Christmas Week & Friends

They're baaaaack.

Usually during the week between Christmas and New Year's, Dan heads off to California and I spend some time in New Jersey, which includes Christmas Eve dinner with the family, lazy days next to the tree, and trips to the movie theater. Not the case this year. I had to work every holiday, so I was stuck in the city...which could have been a recipe for absolute suckiness.

Luckily, it wasn't so terrible. Working the morning shift on Christmas Day made it easy for me to go to NJ for a few hours, where I got to hang out with my mom, stepfather and my sister, complete with a holiday meal. I was sent home with an abundance of tuperware filled with all the delectables I missed on Christmas Eve so it's like I got to have my holiday dinner spread throughout the following week.

I wasn't for lack of company either. My dear Danish friends from Belgium (aka some my favorite people ever) decided to come visit New York City during this week, so instead of being cooped up alone in my apartment, I got to go out and do as the Euros do: shop until you drop! When I wasn't working, we spent every free moment together viewing all the sites: Bloomingdale's, Banana Republic, J Crew, Nicole Miller, FAO Schwarz, Betsey Johnson, Urban Outfitters, Free People, Sabon. When I wasn't with them, these ambitious shoppers hit American designers Tori Burch, Cole Haan and Diane Von Furstenberg and braved the crowds at Century 21. They brought only old clothes to wear on this trip, which they planned to toss, filling up their suitcase with all their new American purchases! It was fun to be a spectator and I think they did their part in reviving our American economy.

Anna and Gerda shop for shoes at Bloomingdale's.


Katrine with her new toy.

In between these shopping sprees, we stopped for dinners and coffees and desserts....the rascals refusing to let me pay for anything. (This is MY hometown! They are MY guests!) Dan joined us for our last outing together, and the Danes indulged us by doing the touristy things that *we* have always wanted to do--ride the gondola to Roosevelt Island for a view of the city and dine on frozen hot chocolate and gigantic ice cream sundaes at Serendipity 3. There is a reason why we have never been to Serendipity before. There was a three-hour wait for a table! For ice cream! But Dan was on mission and we timed everything just right. We got our table and we ate our ice cream which ended up being our dinner. It was hilarious to see how appalled Gerda was over these American dessert monstrosities. But the rest of the family ate it up (well, as much as we could--with the insanely large portions, it was impossible to finish).

Mmmm frozen hot chocolate.

Ah, the Danish. As always, I found them endlessly entertaining, fun, wonderful, interesting, great. I was terribly sad to see them go. I would have packed myself in one of their suitcases but they bought way too much stuff so I didn't fit this time.

By the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center.

My New Year's Eve was spent in a television control room, working for the midnight show as the prompter. They popped open a bottle of champaigne at midnight but other than that, it was business as usual.

Since I was in the city and either working or shopping, I didn't do my yearly tradition of sitting by my mother's tree and mapping out my New Year's goals. So I have decided to keep it simple this year:

1. Exercise and eat more vegetables

2. Hang out with my friends and family more and/or stay in better touch

3. Get through the 100 list

4. Get married! (that's easy!)

5. As always, seek (and find!) direction for my life and career

Actually this blog says it much more nicer than me. I am looking forward to a fresh start!

The Danish are Here!

My favorite Danish family is visiting New York City this week, and I am so excited to see them and show them the city where I live!

I have been emailing Gerda for weeks now, thinking about places we should go, desserts we should try, things we should do together. I think I was more excited about their trip than they were!

Last night, we treated them to dinner to Ruby Foo's, forcing them to trek through the crowds of Times Square and then eat platefuls of sushi and dumplings and edaname and cakes. They seemed to like the torture.

Gerda, I love her, tells me how thin I look and then gives me a box of delicious Belgian chocolate from her neighborhood shop that I loved. I have no problem gaining all the weight back again if it means I get to eat that chocolate. (Okay, so I am REALLY hoping that I won't gain the weight back but still get to eat all the chocolate. I am going to try that experiment and tell you how it goes.)

It's so strange that nearly 7 months have passed since we saw each other last, and how my life is so different now. When I saw them last I was unemployed and stressfree, the only worry on my mind was a little homesickness. Now, I have work to my ears and my life is so regimented with work and exercise and things. Grass is always greener, I yearned for the way it was before. But seeing them again was like having a taste of that again.

My Favorite People.

I love these Danish people. I really do.

In seven months time, since I have been back in the United States, I had forgotten how much I love Gerda and company, but they reminded me right away.

