let it snow, let it snow!

i hate the snow.


yesterday it was fun. it was BEAUTIFUL! i enjoyed it... yesterday.

yesterday i went ice skating and met up with people from church at prospect park. i've never skated outside before and it was crazy cool with the snow falling and stuff. i was a little bummed at first, because my favorite person Mitch couldn't go { he had to work - that stinks } and while it saddened me, and it wasn't nearly as fun as it could have been i tried to justify it by reminding myself he would have tackled me into the ice at least once.
But it was still fun, Charlotte and Georgia, the two cutest 7 year old girls i know, even asked me to skate with them. they are pretty great skaters. i don't remember going so fast when i was 7. Georgia kept falling and would just pop back up in a snap - she was a trooper { she smiled big when i told her too. }

A big group of us left all together because we were getting too cold, and headed to 9th street through the park. we passed the boat house and all the lights were on and the water was frozen over... it was beautiful {picture has been provided}

that's all fine and dandy, but this morning i got up early and left and hour early {in case trains had issues} trudged through heaps and mountains of snow {because the streets get plowed and the 2ft of snow on the road gets pushed to the intersection so you have to clime over it} and then you step into a puddle of slush that you think is solid but it isn't - i was worn out by the time i got to the subway station {which was running on time - so i ended up way early - but wasn't late}


well... i was hoping for a white christmas...

Saturday 12.12.09: Mitch's perspective

Has anyone ever seen the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center? If you have, then you probably know how ugly it is. First of all, the tree is covered, smothered to death is actually a better word, with colored lights, so you are barely able to see the tree at all—obnoxious bright lights assault your eyes, and the crowd is too large for its own good. Here’s the point: it didn’t matter. Last night I was reminded that Christmas isn’t about the trees and presents and decorations, it’s about being with your loved ones. And though I am not near my family this year, I do have my beautiful and wonderful wife here with me, which makes all the difference. If I had tried to see the tree by myself or even with friends, I think that I may have become upset that people were pushing to get a better look at the tree or my social anxiety would have flared up; however, since I was with my wife my soul was quiet, and I was able to just go with the flow. It didn’t matter that the tree was a disappointment or that there were way too many people; experiencing a New York City Christmas and being on a date with my wife was worth it.

Tired of the mob, I dragged Alex into Anthropologie. When it comes to shops that are feminine, Anthropologie is a fun store. I really like the style of the clothes and house wares. It was a nice little lovers’ tryst compared to the mayhem outside. We couldn’t stay there all night, so we had to exit and join the mob again

Once out of hell, we moved down Sixth Avenue where we discovered a Hanukkah parade. If you know Alex, then you’ll know that she loves parades. She just learned the story of Hanukkah from her friend Mike a week ago, and she thinks that it’s one of the greatest stories she’s ever heard—she likes miracles and magic, so Hanukkah is right up her alley. If you don’t know the story, ask her and she’ll be glad to give you a retelling. Anyway, the parade was small: there were no floats or marching bands or anything, just cars and RVs with signs on them declaring the celebration of lights. I was slightly entertained by the cars that were held up on the cross streets because of the parade—Sixth Avenue wasn’t shut down and I didn’t see any signs indicating alternative routes, so people were just stuck at lights for fifteen or so minutes while the parade passed. It was a great sight. Alex yelled and screamed and giggled like the person she is, which always adds so much to my life. You can read her post and get an idea of what the event was like for her. Chanukah, Oh Chanukah, come light the Menorah!

We walked down to Bryant Park, which is on Sixth Avenue and Forty-Second Street (Rockefeller Center is between Forty-eighth and Fifty-First Streets). Alex really enjoys Bryant Park. For the holidays, the park put up an ice rink and vendors have little stores lining the walkway. It was really cool. We found Alex’s Secret Santa gift there, and I looked at winter hats. We just hung out for a half hour or so, peeping in the stores to check out all the holiday goods. I can honestly say that if you are here only for a day and can see either Bryant Park or Rockefeller Center, you should skip the later and have fun in Bryant Park.

Our last stop of the evening was Macy’s on Thirty-Fourth Street. I walk by this department store three times a week, but Alex has never been in it. The store is gigantic: nine levels and a whole city block. I get a headache just thinking about it. Well, that’s it. Alex and I had a successful date, and I’m eager to see what comes next in our holiday celebrations.

One last thought that’s been haunting me since last night: there is nothing more discouraging than the disparity between the shops that display wealth on Fifth and the bums that have to sleep on cathedral steps in their cardboard homes on the same street. I am thankful that Alex and I make good money and save every month. I also know that people don’t go hungry in this city thanks to soup kitchens and food dens. I also like the thought that all of these beggars and homeless people sleep at the feet of Christ’s bride, the Church. However, it’s a sobering sight to know that so many people suffer bitter New York winter nights. Seeing the wealth of America and the poor of America in such close proximity makes me sad, because I know that not all rich people give generously, like they should. It also makes me upset that Alex and I can’t give more to the underprivileged.

Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah.

Happy Happy Chanukah!

