Happy New Year!!!

Today, I was sitting in a cab on my way to meet Stamps for a post-NYE meal of greasy Chinese food at Congee Village to absorb the mess of rich Italian food, champagne, red wine and beer consumed the night before.  After the driver had accidentally drove into an enormous pothole that jolted me violently around the backseat, he apologized.  I giggled and said "I'm okay, but I'm not so sure about your car" to which he laughed and asked me about my NYE celebrations.  We continued to chat and as we neared the Lower East Side he commented that he'd had about 9 fares that morning and that he wasn't sure if it was just because it was the first day of the year, that everyone has been so friendly and said with a hopeful, optimistic tone "I wish that this would continue year round."  I smiled and agreed.  He seemed like a nice person who, due to his profession, is probably subjected to his fair share of abuse from stressed business-types, frustrated tourists, puking drunks and the myriad of crazy people that occupy the island of Manhattan.  I too have been guilty of irrationally taking out my pent up anger on taxi drivers, waiters and other service people on my "bad" days even though I'm usually polite.  New Year's Resolution #1 - Be kind to others even when your day sucks since there's no reason to make the day of some innocent bystander suck too (unless they're being a complete a**hole, then I have free rein to be a jerk).

(My favorite Veggie Chow Fun)

After our meal, me and Stamps walked to the Angelika to meet Giggles to see Blue Valentine.  The movie (starring Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling with a most unfortunate hairline) details the derailment of a relationship, shifting between the past and present and juxtaposing their intensely romantic beginnings to their current state of alcohol fueled fights over his contentment to be a deadbeat and her need for something more.  Hell, the freaking family dog dies within the first 20 minutes, which really sets the tone for the whole film!  Oddly, this is the second New Year's Day where I've watched a puppy bite it, having seen Marley and Me on January 1, 2009.  Anyways, there's some brilliant acting, a lot of graphic sex scenes and the whole thing ends with you thinking "ugh, why bother!"  New Year's Resolution #2 - That quirky, handsome hipster may not be so charming and fun when you're married, have a child and living out in Nowheresville, Pennsylvania - so date responsibly.

We needed the comfort of carbs after the movie and headed to Emporio for pizza, even though we had eaten a cheesy, muti-course, Italian extravaganza at Lievito the night before.  We ordered the squash and kale salad, mushroom risotto croquettes, pizza Margherita and a white pie with prosciutto, arugula, cherry tomatoes and shaved parmesan.  The salad was fresh tasting with juicy pomegranate seeds, the croquette crunchy and savory and the thin crust pizzas light and crisp.  For dessert, the chocolate ganache tart with sea salt and caramel.  The dusting of cocoa powder atop the tart made Stamps cough and recall a similar childhood experience while attempting to eat Nesquick powder from the canister. New Year's Resolution #3 - The diet starts Monday!

(Squash and Kale Salad)

(Mushroom Risotto Croquettes)

So au revoir 2010, you were a good year in so many ways, filled with some not-so-great, but WAY more great memories.  This year there are a lot of changes on the horizon and I'm excited.  I'm starting a new job which marks the end of my 50% travel schedule, forcing me to experience life in a far different way than the 3 weeks at a time travel/work schedule I have maintained for the last 4.5 years.  While I will miss the travel, I am very much looking forward to just being "still" and when I do travel, my time will finally be my own.  In addition to my previously mentioned resolutions, my hope for the coming year is to devote more time to my wonderful family and friends, as well as more time to rediscovering who I am when not constantly immersed in the distraction of being in another country.  I also hope that 2011 brings all the great things that my family and friends deserve - happiness, health and all that good stuff.

Happy New Year everyone!!!