I love talking to Gerda and getting her perspective on life. I love Morten's jokes and appetite for all kinds of food. I love Anna's love of fashion and American pop culture. I love watching Katrine eat an adult-sized plate of just about anything and doing sprints across the subway platform. And I loved watching Dan fall in love with them, too.

Coming home from dinner on Thursday night, I felt so happy and energized and excited after seeing them. And after spending the weekend with them, the feeling just continued.

Saturday, we took a long stroll through Central Park (where Katrine took pictures with her pink camera of the squirrels) and I showed them Strawberry Fields and the Reservoir and all my favorite parts. The rain came, so we ducked into Bloomingdale's...and Urban Outfitters...and Victoria's Secret...and Levis (all Euros LOVE Levis, apparently because the jeans are so pricey over there). The American dollar is certainly at their advantage and they are taking advantage. Anna was positively glowing with all the new clothes she was getting, practically dancing when she came out of the dressing rooms to show us her new duds.

We had Patsy's pizza for lunch. It was amusing to see them all whip out their cameras to take pictures of the "massive" pizza. Katrine's eyes almost popped out of her head, and she shoveled down her appetizer salad as fast as she could as if the pizza were going to disappear before her eyes. (They thought the spaghetti and meatballs on the menu was hilariously American).


Ordering at Patsy's.

Then I showed them Dylan's Candy Bar to which Katrine exclaimed, "This is the most beautiful candy store I have ever seen!" I think Gerda was a little grossed out by the over-the-top American consumerism/junk food, but she took it in stride, even buying herself some marshmellows. Marshmellows don't come easy in Belgium.


Gerda and Katrine sampled the gummy brains.

We picked up Dan and then headed for dinner at Taco Taco in our neighborhood, and they got to see our apartment and eat some homemade dessert. (I made a strawberry shortcake, which they said reminded them of a Danish birthday cake).

Sunday, Dan and I woke up with full stomachs and joined the gang for brunch where we ate some more, afterwards making a mandatory pit stop at Magnolia Bake Shop for some cupcakes. Gerda said they were better than she expected, but I don't think she wants the recipe or anything. We walked through the Village and Soho, stopping at shops all along, and then breezed through Chinatown, where we gave them a taste of some Chinese fish candy and crazy crowds. I think Morten really dug it, especially the juxtaposition of the very posh Soho to the down-and-dirty streets of Chinatown. Katrine spent a greater part of the day wiggling her very loose tooth.


Mini-me. Katrine taking pictures of cakes in Magnolia.


Anna has her Sex and the City moment with a Magnolia cupcake.


Crazy tooth killer.

When it was finally over, and Dan and I dropped the family off at the Natural History Museum and said our good-byes and when we were back home alone, Dan said, "I miss them already."

They haven't even left the city but so do I.

Let me just mention that besides for dinner on Thursday night, this family insisted on paying for everything for Dan and me, plus, they gave us the most fantastic box of Belgium chocolate (Dan and I both agreed it was the best chocolate we EVER had) and me a book to read for writing inspiration. So really, even though they visited us, I just have to thank THEM for a wonderful time and their generous hospitality.

They Came. They Saw. They Went.

The most exciting thing that happened to me this week had nothing to do with vegetables.

(Did I just hear a collective sigh?)

This week was super fun because my favorite Danish family was visiting New York City for five days. In case you don't know or remember, I met Gerda, the matriarch of the family, in 2007 when I was studying Polish in Krakow. She was studying Polish, too, because she works as a translator for the EU and is fluent in many languages. At the time, she invited me to visit her home in Brussels where I got acquainted with her husband, Morten and their daughters Anna and Katrine. It was an instant connection. The family has journeyed to New York City two times since then (this trip being the third visit), and they even came to our wedding in New Orleans.

I love these people so much. They make my heart swell each time I see them. Even though I have only known them for a few years and only get to see them about once a year, they are some of the best people I have ever met. I consider them to be my extended family.

This stay in New York is part of a long vacation the Greves are taking that includes weeks in California, Las Vegas, Utah, Arizona and Cancun, Mexico (Oh, Euros and their awesome vacations!) Unfortunately, I am American so I had to work the majority of the time they were here, but I spent every free moment I had with them, making the most of it. On my day off, they requested I show them around Brooklyn.

