happy holydays.

A gift from our generous old Italian landlord, a tree from the guy on the corner, and records old and new.

Happy Holydays.

my heart was in the right place...

... but my peppermint hot chocolate still exploded all over the microwave.  After my roommate had spent a good while scrubbing said appliance.

At least I've got Vince Guaraldi playing in the background.

But then again, there was a stovetop fire and massive flood in the building at work today, which caused it to "indoor rain" all over my desk and forced everyone to spend the day cleaning and running around and doing damage control.

At least I could see my breath as I rode my bike home from my second shift of the day, the wind going right through my safety-pinned coat.

But then again, there is still the issue of having no time for anything in these last few weeks before Christmas-- it's all comings and goings, laundry left undone, overdue DVDs and subsequent fines (I know, that's what I get for still checking out movies from the library), inevitable lack of time for a run or yoga.

At least I've got two boxes of Christmas lights just waiting for the right little evergreen to come along and live in my apartment.

I guess optimism is more easily come by at this time of year than usual.  Thank goodness.

thankful.

This may be a little late, but I am thankful for:
lemons that have finally ripened, kir royale and surprise on-sale lace dresses, Scrabble with my sisters and their loves (and champagne), Moroccan carrot salad, comfortable love, cheap beer, new friends, a night drinking and laughing just like high school, and a day out getting fresh air, unexpected toad-in-the-hole, and a glass of white wine with my dear Mum.

c'est arrivé!

Today, the third Thursday in November, we welcomed the arrival of Beaujolais nouveau with un poulet rôti, des frites, and a chilled bottle of this year's "bo-jo".
Beaujolais nouveau stands out because it is such a young wine, bottled and sold only a few weeks after the fermentation process has begun.  Across France and among oenophiles worldwide, this wine is greeted with banners and one-minute-after-midnight tastings.  Reviews are mixed among the French; critics cannot get past its youth, but it seems that its devotees believe a comeback is brewing (or fermenting, so to speak).
I liked what we tasted tonight.  Though its initial introduction is a bit astringent, I found the taste grew more rounded.  And it was a perfect accompaniment to our easy, tasty meal on this chilly autumn evening.

Bienvenue, bo-jo.

And as a side note, is there anything better than a rotisserie chicken?  Moist, flavorful, topped with a juicy skin-- not to mention incredibly convenient after a long day at work.  Paired with some Trader Joe's oven fries and a salad, it might just be the perfect dinner.  At least I think so.

oh, how the light has changed.

Autumn is a season of changing light.

The light of the early morning is the perfect place to enjoy that first cup of tea, though the air is still cool and bed beckons.

There are delicious long runs on Sunday afternoons, each one a race to beat the dying day.  An end to the weekend that leaves me juxtaposed between flushed cheeks and skin that is cool to the touch.

Darkness falls earlier in the city these days.  The shadows of buildings and skyscrapers lengthen and meet the setting sun, the warmth of the light fades, and a chill moves in.

This is my favorite season.  I guess I've always loved change.

a weekend in the city.

Part of the move to Brooklyn and adjustment to city life has been trying to sort through the overwhelming number of things going on here on any given day.  Every weekend there's a round of questioning that goes something like this:

- Oh, the weather will be nice this weekend.  I should probably take some time to go for a run and sit and have a coffee somewhere, maybe read in the park...
- But then there's this street fair in downtown Manhattan on Saturday and it would be really great to eat lunch from one of the food trucks that will be there...
- But then again, Brooklyn Based is sponsoring an event in the neighborhood...
- And the event has free beer, sold...
- I need to see Friend X today, and also Friend Y, and Friend Z is visiting but only knows Friend X...
- There is a huge pile of laundry still sitting in my room.
- Wait, it's Sunday?

I'm not complaining; part of my motivation for moving here was the appeal of all these exciting, interesting happenings.  It's just exhausting!

But it does lead to some pretty sweet photos.  Enjoy.

hello brooklyn.

The past few weeks have been among the craziest since I got home from South Africa.  I have no complaints, but life has happened at warp speed.  I unpacked my bags, got a job (twice), and then had to suffer only two months of commuting before moving into a gorgeous apartment with two very cool roommates in Brooklyn.  We joke that our walk from the subway to the front door is a little like wandering down Sesame Street-- it sure looks that way.

Here are some photos from our first few nights.  It's time to get into some semblance of a routine, including regular posting again.

Our move-in weekend mostly involved high levels of stress, but luckily such worries were eclipsed by champagne toasts, avocado and lemon pepper, the record collections of both our dads, finding working speakers on a stoop in Carroll Gardens, and the view of downtown Manhattan from the roof.  That and the company of some good friends have me very happy to be here.  It's going to be a good summer.

 

Postscript: I am so ok with how central our hardwood floors are to these photos.

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