I. Love. New. York. City!


There’s no place like it. {not that I’ve really been anywhere… but still} so, oh my gosh, we had the greatest adventure last night!

We were going to go see the tree at Rockefeller Center and see the ice skating. It was crazy stupid. Way way too many people you could hardly move – and the tree was a total disappointment { don’t worry the good part’s coming } it was cool how big it was and all but it just wasn’t very pretty… we looked up at the mass of flashing colored lights and being pushed this way and that by the surrounding people and I was just so disappointed. Plus, we didn’t want to fight our way any further through the maze to see the skate rink.


Leaving with our shoulders slightly slumped, I suggested we go to Bryant Park. I love Bryant Park. Bryant Park used to be really shady but they’ve cleaned it up a lot in the last ten years or so. In the summer there were free concerts and Broadway at the park days. It’s right behind the big manhatten library with the lions out front , the one they used in ghostbusters. Anyways, they’ve totally decked it out with all of these little tent shops and there’s an ice skating rink and free skating in the NYC holiday season. Ready for the bonus points? Because I knew about all of the above and had passed through in the daylight, but I didn’t know there was a tree! And it was so beautiful! It was almost as big as Rockefeller and was real and covered in white lights and bows and giant Christmas balls. It was fabulous! { sorry there’s no pictures, my battery died }


However! My favorite part of the night was what happened in between Rockefeller Center and Bryant Park. We were outside Radio City Music Hall and walking down 6th ave. when we heard lots of honking { like lots of honking for NY, which is A LOT } and let me just say, I really enjoy the honking. I think there’s something really nice and heartfelt about New Yorkers honking to let their neighbors know that they’re there and wanting them to care. Oh! I also love New York because they have parades for everything and they shut down these major streets but don’t tell anybody about it. So anyways we’re walking down 6th and there’s honking and cops are yelling at people who are trying to cross the street and all the cars coming down the street have menorahs with two lights lit { like, on top of there cars! } and they just keep coming car after car with menorahs and huge RV’s and Vans and people are throwing candy or something out of the RV’s { I don’t really know what it was } and then I realized: oh my gosh! I’m in NYC Disneyland! I’m surrounded by Elmo and Mickey and Spiderman and Dora the exporer and Batman waving at the passing cars { picture included } and everybody’s honking! The cars in the parade are honking and the cars on the sidestreets that can’t get through are honking… it was amazing!

I was a little sad when it came to a end but then we looked up and saw the empire state building { which puts on special lights for special occasions } and it was lit up in blue and white last night for Chanukah - and then one more menorah car came puttering past… I was practically skipping to Bryant Park. It was AMAZING X2!



Oh and PS: we went to the big Macy’s on 34th street which is crazy huge but I’m reporting in that my favorite thing about that store is the really old wooden escalators they have in between floors 7 and 9 and down to the basement.

Happy day three of Chanukah! Maybe we’ll catch another parade tonight ☺

sick days and brooklyn christmas trees

Hey hey Everybody! Happy December! It’s been a weird week for us here. I came down with a pretty nasty flu {I’m not sick any more} and trust me, you don’t want to hear all the nasty little details. It’s over.



Mitch is amazing and took great care of me when I was stuck inside. We got coloring books: DC Super Friends for Mitch and the Princess and the Frog for me {I’m so excited for that movie! how cool for disney to go back to hand drawn musicals} and we watched How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

So it’s been a slow process for me – this whole sick thing – I don’t do it well at all. It was pretty up and down and there were a couple of times I thought it was getting better right before it got worse… and I tend to want to tough it out… but I was so good! I took it so easy I thought I was going to scream, missed lots of work, slept ALOT, and stayed pretty horizontal. Yesterday I ventured out into the world in little steps and was successful staying vertical *cheers yeah go alex* and today when I woke up it was fabulously miraculous {see I can use big words too}

Waking up and not needing to lay back down means I get to go get a Christmas tree! {because I now have the strength to help carry it back} “Where do you go to get a Christmas tree in Brooklyn?” – they asked. “Well,” I answered, “let me tell you.”

Step 1: lots of trees get chopped down in Connecticut and Vermont and are brought to NY. in Park Slope there are several tree stands in Brooklyn we could choose from… which leads to step 2
Step 2: We decided to take a right out of our apartment instead of a left. And we had to pass two stores AND cross the street before we made it to our destination.

Step 3: We trudged deep into the forest searching for our perfect Christmas tree. And we found it! And paid for it and carried it home {I decided to condense the steps} when we got it home we placed it in the middle of the living space of our bedroom and began to decorate with our christmas carols playing in the background {skipping a selected few – Mitch doesn’t listen to Christina Aguilera, unless it’s with Herbie Hancock, but Celine Dion’s okay} the tree we got already came in a stand and everything so we didn’t have to do that part, and it was light enough that Mitch could carry it by himself – but I didn’t just stand by – I took the pictures of him caring the tree ☺

I don’t mean to sound so lazy and pampered – maybe this whole living out of bed the last few days has gone to my head….mmmm bonbons…..

Hahahahaha….maybe not. I’m back to sweeping, mopping and cooking, I think we’re going to be okay