December photo-a-day: Last week

December photos I have taken during the past week using prompts given by Fat Mum Slim.

I wish you all a happy new year and safe celebrations!

December 24 - Something you always do

24. Every day, I get on a subway.  Sometimes the stations are nice like this one at 96th in Manhattan, other times they are pretty dingy.

December 25 - Lunchtime

25. Late breakfast/lunchtime meal before Christmas dinner hosted by my sister.  It was her first time hosting, and she and I cooked a good mix of food for my BF and my visiting brother.  We had roasted cauliflower, sauteed green beans and shrimp, chicken, Japanese fried rice, meatballs and spinach tortellini, kale salad, and some awesome Oreo cake.  We even FaceTimed with my two sisters and cousin in Houston.  Good times.  Good food - and I didn't even get the 'itis'!

December 26 - Mess

26. On Boxing Day, my sister, my brother, and I went to Grand Central Terminal.  It was pretty spectacular to see in the main area.  It cracked me up that everywhere we saw, my brother referenced it to at least four movies he has seen.  This was one place that I could also remember from movies and books that I have read.  Nice to see it in person.  We went to the Apple Store on the side that was super massive and, from there, I took this picture of the crowd that looks like a mess, but is really quite organized chaos as people go to their destinations.

December 27 - How you relax

27. Despite some of the not-so-good areas, mice crawling between my feet, and trash I have encountered in NYC, there are several really beautiful areas.  This is one of the ponds in Central Park.  Walked through this area for the first time with my brother and sister.  It was really peaceful, beautiful, and relaxing to see the water, not see any cars, and not see any trash.

December 28 - Cold

28. Nothing like spending a cold night sitting with people watching old episodes of Jem on Netflix.  Hilarity ensued the entire time!

December 29 - Hot

29. In all of my apartments, I have had to walk to a different floor to do laundry.  In my parent's house I rented for four years, I had to go into a nasty, unfinished, unsafe basement.  My last place (which caused me the most drama after moving out) had washer and dryer in the unit, right across from the awesome kitchen.  So much bliss.  So easy to do laundry.  So wonderful.  I read a statistic that only 30% of apartments in Manhattan have a washer and dryer in the unit.  Another reason this place is slightly backward in my opinion.  I don't have one in the building and have to take trips to the laundromat to get clean clothes.  It is actually pretty common here to have a service pick up your laundry from your place and bring it back clean for you.  I'm sure it is convenient if you have decent hours where you will be home.  I just do it myself once a week.  This day was the day.  I always wash in hot and am usually there at off-peak times.

30. Something that made you smile this year. I used a video from Christmas night from my phone, but it was so great that it still makes me smile.  This was in the Columbus Circle subway station on our way back to my sister's place.  It was so nice to see her playing the violin and hoola hooping and just being merry.  I had to give her some money.

December 31 - Self-portrait

31. Had a slight headache this morning; it felt like someone had taken a bat to my head.  I felt a self-portrait as such was appropriate.

Here are photos from the rest of my December camera adventures: Week one, week two, and week three.  I hope you enjoyed and I hope you have a wonderful new year!