Let it snow...

Well, it has been snowing for about 21 hours now and I am good and stir-crazy. I'd say we easily have a good 15-20 inches on the ground by now. I went outside to snap a few pictures before the light was all gone and the snow easily came up to the middle of my shins.

Here are a few pictures of our development from this afternoon.


our parking lot/condo development


My footsteps next to David's car (his is the one on the right)


David's car


my car- you can hardly see it!




our lamp next to our condo- looks like it's wearing a hat


sign for our condo


a view of our balcony from the parking lot


walkway from our condo to the parking lot

***UPDATE***

So last night at around 7 PM, the snow began to taper off and we started to dig out the cars. It was quite a task and we lasted a few hours before we were exhausted and gave up.


David begins to dig out

In the morning, we started to dig out again, but the condo association brought in a plow and a bobcat to clear away the remaining snow.

After we had cleared off the snow from the top and behind the cars (no easy feat) all we had to do was back out of our spots and the bobcat obliterated any remaining snow. Lemme tell you, it was worth every single penny in condo fees we've paid all year!


the bobcat cleaning away the snow from the lot


the snow is practically up to my hips!


Finally- the cars emerge. Great work David!

After coming back inside, we warmed up with some delicious Williams Sonoma hot chocolate. My favorite!


It takes a little while to prepare, but is sooooo worth it!

So we survived Snowpocalypse 2009 relatively unscathed. We spent a lot of time by the fireplace watching tv and catching up on household chores. It was kind of nice. (Says the girl who took photos while her husband shoveled)

Hangin' with the Grandparents, playing some Wii

For my Grandpa Don's birthday this year, my dad and Aunt Meri got him a Wii. The thought was that since the games require movement, they would keep Grandpa active and entertained during his recuperation from having his pacemaker replaced.

So this weekend, David and I went to Florida for a Hanukkah visit and hooked up the system for them. After a few minutes of instruction, Grandma and Grandpa were playing like pros.


David gives a quick introduction to Wii Sports

First we tried Tennis, which was fun but a little hard to coordinate. Then we discovered bowling which everyone loved


Grandpa Don bowling


Grandma Rona, Wii Bowling Champ!


Here are two videos from our day of Wii Sports.






Grandpa Bowling

Later on, Grandpa and David were feeling adventurous, so they tried out the baseball game. Below is a picture of David pitching the ball to Grandpa who is at bat.


Playing Baseball




David and Grandpa Don get the hang of Wii Baseball

We also spent time this weekend with David's Grandma Sara and Grandpa Joe in Fort Lauderdale, as well as my Grandma Ruth and Grandpa Paul in Delray Beach. We showed Sara and Joe how to Skype and they saw their Great Grandson Benjamin live for the first time. It was a very nice weekend and as always, it was great to spend time with our grandparents.

Thanksgiving 2009

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

As most of you know, Thanksgiving is my absolute favorite holiday. There are no services to attend, you can wear jeans and the only obligations are eating and drinking. This is my kind of holiday!

This year my dad planned another ambitious and delicious menu:

First Course included a smoked salmon and caper deviled egg accompanied by a homemade gravlox on rye bread points.

Second Course was my Dad's often-requested pumpkin and black bean soup.

Third Course was a garden salad with raspberry vinaigrette and cracked pepper dressing.

Main Course consisted of:
Turkey (duh)
Sourdough, chestnut and apple stuffing
Lamb kabobs on a bed of orzo
Fried plantains
Crispy kale and cranberries
Cranberry compote with ginger and applejack
Glazed carrots
Roasted brussel sprouts
Herb and roasted garlic mashed potatoes with mushroom gravy
Sweet potato pie
Corn bread
Homemade bread & butter pickles as well as pickled quail eggs and pickled corn
(there was probably more on the table, apologies to dad if I left something out)

Desserts included blueberry pie (made from berries my dad and Leslie had picked this summer!) as well as brandied peaches, fruit, apple pie, chocolate cake and so much more!!

But before I get too far, I must to go back a few hours and post a picture of what I woke up to on Thursday morning. It's barely 7 AM and here is my dad already performing 'surgery' of one of the birds.



A short while later, David and Brian joined him in the kitchen. Here they are making stuffing. These guys peeled, chopped, sauteed, seared, sliced and diced for HOURS.


