The Metropolitan Museum of Art just reopened its renovated American Wing, which displays, according to the Met, “one of the finest and most comprehensive” American art collections in the world. It has George Washington Crossing the Delaware, for one, and two galleries dedicated to the Hudson River School. The wing is organized chronologically, so you can watch the development of our nation as you move through the galleries, starting with European-style portraiture and moving on to the Hudson River School and Western art and then on to Impressionism and Modern. It’s a lot of fun — and a lot to take in. We’ll be back.
I got so many comments and “likes” when I posted this photo on Facebook, so I’m just gonna throw it out there before the jump. After the jump you’ll find a few more photos of art. We also have a few more photos of Sam, but here’s one of our favorites:
Apparently there’s a new chef at the Hudson House. I haven’t called to get the scoop on his name or credentials, but from the few things Irene and I tasted, I’d say we’re in for a treat with his cooking!
This was the Green Goddess salad, which was a little like a greek salad, but more sophisticated. Olives, endive, arugula, onion… all delishy!
The Hudson House is undergoing renovations, so we ate in the upstairs dining room, which is really quite cozy and comfortable. There’s a cute little bar in the back, and a raised area that has served as a stage during performances there (and also was used to seat the wedding party at Sarah and Wilson’s rehearsal dinner!).
Samantha’s first trip to MoMA was to see the Diego Rivera exhibit. Six of his murals were on display; they were ones for which he was brought here to the museum in 1931 to create. He ended up created portable frescos on a lime-enhanced cement, which is pretty cool. It was only the museum’s second exhibition ever. I think Sam really enjoyed it. I know we did.
Sam and I will be spending lots of time together over the weekends from now on. Greg got a great new job copy editing at The Daily, and his hours are Saturday and Sunday nights. It’s so terrific for Srimp. No day care once I have to go back to work on Feb. 1. It’s not so terrific for spending quality family time together around the Farm. So we’re a little sad about that. But the good far outweighs the bad, and Srimp and I had quite a few laughs this first weekend. I held her and we practiced smiling and making talking noises, and then she went to bed and I sewed some vintage buttons on my coat.
On Sunday, we walked down to the farewell potluck supper at church for our Rector, Richard Gressle, who has retired after 16 years. He will be missed!
I’m sure we’ll find plenty to keep us busy these weekend nights. But we will miss Hunna lots!
Sam and I joined Kelli, Sarah and Hugh for an early Friday supper at the OVI. The kids had cheeseburgers and grilled cheese. Kelli and I had pizza and wings. Sam had milk.
My favorite part of the evening was when Hugh asked me whether I was going to take a picture of his food. Of course Hughie! His grilled cheese, after the jump.
In search of a good backpack, we headed to the new Ridge Hill shopping center in Yonkers, which has not only and REI and an L.L. Bean but also a Dick’s Sporting Goods. If you can’t find a backpack in those stores, there’s something wrong with you. (We did.) Since this is (ostensibly) a food blog, I will note that we had lunch at the Whole Foods there. The store, by the way, beats the White Plains one by a mile. So much more spacious, fewer people and lots more stuff. Bravo.
Greg made his own tacos from the “salad” bar. I got a panino. Srimp had milk.
While I’m off work, I’ve been attending a Wednesday morning Mom group that focuses on breastfeeding. (See, this is a food blog, after all, right?) Breastfeeding Arts, a group run by my lactation consultant (and now friend), the incomparable Deirdre, and her partner, Lenore, have organized what’s called the Breastfeeding Cafe and New Mother Support Group. It’s a laid-back, cool place to talk about breastfeeding and other new mom things — and also a nice place to meet other moms. The group meets at a studio in Nyack Yoga @ 42 Main. I’ve loved to just hang for an hour and realize that I’m not alone in this whole new mom thing! Here’s Sam with Alon, whose birthday is just three days before Sam’s.
I must have walked past the main branch of the New York Public Library a hundred times, but I’ve never been inside. Today, that all changed. We took in the sites, including those famous lions, a Gutenberg Bible that was on display inside, and, of course, the Rose Reading Room.
Yes, we’re back. We thought it would be a fun spot to take Sarah and Chris and the kids. Indeed, it was! We got a table by the ice rink and sat under the heat lamps, enjoying burgers and soups. We even got to see Boo, who was able to join us last minute. What fun!
