holiday visits

we visited ferrara's cafe this morning (where morgan, harley and i were two weeks ago), as we usually do each year two days before christmas (lille julaften in norway).

fterwards, korrina did a little christmas shopping before going to work and greg walked to veniero's on 11th street for our christmas cookies (he said there was such a long line that they weren't doing their cafe service). meanwhile, chanda and i walked along mulberry street and visited a shop she likes along with strand books before walking across town and getting on the express train to 72nd street for our annual holiday visit with homeschooling friends.

they baked cookies and built a gingerbread house.

my friend olga's beautiful tree.

sweet nutmeg has the coziest couch with a beautiful view.

delicious vegetable soup (anything olga puts together is always delicious . . she's a gifted cook).

solstice lights . . 

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in london, morgan and their friend merlyn attended a performance of a christmas carol . . 

'tis the season!

morgan also sent a photo of harley and her cat summer enjoying a cozy time in front of a warm fire on the solstice . . 

how to dress in 1740

chanda and i walked to gramercy park this evening after her ballet class.

a friend had heard about a book signing event focusing on 18th century fashion with a tutorial on women's dresses. the book was titled the american duchess guide to 18th century dressmaking: how to hand sew georgian gowns and wear them with style.

 the signing was held at the national arts club, housed in an historic mansion built in the 1840's.

 the club was founded in 1898 by charles de kay, a literary and art critic for the new york times. i'm amazed that it's programs are free and open to the public. i think i would like to bring my sister and brother-in-law to visit it's galleries. they always enjoy looking at current artists, and it's such a beautiful old building.

 the book event was very crowded and we almost didn't stay, but our friend showed up on the last minute and we listened to a lecture on how to dress in the 1700's (specifically, 1740).

 one of the authors was dressed in her hand sewn undergarments and, slowly, they explained how to add the outer layers. here they are showing how to put on the stays (different from corsets!) made of whalebone. after the stays, came the pocket (which tied around the waist and held personal items), followed by the petticoat.

 next came the stomacher, which was pinned on to the stays and formed the front of the bodice. next came side panels that held the dress out on the sides of the body, and then came the gown, which went on like a robe. i think there might have been another skirt first, that was the same color as the stomacher! there were so many layers! the woman on the left is dressed in a later, 1765, style. they talked about how the hair would have been lightly powdered and covered with a lacy cap. lace ruffles were also added to the sleeves. when chanda and i left we couldn't stop exclaiming about how happy we are to dress in leggings or jeans and a top!

sun and haze . . spring or summer?

it was a very warm day. our friends came to visit and we went to the park. and sat in the sun until my friend said, you know i really can't take this anymore can we move to the shade?
before they came over we straightened up the apartment and made muffins (chanda is cutting up the apples here). it feels so good to have put away the extraneous stuff that accumulates . . and recycle papers that i think i need to look at but never do.

morgana practiced guitar . .

jack threw himself off the chair and beached himself on the floor . .

madeline watched him with much interest . . as she likes to do. jack is infinitely fascinating to the cats.

at the hudson river park with our friends. the sun shone down, but behind us the sky was overcast and hazy.

playing "telephone" in the shade amongst themselves with several very interested little ones . .

morgana went to HB at 2 pm for a rehearsal with marlene for the ten minute play she's performing in.

after dropping chanda off at ballet, i came home and managed to make dinner . . i finally decided on fettuccine alfredo with a caesar salad.

and chanda did some last minute practicing for orchestra before going to bed.