winter wonderland...21 december 2008 gratitudes

1. woke up to see more snow covering the city. i never want it to melt. i love all of the christmas tree lots covered in powdery white. something about it is so darling and amusing.

2. met john gardner early and saw his big fat christmas tree. so cute.

3. combed the chelsea garage flea market before work and found a few presents for some folks. i love this flea market and could easily by the entire garage full of treasures. sigh.

4. went to elizabeth's holiday party after work with the mmm crew and chelsea cook. it was only for a hot second because we had to journey out to park slope for chelsea's holiday housewarming party. but she has a very, very lovely apartment and she was a wonderful hostess to us. naturally.

5. fell head over heels for chelsea and mollie's little folksy gypsy home in brooklyn. it was so warm and homey and felt just like what chelsea's dream home should be. and my was it spacious! made me grimace at the how much i pay for so very little.

6. received the most thoughtful christmas gift from chelsea...cupcake sprinkles and porn! well, a very adorable vintage playboy from the 60s and the kind of cupcake sprinkles that looks like glitter. oh how she knows me like the back of her hand!

7. laughed with a group of very sweet souls. chelsea, savannah wyatt, raymond, lee, mollie, and jason. such good people. it felt like i was somewhere other than new york. it felt like a real home. so many strands of lights of all kinds. spools of thread. vintage linens and doilies. beautiful old books. cozy furniture. delicious cooking smells. clusters of candles in a fireplace. christmas carols and gospel. a christmas tree smothered in popcorn garlands.

seeing chelsea's home made every part of my soul light up. she really created such an authentically "chelsea" home. i know moving to new york has not been a piece of cake, nor has the lifestyle been conducive to my little folksy, gypsy, hippie, faerie. but i am so proud of her. she knows how to turn lemons into lemonade. and how to find a bay window wherever she lives. and how to make a house a home. well done chelsea cook. well done. i love my sweet chelsea. my better half.