I am quite possibly the worst Brooklyn tour guide ever. I have no idea what to do or where to go. I walked them across the Brooklyn Bridge, and we wandered around Dumbo a bit. (Is there anything to see in Dumbo? Because if there is, we didn't see it). Katrine, the girl who loves to eat, was concerned there were no restaurants around. So we decided to do Grimaldi's for pizza and then Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory, just like the tourists do. I know that much.


The Greve family on the Brooklyn Bridge.


Katrine, probably hungry, taking a breather. She doesn't speak English so we've never really had a conversation, but I have the biggest soft spot for her.


Brooklyn Bridge: What to see in Brooklyn.

We walked through Brooklyn Heights and the promenade. It was quite possibly the hottest day of the summer so far, and I made the rookie mistake of wearing blister-inducing sandals. We took many breaks, and I used maybe 28 band aids Gerda had on hand because they kept falling off. (She's like my mother; I told you we're family). Then we took a water taxi back to Manhattan for a little shopping because that is what we always do when they are in town.


Gerda, enjoying the water taxi.


Katrine and Morten, hanging out at Free People, while Anna shops.


We may not have seen anything in Brooklyn, but we did find the ugliest shoes in the city.

The rest of our time together this week was spent eating. I cooked dinner on the first night. Knowing that I wouldn't be cooking much all week, I tried to plan a menu that used most of the CSA vegetables and the home-grown tomatoes my mom gave me. It was kind of hard to make it cohesive, but somehow it all worked out.


Dinner menu:
-Two types of bruschetta. One topped with fava beans and the other with tomato and basil
-Melon wrapped in prosciutto
-Lasagna tart with zucchini
-Salad with tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers and homemade vinaigrette



-Cherry pie made with sweet and sour cherries with a dollop of vanilla ice cream (our fruit CSA started this week!)
My favorite part of the meal was the Belgian chocolates Gerda brought for us. Heaven!

For the rest of the dinners we shared together, Dan and I tried to offer a variety of neighborhoods and cuisines. The Greves were really good sports about greasy soul food in Harlem (so not their bag!) and pretending that the tapas in the West Village came close to the kind they ate in Spain (not really, but still delish!) On the last night we ate gelato at Amorino, and after we were done, we sat outside on the bench lingering forever because I didn't want the night to end.

We finally said our good-byes and went our separate ways. Not knowing when we would see each other again, I started to cry. I don't mean a few tears, but full-fledged sobbing. Little girl tears. On the streets of New York. Dan tried to comfort me, but to no avail. A man walked by, looked at me with concern and then glared at Dan.

"She's just sad because she said good-bye to some friends," Dan called out after him, just in case he thought Dan was a terrible wife-beater. I am not sure if the guy believed him.

Here's the thing: New York has become a little lonely for Dan and me in the last year. Many of our friends have moved to Brooklyn or New Jersey, and our social life has dwindled quite a bit. We don't see much of anyone anymore. Spending an entire week with such lovely people, and knowing that I won't be seeing them again soon or having that warm feeling that only great friends can bring, made me really sad.

Still, even with the downer ending, it was a great week.

I can't wait until next time. Big hugs and kisses to the Greves!

Day Trippers

From London, we took a day-trip to Brussels to visit our favorite Danish family!

Leaving London via the Eurostar. Check out the Olympic rings!

It was so much fun to hang out with Gerda and Morten in their home turf. After all, they had come to visit us in the States on many occasions over the last few years.

We spent the day walking around the town and doing some light sight-seeing. And record-shopping, of course. Dan was pleasantly surprised by the amount of good-quality stores in Brussels.

Finally, a nice vacation picture of us! Thanks, Morten.

I like this one, too.

Dan with the Manneken Pis

Hey, I remember this place!

Tasting some Belgian candies that everyone thought were nasty except for Dan.

Good friends

We had such a nice time, and of course, Gerda and Morten were the most gracious hosts. They wouldn't let us pay for anything, and they kept feeding us delicious food. The highlight had to be dinner at their lovely home, where we feasted on steak, potatoes, strawberry salad, lime pie and chocolates. Oh, so many chocolates. Dan must have eaten enough food for ten people. I think it amused them greatly, which is why they kept feeding us more. We ended the night with some limoncello in memory of their visit to Visalia. Also, it was crazy that it didn't turn dark until 10 at night.

We also got a chance to see Katrine. Yay! Anna is away at school. Boo!

When and where will we see this awesome family again? I vote their beach house in Denmark. That sounds quite nice to me! How about it, Dan? Gerda? Morten? Anna? Katrine? Who's in?

My favorite Belgian chocolates from Passion Chocolat