Chrissmukkah Top 10 List
In no particular order other than slightly chronological, or at least, in the order they came to my mind:
(10) Office Holiday Lunch @ Balthazar.
Ok, this technically occurred before the holiday weekend, but it's worth mentioning. Somehow the stars aligned - i.e. my cold was gone and we got a taxi in front of Penn Station despite the transit strike - and for 6 of us from my department, a smorgasbord ensued. I know I talk about food all the time but this meal was awesome. I consumed, and more importantly, successfully digested - red wine, oysters, steak tartare, goat cheese tart, duck, mussels, and chocolate souffle cake. I love free meals and I think I could stay at this job - in which my boss encourages ordering as much food and drink as possible - forever. As he says, he might not be Jewish, but he's Jew-ish. This was one of MANY delicious meals I've had over the past couple days. Special shout out to Mom's pork chops and pumpkin waffles (served at dinner and then breakfast, not together).
(9) Wellies!
Thanks to my sister, I finally own a pair of rain boots! I haven't had a pair of rain boots since I was a wee child and had those ones that look like they're for kid firefighters-in-training: navy with the yellow stripe. But now I can jump in puddles (or, as Sierra and I like to say, "PUDDLE IT UP!") and walk to work without suffering through the bottoms of my pants (who am I kidding - jeans) remaining soaking wet all day long. I think my new boots might actually change how I feel about rain. Now all I need is to acquire a raincoat and to lose the unjustified stigma I have against umbrellas (that they're sorta nerdy). Plus I'd like to mention that I didn't get boring or trendy rain boots (no plain black, no leopard pattern) - I got a cool/funky pair that looks like something you'd find in the MoMA design store.
(8) Speaking of MoMA...Holler Cool Presents From My Bosses.
A cappuccino maker. iPod speakers. A Coach wallet. A membership to MoMA. A tin of gourmet peanuts. A sweatshirt with the name of our new show hideously emblazoned on the front. All my anal-retentive organized double-checking script-reading perfectionist papercuts were rewarded. Nice.
(7) Manohla Dargis's review of Munich in The New York Times.
Munich was a good movie. It was well done. I was proud of Spielberg. The film was un-Spielberg in a good way. But Manohla Dargis's long, beautifully written review of Munich was damn good. Here's my favorite paragraph:
"As his tours of duty with the historian Stephen Ambrose suggested ("Saving Private Ryan," "Band of Brothers"), Mr. Spielberg can give the appearance of wanting to be seen as more than just a Hollywood director, particularly since he added "adult contemporary" to his playlist, mixing history in with his dinosaurs. That makes him a soft target, and "Munich" has already been strafed by op-ed attacks. The accusations might make sense if the filmmaker took us into the terrorists' homes for some moral relativism. But Mr. Spielberg is doing nothing more radical here than advancing the idea that dialogue ends when two enemies, held hostage by dusty history and hot blood, have their hands locked around each other's throats. You can't hold your children with your hands so occupied, though evidently you can send them off to war."
BOO-YA.
Plus, Manohla gets bonus points for excellence, not just for her sharp writing and the fact that she's the only reviewer I trust, but because she gives props to those who deserve it - AKA my boy Gyllenhaal - in her year-end wrap up of 2005 movies:
"Unlike Ennis, Jake Gyllenhaal's doe-eyed Jack Twist wears desire as openly as pain. Without his sensitive performance, without his ache and yearning, "Brokeback Mountain" wouldn't work half as well as it does. The beauty of the performance is fully evident in the scene in which the older Jack remembers when Ennis gently wrapped his arms around him during the men's first summer together. It's a devastating moment both because it juxtaposes the men's idyllic past with their difficult present, and because it reminds us of how memories live inside us as promises, rebukes and ghosts. When the scene returns to the present, you see in this man's face a lifetime of hope blur together with a lifetime of disappointment, as well as the beginning of the lovers' end."
(6) Driver's Ed on Christmas Day.
