A couple of weeks ago we welcomed the new year by having our friends over for lunch. S and T never fail to amaze me by their tenacity in raising a toddler in Manhattan. I am saying this not to judge nor compare our friends who are parents, but simply to share what I observe to be a major challenge for parents living in the Big Apple who use public transport. That's nearly all parents here, actually.
I mean, how do you carry the stroller with your little darling in it up and down the subway station stairs? Unlike its younger, newer, cleaner, more modern thus even more comfortable counterparts around the world, the New York subway stations do not come with escalators by default. Elevators are either hidden away or questionable depending on who's around you. Oh, and then it snows, which means bulkier outfits and slippery steps that are already narrow.
So unless S and T tell us their preferred location to meet up, we'd try to make it convenient for them by having them over - lunch usually - at our place which is a subway ride away. No need for reservations or queueing for a table, and their son N gets to hang around the living area while the adults keep a lookout from the dining table two steps away. Hey, that's really how tiny apartments here are.
I mean, how do you carry the stroller with your little darling in it up and down the subway station stairs? Unlike its younger, newer, cleaner, more modern thus even more comfortable counterparts around the world, the New York subway stations do not come with escalators by default. Elevators are either hidden away or questionable depending on who's around you. Oh, and then it snows, which means bulkier outfits and slippery steps that are already narrow.
So unless S and T tell us their preferred location to meet up, we'd try to make it convenient for them by having them over - lunch usually - at our place which is a subway ride away. No need for reservations or queueing for a table, and their son N gets to hang around the living area while the adults keep a lookout from the dining table two steps away. Hey, that's really how tiny apartments here are.
When you live far away from your own family, some friends become like family, more so when you can easily relate to the more immediate aspects of each other's lives. From a selfish point of view, having friends over is also good because I get a good workout in the kitchen, planning a "proper" meal.
The fun continues long after our friends leave because there will be leftovers. Oh yes, I make sure we do every time, so that JL and I can have them for a subsequent meal, or I can turn them into a different dish, somewhat like how people repurpose knick knacks found around the house.
So the roast leg of lamb we had on New Year's lunch became a warm salad, among other things. It comes from the beauty of planning a week's worth of meals, as I had mentioned in an earlier post on good kitchen habits for the home cook. In this case, I bought a bag of romaine lettuce and grape tomatoes knowing that we'd have extra roast lamb.
The same ingredients - corn kernels and haricots verts - came from a "cleansing" meal of tuna salad Niçoise-style along with some beautiful potatoes. In all honesty, that was a half-hearted effort for repentance after our two weeks of unrestrained bingeing back in France during Christmas. Speaking of which, here's my father-in-law's unlimited supply of lemons.
The fun continues long after our friends leave because there will be leftovers. Oh yes, I make sure we do every time, so that JL and I can have them for a subsequent meal, or I can turn them into a different dish, somewhat like how people repurpose knick knacks found around the house.
So the roast leg of lamb we had on New Year's lunch became a warm salad, among other things. It comes from the beauty of planning a week's worth of meals, as I had mentioned in an earlier post on good kitchen habits for the home cook. In this case, I bought a bag of romaine lettuce and grape tomatoes knowing that we'd have extra roast lamb.
The same ingredients - corn kernels and haricots verts - came from a "cleansing" meal of tuna salad Niçoise-style along with some beautiful potatoes. In all honesty, that was a half-hearted effort for repentance after our two weeks of unrestrained bingeing back in France during Christmas. Speaking of which, here's my father-in-law's unlimited supply of lemons.
The night before our departure for New York, our aunt Monique came over for dinner with her husband Maurice. It was the only possible time to catch each other as they were too busy looking after house-guests over Christmas: their two sons with wives and toddlers, and a couple of in-laws in what is normally a household of two.
I had to tell you this because it was hilarious when she came over that evening. You see, well before her retirement, Monique started taking English lessons and had even test-driven her skills with trips to London and New Jersey where her son is currently based. She would text or email me in English as well. I just never realized how preoccupied she had been those two weeks with family and festivities.
We had aperitifs - pre-dinner snacks and drinks - in the living room, basically catching up on what each other has been up to. And ten minutes into it, she jumped off her seat, headed towards her bag at the hallway, fearing she might forget when it is too late, and returned with her English textbook. My mother-in-law grabbed a pencil at that instant.
The next thing I knew, I was doing Monique's homework on verb tenses in active and passive forms. When we said our goodbyes, we reminded her not to sound too confident when going through the exercises with her professeur, lest she be asked to explain to her classmates. Hats off to her though for learning a new language and sticking with it.
I had to tell you this because it was hilarious when she came over that evening. You see, well before her retirement, Monique started taking English lessons and had even test-driven her skills with trips to London and New Jersey where her son is currently based. She would text or email me in English as well. I just never realized how preoccupied she had been those two weeks with family and festivities.
We had aperitifs - pre-dinner snacks and drinks - in the living room, basically catching up on what each other has been up to. And ten minutes into it, she jumped off her seat, headed towards her bag at the hallway, fearing she might forget when it is too late, and returned with her English textbook. My mother-in-law grabbed a pencil at that instant.
The next thing I knew, I was doing Monique's homework on verb tenses in active and passive forms. When we said our goodbyes, we reminded her not to sound too confident when going through the exercises with her professeur, lest she be asked to explain to her classmates. Hats off to her though for learning a new language and sticking with it.
