonda at their hotel on 79th,

Emily at her apartment at 85th,

me, Dan and Chris at 87th and Courtney & Michael,

and Becca made her way north to her home.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Bring on Christmas!

Food, Shopping, Repeat

At 10:30 Dan and I dashed down Columbus to the museum area to see the

Macy's parade balloons before the crowds arrived. 

It seemed like they were just closing off the streets, so

I can't say for sure, but I think if you arrived before 10:00 am, you might be able to walk

down 81st past the balloons without waiting in line for the 1:00 opening.

We met Michael & Courtney to go to Thai Diner for lunch

where we met Bob and Rhonda.

It was fantastic! Super fun diner ambiance, but delicious Thai food.

And the coconut ice cream covered in toasted coconut and peanuts was so good! 

I'd recommend not sharing next time.

Shopped at Uniqlo and was super impressed with self checkout --

just dump all of your clothes in the bin and the scanner finds the tags as a group and totals it up!

It was like magic!

The boys went back home,

(Dan and Michael rented e-bikes and rode back home.

The weather is absolutely gorgeous!)

And the girls went maternity clothes shopping.

Baby bump, Mama and two Grammies!

Dashed home to drop off the goods,

then subway and a long walk across town to Socorrat Paella Bar

Yum!

Thanksgiving Vacation

Left home in the morning and after a nap and reading a bit of my book, landed in New York at night.

When it gets dark at 4:45 and there's a two-hour time change, it really messes with your equilibrium.

Thanksgiving Point Children's Museum

Fun at the Children's Museum this morning!

She got ahead of us in the jungle gym and we worried we lost her.

I finally caught up to her, but when I said, "I found her!"

I didn't say it loud enough, so while she and I were happily playing,

poor Mom and Dad were still panicking.

Soooo sorry!

JCW's for lunch then naptime, dinner at Itto's with all of us plus Chris.

Then Emi went to bed at Rosen's and the rest of us saw

"The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" movie.

It was really sweet. I recommend.

Being grandparents is the best!

New Phones. In-Laws.

I got a new phone this week.

RIP 13 mini. I wanted to keep it just in case I want to go back to the small ersize.

But Dan made me exchange it for my new one, saying I could just buy a small one later, 

used, if I decided I preferred the small one.

I predict those small phones are going to be worth a lot as they become more rare.

But then again, beanie babies.

I need to remember that the battery life was terrible and the camera not as nice.

Yesterday Dan and I went to REI to buy gloves and socks for Antarctica.

It was important to make sure my new gloves have swiping capability so I can take photos of

penguins and icebergs and whales and blue ice and sea lions with my gloves on.

Tonight we had dinner at the Rosen's.

Marty, Lizzie and Emi came to town for Thanksgiving. They're staying with Lizzie's family

(but tomorrow we get to spend the day together!)

and they invited us to share their Sunday meal.

We love their family--always lots to talk about, they're easy to tease and laugh, we feel so welcome in their home, they love my son--and once again I'm giving prayers of gratitude

that my kids have wonderful in-laws and so do I.

Reading Week

Three of my favorite authors all had new books in September and October

I saved them for a week I could dedicate lots of time to reading and savor the stories.

Three books in one week. So worth the wait!

This would be a better picture if it actually showed the three books I read:

The Grey Wolf, by Louise Penny

Here One Moment, by Liane Moriarty

Death at the Sign of The Rook, by Kate Atkinson

Treadmill

I've gotten the all-clear to start exercising again and I have a goal

to work out in Peter Attia's Zone 2 (75-80% of max heartrate) for 30-45 min.

for the next two months.

It requires working out on a treadmill or stationary bike so you can control 

your elevation and speed. So it seems perfect for the winter and the cruise.

(Although we've heard it's challenging to exercise if the seas are rough. Makes sense.)

It took me 20 minutes to get to Zone 2, but once I got there, I was able to maintain

by varying the incline and speed. 

I prefer to exercise outside. But I'm interested in this experiment too,

trying to improve my Vo2 Max.

Also, I always love these genetics charts--with mine and Dan both having green eyes, and all four kids having brown eyes--our family completely breaks these statistics.

And remember, I failed statistics once. Almost twice.