Me and my Pops drove to Queens - me behind the wheel - just for practice, in the pouring rain on Sunday. I drove through a tunnel and on a bridge. And I didn't kill us. I'm becoming a better driver, more comfortable and self-assured. I can't quite park the car yet, but I can drive it!
(5) I Thought I Was Complex...But Apparently I'm Not.
I signed up for Netflix. People seem surprised that I don't already have it, but I watch a lot of TV and I see a lot of movies - so who has time to rent movies to watch on their TV? Well, I do! At least I do for now, because all my shows are repeats and/or are on hiatus and I think I've seen every movie out that I want to see. So I opened a Netflix account and now I have Queue! I was looking at my Queue - which is one's list of upcoming rentals - and thinking how fascinating I am, how complex, how interesting, how diverse my tastes are. Here's a sample, in authentic order: All the King's Men, Unforgiven, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, Chinatown, The Apartment, Project Runway Season 1. But then I found out that I'm not all that complicated, people know me quite well, and I'm not a tough nut to crack, for - of ALL the millions of books in the entire world, my boss and my sister bought me the SAME book: The Elements of Style (a beautiful, hardcover edition). What are the odds?! I love the book. Apparently they both knew that I would. I'm transparent and predictable and obvious. Maybe everyone's Netflix queue looks as varied and funny as mine.
Nah, mine's adorable.
(4) A Bracelet to Promote Positive Thinking.
During a marathon day of shopping with my sister, we stumbled upon this random Chinese-themed store in Nolita where I found this really cool bracelet. It's simple yet elegant - just small red beads - and it supposedly promotes positive thinking. I could really use a dose of positive thinking AND I had been looking for a good everyday bracelet - so, double score. I'm not sure if its supposed mojo is working though, at least not yet. This weekend I was my old self, up to my usual tricks, which included almost crying when I was trying on a necklace that my Mom gave me and the clasp broke in my hand. I think I'm due for a good cry but that is no excuse. If I want to think of myself as an adult (which most of the time I do) then I need to NOT cry over spilt milk, or in this case, spilt clasp. I need to not be negative. I need to say yes more often. I will say this - I think very positively about my new bracelet. I lurve it. And I will not cry when it breaks. Seriously.
(3) My Sister's Funny Line.
Even my Dad crowned this gem as the funny line of the entire weekend. After watching Match Point, we discussed the film as a family over yummy lemon mousse (which I made, take that Rachel Ray). As is usually the case, I made some sweeping ridiculous statement about my parents and how if anything ever happened to either of them, I would never want them to remarry. I said something like "I'd never accept the person, ever." And my Mom countered, "wouldn't you want us to be happy though, would you at least meet the person before you leap to judgment?" to which my sister replied, with perfect comic timing, "Sure, we'd meet the person, but then we'd throw acid in their face." We all laughed for a long time. But my sister and I, we mean it. Seriously.
(2) Grocery Shopping with Mom & Pop Wittenberg/Goldberg.
We had some time to kill post-Munich pre-dinner last night in my neighborhood. Hmm...I may want to rethink the word choice of that sentence. Anyways, let's just say I wish I knew beforehand that my Dad was gonna offer to pay. I would've at least gotten more toilet paper! I am an infuriatingly weird grocery shopper - meaning I never really get any actual food. I'll get milk and juice, peanut butter, bread, cereal, butter, yogurt, fruit - but never anything actually substantial. This used to frustrate my sister a lot, when we'd go to Whole Foods together in DC: we'd meet at the check-out after 1/2 an hour and I'd have like two items in my basket. I knew going into it that this supermarket retardation of mine was going to bug my Mom as well, probably more so because I can't be cooking if I don't have anything to cook, but it was very funny watching my Mom try to convince me to add certain purchases. I've never seen someone push cheese like that. I mean, my parents are health freaks and my Mom was chasing after me going "You could make nachos! What about nachos?!"
(1) Quality Time at the Country House.
I stayed at the country house over the Chrissmukkah weekend. There was the usual: delicious meals, funny conversations, good movies, good TV, good reading, sleeping late, no work - PLUS presents! It was fun and relaxing. I'm very fortunate and very grateful. And see, I'm thinking positively. Those little red beads are working their magic!
