Fields, painted by nature in colors of the rainbow in summer, now take a long winter's slumber at Abram Demaree Homestead in Closter, New Jersey. Fortunately for the hungry soul comforted by their homemade mac and cheese, they are open year-round. Find a family farm near you through LocalHarvest.
Park.
No one lingering with the paper, holding hands with a sweetheart or enjoying a moment of solitude on this park bench at Pascack Brook Park in Westwood, New Jersey.
My parents adopted a seven-year-old dog, Scotty, about a year-and-a-half ago on Petfinder.com, and he is the love of our lives. Before adopting him, we never were in the park so often and especially not in winter, but it is now one of my favorite places. It is also one of the few spots I've noticed that people are much more unplugged from their cell phones and gadgets. As Brooks mourned in The Shawshank Redemption, "The world went and got itself in a big, damn hurry." Here, people seem, for a moment, anything but.
Upon viewing nature's present of newly blanketed snow, I thought of the Tori Amos line in Carbon, "Where the world bleeds white." For a sonic road trip around America, check out her Scarlet's Walk album.
Film.
Gold Diggers of 1933, an American tale about those desperately seeking to kiss goodbye economic hardships and dance, sign, and celebrate life again. Sound timeless? The consoling fact, that now matter how bad times fall, more prosperous ones follow for our nation.
I already have Gold Diggers of 1935 at home waiting for me for an inviting night in my pajamas and bowl of popcorn. My friend uses the word "cocooning" for winter activities: staying indoors, making soups and stews, reading, and resting, as she says. Film watching is a cherished part of my winter cocooning.
Book.
No eReaders for me, as I spend enough hours looking at a computer screen at work. Even if that weren't the case, I'd still prefer an actual book. I like to peruse charity thrift shops, the library and our book swap at work (along with recommendations) for books, which I like to think find their way to me, and me to them.
My latest is taking me to turn of the century New York City in a captivating thriller, In the Shadow of Gotham. Just 25 cents at Our Thrift Shop in Hillsdale, New Jersey.
Love.
Of sweethearts, family, friends, animals. A few years ago, my heart's desire, Steve, and I took a trip to the city most associated with love - Paris.
Food.
Blueberry pancakes, $7.25, savored with hot chocolate on brisk January's Sunday morning at the Garden Café in New Milford, New Jersey.
Remember the scene in Little Miss Sunshine when young Olive orders waffles à la mode in the diner and misprouncing it, asks the waitress what "à la mode-y" meant? Her winning-obsessed perfectionist father tells her ice cream contains cream and cream has fat which can turn to fat in your body, and beauty queens (which Olive aspires to be) aren't fat. The concept of food guilt is introduced. Her grandfather charmingly declared he liked a little meat on his women, and he, her brother and mother all dug right into the chocolate ice cream when it arrived, as Olive did too. I often think of this scene anytime I might indulge in something and thoughts of calories or my waistline creep in. I am proud to be "à la mode-y" woman. I hope you are an à la mode-y woman or man, and don't care if we'll ever look like a beauty pageant winner.
Just look at our consolation prize:
I'm an "a la mode-y" woman, too. :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you're part of the unofficial club. ;-)
ReplyDelete