A Merry, Tired Christmas

SouthamptonLast year, I reflected with my favorite posts of the year from China & India to Brooklyn, Maui, and Moscow. This year, can I be honest? I am flat-out exhausted and don't have time to reflect! It has been the most exciting, exhilarating year yet with trips to Australia, Peru, Italy, Barcelona, England, the Danube river, British Columbia, Kiawah, L.A., Nevis and incredible career opportunities. We're all tired and busy and trying to build something we love to do. But what I'm really looking forward right at this moment is a low-key week in the Hamptons. The off-season is so wonderful - I've booked spin classes and plan on winter beach walks and cozy dinners, reading books and cooking.

I wish you, all my friends near and far, a wonderful Christmas and New Year's, rest, great food, lots of laughter and much love!

Also, I can't stop playing The Nutcracker soundtrack! I saw it this weekend at Lincoln Center and it was magical. I will go every year from now on. Also LOVED dinner at El Toro Blanco last night, a new Mexican spot in the Village. Chopped salad, tuna ceviche, tacos - everything was great.

Washington Square Park Christmas

National Geographic: In Search of St. Nick at the Budapest Christmas Market

Part of what I loved most about this most recent trip to Europe was searching for the most authentic Christmas traditions. In Budapest, I discovered Santa Claus doesn't visit Hungarian children (and others in Europe) on Christmas Day. St. Nicholas Day is December 6th and that's when he visits. I wrote more about it for National Geographic and some of the sweet treats and shopping I discovered.

"In Budapest, I’m suddenly reminded of the toast my mom used to make when I was little — crunchy and buttery, and sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar.

Though the taste is familiar, this is a souped-up version of the childhood treat: a giant, hollowed-out cylinder of dough almost as tall as the boots I’m wearing — the consistency of which is somewhere between a doughnut and a churro. I can’t pronounce the Hungarian word for them, Kürtőskalács, but these pastries are also known as “chimney cakes,” a fitting name, I think to myself, as Christmastime approaches."

Read more here: In Search of St. Nick at the Budapest Christmas Market

Hotel Belle Has Swag!

Well...one piece of swag at least!  For Christmas, Andy ordered me my very own piece of Hotel Belle swag to sport, with my bell & key logo! I absolutely love it.  He is the best gift giver and I swear he must take notes when I talk-he also gave me a gorgeous watch I had mentioned months ago.  He also became my family's Christmas elf and wrapped almost everything.

All five of us siblings were together, along with my parents and Andy.  After presents, I took each of my family's three dogs on a long walk, including Piglet, the happy one in the photo below.  We all went to see Cameron Crowe's "We Bought a Zoo."  And there was this beautiful Arizona sunset.  A very merry day.

{GO!} Christmas in NYC: Holiday Train Show at the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx

The Metropolitan Museum of ArtThe Holiday Train Show at the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx is one of the most memorable things I've EVER done in New York, and I plan on making it a yearly tradition.  It is the perfect Christmas activity for all ages, from small children who will love the model trains zipping around to adults that will appreciate the replicas of NYC landmarks.

Here's the kicker: the replicas are made of plant items like bark, leaves, pine cones, and nuts. There is an exhibit that shows how much work goes into each piece.

The creation processThe show takes place in the garden's beautiful Haupt Conservatory, a Victorian glasshouse, and runs through January 16, 2012, so if you have a chance, get thyself to the Bronx to see it before it closes for the year.

Haupt ConservatoryGo early if you go on the weekends (our timed tickets were for 11 a.m. and we got out just as the hordes started coming), and make sure to stop by their well-curated gift shop on the way out.

I knew to expect famous buildings like the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and the Brooklyn Bridge but was blown away by precious buildings that have been torn down, like the old Penn Station and glorious old Fifth Avenue mansions and townhouses.  I've studied a lot about the (awful! criminal!) decision to tear down Penn Station and the preservation laws that came out of the rubble in the 1960s. My heart skipped a beat when I saw this replica-can you BELIEVE they tore this down compared to what Penn Station looks like today?!

The old, destroyed Penn StationEllis Island & the Statue of LibertyYankee Stadium

The Brooklyn BridgeThe Guggenheim MuseumAnd of course, I have a soft spot for Washington Square arch-the center of my neighborhood!

Washington Square Park Arch

Christmas in NYC: Wollman Rink, The Pierre Hotel, & Kelley & Ping

Check out the kid near the orange cone about to slip on the ice!

Last week, we celebrated my friend's 30th birthday with ice skating at Wollman Rink, followed by a wonderful festive time at Two e Lounge at The Pierre Hotel. Two e Lounge is my new favorite spot to meet up with people. I have been three times in the past two weeks! The night's high point was an impromptu living nativity scene in front of The Pierre's Christmas tree. I'm going to post this photo because I can't stop laughing looking at it.  I'm a sheep. Notice the angel in the back, "wise guy" bringing cupcakes as a gift, Mary, Joseph, and shepherds.  Baby Jesus looks like a fur ball.  Who says you can't have massive amounts in a fun in a really fancy, fabulous hotel?

End of the night at The PierreWe also went to my favorite neighborhood Asian spot, Kelley & Ping in SoHo, last week. This is the best spot-I've NEVER waited even during prime times on Friday & Saturday nights. It's also inexpensive for NYC.  Great Christmas decorations!