Best Spreading a Little Cheer

This week I was invited to a Christmas party by the Simmons with the mysterious instructions to meet at 96th street with a wrapped present. It wasn't clear if there was going to be some White Elephanting or what. When we get there we learn we're going to be walking to the Simmons home and passing out our presents to strangers on the way.

We got started right away. The idea was we'd kind of ambush a stranger and hold out all of our presents and they'd pick one and unwrap it. Then the person who had their wrapped gift picked would decide who to next gift along the way. Here was our first gift-receiver.

And the next.

And the next.

Am I just going to keep typing "And the next..." over and over? Maybe.

No. You know what? I'm just going to stop. You get it. These are the people we gifted.

This woman picked the present I had brought.

So I picked this kid to gift to.

A lot of people received gifts of DVDs that no one had ever watched or ever would watch. But the thought was what counted and it was counting all over the place.

This guy tried to get out of getting a present by saying he just spoke Spanish. Sorry! Only about 75% of our group spoke Spanish. You're getting a picture frame now, sir!

These girls were our last giftees of the evening. The whole operation went very well. We had three refusals, though. Pleasant refusals, but refusals nonetheless.

And then we retired to the Simmons home for some Christmas partying.

No shortage of treats. It was a lovely time. I hadn't been to a Simmons party since 2008. It'd been way too long. Simmons parties forever!

Best Let's Just Look at Some Pictures, Ok?

I've woken up in the middle of the night. To make use of the time, I catch up on some pictures just waiting to be put up on on the internet.

This was my workview for a couple of weeks. From an office I had all to myself. Some assignments aren't bad at all.

Back when Andrew was in town we spent some time at the Met and here some of what I saw.

Place I've been liking: Bassanova Ramen, on Mott below Canal. Or should I say, "below Mott below Canal?" (note staircase leading up to the street, that's the joke I'm making)

Their green curry ramen is a winter weather wonder and their pork is some of the nicest ever set on any of my noodles.

5th Ave Christmastime Windows

Thanksgiving morning I helped deliver meals to the home bound for a church on the Upper East Side, got to go inside the church.

Thanksgiving breakfast.

Let's all help that Delivery Boy.

Samsam was in town Thanksgiving weekend. Here she shows how the town felt about her being in it.

Thanksgiving Saturday went to the MoMA with Chaunte and her folks. Don't have pictures of them, but I have some pictures of some art.

Good additions to the permanent collection right here.

Followed up with lunch and dessert at the Plaza food court

Right below the people having tea in the Palm Court.

Total mobscene at the Bryant Park rink.

Christian showing off his team jersey at tutoring. 

A successful evening, I suppose: Both a basketball and football stuck on the backboard, soon followed by items thrown in an effort to free them.

Had a rolicking Christmastime FHE.

Felt like cooking spicy sausage and rice cakes, so I did. Lived off them for a week.

Last Saturday the snows came.

Matte black A8 with Utah plates.

Right there on the right, that's popular semi-underground rapper Action Bronson. As I passed him I heard him say he doesn't wear Timbs because he "likes to show [his] ankles off."

That night I brought the churros to a Feliz Navidad party. This is half of them.

Tagged along on some apartment hunting to see what's happening in Bushwick these days.

Tenants of recently and hastily vacated apartment leave behind box full of Tenant's Rights materials. Red flag?

Grandma and Grandpa had one of these!

"Elevator Building" can mean so many things.

Did you, though?

Tonight: Folks dancing to Christmas jazz in Washington Square. Pretty nice.

And workers working behind duck sheets on the way home.