MOSH
“The woods are lovely, dark and deep / But I have promises to keep / And miles to go before I sleep / And miles to go before I sleep.” –Robert Frost, “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”
ruminations...
NEW YEAR, FULL BELLY
I’M DREAMING OF A GREEN CHRISTMAS Getting your house ship-shape for the holidays can be a hassle. Logan’s One Stop Garden Shop is one place to look for help. Pick a tree at Logan’s and they’ll deliver it to your house and set it up; while you’re there, you can also order custom greenery, wreaths, floral arrangements, and centerpieces. Tis the season! Monday - Saturday, 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.; 707 Semart Drive; logantrd.com/logans-turn-keychristmas
Lucky New Year’s dishes may seem like an old wive’s tale, but why not start 2017 with all the help you can get? Cultures around the world rely on certain edibles to bring good fortune. Others avoid lobster or chicken: Since lobsters move backwards and chickens scratch backwards, it is said their consumption could cause setbacks in life. On the good list:
• • • • • • • •
Greens Pork Fish Noodles Black-eyed peas Lentils Cake Round fruits
Watching old holiday classics, like It’s a Wonderful Life or White Christmas...Breaking out the ultra-cozy flannel sheets...Serving a Moravian Sugar Cake from Dewey’s bakery...Staying in on New Year’s Eve... Celebrating the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at Cary’s Dreamfest Celebration Jan. 14 - 16...Taking the crew ice skating on City Plaza…A polar plunge jump into Johnson Lake...Viewing the Presidential Inauguration Jan. 20...Indulging in a much-needed facial at The Umstead Spa for dry winter skin… Visiting the Reid’s Fine Foods pop-up shop in Cameron Village...
SEASONAL SIPS Warm things up with a take on the traditional hot toddy. ½ lemon, juiced 3-4 tablespoons spiced maple simple syrup* 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) bourbon Hot water to fill *Spiced cinnamon maple simple syrup 1 cup maple syrup 1 cup water 1 dried red chili pepper ½ teaspoon red pepper flake 2 cinnamon sticks
22 | WALTER
To make 1 toddy, add lemon juice, homemade simple syrup, and bourbon to a mug. Top with hot water. Garnish with a lemon wedge and cinnamon stick. *Add maple syrup, water, cinnamon sticks, chili, and red pepper flakes to a small saucepan and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let steep for 30 minutes - 1 hour (or longer). Strain and pour into glass jar for serving.
WOOD YA BELIEVE THAT? Check out Raleigh-based Van Duyn Woodwork for handcrafted treasures; the wooden bowls work as serving dishes, an artful urn can be considered a piece of sculpture and a unique gift. All pieces are made by N.C. State graduate Jason Van Duyn, whose family has been in woodworking since 1649, and are influenced by his N.C. roots, local history, and natural beauty. vanduynwoodwork.com
KWANZAA Keep the festivities rolling: Dec. 30, Durham hosts its annual Kwanzaa Celebration. Food, family activities, and African music performances will all honor the seven basic principles of Kwanzaa: unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith. Kwanzaa lasts through Jan. 1, so even if you can’t make it to the event, there’s plenty of time to celebrate. Dec. 30; Holton Career and Resource Center, 401 N. Driver St.; durhamnc.gov/1651/Kwanzaa
courtesy Logan Trading Co. (GREEN CHRISTMAS); Thinkstock (SIPS, NEW YEAR); courtesy Van Duyn Woodwoork (WOOD); courtesy Reid’s Fine Foods (RUMINATIONS); Liz Condo/News & Observer (RUMINATIONS); Corey Lowenstein/News & Observer (KWANZAA)
THE
