Last Days in D.C. and Solo NYC Part 1

What do you do if you're on your own in NYC? Well, first you say goodbye to good little cousins and good ol' friends in D.C....

Then you meet up with another good ol' friend from childhood for brunch in Chelsea. Try to stay dry in the snow storm.
Trudge through the snow, to Penn Station and Macy's and take a peek at "the real" Santa Claus. Kindly accept your parting gift from a kind elf who is trying to make some extra cash to pay his NYC rent.


Then fight your way through the Christmas crowd to see the Christmas windows at Herald Square.
Then go back to your little apartment, eat Udon noodles, watch some movies, and stay out of the winter slush until you regain your strength for day 2.

TRADITION tradition!

Last year we went to a sing-along production of Handel's "Messiah" in New York. It was so much fun that we decided to go again this year in Washington, D.C. The concert was held on a very chilly night at The National Cathedral (No, we really don't spend all of our time there!), and it was a great opportunity for Teri to show off her newly found black velvet jacket. Since we have a limited travel wardrobe, she sacrificed comfort for fashion, but Matt was nice enough to stand outside in the cold to flag down one of the few taxi cab's circling this part of D.C. (There we so few, in fact, that we ended up sharing the cab with some very frosty, and chatty, women from Alabama.)
We love the idea of establishing traditions and this is one we hope we can continue in whichever city we eventually end up in.

Old Friends, Deja vu, and Thanksgiving Memories with Family

We have spent the last few weeks enjoying the company of several very special people.
First, our great friends Mike and Misha Cohen came down to D.C. for a quick visit. We had a wonderful time exploring Georgetown and The National Cathedral.
After bidding them farewell at the bus station, we went to see David Byrne of Talking Heads fame perform downtown. It was an amazing concert, complete with modern dancers! Finally got to hear the real live version of "Burning Down the House".
To our surprise (and dismay) we had to head back to Cleveland for a week for work. We were quickly introduced to the wonders of "Lake Effect" snow.
When we got back to D.C., we welcomed Teri's brother Sam for a visit from Western Illinois University. Then Teri's Mom came all the way from Bakersfield for Thanksgiving!
After going to the Thanksgiving Day Service at The National Cathedral, Teri and Dori planned the menu and made lists of everything to buy from Whole Foods. It took 3 1/2 hours, but they made a complete meal using two electric burners, a microwave and a limited supply of dishes! Sam helped set the mood with cheerful music while Matt helped prepare the shrimp cocktail on his lunch break (he defrosted them in the shower).




The menu included:
Shrimp Cocktail
Honey Crisp Apples with Sharp Cheddar
Fresh fruits
Pre-cooked Turkey Breast with Herbs (because we don't have an oven)
Smashed potatoes with Turnips and Rutabaga
Green beans with Lemon, Shallots and Almonds
Sweet Yams
Stuffing with Boiled Eggs and Black Olives
Homemade Gravy and Cranberry Sauce
and "Bakery Fresh" Pumpkin Pie with whipped cream, chocolate truffle and Mulled Cider



It was a great dinner and a wonderful memory to cherish.

Sam left the next day, but Teri and Dori toured around D.C. in the crisp, November sunshine. We walked all around the city, The National Mall, and even the National Art Gallery. Teri and Dori also stood in line at Starbucks with none other than Karl Rove.




It was great to be able to spend the holidays with our family.

Hope we can see you again soon!