Dear readers,

I hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving holiday as much as I did! While I did not brave the crowds and go to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, I did spend my day doing something that I love best: working on this website.  For those of you who have been following The Lunch Belle for a while, you may have noticed that I changed the layout.  I'm working tirelessly to make this site easier to navigate and more user-friendly.

With all of that being said, I did take a break from my computer to enjoy a fabulous holiday meal with my friend (and fellow El Pasoan), Ceci, and her family.  Just as I spent my first Thanksgiving in NYC, Ceci's grandmother and parents flew in from Texas to celebrate East-Coast-style: waking up before the sunrise to brave the cold and secure a decent viewing spot for the parade.  I was quite impressed when I learned that Ceci and company had been awake since 5:30am; on their feet since 6:30am; and preparing our wonderful meal since 12pm. 

Clockwise: cranberry relish, biscuit, mashed potatoes, turkey, green beans, stuffing, mashed sweet potatoes

When I returned home from our delicious meal, I was so full/stuffed/overfed that I could barely breathe!  But as I sat there, in pain and drunk with gluttony, I couldn't help but be thankful.  Despite the fact that I celebrated Thanksgiving sans family, I was fortunate enough to enjoy a bountiful supper amongst friends. 

Yesterday officially kicked off my favorite 3-4 week span of the year: the ice rink at Rockefeller Center is packed with smiling faces, department store windows are decorated to the nines with festive holiday landscapes, Christmas lights twinkle across the city like a Tiffany diamond, and for some reason, tourists and locals alike seem to be in better spirits.

With that, dear readers, I wish you the happiest and healthiest holiday season. 

xx,

The Lunch Belle