To paraphrase Stuart Smalley, 2011 was not my best year.
A year ago today, I had a full-time job, employees, responsibilities and a salary. I had just been promoted. I got up and went to work every morning and came home and worked some more. I lived in a spacious apartment comprising the entire top floor of a brownstone, into which I'd moved only three months previously, that came with a mouse and a brusque landlady who lived downstairs and seemed to hate me. (I have since learned that she did not. Sometimes old people just come off mean, I guess.)
Today, I have no job, having lost it -- well, not "lost" it, since I'm pretty sure I know where it is -- in abrupt and traumatic fashion, bringing me into the public eye in a way that I never wanted to be. I live in a different apartment, having "lost" (see above) the other one nine months after I moved in. I spent three months taking a chance and applying for an out-of-town job I didn't get. I was voluntarily homeless for a month and a half. In my new, smaller apartment, I do not, as far as I know, have a mouse ... yet. Knock on wood. (I did find a dead one in my storage unit; does that count?) I have a different brusque landlady.
But though it's been a difficult year, I'm not about to say it's the worst year I've ever had. To put it pessimistically, things can always get worse; to put it optimistically, this was a year that, like any other year, had its bright spots. (At least I didn't drop a knife into my foot.) I'll never forget it, one way or the other. And isn't that more than you can say about most years?
My friend Abby and I used to play a game where we would ask each other, at the end of the day, "What was the best thing that happened to you today?" The point was, no matter how bad a day you'd had, there was always going to a "best." Always. Even if "best" meant "least bad," it was there if you looked for it.
And therefore, I present to you, in no particular order or weight, the best things that happened to me in 2011:
- I visited Portland for the first time, and can see why people fall in love with the Pacific Northwest.
- I learned how to surf, sort of, in my first-ever (but it won't be the last) visit to Barbados.
- After my birthday party last December was canceled owing to the big snowstorm, I hosted my birthday pig-dinner anyway, in January. And we ate a whole pig.
- I was able to keep busy -- and earn money -- freelancing, which is not something everyone is able to do.
- I got to spend time with my adorable 3-year-old nephew on three separate occasions this year, and not only did we have a grand time but he also loved the green Land Rover I gave him for Christmas (auntie present FTW!), and made me play at driving the Land Rover and his new monster truck over to the "restaurant" (aka the piano bench) to eat calamari. I love being an aunt.
- I spent lots of quality time being an aunt to Annah's two kids when I stayed with her for two weeks. Did I mention I love being an aunt?
- I got to see my family a bunch this year. Time with my family is precious. I don't take it for granted.
- I went to Cabo with my parents and brother and sister-in-law and read a bunch of books and ate some amazing crudo and Pescado Zarandeado and otherwise did a lot of nothing, which I needed.
- I tore through all the "A Song of Ice and Fire" books in less than two months and they were so good, reading them reminded me of being consumed by books as a child, reading under the covers with a flashlight because I didn't want to stop.
- I organized our Thanksgiving dinner and was perhaps a little too proud of myself for doing it. I also made deviled eggs and chocolate pecan pie for Thanksgiving, and tuna poke for Christmas, and did not embarrass myself with any of those dishes.
- Parks and Recreation was outstanding this season. Just brilliant, my favorite comedy in years. It had me at "Meat Tornado."
- Louie was even more brilliant. I've never seen a TV show do some of the things Louis C.K. got away with this season.
- Breaking Bad wasn't too shabby, either.
- And I came to adore Happy Endings. The show! The show!
- I learned the value of downsizing, and that if I had to, I could live out of a medium-sized suitcase for a month and a half.
- I moved twice in one month (once into storage, once out), and endured a hurricane in the middle of it. The next move's gonna be cake.
- I ate at Locanda Verde three times.
- I ate at Maialino twice. And had the suckling pig, twice.
- I ate at Peter Luger twice.
- I ate at Ink and had incredible brussels sprouts and lamb neck and stared at the chef, Michael Voltaggio, throughout the whole dinner, and yes that is so him.
- I had a wonderful visit with my cousin and her husband, in which we had a typically superlative meal at Momofuku Ssam and then dessert at Milk Bar and went back to their hotel afterward for drinks and more great conversation.
- I had the ultimate star sighting of Ryan Gosling at The Dutch, and one second after I realized it was him, I locked eyes with the woman accompanying him and saw that she was giving me what seemed like a dirty look. As soon as I caught up to my friend, she said, "Can you believe, Emma Stone?" I love Emma Stone, but hadn't recognized her because she was blonde (for the Spider-Man movie, presumably). All of this came just before I fell into deep crush with Ryan Gosling -- thanks to Drive, The Ides of March, "Hey Girl" and this interview -- which is fortunate, because if I'd seen him whilst in the throes of Gosling-love, I would have gone into shock and passed out and hit my head and had to go to the hospital, which would have made this the worst year ever. Except maybe he would have gone to the hospital to make sure I was OK, in which case, best year ever.
- I had both the shrimp toast at Son of a Gun and the crab toast at ABC Kitchen. Shrimp toast was great, but the crab toast won.
- My parents came out in the spring and they liked every restaurant I took them to: Momofuku Ssam, Aldea, Mile End, Shake Shack ... also the pancakes at Cafe Luluc and casual dinner at Lunetta.
- I'm on an album cover.
- I learned how to network. Or that is to say, I'm learning. It isn't easy for me, so I'm glad to have the opportunity to push myself. Every time I have a meeting that doesn't go horribly, it feels like a win inside.
- I don't get to see movies for free anymore, but I was still able to see several. My favorites: Bridesmaids, Warrior, Drive, Hugo, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, The Muppets, Midnight in Paris. Still need to see: Attack the Block, The Artist, The Interrupters, The Descendants, Moneyball, Page One, Margin Call, Jane Eyre, Beginners, Weekend, Take Shelter, A Separation, We Were Here, Melancholia, The Tree of Life. (Clearly I didn't get to see as many movies as I wanted to.)
- It's been the toughest year of my life, yet I'm still here. And I feel pretty good. In some ways, I consider that a miracle. Or, that's life. Either way, I'm glad not to be lying in a ditch somewhere, sobbing and clutching a can of paint thinner. We're pretty resilient, humans beings.
- My family and friends are healthy and safe. I am grateful.
- I was bowled over this year by the kindness and generosity of friends and colleagues, who offered sympathy, comfort, outrage, advice, meals, drinks, job leads, work, places to crash and more moral support than I ever knew existed. To all of you who are reading this, thank you; I am forever grateful. When I remember 2011, that is what I will remember: that life is hard, but that the people in my life -- from close friends and family to passing acquaintances -- reached out to help and bolster me when I needed it, and from now on I will always do the same.
Happy New Year, and may your 2012 be full of joy, good health, success and prosperity. And more importantly, great food and time with your family and friends.
Peace out, 2011.
