Snow Blanket

My fingers and toes were meant for mittens and thick wool socks. They don't stand a chance against the winter gusts, something I am reminded of each time I make it indoors and struggle to uncurl my frozen hands. My fingertips turn bright red, and they feel clumsy as I try to unbutton my coat. Mittens, I try to remind myself. Mittens are warmer than gloves.

Somehow, though, that doesn't matter when the snow comes. I pause to admire the white tree branches and rooftops and run around as though I'm a kid again, all so I can soak in those magical moments. And the first snow of the year? Well, that just brings on even more excitement.

Sometimes it's worth losing feeling in your fingers if it means taking time to savor the beauty of snow quietly covering your surroundings. But maybe I should get a pair of mittens, anyway.

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Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas! I hope that you are all having a warm, happy holiday and are able to be with your loved ones. The hubs and I are spending our first Michigan Christmas together, and so far it has involved lots of great food, lovely company, and adorable pets in Santa hats-- what more could a girl want?

We did our own mini Christmas on Sunday by cooking a nice dinner served on our wedding china and then opening up gifts from my family. It was such a nice evening spent together, made even better by my favorite Christmas movie, A Charlie Brown Christmas. For me, it's just not the holiday season without the Peanuts gang.

I wish you all a wonderful holiday! I'm going to retire by the fire a bit before baking my mom's amazing holiday butter cookies. Merry Christmas!!

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Moscow Mule

A few weeks ago, the hubs and I got the idea to infuse vodka. We were listening to a bit on The Splendid Table, and it sounded easy enough to try out. So why not?

This past weekend, we finally got to try out our creations at our holiday party with friends, and I am so excited that it ended up being a big hit! A few friends said that they wanted to start infusing vodka, as well, and I think we will gather some friends to work on a new batch soon. Since this ended up being an easy project with a great end result, I decided that I wanted to share our experience here.

We started with a 1.75 L bottle of Sky vodka and split the contents between two containers so that we could try out two different concoctions. In a large mason jar, we dropped in three whole habanero peppers, some thin slices of ginger (one inch total), and sliced lime peel. We let it sit for about three weeks before straining it, and then we set the jar aside until we were ready for our holiday party.

The vodka definitely had a kick to it, and I'm sure it would be fun to drink on its own. Since I'm not really into drinking straight liquors, though, we decided to make Moscow Mules for our party, which required the addition of some ginger beer (2 parts ginger beer to one part vodka). The end result was lots of spice with some sweetness, and it all went down smooth. Success!

Have you ever infused liquor before? Would you try this one out?

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Sunday Currently : 49

Last night the hubs and I hosted a holiday party for our friends, and I have to say, I think we've crossed over into new territory. Our last holiday party a few years ago was a rowdy affair, and I'm pretty sure there was an arm-wrestling competition... there were definitely a couple of visits from a neighbor asking us to quiet down. This year, though,  it all felt very grown-up. We decided to use our glassware that we received for our wedding, and though I was initially nervous that we might have some broken martini glasses and a shattered champagne flute, everything stayed in one piece. Remarkable! So I think we are officially at the point where we can put out our nice things, and both we and our friends are responsible enough not to break all of the breakables. :D

No matter how responsible we are now, it's still okay to eat cookies for breakfast, though, right?

reading : On the Road and Forever. I didn't read at all last week, but I'm aiming to create more reading time this week.

writing :   More Christmas cards. We are almost done, but still a few more to go!

listening :   To the hubs work in the kitchen and the cats running around the house. We all slept in until about noon, but now we are ready for the day!

thinking :   About friends and how nice it can be, post-party, to sit around the living room and just talk. We stayed up until nearly 3 in the morning doing just that, and I'm so thankful to have people in my life where night like that can happen.

smelling :   The hubs cooking up huevos rancheros in the kitchen. Yum yum!! 

wishing :   For more snow! None predicted for this next week, but a girl can dream.

hoping :   That my hair grows back quickly. I got a haircut yesterday, and while I really like it (especially how soft and silky it feels now!!), it's a couple inches shorter than I requested. Still cute, but I do love the feel of long hair. I'll adjust!

wearing :    College sweatpants and a t-shirt-- gotta stay comfy!

loving :     My new baby nephew!!! My sister went into labor last week about four weeks earlier than planned, and now we have a new addition to the family. They are all doing well, and this little guy seems like a cutie. The hubs and I are going to visit them all soon, and I am over the moon with joy!

wanting :   Coffee... lots of it.

needing :   To finish our post-party clean-up, which actually isn't too bad, just some furniture that needs to be moved and some cups and plates that will go back in a cabinet.

feeling :   Content. There's something nice about being alone in the house with the hubs, settling back into our home, and enjoying some coffee side-by-side. Life is so good. :)

clicking :  On some blog catch-up later today, and then clicking around to write a post about some special infused vodkas we served last night at our party. Intrigued? Check back tomorrow on the blog!

