Park Avenue Tree Lighting

I'm a proud supporter of The Fund for Park Avenue, a non-profit that plants, lights, and maintains the trees and flowers on the Park Avenue malls.

If you've never been to NYC, the malls sit between the uptown and downtown running streets of Park Avenue. They've got trees, flowers, public art, and various other pretty things on them:Photo via NYC.gov website.

The Fund for Park Avenue also manages the annual Park Avenue Tree Lighting, a tradition that began in 1945 as a memorial to the men and women who lost their lives in World War II. All the evergreens in the malls are decorated with lights for the holiday season. These lit trees serve as a memorial to all who have lost their lives defending our country. It's such a lovely tradition.

Crews have been hard at work on Park Avenue gearing up for this year's lighting:The 2011 Tree Lighting ceremony will take place this Sunday. The always fun event attracts thousands (last year there were about 5000 people there!) and features festive live music and carols. It's at 6.30PM outside the Brick Church on 91st and Park -- I got married there so I'm especially partial to this block of the Upper East Side.

If you can't make it to Sunday's ceremony, you can enjoy the sparkling trees all lit up from 4PM to 1AM for the month of December.

In support of The Fund, local cookie shop Eleni's is donating $1 to the cause for every tree-shaped cookie they sell through December 12th. I bought three:...and I ate all of them.

If you're interested in this delicious way to do something good for the community, visit Eleni's and grab a frosted tree.

I'll be there at Sunday night's lighting, and I hope many of you will too.

For more information on The Fund for Park Avenue, please visit their website.

The 2011 Holiday House

The Holiday House is a stylish, swanky designer showhouse in a *gigantic* limestone mansion at 2 East 63rd Street. I recently had the opportunity to tour this showpiece of a showhouse -- I highly recommend you do too.

Showhouses are particularly fun because they give interior designers free rein over 'their' space. Be it a hallway, staircase, or parlour room, the designer gets to do whatever they please with their area. It's always fun to see such talented, creative people in action, and this year's impressive Upper East Side townhouse is quite the canvas for them to work with. Plus, it's for a great cause -- the showhouse benefits the NYC Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Here are a few highlights of the holiday themed rooms....

Halloween -- Suzanne Eason Interiors (photo by Phillip Ennis Photography):Inspired by the Edgar Allan Poe's poem, The Raven, this room is a "cautionary tale of Halloween" in an atmospheric, sensorial and classically modern sitting room. The sleek fireplace quiets the many clever details; feathers and chains drawing you into a space for an intimate gathering. A palette of smoky hues, aubergine and grey skies, the space quietly compliments the essence of Halloween.

Chinese New Year -- Inson Dubois Wood (photo by Nick Johnson):The Chinese New Year is a reflection of society's most valuable assets: happiness, health and longevity. The New Year marks a time when differences are reconciled to make room for the new, invite good luck, and wish peace and happiness to others. Along this theme, the room reflects a new transitional style, embracing pre-war elegance with contemporary, clean-lined furniture. The generous use of red wards off bad luck and is emblematic of vitality, joy, virtue, truth, prosperity, and sincerity.

Christmas -- Bradley Theirgartner Inc. (photo by Phillip Ennis Photography):A warm climate Christmas is the theme for the Grand Entry Foyer. Taking cues from the exquisite marble floor, black accents, fine art, notable antiques, and citrus hues, the room is embellished with magnolia branches and warm weather fruit for a holiday imbued hospitality. The smell of the season will permeate the air and the soft carols playing from piano will get all who enter into the holiday spirit!

This is just a peek -- there are a dozen more glorious rooms to discover at the showhouse.

The 2011 Holiday House is open until December 11. For more information, hours, directions, etc. visit their website.

Gone Fishin'

Hotel views:I'm betting you'll be able to guess this one.

Girl Scout Council of Greater NY's 'Women of Distinction' Breakfast

I'm a proud member of the Girl Scout Council of Greater NY's Leadership Advisory Board. Last month the Council held their 19th annual Women of Distinction Breakfast and raised more than $200,000 for Girl Scout programs in one very successful morning!

Here are two of New York City's most adorable Girl Scouts at the Waldorf-Astoria before the event:
Over 500 guests attended the breakfast honoring six successful, influential women:The honorees were Sharon Bush, Lauren Bush Lauren, Beth McCabe, Ranjini Pillay, Ann Shoket, and Catherine Morrison.

Journalist Deborah Norville (right) emceed -- and by the by, Deborah still fits into her childhood Girl Scout sash(!). She's pictured here with board members Patricia Stensrud and Mary Phipps:
I loved this quote from Patricia Stensrud's opening remarks: "Our Women of Distinction honorees exemplify outstanding achievement and leadership. They represent powerful role models for our girls demonstrating that if they can dream it, they can do it!"