(10) Office Holiday Lunch @ Balthazar.
Ok, this technically occurred before the holiday weekend, but it's worth mentioning. Somehow the stars aligned - i.e. my cold was gone and we got a taxi in front of Penn Station despite the transit strike - and for 6 of us from my department, a smorgasbord ensued. I know I talk about food all the time but this meal was awesome. I consumed, and more importantly, successfully digested - red wine, oysters, steak tartare, goat cheese tart, duck, mussels, and chocolate souffle cake. I love free meals and I think I could stay at this job - in which my boss encourages ordering as much food and drink as possible - forever. As he says, he might not be Jewish, but he's Jew-ish. This was one of MANY delicious meals I've had over the past couple days. Special shout out to Mom's pork chops and pumpkin waffles (served at dinner and then breakfast, not together).
(9) Wellies!
Thanks to my sister, I finally own a pair of rain boots! I haven't had a pair of rain boots since I was a wee child and had those ones that look like they're for kid firefighters-in-training: navy with the yellow stripe. But now I can jump in puddles (or, as Sierra and I like to say, "PUDDLE IT UP!") and walk to work without suffering through the bottoms of my pants (who am I kidding - jeans) remaining soaking wet all day long. I think my new boots might actually change how I feel about rain. Now all I need is to acquire a raincoat and to lose the unjustified stigma I have against umbrellas (that they're sorta nerdy). Plus I'd like to mention that I didn't get boring or trendy rain boots (no plain black, no leopard pattern) - I got a cool/funky pair that looks like something you'd find in the MoMA design store.
(8) Speaking of MoMA...Holler Cool Presents From My Bosses.
A cappuccino maker. iPod speakers. A Coach wallet. A membership to MoMA. A tin of gourmet peanuts. A sweatshirt with the name of our new show hideously emblazoned on the front. All my anal-retentive organized double-checking script-reading perfectionist papercuts were rewarded. Nice.
(7) Manohla Dargis's review of Munich in The New York Times.
Munich was a good movie. It was well done. I was proud of Spielberg. The film was un-Spielberg in a good way. But Manohla Dargis's long, beautifully written review of Munich was damn good. Here's my favorite paragraph:
"As his tours of duty with the historian Stephen Ambrose suggested ("Saving Private Ryan," "Band of Brothers"), Mr. Spielberg can give the appearance of wanting to be seen as more than just a Hollywood director, particularly since he added "adult contemporary" to his playlist, mixing history in with his dinosaurs. That makes him a soft target, and "Munich" has already been strafed by op-ed attacks. The accusations might make sense if the filmmaker took us into the terrorists' homes for some moral relativism. But Mr. Spielberg is doing nothing more radical here than advancing the idea that dialogue ends when two enemies, held hostage by dusty history and hot blood, have their hands locked around each other's throats. You can't hold your children with your hands so occupied, though evidently you can send them off to war."
BOO-YA.
Plus, Manohla gets bonus points for excellence, not just for her sharp writing and the fact that she's the only reviewer I trust, but because she gives props to those who deserve it - AKA my boy Gyllenhaal - in her year-end wrap up of 2005 movies:
"Unlike Ennis, Jake Gyllenhaal's doe-eyed Jack Twist wears desire as openly as pain. Without his sensitive performance, without his ache and yearning, "Brokeback Mountain" wouldn't work half as well as it does. The beauty of the performance is fully evident in the scene in which the older Jack remembers when Ennis gently wrapped his arms around him during the men's first summer together. It's a devastating moment both because it juxtaposes the men's idyllic past with their difficult present, and because it reminds us of how memories live inside us as promises, rebukes and ghosts. When the scene returns to the present, you see in this man's face a lifetime of hope blur together with a lifetime of disappointment, as well as the beginning of the lovers' end."
(6) Driver's Ed on Christmas Day.
Me and my Pops drove to Queens - me behind the wheel - just for practice, in the pouring rain on Sunday. I drove through a tunnel and on a bridge. And I didn't kill us. I'm becoming a better driver, more comfortable and self-assured. I can't quite park the car yet, but I can drive it!