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Last week on The Quixotic Chica:

Sunday Currently / O Christmas Tree / New York Afternoon

New York Afternoon

I'm not a New Yorker. I miss those days, and it will always be part of me, but the truth is that after years of living below the Mason-Dixon line, my trips back to the city (and yes, it will always be "the city") involve a lot of feeling like a tourist. I've even gotten to the point of feeling more brazen and less embarrassed taking out my camera and snapping away. The awe of NYC's energy and beauty won't ever fade, and I have to admit that I feel a bit liberated being able to soak it all in through the eyes of a visitor.

While the hubs and I were up in the area over Thanksgiving, we hopped on down to the city to have lunch with friends. We passed through Grand Central, which is such a beautiful station. I always feel so grand walking down that big staircase and reading the train times from the boards.

After lunching and margarita-ing with one of my oldest friends, the hubs and I walked around Rockefeller Plaza to do some Christmas shopping. The tree wasn't lit yet, but it was fun to see it and enjoy the city in the twilight. The crowds actually weren't too bad, and every few steps I kept sighing and turning to the hubs to exclaim, "Everything is so beautiful! I love it here!"

As we headed back to Grand Central, I felt that familiar tug that builds each time I visit the city. I know that the subway is terribly smelly and hot, and the rent is outrageous, but still... there is no place quite like it anywhere else in the world. I love the energy, I love the largeness, I love the glamour, I love the grime. I don't know if we will end up back in New York next year, but I do know that the city has wooed me.

Until next time, New York.

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O Christmas Tree

There is just no denying it: I love the snow. I grew up in New York, and my winter memories are filled with snow forts, snowmen, snowballs.... you get the idea. Living in DC hasn't quite satisfied my penchant for snowy winters, though it is endlessly amusing to see the city predictably shut down in a panic over any snow or ice predictions (even better when said snow and/or ice fail to actually materialize). No matter, though. Any time we are lucky enough to get a true snowfall down here, I feel it, that magical, blissful feeling of pure snowy happiness.

We awoke to gentle white flakes yesterday morning, and they continued to fall as we made our way up to Takoma Park to pick up a few essentials at the Farmers Market, including this gorgeous wreath that is now cheerily hanging on our front door. The crowds were much smaller than usual, and not all of our favorite vendors were there, but I loved the scene of a thin blanket of snow settling on the canopies and streetlights.

Our main goal, however, was not wreaths or goodies-- it was to find a Christmas tree. How is it that I had forgotten how wonderful pine trees smell? I could have just run from bundle to bundle sticking my face into countless trees, but aside from that being terribly weird, we had to actually pick out our Christmas tree. I was so excited as our tree got bundled up in that plastic netting and then placed into the trunk of our Zipcar. The snow was falling more heavily by that point, and we made it back home just as it started to really accumulate on the roads-- perfect timing.

 

Sometimes you just need a morning like that, one that's filled with snowflakes and hippie neighborhoods and a perfect Christmas tree. Sometimes that's all you need to feel happy.

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Sunday Currently : 48

It's snowing!! I hope for this moment each and every winter, and it has finally come. I know that technically DC's first snow came right before Thanksgiving, but I wasn't in town then, and the snow seemed pretty minor. This, however, is sticking to our porch steps and forming icicles in my hair. This is real.

We picked up our Christmas tree this morning, as well as made a quick stop by the farmers market for some goodies and a beautiful wreath. The snow was blowing around but was still somewhat tame. I don't know if we will actually get much accumulation, but I'm just enjoying it while it lasts. I love the magic of the first real snow!

reading : On the Road, which is an easy, enjoyable read. I'm still not very far into it because I got sidetracked with some magazine reading, but I really like it!

writing :   Lots of Christmas cards. We ran out of stamps, but I want to get all of our cards out in the next couple of days. Receiving holiday messages is such a cheery lift during the week, don't you think?

listening :   To Christmas music on Pandora. I am in total bliss right now. Snow outside, Christmas tree propped in the corner waiting to be decorated, and Christmas tunes in the background... This is happiness.

thinking :    About how much I love the holidays! I am 100% in the holiday spirit today. Thanks, snow, for making today extra magical. 

smelling :    Frasier Fir. Mmmmm.

wishing :   For continued happiness this holiday season. I love the emphasis on spending time with loved ones and wishing good will towards all, and it's what makes this time of year so special to me.

hoping :   That our cats don't knock over the tree... Molly will probably be okay, but O'Higgins seems to have a penchant for mischief...

wearing :   Jeans and my favorite blue and green plaid button-down. I wore my Bean Boots for the first time outside today, and they are officially the best winter weather boots I have ever owned.

loving :    How the simple things in life can bring so much happiness.

wanting :  To bake some cupcakes later today. What is it about cold weather and snow that puts me in a baking frenzy? Does this happen to anyone else?

 

needing :    To finish putting away groceries and to straighten up the living room. This space will soon be a tangle of twinkle lights and ornaments! And glitter. Most likely glitter (sorry, hubs).

feeling :    So very happy, and also very cold in my fingers. My gloves didn't keep them especially warm during our morning errands, and it's taking some time for my fingers to warm up. Best to drink hot chocolate, right?

clicking :  On Pandora as we listen to the Traditional Christmas station.

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Last week on The Quixotic Chica:

Sunday Currently / 100 Best Novels: Catch-22