And here's yours truly with Catherine Morrison, the 2011 Future Women of
Distinction:
Catherine is an eloquent, poised young woman. She spoke to the crowd about a project she did involving community health/nutrition and told me about her interest in the sciences. I was super impressed and inspired.

And in case you're interested, here's a little bit about the Girl Scouts of Greater New York...

The Girl Scouts of Greater New York provides New York City’s largest girls-only leadership development program reaching more than 25,000 girls ages 5 to 17. Girl Scout programs reach girls in virtually every zip code of New York City’s five boroughs and every socioeconomic sector. Girl Scouts enjoy programs that include career exploration, financial literacy, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), camping and environmental programs, and the nation’s largest business training program for girls, the Girl Scout Cookie Program. Today’s Girl Scouts are prepared to lead today as well as tomorrow, fulfilling our mission of building girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place.

Visit www.girlscoutsnyc.org to learn more.

Monty Monday - with Cosmo

Monty spent a little time this weekend with my brother and sister-in-law's cat, Cosmo.

Monty chased Cosmo around the house, tried to give Cosmo one of his stuffed toys, and tried (unsuccessfully) to play fetch with Cosmo. Cosmo got tired of all the ruckus and hopped up on the kitchen countertop.

Monty popped right up on the kitchen chair next to him and seemed to be saying, 'Cosmo!!! Why won't you play with meeeeeee?":
Then Cosmo shot Monty a bit of a dirty look - click to enlarge that evil eye:Meow indeed.

But after some encouraging words and attention from us, they actually gave each other a little sniff/kiss:Awwwww!

Then Cosmo and Monty shared a meal of half a slice of bologna together:Yummy.

By now they were getting along swimmingly, so we decided to make Monty all cat-like by encouraging him to lounge on the counter next to Cosmo:Those boys make one cute pair of animal cousins, don't they?

Paul Fussell's Milk Punch

Here's my holiday cocktail favorite, Milk Punch from 'Everyday Drinking: The Distilled Kingsley Amis' by Kingsley Amis.

The text and recipe below are from Everyday Drinking. I hope you'll find Kingsley Amis's writing as amusing as I do...

Paul Fussell's Milk Punch

1 part brandy
1 part bourbon whiskey
4 parts fresh milk
Nutmeg
Frozen milk cubesThe previous evening (this is the hardest part) put milk instead of water into enough ice-trays in your refrigerator. One the day, mix the fresh milk and the spirits thoroughly together --In an electric blender, the deviser of the recipe says, and by all means do that if there is one lying about and not wanted by someone else and clean and with no bits missing and in working order. For me, stirring in a jug will do just as well. Pour into biggish glasses, drop in milk cubes, dust with nutmeg and serve.

This punch is to be drunk immediately on rising, in lieu of eating breakfast. It is an excellent heartener and sustainer at the outset of a hard day: not only before an air trip or an interview, but when you have in prospect one of those grueling nominal festivities like Christmas morning, the wedding of an old friend of your wife's, or taking the family over to Gran's for Sunday dinner.Note. Do not, of course, use an expensive bourbon or a brandy that is anything more than just French. And taste each bottle of milk before pouring it in. there is a risk that sour milk punch would not be as good.Cheers! Everyday Drinking: The Distilled Kingsley Amis.

Giveaway - Two Tucker Blair Belts

I love Tucker Blair's natty needlepoint belts. They've got belts with everything from nautical flags to skulls and crossbones on them. I've got half a dozen of their colorful, cheeky designs in my closet and I'm still eyeing more.

Just in time for the holidays, I'm giving away two of my Tucker Blair favorites...

A Santa's Taxi belt: A festive, hand-stitched Ho ho ho:
And a Beirut belt:You know you've always wanted to wear red Solo cups around your waist:
Want to win these 2 sweet Tucker Blairs? Here's how:

1. Leave a comment below telling me your favorite seasonal/holiday drink. Mulled wine, Egg nog, Hot Toddy, or is it martinis all year round for you?

2. Leave your name - it doesn't have to be your full name, you can leave a nickname, but just put something identifiable.

3. Enter before 11.59PM EST on Friday 18 November.

On Saturday morning I'll randomly select a winner and will write a post letting you know who won. Then we'll work out the belt sizing and shipping. I'll also reveal my favorite holiday cocktail (...it's a good, but super obscure one!) so check back in on the blog Saturday the 19th.

The Santa's Taxi and Beirut belt giveaway awaits your holiday drink choices. Sound off..

California Wine Country cooking class

I've scaled back my 'serious' cooking since my spinal surgery in July, but last week I decided it was time to dive back in to give proper cooking a go at ICE's California Wine Country class. Much to my surprise I made some DELICIOUS dishes that required no heavy lifting and minimal chopping.

