Titanique

Back in the day, I visited Gramercy regularly. Way back in the day, before I could afford to partake of what Gramercy had to offer, school was not far from there and my life was on its fringes.

Yesterday, when the sunset was reflected off the Chrysler Building looking uptown (toward another area and another era of my past life), I got to enjoy my current life - that of more reasonable work schedules, allowing for dinner before a show on a "weeknight." The intellectual substance of my work hasn't changed over the last couple of years, the types of clients haven't changed, but in other aspects, the changes feel titanic.

"My heart will go on..."

Cold Blanket

February snowfall in New York City.

At one point in the morning the snow fell fast and furiously; it was both more and less than what I thought it would be. Cold and wet, heavy, they said. A beautiful, white frosting on all the surfaces. It was the most snow we've had in 746 days. By afternoon it stopped falling, and what had accumulated began to melt and fall off the trees in clumps, leaving the trees bare - marring what had been a pristine white blanket.

Superb Owl(?) Sunday LVIII

Super Bowl Sunday with a gardening bent, on the heels of Tết (Lunar New Year 2024).

Nope, no owls encountered (and certainly no celebrity, resourceful, self-taught city owls); instead, a metal crane and its pond neighbor goose (and some ducks in the background) out in the 'burbs. Nope, not the football spectacle in Clark County, Nevada; instead, Clark Botanic Garden (see how the universe comes together?). There was not much natural botanical interest this early in February, the day after Tết - because, Winter - but we saw a smattering of nature-inspired sculptures, some pretty vistas, and feathered fowl friends. The Clark is a smaller garden compared to the ones we usually visit, but it offered just enough to let the parentals stretch their legs, get outside on a warmer than average day, see someplace new. I think it could be lovely when it awakens in Spring, and it's nearby, and free(!), so will be easy enough to return to in order to check it out in its full glory.

It was a nice diversion before, and maybe subconscious inspiration for, an impromptu stop at our favorite nursery. At some point since we were last there, they revamped their layout; it felt more spacious, a roomier setting to pick up some seeds, check out plants, for Dad to "come up with the idea" to get Mom an orchid for Valentine's Day.

And then we were finally off to Costco for classic game day food - prepared wings and a veggie platter with a ranch dip (I contemplated getting ingredients to cut into crudites and bake for hot wings, then opted for the easy way out; money for time and ease was well spent) -  followed by a mad dash back to the Mothership, arriving just in time for the coin toss. This was, in our collective memory, the first time, or one of the very rare times, we've ever had typical "American" sport watching faire for the Super Bowl; we've either been out at parties hosted by friends or eaten whatever was in the house, and with Mama Hen at the helm, chances are high that would have been home cooked Vietnamese food. This year, with the big game falling the day after Tết when we were already scheduled to be all together (and with Lil' Bro's friends, many also celebrants of the Lunar New Year, still being with their respective families and not taking on hosting duties) was unusual; we decided to make it an actual event for ourselves. The irony of the most important observance and expression of our cultural identity being the impetus for the most assimilated experience yet of our a most quintessentially American cultural ritual is not lost. Anyway, the food was great for the sibs and me; on the other hand, Papa Rooster and Mama Hen didn't quite "get" the appeal of this dining option (she took a few wings, and I believe had them with some leftover rice; inexplicably, considering how strongly fresh herbs and produce feature in Vietnamese cuisine, Mama Hen seemed incredulous about eating vegetables raw - maybe because they were cruciferous?).

Well, parental food incredulity aside, the rest of us had fun munching and watching the expensive commercials and seeing Taylor's boyfriend (ha!) win a nailbiter in overtime. A fairytale rookie football season for Tay-Tay! Alas, no postgame political endorsements on the field (eye roll). Perhaps there will be opportunities for that come Fall.

No Dragging Dragon

Celebrating Tết Lunar New Year 2024 - the Year of the Dragon.

Happy Lunar New Year! Chúc Mừng Năm Mới! It's the first day in the Year of the Dragon and, in my straddling-two-cultures life, the second opportunity to turn over a new leaf and get a fresh start; now it's time to really buckle down and work on making those resolutions reality.

1 (above) - Flowers to welcome the new year.

2 - Welcoming the Kitchen God back from the heavens, where he was reporting on the state of the household and the family to the ancestors over the last week.

3 & 4 -  Tết Eve dinner, which was offered to the ancestors on the ancestral altar earlier in the evening.

5 - Hái lộc ("harvesting luck") by going out right before midnight and ushering in good fortune as the first over the threshold.

6 - Mama Hen-made bánh chưng with salty brined dried radish. It's a square-shaped glutinous rice "cake" (really a loaf) wrapped and steamed in banana leaves with a filling of pork and mashed mung beans. The square shape represents the earth.

7 through 9 - Games of chance and/or skill with some wagers are a traditional Tết activity to determine luck for the coming year. Here, we have "horse race chess" (aka Parcheesi). And I won!! Look at my winning blue horses 😁 and my haul of quarters!

To a happy, healthy, prosperous, successful, peaceful, and purposeful Year of the Dragon!

Light Dimmed, Dim Sum, Bright Some

An end, and fueling up to prepare for new beginnings.

This morning the parentals were out in the city on the Upper Westside to attend the (rather early) funeral of a friend to our family - the son of someone who played an important part in setting us up for economic security in this country. He died early by current standards - we are guessing he was shy of 70, survived by a wife and 7 year old daughter. Poor child. Life isn't fair a lot of the time. May she be protected and guided and cared for, and grow to be strong and well adjusted.

With the service concluding during late morning - brunch time, Papa Rooster and Mama Hen swung by to get Sissy and me for classic Chinatown old school dim sum at Jing Fong (relocated from its old home where we had known it). The restaurant was decked out with blooming quince branches for the coming holiday.

Afterward, we wrapped the Chinatown visit with some shopping, and took in the markets and colorful goods, fresh flowers, brightly packaged special foods laid out for Lunar New Year preparations. Between this weekend and being in Northern Virginia last weekend, for the first time in years, I feel properly in the new year spirit - ready, relatively relaxed, receptive to the new season and all the living to be done ahead. 

It's certainly nowhere near perfect. I will almost undoubtedly blow well past my Tết private deadline for getting myself into re-hostessing state. But my home, and I, are a work in process.