Scenes of a January weekend

For all my big talk in the last post, I spent the first weekend of the new year enjoying life and doing very little work. I decided I get a pass on this first one as it was a sort of early birthday weekend. And anyway, I can't use that excuse again until next year, so nice to get it out of the way straight off! In addition to having some friends over for brunch and dinner (different friends on different days--my money saving plan for the new year is to make friends come over and eat my food instead of going out to eat as often), Sam took me out to a nice dinner and opera on Saturday night. He has also recently broken down and gotten back on the iPhone train, which means rather than just telling you I went out to a nice dinner and opera, there is photographic evidence of what I ate. Not that I will be taking constant pictures of my food now, mind you. Only when I go places schmancy enough I'm shamed into ordering bottled water.

The view of Columbus Circle from our table. Asiate is located on the 35th floor of the Mandarin Oriental, so while it might draw a tourist crowd, it makes up for it with the view. 

This isn't my food, but Sam's was more photogenic than mine.  I guess I should be less boring and not order salmon if I want to get on the photographing-my-food bandwagon. 

I'd never been to the Lincoln Center at Christmas. You can't really tell in this photo (even the iPhone has its limits) but there's an awesome airplane and train chugging around the base of the tree.

Nice photo from a walk through the park on Sunday. There are birds. That's what makes the photo nice.  Stupid iPhone, you can't even see the birds!

Curious puppet from the Museo El Barrio cafeteria. It's the only place you can take pictures in the museum. It's also the only place you can buy empanadas. 

Now to continue what will surely be a far more productive week! Well, except for my birthday. I'll probably take that one off too.