Jane stayed home, and Mae was beside herself about being alone with her Mommy in the city. “I don’t even have to share my hot dog!” she exclaimed. What’s better than that?
On Wednesday, everyone went their separate ways. Sarah went out with her friends to Cafe Barcel, and we went to Irene’s for a ritual reading of “A Christmas Memory” with Kris and Tom. But first, Sarah had her friends over to the farm for cocktails and to “see the baby.”
With just two children opening gifts,the living room at the Ranch got just as trashed as if all seven adults and three children were participating. The joy of giving!
And afterwards, we had a reprise of what is sure to become an SCF winter classic: Joan Nathan’s brisket (recipe here). With a bit of creamy polenta? My god is that good.
For a little holiday diversion, we took the kids to see the butterfly exhibit and the dinosaurs at the American Museum of Natural History in Manhattan. Oh how Mae hoped a butterfly would land on her hand. Alas.
Everyone, however, was sufficiently wowed by the T-Rex and his cousins on the fourth floor:
Sarah and Wilson and the girls arrived late on Boxing Day. We’ll open the presents tomorrow. Today, Mae and Jane just really want to meet “baby cousin.”
And after the kids went to bed, Sarah had some alone time with Sam:
We spent Christmas morning around the Farm, having coffee by the tree and talking to family members from afar. Here’s Sam, Face Timing with Jessica and Reece:
Yes, that’s one of her three Christmas outfits.
You think she knows how cute she is? A few more pics, after the jump.
Greg, Samantha and I took shelter from a sprinkle under a canopy at the bar called the Southwest Porch at Bryant Park. The park is all decked out for the holidays, complete with an ice-skating rink and a big blue tree.
We think Sam enjoyed her first trip to Manhattan.
More pics, including of a big, cozy fire pit, after the jump.
We took srimp — that’s what we’ve taken to calling her these days, srimp. No “h” — to the last outdoor market of the season in Pleasantville. We stocked up on all kinds of goodies.
Clockwise from lower left: celery, potatoes, apples, frozen blueberries, leeks, Tuscan kale, butternut squash, tiny onions, pea shoots, beets, apple cider, pear cider, celeriac, carrots, Brussels sprouts, garlic, turnips, onions, and, the in the center, pears.
Quite a haul!
Greg calls the photo below “Joni Mitchell shopping in 1973.”
Having a hankering for pizza — good pizza, that is — and having found ourselves in White Plains, we went to Anthony’s. A chain, sure, but a high-quality one, and one where the prices is nice and the service is quick. Both bonuses, but especially the latter when Sam is involved. And the pizza? Darn good.
That’s Greg’s. Sausage with caramelized onions. Seriously. The onions were cooked before the pizza was. They were sweet and delicious. The sausage had a nice fennel flavor. It’s how sausage on pizza should always taste.
Sam’s arrival put the kibosh on a Thanksgiving celebration out this year, so Judy and the gang invited us over for a pasta supper instead. It was pretty similar to Thanksgiving, except for the singing. And the turkey. We didn’t have any. Turkey or singing.
Kelli and I are taking on a little Christmas project. Some years it’s Buche de Noel; other years, it’s cookies. This year, it’s stockings. At least we’re hoping it is! We got started the other day at Kelli’s house.
Irene came over and cooked dinner for us — a welcome and very appreciated gift. She made a delishy meal of scallops, which we ate with pleasure by the fire.
Sam with her stroller, car seat and bassinet for the stroller. This wonderful gear was donated to the farm by some very generous friends. Thank you Young-Yi and Amy!
A couple more photos of Sam, including a cute one with Daddy, after the jump.
Our daughter, Samantha Grace, was born at 3:07 p.m. on Nov. 14, 2011 at Phelps Memorial Hospital in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y. She was 8 pounds, 14 ounces and 20.5 inches long.
A big ol’ slideshow of photos of her from birth through her first bath and her first trip to the mall (with Gregory!) is below. Hit the conversation bubble in the left bottom corner to see captions, if you’d like.
For our simple supper, we roasted two chickens, threw some potatoes underneath and opened a crazy good bottle of wine, a gift from our friend Lettie some time ago.
A little lemon verbena under the chicken never hurt anyone. Greg is proud.
