Friendsgiving

Paul and I decided not to make the trek home this November, and so Thanksgiving became Friendsgiving. Jordan and Jenna came over, Jake and Paul, and the Helgen/Aschenbecks came all the way from Saint Paul.

The complicated part of all this was, at least at first, the menu. Paul and I have recently become vegetarians, and not only were we not eating turkey, we were not going to serve it for our guests at dinner. Because of our guest list, the dietary restrictions started adding up, and along with dairy-lite and gluten-free, the meal was also vegetarian. The last chapter in "the book," J.S.F.'s Eating Animals, was actually written a few weeks before Thanksgiving, and he explores the very conundrum of Thanksgiving at the close of his book.

What tips do you have for people to get through the holidays when they care about these issues and their families maybe done?
JSF: Talk to your family; who we are, what we want to eat, what values do we have, do we need it, do we want it? Different people will inevitably come up with different answers. But I think the conversation itself, regardless of the answer, makes Thanksgiving more like Thanksgiving.

We talked with our friends in the weeks prior to Friendsgiving, and some interesting points came up.

"Thanksgiving is very wrapped up with emotions...especially with food since that is all it's about. So be sensitive...[we] are excited to try something new, but I worry that if you're 'too strict' about it being a vegetarian Friendsgiving then it could make eating sort of divisive...especially since we won't know each other."

"am i allowed to bring turkey to Friendsgiving or will that bar me from the festivities? 
i await your answer with bated breath."

"Oh Marie...don't fret! Thanksgiving isn't just about food-- it's about PEOPLE! And memories and laughing and fun. You make me laugh."

Marie. My life is filled with restrictions.
I could care less.

We dove in to preparations, suggestions, and the additions of family favorites and "it's-not-Thanksgiving-without-this" dishes. The Google doc grew.

-cheese plate with crackers and fruit
-chips and guac
-Brussels sprouts with pecans and tortellini
-broccoli
-asparagus

-warm chickpea and roasted butternut squash salad with tahini dressing

-Palmquist salad with goat cheese, pears, and candied walnuts

-black bean pumpkin soup
-cheddar corn muffins
-barley pilaf
-mashed potatoes
-cranberry sauce
-pumpkin pie
-brownies
-caramels
-wine, cider, whiskey/ginger cocktails

Before the preparations began, Anna and Kurt came over for general New York sight-seeing and visiting. It was time to catch up!

 

The boys did a multitude of 'honey-do' projects, including switching the direction of the fridge doors,

 
installing blinds, and getting this lovely IKEA mantel to actually hang on our plaster-covered cement walls. Kurt also pointed out the steaing pipe that was to leave us without a toilet later on.

Kurt and Anna planned their days according to the NewYork Pass, which got them around to virtually every New York attraction fo' free. We joined them out and about for the Transit Museum in Brooklyn and one night for pizza in the East Village before a walk home across the Brooklyn Bridge. It is so fun to share our new little paradise with people we think appreciate it too.

Friendsgiving Morning brought mimosas. Showers. And tons of food.

   

 

 

My favorite parts about Thanksgiving that I think will stick for me as new traditions were: eating earlier, post-dinner walk, and forget the turkey.

 

Frankenstorm!

We are due for a storm!

Yesterday, Sandy was downgraded from a hurricane to a tropical storm and then quickly promoted again.

The danger of this storm seems to be in its uncertainty. The National Weather Service is unclear where the storm will actually hit- anywhere from Maryland to New York City. Not only will Sandy turn west where she should turn east, and grow stronger where she should be backing down, but cold air it encounters from the north will transform it into a winter storm. Something similar happened in the fall of 1991, when hurricane Grace combined forces with a powerful Nor'easter and created "The Perfect Storm." I faced the resulting Halloween storm in Plymouth in a sled dressed as a "Spanish senorita" with my mouse-brother Anders sitting in front of me. I remember the long broomstick skirt and green lace mantilla I wore that had to be covered up by my neon color-blocked parka.

I just picked up three more gallons of water; we will fill our tub and make chili tonight. Subways and trains are out starting at 7 pm tonight, no work tomorrow, and it will be a 'snow day' for me and Penny.

For now, it's off to brunch at Scottadito with friends.

...

Our provisions: plenty of books, food, music, and vino.

Forgot to put the pumpkin in the picture; we'll be carving that guy up and roasting seeds. 

Amazing what an extra day off can do for the soul!

A Day in the Life.

 

 Our building is on Eastern Parkway, a long tree-lined boulevard with people on walks, runs, and bike-rides. There is a lot of bustle to and from Prospect Park, which is only a 10-minute walk or so. We shopped for our apartment after we had officially moved to New York, and fell in love with it right away! Here's a little bit of our view out apartment.

 

  
Approaching our front door up the old marble steps.

 

Here is our subway stop, literally right next to our house. The 2 and 3 trains, on the red line, go into Manhattan and up 7th Ave. on the East Side. The 4 and 5 trains, on the green, go into Manhattan and up 5th Ave. on the West. We are so lucky to be located on such a hub.  It's never difficult to get anywhere (except for inside Brooklyn- ironically it's harder to get to Katie's house in Williamsburg than it is to get to work at MCP).

Inside the subway (awkward to take pictures here).

Some views of the office: That's Jake and Christine saying hello, then Heather, Anthony, and John in "Estrogen South." I am taking the photo from my little area.

Our 2nd floor rehearsal space.