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weekend

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2
Jan 11

Catching up

She’s getting ready to count down to the new year at our friend’s party.

Taking stock of our many blessings in family and friends. (So is Hallmark.) There are other cards that didn’t fit on the mantle. The framed art above is the Mansion, where we were married.

This is from Mrs. Wilkes cookbook. I only list this because it was the new year and these black eyed peas look delicious. And Mrs. Wilkes is delicious. If you are traveling to Savannah be sure to stop in for lunch. Unless your grandmother is from the South you’ve never eaten better home cooked southern style food. Go visit. You’re welcome.

The Yankee made these last night. Very tasty. I’d cut back on the Tabasco for my taste, and the bell pepper seems more for decoration, but these are good.

The old logo, back when there was no pretense for a healthy meal. This is on a cutout at a KFC where I had a post-Christmas lunch with my mother and grandparents.

She apparently likes sandwich crumbs now.

It’s French for major award! Found this on the tree at a friend’s house.

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1
Jan 11

January? 2011?

Sort of snuck up on all of us, huh?

Busy month ahead. I’ve lately been saying that about everything. This time it will be even more true. Reading, studying, comprehensive exams and preparing for the class I’m teaching … and then on to the dissertation. January is accounted for.

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26
Dec 10

Catching up

And, now, the regular attempt to add more pictures that were somehow neglected over the course of the last week.

Studying. I’m doing it.

Lots of it.

This is the tree at the main entrance of St. John the Divine in New York, where we saw the Winter Solstice concert.

One of the nicer things about winter is that The Yankee sometimes wear scarves and I can take this picture.

I’m violating my food photography rule here, I know, but this is Pepe’s. This is serious. If you’re in Connecticut, or in Yonkers or anywhere in New England, really, you have to visit Pepe’s. This is one of the better pizza pies you’ve ever eaten.

Family photos are fun. These are my great-grandparents. That’s their youngest grandchild, which would put this picture in the early 1980s. They both look great here. She always looked great, though. And he was the very definition of a Southern gentleman and perhaps one of the finer men I’ve ever had the pleasure to know. We all miss him very much.

I don’t know that I’d ever seen the picture before. I took this on Christmas Eve at my aunt and uncle’s house, so this is a picture of a picture, and almost shooting from the hip, as it were.

Now I feel like I’m re-living my childhood. Punch and cookies, the staple food at my grandparents’ home.

Want the recipe? This is a delicious punch … but do cut back on the sugar.

iPhone / photo / weekend — Comments Off
25
Dec 10

Musical dream, realized – White Christmas

Just like the ones I used to know.

This is my third White Christmas in the South. Probably I’ve had one or two in the north, but most of that would be leftover snow, if I had to guess. They are infrequent enough here to be worth remembering, though.

For the record: Christmas as a 1-year-old, a 13-year-old and, now, at 34.

You want animals in snow? We’ve got animals in snow.

This was the perfect White Christmas. Pretty in the yard, dry on the road. The snow itself was a very white rain, really. As wet as possible, it melts if you look at it hard. For all of those readers not from the southeast, that’s normal here.

I go to Waffle House for a late bite on Christmas night. Mostly just to satisfy my curiosity about who goes to Waffle House on Christmas night. Besides me, I mean.

After several years of field study I can confidently observe this isn’t the regular Waffle House crowd. So where is the regular Waffle House crowd?

This particular store was packed after everyone got tired of crinkly paper, leftovers and family. People were waiting for seats when I arrived. That’s a condition usually reserved for after that other holy event in the South — high school football.

Fine Christmas all around, just dandy. Hope yours was even better!

iPhone / photo / weekend — Comments Off
19
Dec 10

Catching up

These are all pictures from my iPhone from yesterday. There are still others on my camera. They may ultimately make it on to the site as well. But, for now:

The elevator doorways in Lord and Taylor. We would get briefly stuck in one of them on the way down. Oh, but it is a lovely thing to travel in. Those doors and that floor display are works of art. Speaking of …

One small piece of the art deco at Rockefeller Center.

The big tree. I wrote about it Friday, which offers video of the lights twinkling. It was donated by a New York City firefighter. More than five miles of wire and thousands of lights decorate the tree. No word on who gets the Swarovski topper at the end of the holiday season.

And here is the tree all a-glow, just above the ice rink.

“Look son, St. Patrick’s Cathedral. That’s one of the most famous churches in the world!”

The kid was unimpressed, but he’s the only one. It is amazing to see, no matter how many times you’ve been inside. (Also it is a great place to get your feet warm.)

Times Square. Needs more ads.

Moving the planet around now only takes the work of two determined men. This was the inflatable globe used in Paul Winter’s Solstice concert at St. John the Divine. Video of the very end of the show is also in Friday’s post.

I received presents in Auburn wrapping paper. Pretty fancy, no? I got two great books — Daniel Okrent’s Last Call and James McPherson’s Tried by War — and a very handsome globe. It will look great … as soon as I figure out if I’d rather admire it at home or at the office.