A Quieter Christmas

I think my last post gave rather a garish view of the city in December. Very over the top and bright. So herewith another mood... 

Walking up the steps to The High Line on an overcast afternoon...

The current cut out paper buildings in The Flat Iron Building seen yesterday on a bright sunny morning.

The very best sort of present -  handmade and monochrome.

A pear and an apple from Union Square on a nice old Spode plate

Very simple cards

a herb wreath

hellebores

twice

 

and Christmas colored greens to eat - with red tongs.

Wishing you a most peaceful and lovely Christmas

and a happy and healthy 2016

Holiday Fun

Christmas and holiday cheer...

takes many and various forms - some of them pretty hideous  - but fun at the same time. 

I wonder who thought of the ugly holiday sweater party?

This shop downtown would be heaven for someone who liked the very worst holiday gear!  I think back to the very olden days when the Lord of Misrule would turn the established order on its head. Not really the best time of year for  tasteful restraint.

Dallas Barbecue has painted its windows with Mr and Mrs. Frosty who look a bit grumpy.

The Santa troll is up on our window.

Oreos taken to Oreo heaven at Bonbons in Huntington.

A respite from red - walking home past Penn Station the other evening.

Macaroon bliss

Frosty and Santa enjoy cold brewskis

and a lot of cookies are to be had at The Malibu Diner.

New York Public Library

 Frances invited me to join her at the New York Public Library Open House on Sunday afternoon and it was such fun.

The splendid building was all decked out for a winter holiday reception with carolers, a klezmer band

a jazz band

wine and punch

and balloon animals too

Best of all were the children dressed in their party best

entranced by the moving statue - all white and immobile one moment -and alive the next.

and the juggler was magical.

The winners of the Jane in Winter giveaway are Ridgely and Debra. Please send me an email with your mailing address and the name you would like it inscribed to. (elizabethwix@hotmail.com)

I'll mail them out tomorrow.

Thinking About Christmas....and another Giveaway

Walking past our local independent bookshop - which is right next to Clement Moore Park - this morning with the dog

I noticed all the classic children's books in the window. Of course Clement Moore's The Night Before Christmas was there - he lived right round the corner.

Also one of my grandchildren's favorites - Janet and Allen Ahlberg's lovely - and rather British -The Jolly Christmas Postman. And I think the blue book in front is Dylan Thomas's A Child's Christmas in Wales - all splendid stuff. And now for the giveaway. As some of you know, I wrote a children's story some years ago which I wrote about here.

It's an adventure story for the 8-12 year old set - but also a memoir of a 1950's childhood. All the places written about are real. The front cover shows Thorndon Hall where we lived in a gamekeeper's cottage. I have two signed copies to give away which should arrive in time for Christmas. I'll pick the winners on Monday. Jane in Winter, as well as my other books, is available as a paperback or in a Kindle edition from Amazon. 

On my morning walk I also passed Billy's Bakery where lots of people were hard at work.

The windows were all steamed up and the decorations were retro.

I'm beginning to get into the spirit of the season.

Here a snow leopard with his chum the penguin from the toy shop on 15th Street. Happy reading and decorating... and all the busy-ness of this dark month.