Happy Thanksgiving!
I kicked off the week with a little pre-holiday hangout with my friend Hannah, who came up to visit NYC for the day. Staying true to Thanksgiving, we ate our way through Manhattan starting with Eataly in the Flatiron district, then Momofuku Milk Bar in the East Village and finally ending up at two holiday markets, one in Grand Central Station and one in Bryant Park. Our day certainly ushered in the holiday spirit.
Amidst wintery weather Wednesday, Lyle and I headed to his Dad's house in West Orange, NJ. With a couple inches of snow on the ground, it felt nothing but appropriate to huddle inside and focus on food and family.
We are especially thankful for our family's health this year. After two open heart surgeries and six months of hospital stays, Lyle's Dad is finally recovering and was well enough to thoroughly enjoy our holiday feast! Thursday's menu started with a shredded beef soup, followed by fresh spring rolls. The main course included a traditional turkey (butterflied for faster cooking), short ribs, stuffing, mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce. Meats abound, as there was even sausage in the stuffing and bacon in the brussel sprouts!
The following morning, I rounded out the festivities with a short run to burn off some of those holiday calories and came across a number of houses for sale. Being only thirty miles from Manhattan, many have moved to West Orange for more affordable, suburban living a short, commutable distance to the City. The number of houses for sale here is staggering due to unbelievably high property taxes (over $1,000 a month), but if you can get past the fees there are some pretty adorable homes just waiting to be bought.
55 Wellington Avenue; $449,900 (3-bedroom, 1.5-bath)
15 N. Cobane Terrace; $450,000 (3-bedroom, 3.5-bath)
173 Gregory Avenue; $285,000 (3-bedroom, 2.5-bath)
222 Gregory Avenue; Under Contract, was for sale at $349,999 (4-bedrooms, 2.5-bath)