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Abandoned Christmas trees on 34th and Park.

Look At The Tree! Christmas Eve, Etc. 2010

TR had the genius idea today to check out the tree in Rockefeller Center. I've lived in New York City for eleven and a half years and have always done my best to avoid it -- especially when I worked in Rock Center.

We started at Bryant Park at the ice rink. No skating, just loafing around. Or, in Andre's case, running around and talking to strangers.

Papa Bear and his cub.


Andre et moi


Tons of skaters!


Here we are! The tree!


TR did not love the crowds. Tourist attractions are painful for him.


Ahoy hoy!


OK, just one more.


Andre fell asleep in his stroller, which meant a nice lunch at Burger Heaven


As if Tom needs a menu


December 23rd: Party on St. Mark's Place with some broker friends

Vasilios and I


The building at 4 Saint Mark's was one a single family home until it was converted to a theater and then apartments. This is one of the old plaques on the front door to the apartment.

Look At The Tree!

I put this up every year because it's a classic.

Who wants Bailey's?

A Few Shots From Christmas

Christmas Eve was spent over in Old Greenwich for food, prezzies and a cute little church service over at Saint Savior's. Christmas Day took us to Nutley, New Jersey for an amazing dinner and more cookies than we knew what to do with. I just had ham and stuffing for breakfast. Life is good.

Best gift? TR got me a Persian cat calender. I can now look forward to 12 months of flat-faced furballs, many of them orange.

Also: TR's sister-in-law got me a copy of The Girlfriend's Guide To Pregnancy, which is probably one of the best pregnancy books I've come across. I'm not big into any of the books, because having a kid isn't all that complicated (people have been doing it for millions of years...) and anything you need to know these days is free and on the interweb. But, this book is awesome and tells you things you really want to know, like how bad labor is going to hurt and what to really bring with you to the hospital. Great. Pick.

My computer is still on the fritz, but I have a loaner for a while until I fix the screen on my other one. This one doesn't have a flash plug-in, which is driving me crazy because I can't watch videos. Yes, I have tried to install the plug-in, but to no avail. This laptop was, at one point, a corporate machine and I don't have admin rights to install anything, not even an instant messenger. Grrr. Moving on...

Christmas pics! I didn't take too many.

Everyone around the dinner table. We had the Best. Lamb. Ever. I would have gone for seconds, but there were petit fours to be devoured as well.


TR, this is your future


TR and Seamus


Andrew and the mug that I made him. Homemade gifts are the best!


Frankie's 8-year-old life was made complete with her new iPod Nano.

It's Tree-Trimming Season!

It's tree-trimming and party time. This afternoon I went to a sweet little party out in Cobble Hill to trim a tree. Yes, it was freezing outside. It was a strange trip there and back, as the trains were full of very smelly homeless people, trying to stay warm on the subways. Also, and perhaps this is a sign of the recession, a cellist played on the F train to Cobble Hill. Does a bad economy mean that we'll have more live classical music on the trains? If so, let the market crash!

Oh, and my contribution to the tree? A light up Santa, Frosty and penguin. Klassy!

TR et moi. TR was the tall guy at the party who put everything on top of the tree.


Trying different settings on the camera, between gorging on hot chocolate and cheeseball.


My little light up Santa.

I Guess Christmas Really Is Over...

I found this Christmas tree in a trash can in the East Village this afternoon.

It came with a poem:


The ornaments were, essentially, also trash.

Come Look At The Tree!

This never gets old. Did you get your tree?