The cooks: Dad, David and Brian making stuffing.

You may be wondering... all these men in the kitchen, what did you do, Ali? Well, I watched the parade, set the table and took pictures. It's hard work but someone has to do it. True story.

So at around 3 PM, family and friends started to arrive.


Devaki, Neha and Mallika


Uncle Al and Virginia


Brian, G&G Felder, me, G&G Koles and David


With Dov, Fran and Patricia

Then it was dinner time!! I have no idea how he did it, but my dad managed to prepare all of this amazing food in two days and fit 19 people in his apartment!


Here is my dad carving up one of the birds. Seriously, the man could teach a Master Class on turkey carving. He's got mad skills.


Quick photo of the whole table before we started dinner


David and me excited to eat!


With Grandpa Don and Grandma Rona


David, Brian and me with G&G Felder


Grandma Ruth (sorta) Grandpa Paul, Brian, Mom and me


Patricia and Fran


Neha, Mallika, Devaki, Dad and Leslie


Dad and Brian


Fran, Ilan and Patricia


Devaki, Brian and Mallika


Attack of the killer turkey!!!!


Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!!!!


Dad and David enjoying a well-deserved scotch after a long day of cooking and entertaining around 11 PM.

Congratulations to Kathy and Chad!!!

Earlier this week, Kathy and Chad became the very proud parents of Colin Edward Sullivan. At 8 lbs 9 oz and 21 inches, Colin was born at 4:50 PM on November 19, 2009.



Visiting Kathy and fam at the hospital that night. She was a total rockstar throughout her 8 hour delivery and is already a fantastic mommy.



Colin had so many visitors!



Everyone went home this weekend and is doing great! Congratulations to Kathy and Chad!!!

Like a Skyline Is Etched in His Head

Today, The New York Times published an article about Stephen Wiltshire. CBS featured him this morning as well. I can't believe I have never heard of this guy before today, but I am glad I have now. Stephen is currently drawing a panorama of New York City from memory in a gallery at the Pratt Institute's Juliana Curran Terian Design Center.

Stephen is from London and is autistic. Mute until the age of 3, he spoke his first words when he was 5 -- asking for paper and a pen. He has drawn panoramas of eight major cities, usually after brief flyovers. The New York panorama will be his ninth and, he says, his last.



When Stephen was young, his parents sent him to a special school in the UK. Before long his teachers got him speaking and then they discovered that Stephen has a truly remarkable ability. He can look at a city or a building just for a brief moment and then recreate everything about that building or city right down to the number of floors it has and the number of windows. He has traveled all over the world creating these cityscape's and right now he is completing his 8th and what he says final one - New York City.


Watch CBS News Videos Online





Below is a clip of him recreating the New York cityscape live. A truly incredible talent.



Webcam chat at Ustream

His website is a little overwhelmed right now, but I'm sure it will calm down in a few days.

Halloween Boos and Jewish Tattoos

I absolutely love autumn. I can't get enough of the crisp air and the changing colors of the trees. It makes me want to pour a tall glass of apple cider and carve a jack-o-lantern. I just love it. Even though Saturday was pretty grey and rainy outside, I still snapped a few quick photos of the trees near our condo. They are gorgeous...


our parking lot


the trees around our neighborhood

Because of the weather, pumpkin picking wasn't an option, so I popped into Michael's craft store for a few decorations and acrylic paints, picked up some pumpkins at Giant and went to Fara and Hunter’s place for my annual Halloween craft day with Marin and Riley. The girls painted pumpkins, we carved a pumpkin, Hunter made toasted pumpkin seeds and Marin, Fara and I decorated cupcakes. Fara made pink, purple, and green frosting, and we used stencils and sprinkles to decorate the cupcakes. I got so caught up in our fun, I forgot to take pictures until late in the afternoon.

Marin icing her cupcake


My EEK! cupcake


Eating a few errant sprinkles - yum!


That night, David and I went out to dinner with Becky and Aaron and their friends Rick and Shannon who were visiting from Chicago. As fans of Bravo’s reality-tv show, Top Chef, we wanted to go to stand-out contestant Bryan Voltaggio’s Volt, but they were booked solid (surprise surprise) so we went to Michael Mina's Bourbon Steak in Georgetown. Mina had previously been a guest judge on Fox' Hell's Kitchen, another one of our favorite shows and everything was delish!

