Monday, December 31, 2018

A Robinson New Year’s Eve

I love this description of the Robinson family’s New Year’s Eve. “She” is Marian Robinson, Michelle Obama’s mother:

On New Year’s Eve, as a matter of tradition, she’d buy a special hors d’oeuvre basket, the kind that came filled with blocks of cheese, smoked oysters in a tin, and different kinds of salami. She’d invite my dad’s sister Francesca over to play board games. We’d order a pizza for dinner and then snack our way elegantly through the rest of the evening, my mom passing around trays of pigs in a blanket, fried shrimp, and a special cheese spread baked on Ritz crackers. As midnight drew closer, we’d each have a tiny glass of champagne.

Michelle Obama, Becoming (New York: Crown, 2018).
I thought about this passage (from a book I’ve just started) after reading a Gothamist report on people spending the day and night standing and waiting in Times Square while wearing Depends — or while not wearing Depends. Good luck with that. I vote for spending the night in a warm house with those you love.

comments: 5

Fresca said...

From the title, I expected something about Lost in Space!

Those snacks sound horrible and delicious.

Happy New Year, Michael!

Pete said...

I’ve never understood the fascination of the Times Square experience. I’d far rather be exactly where I am right now - in a resort condo in the Wisconsin Dells with family and friends, enjoying video games, pizza and a new bottle of bourbon. Happy New Year’s, Michael - here’s hoping for a better 2019.

Michael Leddy said...

And Happy New Year to you, Fresca, and to you, Pete.

Chris said...

I think when I was growing up our typical New Year's Eve fare included cheese, Landjäger sausage, and knäckebrot, plus Sau-Sea shrimp cocktails that came in glass containers you could re-use as drinking glasses. The height of elegance, 1960s-style. The Robinsons' menu feels very familiar.

Michael Leddy said...

I remember Sau-Sea! Yes, that was some kind of pinnacle.