Christmastime in The City

I'm usually one of the many people that cringe at the sound/sight of Christmas-things forced upon us too soon in the season, but for some reason this year, it's like medicine for my soul. I've spent the past two weekends at home, to decompress after (and during) a hectic season at work, and of course, for Thanksgiving. It was wonderful to be home on Long Island, vegging out on the couch, relaxing & spending time with everyone I love - the stresses of work and money far away in The City. I guess I'll always be a kid at heart, reveling in a tiny escape at home where I can put the reality of adulthood on pause.



Yesterday, my kid at heart was in full bloom, harnessing the giddy feeling that Christmas is only a few weeks away. A crisp winter chill was in the air, and as my mom drove us to my apartment, I marveled at the Christmas trees stacked on street corners, waiting to be tugged home by anxious families. And while I do think it is a little early to put up a tree just yet, that image of "holiday" lent a sense of my home back home, to my new home uptown. This will be my first Christmas in my own apartment and I'm excited to get a tree and decorate, however modestly it will be. One of the things I loved most about Christmas was lounging in my living room with the lamps dimmed and the glow of our Christmas tree giving off a soothing warm hue. My goal is to recreate that feeling as best I can, with a small manageable tree and a few decorations.

It sounds so cliche, but once you get passed the fact of being out in the bitter cold without the warm escape of cars and malls, there is something magical about being in the city around Christmas. It's hard to put into words, but it truly reinforces why I love living in The City. I'm looking forward to walking around, wrapped in scarf, hat and gloves, to take in the holiday decorations in store windows, while grabbing a coffee or hot chocolate on the way. The crowds are inevitable, but if you choose your part of town wisely, you can embrace the holiday season without getting jaded by disgruntled pedestrians.



The tree in Rockefeller Center will go up next week and with that, the official stamp of the holiday season is sealed. In a week or two, I'll be one of those anxious New Yorkers, buying a tree on the street in signature New York fashion. My sister is bringing me ornaments from home to decorate my tree with. I know that will add just the right amount of "Christmas in the Campbell household" to my little living room. December is only a few days away, and with that the magical childhood wonder of Christmas is close behind.

Stay tuned, as I will definitely be posting pictures of my holiday decorations!

M96 to Central Park West and the C to 163rd Street, Please

Hidden away on Jumel Terrace in Washington Heights, nestled between West 160th and 162nd Streets, is a 245 year old gem. The Morris-Jumel Mansion is one of the many historic landmarks that New York City offers its curious residences and tourists alike.





I discovered this antique over the weekend when one of my best friends, Keri, joined me for a weekend of mischief (which included downing a bottle of pino and an 11:30pm run to Tasti-D-Lite, where I was reprimanded by an employee for eating candy I hadn't yet paid for). As a student of FIT, Keri has to visit a selection of locations throughout the city, which offer a glimpse into the architectural and design styles that have taken shape over the years. We awoke at 9am on Sunday (thanks be to daylight savings) and made the journey across town and up to The Heights. After walking a short distance down a cobble stone street lined with enormous brownstones and stairs as solid as fortresses, we reached our destination. There, on the second highest elevated point in Manhattan and with views of the Harlem River, is the Morris-Jumel Mansion. Structurally, this house is exactly as it was when it was built in 1765 - a little floor shellac and a few dozen coats of paint notwithstanding. Most of the furniture inside are replicas based on the time period, but there are a few pieces here and there that are original to the house.



Front parlor.

British Colonel Roger Morris built this home as a summer "villa," but was booted back to England for being a Loyalist during the Revolution. Soon after, it became military head quarters for a man you may have heard of ... he went by General Washington, George, I'm almost certain, was his first name. A Whose Who's of the day, including Thomas Jefferson, John Quincy Adams, James Madison and Alexander Hamilton were entertained on premise. In 1810 Stephen and Eliza Jumel, both immigrants from France and chums of the vertically challenged Napoleon, purchased the mansion. After her husband's death, Eliza married former Vice President under Thomas Jefferson, Aaron Burr.


Noteworthy piece of furniture in this bedroom; that desk/chair combo.



Detail was everything in those days, from the intricate moldings and stained glass windows to the hand painted Chinese wall paper and lavish carpets in almost every room. I had to chuckle, if you think plastic-lined sofas and ornate Italian dining room sets are gaudy, rich families in the 18th and 19th centuries were close contenders. Every table, chair and desk had clawed feet and nary a window was without thick velvety curtains, held back with braided golden tassels.



Eliza Jumel's bedroom suite.




George Washington rested his powder-wigged head on this (replica) four post bed.




Anyone have to pee? (This chair that - suprise! - doubled as a chamber pot, was located in Eliza Jumel's boudoir, just off her bedroom.




Our last stop was the kitchen. "They had toast and waffles back then? Life couldn't have been so bad!" - Keri, always pointing out the positives in life :)