Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

I hope you are having a wonderful holiday season. I have had an unusual season this year – super busy at my new job at Ralph Lauren, and also very preoccupied with getting my father ready to move to Colorado, which I wrote about on the blog previously. So my attention has been elsewhere and the holiday season has literally flown by, but TD and I have enjoyed some wonderful parties and entertainments here in New York City.
Last weekend we at last got our Christmas tree up (above). We got it from our friend Billy Romp on Jane Street who has supplied our tree since 1988.
For my birthday, which is at the end of November, we went to see Pippin on Broadway!
(photo from Pippin web site)

When I was in high school, I went to see the traveling version of Pippin in Utica at the Stanley Theater. I took a girl. Later we went to the junior prom. Let's just say I enjoyed Pippin more! This production on Broadway is directed by Diane Paulus, who was the genius behind the recent Broadway production of Hair, and it features gymnasts and acrobats in a circus setting. It was so colorful and entertaining. We sat in the first row in the balcony. I had great time.
My photo of the curtain call –

On TD's birthday, which comes one week later, we had a delicious lunch at Union Square Cafe –

Up at Bergdorf Goodman, the theme of the holiday windows is the arts. This glittering one is based on music –

They do such a fantastic job with their windows. This one is inspired by film. It looks like a Greta Garbo silent movie –

Down Fifth Avenue, TD enjoyed viewing the big tree at Rockefeller Center –

We went to see the Matisse cut-outs at the Museum of Modern Art. I love these Christmas colors –

My mother had a cousin named Bondie O'Donnell, and he has a daughter named Julia who has a daughter Uma who is 14 years old and is studying here in New York City at the School of American Ballet. She's a real ballerina! I think Uma and I are second cousins once removed. Anyway, TD and I took Uma to see George Balanchine's The Nutcracker at the New York City Ballet at Lincoln Center. (photos from the web site)

It was so beautiful. I had seen it years ago but really had not remembered how ornate and gorgeous it is.

Here we are at intermission, O'Donnell second cousins once removed.

Today is Christmas Eve. We are going tonight to my brother Eric's in Montclair for a family dinner. There we will say good-bye to my father who is moving to Colorado on Friday.
This is a picture of the two of us a few years ago at a wedding –

I will miss him a lot.
And I am wishing you all the best for the holidays and the new year, dear reader. 

Thankful for Thanksgiving

Last week we traveled out to Montclair, New Jersey, to celebrate Thanksgiving with my brother Eric and his family. My sister Cynthia and her partner Barb flew into New York and stayed overnight with us, and on Thursday we four headed out to New Jersey on the Decamp Bus #66. Darlings, the line for the bus was so long we almost didn't make it on. I held my breathe as we threaded on to board. A couple more people got on behind me and the door closed leaving a long line behind. Oh dear, you don't want to be stuck in the Port Authority on Thanksgiving Day. We were happy to stand for duration of the trip and get to Eric's house. My parents arrived soon after from Connecticut.

My sister-in-law Tracy has a great eye, and we share a love of antiques and things that go back in time. She was talking about how she practically furnished the home with purchases from house sales in Montclair. And Montclair has great house sales.
This metal light fixture in the living room is shaped like a tree branch:

They have a gas fireplace which looks amazingly real, as if the embers are glowing and fading.

Here is the dining, set for the big meal. That's a bird cage standing the corner – love it.

TD and I ran across the street to have a drink with our friends the Beans who also live in the neighborhood. When we got back, it was time for the main event: dinner!
In the kitchen Eric carved the turkey

and the candles on the table were lit.

We sat down to the beautifully set table. My niece Jane made the name cards which were personalized inside with photos for each person. The golden sequins glimmering on the table runner mimicked the little green leaves painted on the china set. Tracy told a funny story about sleeping in her car in a snow storm to get in to an early-morning house sale where she found this dreamy china set.

I meant to take a picture of the meal but I got distracted eating.

We have a lot of family birthdays during this corner of the year including me, TD, Eric and my mother. My grandmother's birthday was also in here, Sagittariuses all. A birthday cake was brought forth to celebrate.
TD, me, my father holding the cake, and Eric:

It was a cozy and relaxing holiday celebration. Many thanks to our host and hostess. And I hope you had a wonderful holiday too.