The Cayman Cookout hosted by Eric Ripert is a weekend celebrating food, wine and the natural beauty of the Caribbean. Held annually world famous chefs, mixologists and wine experts are featured in events held throughout the weekend. We selected one very special event to attend, the Barefoot BBQ which featured food by Anthony Bourdain, Jose Andres, Marcus Samuelsson and Eric Ripert and sweet creations from Norman Love.
“Girl, you’re looking fine tonight
And every guy has got you in his sight
What you’re doing with a clown like me
Is surely one of life’s little mysteries
There are many things in life to be grateful for; that warm cup of coffee in the morning that allows you to resemble some form of an intelligent person, the delicious hug your child gives you when you least expect it, taking a sip of a smooth glass of Bordeaux while you look across the table at your friend’s laughing eyes, laying in bed next to your son reading “Nate” while he interrupts occasionally to tell you about something funny he did at school that day, trying on that new dress and seeing the reaction on your husband’s face and sleeping each night in a cozy bed of 500 thread-count sheets.
There are many little things, everyday, to be grateful for. And then, sometimes, there is a majorly huge, fantastic, extraordinary thing to be grateful for. Like when your husband plans a wonderful getaway to Grand Cayman, inviting some of your dearest friends, to celebrate your 40th birthday.
Hey there,
Remember me? The girl whose heart you broke at the tender age of 16? You hold a distinction in my life, the one and only to ever break my heart. Sure, other guys “dumped” me but we were hardly dating so I hardly noticed. But you, you were my first “love.” Although we never said those words to eachother when I look back what was it if not love? Puppy love perhaps. Deep deep infatuation. And truck loads of chemistry, the kind of chemistry that leaves you spinning in circles. Whatever it was we had, you broke it. You needed to fly, you were young and your ego mattered more to you than me so you cut yourself free.
courtesy http://www.seriouseats.com
I remember just like it was yesterday, sitting in that Chinese restaurant in Bethesda, watching my tears fall into my beef pepper steak while you held my hand across the table, trying to console me. Our attentive waiter stopped by every few minutes, confused as to why I was crying, does she not like her food? he thought. Why the hell did we still go out to eat after you dumped me? I think you paid, at least you did that.
I cried over you for days, hanging onto the hope you would change your mind. You finally did but it was too late. You were jealous of every boyfriend I had after, of every guy I flirted with and who flirted with me and you deserved it all.
Later gator,
Susan
pup·py love
noun
an intense but relatively shallow romantic attachment, typically associated with adolescents.
New Years day is one of the most significant traditional Korean holidays. Families gather and eat soup with sliced rice cakes. After you eat the soup you are considered a year older. Children bow to their elders to pay their respects and are rewarded with words of wisdom and money. This is the one holiday my Mom continues to host, carrying on the tradition for the next generation.
On Christmas Eve everyone gets to open one gift, Christmas pajamas and a new book. We snuggle up, watch The Polar Express and leave our cookies, letters and drawings for Santa.
The holidays uphold traditions more than any other time of the year, more than any other event or place. Whether to re-create years past, to measure how we’ve grown, to gain a sense of history, family and belonging, traditions are repeated. For us some traditions come and go based on the age and preferences of the kids. Each year affords us more flexibility. And while I like to uphold certain traditions, there is nothing like the new.
Our parents are our role models for how to be a student, a sibling, a parent and a spouse. Our parents provide our first understanding of why people do and say the things they do, how to find the good and avoid the bad and how to be our best while managing our worst. They fill in the holes that school and church don’t address and reinforce the important parts like don’t fall asleep with gum in your mouth and always stand by your family. Parents teach us what love is, how it should feel, what it should look like and what it doesn’t look like. I thought my parents did this unaware, they were simply living their lives finding a way to get by. But now that I am a parent I know that every moment is a moment to show my kids what is love. They practiced great restraint to limit their fighting in front of us and although they weren’t the hugging and kissing kind their words and actions showed their love and respect for each other everyday. My Mom packed my Dad’s lunch every evening, the same lunch, everyday. There was always a warm meal, even in the mornings, and the kitchen was always clean. My Dad fixed the cars, mowed the lawn and refinished a room in our basement. He answered the mail and paid the bills. She made sure the plants were watered.
The invisible, the day to day, fulfilling the unasked.
49 years later, they commiserate on their aging while trying to understand my Dad’s new iPhone. She repeats what I say when my Dad can’t hear me and gives him a playful jab. And when I ask him to give her a kiss he scoffs then laughs. I did say they aren’t the hugging and kissing kind.
Sometimes hidden from me
in daily custom and in trust,
so that I live by you unaware
as by the beating of my heart,
Suddenly you flare in my sight,
a wild rose looming at the edge
of thicket, grace and light
where yesterday was only shade,
and once again I am blessed, choosing
again what I chose before.
“The Wild Rose” by Wendell Berry
In 2011 we had Breakfast with Santa at the Rooftop Terrace Restaurant at the Kennedy Center. Not knowing what to expect we were disappointed. The Santa wasn’t authentic and the food was average for the price. On top of that we were managing white tablecloths and china with a 1, 2 and 4 year old.
Always looking for new holiday experiences I was happy to stumble upon the Choral Arts Family performance at the Kennedy Center this year. The show features all the popular holiday songs, encouraging people to sing a long, with special visits by some of your favorite holiday characters. With our Saturday planned for the Kennedy Center I decided to give Breakfast with Santa another try.
Decorating gingerbread houses is a timeless holiday tradition. But watching your children lose control of the icing, hearing the clink and clank of tiny bits of candy hitting your kitchen floor and yelling at them repeatedly to stop eating the decorations is far from blissful. So I’m taking back this tradition and after the hectic pace of the holidays unwinding with friends for some friendly competition while smelling gingerbread is bliss. Kids are still involved, they are the judges!
Our Everyday 