Here are my two favorite recipes - one savory and one sweet - from the day...

Pea Ravioli with Carrots and Cipollini Onions in Parmesan Broth
recipe serves 4-5

Asian dumpling wrappers

Pea Ravioli Filling:
1 lb frozen peas
4 tablespoons softened butter
pinch curry powder
pinch ground cumin
2 1/2 oz warm heavy cream


1. Blanch peas in salted boiling water for 4-5mins. Shock in ice water. Drain.
2. Blend peas, butter, curry powder, and cumin in food processor until very smooth.
3. Add heavy cream and blend very briefly to incorporate. Season mixture with salt and pepper.
4. Make ravioli, placing 1 tablespoon filling in each dumpling wrapper. Wet the edges with water and fold over, pressing to seal.

I took the class with a fellow OCD-ish friend. We worked together on this recipe, and here are our very neat and tidy ravioli ready to go:Sometimes it pays to be slightly compulsive!

Carrots & Cipollini Onions:
1/4 lb baby carrots
1/4 lb cipollini onions
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup chicken stock

In a medium saute pan, melt butter and sugar together. Add garlic, then add carrots and onions and saute until caramelized. Add chicken broth and reduce until syrupy.

Broth:
4 cups good quality chicken stock
1 3 inch+ rind from a wedge of Parmesan
1 bay leaf

Bring stock, rind, and bay leaf to a simmer in a medium saucepan and reserve.

To serve:

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a gentle boil. Add the ravioli gradually, stirring to separate them, and cook for 2-3 minutes until done.
2. Lift ravioli with a slotted spoon, drain well, and transfer to a bowl with broth.
3. Bring reserved broth to a simmer. Season with salt, then divide broth, carrots, and onions among 4-5 bowls, discarding cheese rind and bay leaf.

And here's the final product all assembled -- Enjoy!:This was soooooooooooooooo good. It was like a soup dumpling dish with a salty sweet broth. The just soft enough onions and the yummy spices inside the pea ravioli gave it nice complexity. I'd absolutely serve this at a dinner party.


Chardonnay Poached Pears with Creme Anglaise
recipe serves 4-5

4 cups Chardonnay
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cinnamon stick
1 star anise
2 large strips of lemon zest
1 cup of sugar
4 Anjou pears, peeled, halved, and cored

1. Combine Chardonnay, vanilla, cinnamon, star anise, lemon zest, and sugar in a large saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil, then simmer for 10 mins.
2. Add pears to the liquid. Simmer pears for 15-20 mins, or until they are tender when poked with a knife.
3. Remove pears. Increase heat and simmer liquid until it's reduced/thickened to a syrup.

Cinnamon Creme Anglaise

1 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 tablespoons of cinnamon
3 egg yolks
4 tablespoons sugar

In a heavy saucepan, bring cream and cinnamon just to a boil and then remove from heat. In a bowl, whisk eggs and sugar together until they are pale yellow. Slowly pour hot cream into the eggs while whisking constantly. Transfer the mixture to the top of a double boiler and stir over simmering water until the mixture is thickened. Cool over a water bath.

Our Cinnamon Creme Anglaise - the color was a bit darker than a traditional Creme Anglaise:
And our Poached Pear with the Creme Anglaise:Yum - yum - yum!!! Run out and make this recipe now while pears are still in season.

And if you're interested in taking a cooking class or two at ICE's recreational division, visit their website.

Halloween - Futuristic Fantasy Party

Monty wasn't the only one who dressed up for Halloween last week. Chappy and I went to a costume party with a 'Futuristic Fantasy' theme.

Who says dressing up is just for kids (or for greyhounds)?:We were a NASA astronaut and a Star Trek Enterprise crew member, respectively.

Our friend decorated their apartment all sleek and shiny for the Futuristic Fantasy theme. You can see a peek of their bed covered in silver wrap here:The decor and lighting looked like a hip boutique hotel in Berlin with splashes of the Jetsons thrown in.

We had an out of this world fun time in our space age costumes:Tell me what you dressed up as...

Monty Monday - Halloween

For Halloween this year Monty dressed up as a racehorse.

Avec mini jockey:
Monty is only 14lbs, but he looked like a majestic thoroughbred with his little rider:(...that is if thoroughbreds sat down.)

Look at him mid-stride -- you'd put your money on that blazing fast horse/small dog at the racetrack, wouldn't you?:
Alas, after 5 minutes of wearing the jockey, posing for photos, and being a good sport, there was this from Mr. Monty:The inevitable shaking off of the Halloween costume.

Don't worry buddy, we promise we won't dress you up again until '12 -- even though you did look awfully cute as a racehorse.