Looking for a different topper for your Christmas tree this year?
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How about the Abominable ( but quite cute ) Snowman.
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Can’t say I’m crazy about letting him climb the tree at will….
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But he does make a great addition to that gift of champagne.
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How’s that for a shift in topic? (Spellcheck just changed ‘for’ to ‘fur’. I am not amused.)
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And I thought stupid ad campaigns couldn’t get any stranger.
In other news, we had lunch at a pub the other day called The Depot. It was loud, dark and though our meal was decent, I can’t say I’m in any hurry to go back.
As we were winding up our tour of the resort we wandered into the conference center….
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Which was just as attractive as the rest of the resort though in a newer building addition. There were multiple meeting rooms of which I’ll spare you the details…
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But we did find a plethora of fascinating old maps.
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And since I included the word old in that description, you know who enjoyed them the most.
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Random grand piano…. because you never know when the Brotherhood of Orthopedic Shoe Manufacturers will feel the need to break into song.
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The indoor pool required a paying guests only entry card so here’s a shot of it through a window. I thought it was very nice they had a handicap lift machine.
If I haven’t mentioned it before, this hotel was built in 1902. And though they do an amazing job of upkeep, the old broad is beginning to show her age and needs some serious restoration in spots.
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Underneath decades of crisp clean white paint? Rotted wood.
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And a side porch rotunda that’s undergoing some major repairs.
They try to keep as much of the original structure as possible which I’m sure is an engineering nightmare.
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So there you have it, The Mount Washington resort. An area landmark that shouldn’t be missed.
When I think basement, I imagine dark corners, cobwebs and mouse turds. Clearly there was none of that here.
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How big is this resort?
It has its own post office.
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And a line of high end shops down the hallway. One of which I was forbidden to enter by my spouse…
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Did I mention the carpet?
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Trees, pine cones and woodland creatures. Very whimsical.
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Since we were visiting off season for lunch there were only two options, an upstairs restaurant offering small plates and tapas or downstairs which had a full menu. I think you know by now my husband is not a small plate kind of guy.
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Another cocktail? Don’t mind if I do.
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The menu was a bit smaller than I expected from such a big place, and as I scanned to the bottom I was seriously hoping my spouse would find something he wanted before he found the filet. Gulp!
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We elected to split a bowl of clam chowder to start and instead of bringing two spoons, they divided it in cute little square bowls. Very tasty.
For the first time in two years we’re venturing out of our Thanksgiving Covid bubble and spending the holiday with friends as was our tradition. It will be a small gathering with a large amount of love.
And food. As well as drink.
In that spirit… I went shopping yesterday for the ingredients to whip up my contributions to the feast. To say I had sticker shock is a gross understatement, and while I’ve been cringing at the checkout counter for a while now, this trip was solely to make three things which made the cost positively ridiculous.
Harvest sangria –
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And mind you, I already had the vodka.
Crabmeat toasties –
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Already had the mayo.
And a cappuccino mousse trifle.
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Already had the milk.
To assemble a drink, an appetizer and a dessert in 2022 without the items I already had at home?
$211.76.
Granted the fresh crabmeat is an indulgence at … are you ready? … $40 a pound. In Maine! Two pounds are pictured, which a few years ago cost me roughly half that. And sure, I could have brought cheese and crackers but everyone loves these and looks forward to them. Probably because they’re too cheap to ever make it themselves, but still.
On the flip side of my extravagance, I have a frugal girlfriend. Every year she challenges herself to make an entire Thanksgiving dinner for six people for under $30. She’s so proud of her ability to do this she lists her purchases on her Facebook page if anyone wants to follow her lead.
I thought this year, with its astronomically high food prices, she wouldn’t be able to do it.
I was wrong. And I’m including her post because she just impresses the Hell out of me.
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I’ve been asked by so many people if I was going to do a Thanksgiving on a shoestring post this year. Well, I did it. I’ll give a shopping list with prices, menu, and break down how I did it. Turkey $6.14 (.47 #) 13# bird 1 1/2 # sweet potato .56 2# sweet onions .87 Celery $1.50 1# carrots .50 2.5# potatoes $1.00 Squash $1.00 Turnip $1.00 Fresh herbs $1.99 Graham crackers $1.25 1 large banana .40 1# flour .75 2 cups sugar $1.00 Canned whipped cream $2.50 1qt. milk $2.19 Butter $3.99 Vanilla pudding $1.49 Cranberries $1.00 Stuffing $2.49 Grand total $31.62
Thanksgiving menu Roast turkey with stuffing Mashed potatoes Squash Roasted Root Vegetables Homemade cranberry sauce Homemade gravy Chai pie Banana cream pie Biscuits
This was probably the most challenging budget Thanksgiving Dinner. My goal was to keep it at or below $30.00. I could have done it if I went with with cheaper options, like margarine, instead of butter, but I refuse to skimp on quality. Another option was to get a loaf of bread for 1.29, at the off price bread store for stuffing, but $1.00 savings in the meal didn’t make sense when it cost more in gas to go get it. A lot of things, like potatoes, flour, and sugar I buy in bulk, but I used store prices for those items. By making things from scratch, like pie crust, biscuits, and cranberry sauce, you can save a lot of money. I got canned whipped cream, because whipping cream was sold out. The price is about the same. My menu is looking a little different this year as well. I talked to those who were coming for dinner, and we decided on two pies that we all liked. There’s no sense in baking a bunch of pies that aren’t going to be eaten. Six different side dishes aren’t necessary, so we decided what our favorites were. We grew our own Squash, turnip, and herbs, but I priced them for the dinner cost. This list can be tweaked to your personal liking. I didn’t include beverages, because we already have that stuff on hand. In the end, Thanksgiving dinner for 6 breaks down to $5.27 per person. That is, until I turn leftovers into more meals 😉………Happy Thanksgiving all! I hope this had helped 🙂
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Proof positive it is possible.
That’s also proof I’ll never do it myself, but hey… to each their own.
So however you celebrate Thanksgiving , or even if you don’t… I hope your day is filled with food, friends, family and fun.
River's world..... 