(5) I Thought I Was Complex...But Apparently I'm Not.
I signed up for Netflix. People seem surprised that I don't already have it, but I watch a lot of TV and I see a lot of movies - so who has time to rent movies to watch on their TV? Well, I do! At least I do for now, because all my shows are repeats and/or are on hiatus and I think I've seen every movie out that I want to see. So I opened a Netflix account and now I have Queue! I was looking at my Queue - which is one's list of upcoming rentals - and thinking how fascinating I am, how complex, how interesting, how diverse my tastes are. Here's a sample, in authentic order: All the King's Men, Unforgiven, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, Chinatown, The Apartment, Project Runway Season 1. But then I found out that I'm not all that complicated, people know me quite well, and I'm not a tough nut to crack, for - of ALL the millions of books in the entire world, my boss and my sister bought me the SAME book: The Elements of Style (a beautiful, hardcover edition). What are the odds?! I love the book. Apparently they both knew that I would. I'm transparent and predictable and obvious. Maybe everyone's Netflix queue looks as varied and funny as mine.
Nah, mine's adorable.
(4) A Bracelet to Promote Positive Thinking.
During a marathon day of shopping with my sister, we stumbled upon this random Chinese-themed store in Nolita where I found this really cool bracelet. It's simple yet elegant - just small red beads - and it supposedly promotes positive thinking. I could really use a dose of positive thinking AND I had been looking for a good everyday bracelet - so, double score. I'm not sure if its supposed mojo is working though, at least not yet. This weekend I was my old self, up to my usual tricks, which included almost crying when I was trying on a necklace that my Mom gave me and the clasp broke in my hand. I think I'm due for a good cry but that is no excuse. If I want to think of myself as an adult (which most of the time I do) then I need to NOT cry over spilt milk, or in this case, spilt clasp. I need to not be negative. I need to say yes more often. I will say this - I think very positively about my new bracelet. I lurve it. And I will not cry when it breaks. Seriously.
(3) My Sister's Funny Line.
Even my Dad crowned this gem as the funny line of the entire weekend. After watching Match Point, we discussed the film as a family over yummy lemon mousse (which I made, take that Rachel Ray). As is usually the case, I made some sweeping ridiculous statement about my parents and how if anything ever happened to either of them, I would never want them to remarry. I said something like "I'd never accept the person, ever." And my Mom countered, "wouldn't you want us to be happy though, would you at least meet the person before you leap to judgment?" to which my sister replied, with perfect comic timing, "Sure, we'd meet the person, but then we'd throw acid in their face." We all laughed for a long time. But my sister and I, we mean it. Seriously.
(2) Grocery Shopping with Mom & Pop Wittenberg/Goldberg.
We had some time to kill post-Munich pre-dinner last night in my neighborhood. Hmm...I may want to rethink the word choice of that sentence. Anyways, let's just say I wish I knew beforehand that my Dad was gonna offer to pay. I would've at least gotten more toilet paper! I am an infuriatingly weird grocery shopper - meaning I never really get any actual food. I'll get milk and juice, peanut butter, bread, cereal, butter, yogurt, fruit - but never anything actually substantial. This used to frustrate my sister a lot, when we'd go to Whole Foods together in DC: we'd meet at the check-out after 1/2 an hour and I'd have like two items in my basket. I knew going into it that this supermarket retardation of mine was going to bug my Mom as well, probably more so because I can't be cooking if I don't have anything to cook, but it was very funny watching my Mom try to convince me to add certain purchases. I've never seen someone push cheese like that. I mean, my parents are health freaks and my Mom was chasing after me going "You could make nachos! What about nachos?!"
(1) Quality Time at the Country House.
I stayed at the country house over the Chrissmukkah weekend. There was the usual: delicious meals, funny conversations, good movies, good TV, good reading, sleeping late, no work - PLUS presents! It was fun and relaxing. I'm very fortunate and very grateful. And see, I'm thinking positively. Those little red beads are working their magic!
posted by Susan Goldberg at 2:28 PM
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