T-Bird
Oh m'God, guys, have I told you about my new coat?? Cheap, warm, stylish. Perfect.
Ah. In other news.... Normally Thanksgiving is not my favorite holiday. When I was growing up, it was kind of just another time to get together with the extended family, and I usually ended up eating about six pieces of pie between both sides of the family and one bite of everything else. But since I moved to the city, each Thanksgiving seems so depressing here - the city is empty except for tourists, it's cold and usually raining, and although four days off from work is nice, I get so bored because none of my friends are in town (though this year they aren't anyway) and I can't afford to go anywhere outside of the city. I just watch the parade in my bathrobe and miss my mom, usually.
However, this year was good. I really needed the time off from work, and I got to relax. Dustin's parents were in town, and actually just moved into a rental apartment while their new one a few floors above is being built, so they had us over for dinner.
When we got there, Mr. Stephens was already hard at work in the kitchen.
The salami was a very good appetizer.
Younger sis Caitlin had arrived from Boston and came bearing flowers.
... which Karen happily arranged.
We got to see a peek of the raw space the Stephenses are trying to purchase on the 10th floor. It's huge, empty and ready for some stylin'.
They're going to keep it as a loft, no separating walls, and just have "bedroom cubicles." Cool idea.
With, of course, studio spaces for the artists in Mr. and Mrs. Stephens.
Back at the temporary homestead, Tommy joined us and we got to the grueling labor known as meal preparation.
Mmm fixin's
Just look at that perfectly browned bird!
Louis quickly set to the task of carving.
While the rest of us looked on and conversed, drooling over the aromas.
I love sweet potatoes. I never had them before college, then in the school cafeteria, of all places, I discovered the joy of salty and sweet in perfect harmony.
Cin cin! È mangia!
I've had a few Thanksgivings away from AZ, and this one came closest to tasting like home, right down to the cranberry sauce (which I only eat once a year, because after three bites I'm like, "ewwww, what is this stuff made of?!").
Post-dinner, Caitlin made herself an impromptu couch...
... while D. and I took over the regular couch for some food-coma resting...
... and the 'rents broke out some pomegranates and concord grapes. Yum.
Then it was finally time for us to play the game I gave the Stephens family for Christmas last year - a favorite of my family's, Cranium. I have scarcely laughed so hard as when I've played this game with my fam, so I wanted to spread the joy. And this time was no different. Tommy and Caitlin were on a team.
... and so were the 'rents...
... which leaves Dustin and I, of course, as a team. Midway through, we halted for pie.
Delicious, but not comparable to Grandma's Banana Cream Pie. Anyway, the game continued...
But Dustin and I won by a mile. We're just good like that.
Wahhh-wahhh. ("Debbie Downer" theme)
By the way, Mom, Karen got the "Billie Jean" hum-along question. She, like you, dissolved into uncontrollable giggle-singing. I nearly fell off my chair.
And last but not least, the next morning I met up with my mom's longtime friend Denise Griffin, who was in town for the holiday, and her travel mate Connie for some brunch and coffee at my favorite coffee shop near Union Square. It was great to see Denise and catch up, and meet Connie.
Other than that, I didn't do a whole lot over the weekend - and that's just fine. I got some laundry done, played some online Boggle, wrote my recap for TVGasm, and redeemed my birthday massage gift certificate as a reward for successfully finishing two hellish jobs in one week. Ahhh. It's nice to start a new week and a new project, fresh and rarin' to go. And accompanied by Christmas music.
love,
*jenna*
Ah. In other news.... Normally Thanksgiving is not my favorite holiday. When I was growing up, it was kind of just another time to get together with the extended family, and I usually ended up eating about six pieces of pie between both sides of the family and one bite of everything else. But since I moved to the city, each Thanksgiving seems so depressing here - the city is empty except for tourists, it's cold and usually raining, and although four days off from work is nice, I get so bored because none of my friends are in town (though this year they aren't anyway) and I can't afford to go anywhere outside of the city. I just watch the parade in my bathrobe and miss my mom, usually.
However, this year was good. I really needed the time off from work, and I got to relax. Dustin's parents were in town, and actually just moved into a rental apartment while their new one a few floors above is being built, so they had us over for dinner.
When we got there, Mr. Stephens was already hard at work in the kitchen.
The salami was a very good appetizer.
Younger sis Caitlin had arrived from Boston and came bearing flowers.
... which Karen happily arranged.
We got to see a peek of the raw space the Stephenses are trying to purchase on the 10th floor. It's huge, empty and ready for some stylin'.
They're going to keep it as a loft, no separating walls, and just have "bedroom cubicles." Cool idea.
With, of course, studio spaces for the artists in Mr. and Mrs. Stephens.
Back at the temporary homestead, Tommy joined us and we got to the grueling labor known as meal preparation.
Mmm fixin's
Just look at that perfectly browned bird!
Louis quickly set to the task of carving.
While the rest of us looked on and conversed, drooling over the aromas.
I love sweet potatoes. I never had them before college, then in the school cafeteria, of all places, I discovered the joy of salty and sweet in perfect harmony.
Cin cin! È mangia!
I've had a few Thanksgivings away from AZ, and this one came closest to tasting like home, right down to the cranberry sauce (which I only eat once a year, because after three bites I'm like, "ewwww, what is this stuff made of?!").
Post-dinner, Caitlin made herself an impromptu couch...
... while D. and I took over the regular couch for some food-coma resting...
... and the 'rents broke out some pomegranates and concord grapes. Yum.
Then it was finally time for us to play the game I gave the Stephens family for Christmas last year - a favorite of my family's, Cranium. I have scarcely laughed so hard as when I've played this game with my fam, so I wanted to spread the joy. And this time was no different. Tommy and Caitlin were on a team.
... and so were the 'rents...
... which leaves Dustin and I, of course, as a team. Midway through, we halted for pie.
Delicious, but not comparable to Grandma's Banana Cream Pie. Anyway, the game continued...
But Dustin and I won by a mile. We're just good like that.
Wahhh-wahhh. ("Debbie Downer" theme)
By the way, Mom, Karen got the "Billie Jean" hum-along question. She, like you, dissolved into uncontrollable giggle-singing. I nearly fell off my chair.
And last but not least, the next morning I met up with my mom's longtime friend Denise Griffin, who was in town for the holiday, and her travel mate Connie for some brunch and coffee at my favorite coffee shop near Union Square. It was great to see Denise and catch up, and meet Connie.
Other than that, I didn't do a whole lot over the weekend - and that's just fine. I got some laundry done, played some online Boggle, wrote my recap for TVGasm, and redeemed my birthday massage gift certificate as a reward for successfully finishing two hellish jobs in one week. Ahhh. It's nice to start a new week and a new project, fresh and rarin' to go. And accompanied by Christmas music.
love,
*jenna*
posted by jenna at 2:34 PM
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