On Sunday, I went to a coworker’s housewarming party in Arlington, and then met my friend Jenn downtown for a discussion at the historic 6th &I Synagogue. We were there to hear Ami James talk about Tattoos and Taboos, but the introduction and welcoming remarks gave a very interesting overview of the temple which I thought I'd share.


6th & I

Founded in 1852, Washington Hebrew Congregation was formed by twenty-one German Jewish families. Located in what is now DC's Chinatown, the Sixth & I building was dedicated on January 5, 1908. The congregation flourished, and in an effort to accommodate its growing membership, they acquired land uptown in Cleveland Park and built a new sanctuary.

The existing 6th & I structure was sold to Turner Memorial A.M.E. Church in 1951. Over time, many of the church’s congregants moved out of the city, so it relocated to Maryland and put the building up for sale.


exterior

But what do you do with a spacious, 95 year-old structure with exquisite stained glass windows, seating for over 800 and soaring cathedral ceilings, zoned for residential, retail, entertainment, or educational use? The realtor advertised the property as “suitable for a nightclub.” When plans to turn the religious site into a nightclub were discovered, several Jewish developers pooled funds to re-acquire the building for use by the Jewish community.


stained glass window

Washington Wizards owner Abe Pollin, and local real estate developers Shelton Zuckerman and Douglas Jemal saved the building and pledged to turn it into a Jewish home for reform, conservative and orthodox communities. Washington-area architects donated their services for the renovation and restoration, and Sixth & I Historic Synagogue re-opened its doors in late Fall 2003 to offer cultural, educational, social, and spiritual programs.


the beautiful ceiling

As a non-denominational synagogue, Sixth & I does not have a rabbi on staff. Instead, it has a "dynamic group of rabbis representing all Jewish denominations who lead Shabbat services on a rotating schedule." Recognizing that being Jewish looks and feels different for many Jews, they honor this diversity by casting a wide net in their unique Jewish programming and religious services which I think is absolutely fantastic.


bimah

Today, Sixth & I is a functioning temple that strives to of cultural significance. It regularly hosts events with authors, politicians, artists, comedians, academics, filmmakers, actors, entrepreneurs, activists, and other thinkers and doers at the forefront of the cultural scene.

And this brings me back to the talk we attended with Ami James, an Israeli-born tattoo artist whose Miami shop was featured on the TLC reality show, Miami Ink. The dialogue was facilitated by Todd Weinberger, Creative Director of Inked magazine. Ami spent nearly 90 minutes talking about his family and upbringing, his experience in the Israeli army, his passion for art and how he became a professional tattoo artist.

Ami and Todd


Ami studied in Miami under the world famous tattoo artist, the late Lou Sciberras. During his apprenticeship he lived with Chris Garver and Chris Nunez with whom he opened Miami Ink.


Examples of some Jewish tattoos. The Hamsa is probably the most popular.

Ami talked about cultural assumptions and attitudes within the Jewish community regarding tattoos and the way they reconcile their tattooed bodies with their Jewish identities, heritage, and beliefs. He also talked about the rising acceptability of Jews with tattoos and which types of tattoos he agrees to do. (He will do a seder plate or a hamsa, but not a chai or a mezuzah)

The verse in the bible which most people draw their thoughts on tattoos comes from Leviticus which says, "Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the Lord." Jewish tradition has interpreted this by forbidding any permanent changes to the body, except for the circumcision of boys. It is argued that the body is a gift from G-d and therefore sacred, and making permanent marks on the body shows disrespect. There are many commentaries on the issue, and arguments can be made for and against this line of thought. The most prominent criticism being, if you are to respect the body you have as-is, then why is it acceptable to pierce your ears, get a nose job or even cut your hair? It was a thought provoking and interesting discussion.

After the talk, there was a 'meet and great' portion of the program. I found out that Ami is actually from Ramat Gan near Tel Aviv where Dov grew up (fun fact: Israel's tallest building is in Ramat Gan). I'm looking more than a little 'deer in the headlights' in these pics, but there were no 'do-overs.'


Jenn, Ami and me


My Uma, Oprah moment... "Ali, meet Ami. Ami... Ali. "