happy presidents' day

"Presidents’ Day is an American holiday celebrated on the third Monday in February. Originally established in 1885 in recognition of President George Washington, it is still officially called “Washington’s Birthday” by the federal government. Traditionally celebrated on February 22—Washington’s actual day of birth—the holiday became popularly known as Presidents’ Day after it was moved as part of 1971’s Uniform Monday Holiday Act, an attempt to create more three-day weekends for the nation’s workers. While several states still have individual holidays honoring the birthdays of Washington, Abraham Lincoln and other figures, Presidents’ Day is now popularly viewed as a day to celebrate all U.S. presidents past and present." — From History.com

I have to challenge that last sentence. I have never heard this holiday having anything to do with any other presidents than Washington or Lincoln, who both had February birthdays. I will completely agree with the desire for a longer weekend, although it doesn't seem to benefit all, as not every job in this country has a leave calendar as generous as federal workers.

on worth avenue ...

... we checked out the ginormous Xmas tree, whose ornaments were large enough to reflect not just us, but everyone else on the block.

happy new year

I won't bore you with any resolutions, as I imagine most people make about the same ones each year. We could all stand to do a little less of this and a bit more of that. I do hope for good health for everyone I know, and less stress.

Happy New Year!

guess what I'm making for Thanksgiving dinner ...

... Reservations! (yes, it's an old joke, but it makes me smile.)

Last year I tried to go all out and make a special turkey dinner. I followed a turkey in brine recipe and it came out perfectly, but my family really didn't like it. This year I'm spending the holiday with the like-minded cousin who also doesn't like to spend the whole day in the kitchen. We're all going out. To an Italian restaurant. And I'm really looking forward to it. This Thanksgiving we are making reservations.

"That will be a table for six, please."

Now don't get me wrong. I love all the traditional Thanksgiving meal stuff like turkey and/or ham, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie ... especially when someone else has been doing the bulk of the cooking. My childhood was pretty bereft of traditional American fare. No mac and cheese or pot roasts or casserole anythings. My mom joked that when she first got married she didn't even know how to boil water and had to ask her mother-in-law how. That may not have been that far from the truth. Luckily, my grandma was a phenomenal cook and my mom a fast learner in those days. But Grandma was also a Sicilian who had married a Northern Italian, so most of the dishes that were passed down were Italian. I still cook that way. I can't complain. Italian is one of the world's top cuisines. But that's my skill set.

One more word about traditional Thanksgiving fare. I loathe stuffing. I don't understand it. Maybe I've just never had any good stuffing. I've read recipes which mention sage and chestnuts and just about anything that you can imagine, but it still leaves me cold. I like turkey, but not the stuffing.

Over the past seven years or so my mom used to come up and visit my daughter and me while we were still living in Washington, D.C. I didn't want to cook a really big dinner for three or four people, so most of the time we made reservations. I guess that is my true Thanksgiving tradition, which now I'm finally coming to embrace and accept.

 So whatever your plans for the holiday are, I hope that you enjoy your own traditions, cuisine, family and friends. And don't forget to give thanks to whoever cooked your meal or whoever made the restaurant reservations.

Happy Thanksgiving!

i wanna easta egg, i wanna easta egg, i wanna easta egg!

We went to the easter egg hunt on the Flagler Museum front lawn this morning. Looks like the Easter Bunny sent Bugs down here to stand in for him. Or else he took a wrong turn at Albuquerque ...

It was utter mayhem when they let the kids loose to get eggs, but fun to watch.

There were some nice give-aways and even some downtime to blow bubbles.

Happy Easter!

Bugs Bunny in Easter Yeggs

we did have fun making it ...

It may not be as impressive as some of these, but we enjoyed putting together our gingerbread house last night.

Related articles

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• Life-size Gingerbread House (neatorama.com)

tinsel and hysteria

We've started listening to the local holiday music station. I've been in Florida for Xmas before, but it was always as a visitor—it was exotic. But now that we live here, as much as I don't have any desire to see snow, especially after last year's three blizzards, it still feels a little surreal to see the strings of lights amid the sunshine and palm trees.

Somehow this version of We Need A Little Christmas by Johnny Mathis perfectly captures that desperation to try and get into the holiday spirit. I don't know if I'm just unfamiliar with his version—when I think of Johnny Mathis Christmas songs it's usually It's the most Wonderful Time of the Year that comes to mind—or maybe my ear is more tuned in to his hysteric phrasing this year.


Besides Johnny, what is really helping me get into the season is hearing my daughter sing along. It's amazing how last year she was just humming along and could manage maybe a few song lyrics. This year it is full lyrics, complete with inflections.

a marshmallow world

When you have a kid, you've got to shed some of your coolness factor and embrace the all-day, all-night Xmas music station. At least now that she's old enough to want to hear the music. Don't worry, I'm also passing on my misspent youth - she likes to sing along to Should I Stay or Should I Go.

I have to admit that I am actually enjoying listening to the station this year (but only in the car, not at home - I'm not completely mental.) Most of the fun comes from watching my daughter light up when Rudolph or Frosty plays, or learning what other holiday ditties float her boat, like Jingle Bell Rock. I am also relieved that she can't stand Mannheim Steamroller or the Trans-Siberian Orchestra ("Too sad - I don't like it!") I'm right there with you kid. I think it's sort of creepy music, actually. I prefer vocals. Always.

What I enjoy is not the umpteenth time that White Christmas is played, although it's definitely a classic, but when they play some obscure version of either a traditional song or some weird, forced holiday tune, like Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas by the Pretenders - I had to use Shazam on my iPhone to find out who was strangling the cat. Unbelievably painful. What was Chrissie Hynde drinking that day? I actually like the song, and the best version is by Judy Garland from the film Meet Me in St. Louis, but James Taylor does a pretty good one, too.The song actually captures what it's like to be away from your loved ones at the holidays and has a poignant wartime reference, whether originally in post-war 1944 or today.

Sometimes I end up liking holiday songs by an artist that I don't like when they do their own material. I find Sarah McLachlan too twee most of the time, but I like the version of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen she does with Barenaked Ladies.


While I was sipping hot cocoa at lunch this afternoon with the ubiquitous holiday music playing in the background, I was treated to a Rat Pack Christmas. Most of it was pretty awful, especially from Sinatra, with his "hey youse guys, I can style any song you can trow at me!" delivery. And don't even challenge me on this. I'm from Joisey. But I do have to 'fess up to a fondness for Dino's version of Rudy...

ho ho ho?

One of the local radio stations started playing Xmas music - all day, all the time, last Friday. What? It's not even Thanksgiving yet.

I understand the retail impulse to start inundating us with Santa merchandise right after Halloween. I hate that, but can dismiss it as crass, greedy and unavoidable. But if you start playing the holiday tunes before it's even Thanksgiving, that's just too much. How can anyone even try to contemplate what they might be thankful for if they are already being forced to worry about if they can afford to get everyone (anyone) presents this year?

I'm impatient for January 20 and our new president, but I can even wait for that. Isn't anticipation half the fun of most of the really good things in life?

I love the Ray Charles rendition of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, but I can wait until November 28 or even later to hear it. Tis the season, sigh...