Holidays in New York City

The weather has been unseasonably warm, today was a lovely 65 degrees!  I took this photo on a perfect fall day a few weeks ago- crisp, autumn colors. 

There was also that one fluke snow day about 3 weeks back...

But tonight, I decided to start getting into the holiday spirit by doing all of the touristy holiday things, like going to tree lighting ceremonies, taking photos of holiday window displays, and going to outdoor holiday markets...

I went to Bryant Park to browse the holiday market, and it happened to be the night of the tree lighting ceremony plus concert and ice show! So, I grabbed myself a chair and set up camp right next to the ice rink.  I was comfortable under my little umbrella shelter on my little chair, like the couple in the picture above (that was before it got suuuuper crowded!). 

It was a bit rainy but New Yorkers braved the weather...

Tomorrow night is the big ceremony at Rockefeller Center. Maybe I'll make it a little project to see every single famous Christmas tree in this city. 

Sarah Mclachlan performed tonight. Enjoy a bit below!

Thanksgiving

Just some pictures of our food! 

This is the appetizer Amaro and I brought- we made a baked brie wrapped in puff pastry and fruit compote served with baguette and dried fruit & macadamia crackers!

Here is Bill, working on the gravy.  There were actually two gravies- neither kind being something I had tried before.  We had a turkey jus and also a gravy thickened with blended white bread and a stick of butter. Both delicious. 

The maple-glazed bacon-wrapped turkey! 

My plate!  I am thankful for my taste buds! 

The Last of New Orleans and Videos!

 These masks are made of leather.  We watched the artist making them...

Thankful

Can you believe it has been ten days?

I had a wonderful one day in Boston at Bill & Lloyd's house in Jamaica Plain.  I really look up to Bill & Lloyd- both in the lives they have created with each other and separately, and how they enjoy every day with wonderful food (bacon wrapped maple glazed turkey, anyone?) and beautiful surroundings (Bill is an artist, Lloyd manages a gallery).  I want to be like them someday! Boston felt cold, quiet, and small.  It was sort of relaxing. It was nice to be amongst people I know, and of course to see Ama.

This morning I slept on the Greyhound back to New York and went straight to Bloomingdale's from Port Authority. The shops are all starting to get festive for the holidays.  I even saw perpetual fake snow in the Anthropologie windows! I'll have to take some photos.

One thing that has been an unexpected relief about New York is that in my everyday experience, there are fewer overeducated people than I experienced every day during the last 4 years.  I know it sounds strange, but sometimes being around people with lots of letters after their names and with people who are either in grad school, going to grad school, or doing a PhD all of the time can make you feel like that's the only path in life to take.  But here, people of all walks of life become successful in myriad ways in a whole spectrum of lifestyles and careers.  Continuing to go to school and get piles of degrees is not the only path to success, and not the only way to define yourself. Whew, thank goodness for that!

Continuing to work with my manager Aisha to scope out opportunities at Bloomingdale's. My goal is to switch to a new position by the new year.

Oh- VERY exciting news (ha)- I got my first bill from Sallie Mae on Thanksgiving day. I am thankful that I think I can handle it. Get ready, loans, because here I come!

New Orleans Photo Diary Part IV