cold weather

 
i have to reset the green and pink tape marks each week for the six year olds when they do their march of the wooden soldiers dance. the studio is used by many different people during the week so we always take up the tape after class.

it's been cold! and it was a cold night. it was nice to arrive at a warm restaurant for dinner after class ended. greg met me after he got out of work. we had noodles with sesame sauce and sweet and sour chicken with broccoli. (as you can see, the christmas decorations are out now. the restaurant had lit their christmas tree.)

and many houses and apartment buildings have put up their holiday lights.

in class

learning the candle dance today . . 

election day

chanda has a special presentation at work today . . she's a bit nervous . . but greg and i are sure it will go well!

at 2:30 i left to help ellen at the studio and walked by the elementary school to see how busy the polls were . . with almost two weeks of early voting, it was quiet. 

the poll worker gave me an extra sticker which i put on my sweater (it was another beautiful warm day - 65 degrees about).

my instagram stories have been filled with how to vote for the city's propositions and also with everyone's worries about how things will go . . along with many reassurances that no matter how things do go, we'll be fine and we will stand strong.

a mural artist at work on west broadway . . 

the children are starting to learn the christmas dances. today they began with march of the wooden soldiers and ellen felt they did very well (they will also learn the candle dance and the russian dance, along with the sugar plum dream - korrina, morgana and chanda performed all these pieces at christmas time in the studio at dance theatre workshop on 19th street).

greg and i met at moustache for dinner . . it felt peaceful and relaxing to sit there and enjoy ouzi (a chicken and rice pastry dish) and falafel.

(we brought home saffron rice pudding and baklava.)

(chanda was invited to a special dinner at serafina restaurant this evening with the new school . . many people were traveling in for a special workshop and one person couldn't attend so she was able to step into their place. she said it was very nice and she had the salmon.)

walking home . . 

passing the polling place again . . (new york closes at 9 pm).

well, i guess i'll maybe go check the news updates . . and text korrina . . and see if my sister has sent an email . . morgan wrote in earlier while we were at moustache and i sent a few stories via instagram and some funny saturday night live skits with kamala as a response. just trying to keep the mood light and breezy here! maybe i'll pull out my knitting and watch some mindless and fun netflix show (i've been watching some bridgerton lately) . . or read my yankee magazine . . and have dessert!

morgan's backpack with the "i voted by mail" sticker that was sent as indication that the mail in ballot was received.

baklava and tea . . 

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oh . . here's my sister's jack o'lantern with toby in the background . . 

voting, a halloween dance and dinner

 
korrina and i voted today at our early voting site on clarkson street.

today the children presented their halloween dance to their friends and families. ellen first rehearsed with them for thirty minutes before everyone was let in for the little performance. all went well and everyone was enthusiastic - children and parents. they did wonderfully and it was a lot of fun.

walking home . . 

chanda spent the day at school and at her school related work for which she has a fellowship this semester (urban systems lab where she researches stories about how urban areas can become more resilient in relation to the changing climate in terms of planning, community engagement and nature based solutions). i think she was relating a funny anecdote here about her class.