A Holiday Medley And A Happy New Year!

Things were so crazy before I left for the holidays that I never got to say THANK YOU/TUSEN TAKK to all the fun folks who came out for Glögg Fest 2015! We ate, drank, and were merry, and it was the perfect send-off for my time back home in the Minnesota snow globe.

Only there was no snow in the snow globe. It looked like Tim Burton Christmas when I landed in Minneapolis, and jackets weren't really even necessary when we had our family dinner at Murray's a couple of nights before Christmas. Everyone in Minnesota seemed pretty happy about this ... I was not. Minnesota is not supposed to be brown in December. Sorry.

We did all the usual running around leading up to Christmas ... shopping, meeting up with friends, seeing Star Wars, taking in a Minnesota Wild game with the Nelsons ... all the usual good kind of madness. It was nice then, to take a moment to appreciate the silent and calm night when we finally sat down for the Christmas Eve service at Mindekirken. It was so beautiful that I cried and could barely sing ... as usual.

Christmas Day found us enjoying the fun and chaos of Christmas at the Hendrickson's, where it was a joy to catch up with everyone, and see how much bigger the kids had grown. We had a Christmas miracle when we got just about everyone gathered around at once to take our Spartan Christmas photo! Always a classic ...

The party went pretty late on Christmas night, late enough for us all to see it begin to snow, and I mean SNOW! It continued on all night long, and the barren trees were quickly transformed into branches of confectioner's sugar, all sparkling and perfectly white. I was so happy I couldn't contain myself, and my brother Paul and I soon realized that we had to stay up all night long, walking around in it all. Bur first, we had to get our Mom outside to take photos of her with the snowstorm swirling around her. Because, of course!

We're very lucky that our Mom is such a good sport. The kind of Mom that not only thinks it's great that you're out capturing beauty in the middle of the night, but will have hot chocolate waiting for you to warm up with.

Brother P and I both agree that it was one of the best walks of our entire lives ... all flawless perfection, surrounded with the kind of silence that only comes with a true snowfall. Magic.

I raced around doing all the holiday in Minnesota greatest hits ... Fa la lattes at Caribou with friends, a birthday skating party at The Depot for Kate ...

... A Vikings game watched with leftovers and best friends ... a visit to the Walker for the great Hippie Modernism show (where you could lie in hammocks and listen to Hendrix!).

I decided to stay in Minnesota for New Year's Eve this year, without even a hint of a plan. For years I've been hearing about how Woodlake Nature Center lines the winter pathways with luminarias on New Year's Eve, for people to ski, snowshoe, and walk around the candlelit nature and reflect on the year behind and to come (that's what I wanted to do, anyway), and I was all over that.

It was so beautiful you almost couldn't stand it ... but it was also super, extra cold, and I for sure couldn't stand that. We didn't make it all the way around, but long enough to appreciate how gorgeous it was outside, and how good it would feel when we got back inside.

Inside was a wonderful crab legs dinner at my dear friends', The Krsniks, house. Everything was absolutely perfect ... best friends, delicious food, wine flowing ... and then a horrible feeling of nausea passed over me at the same time a burning sensation began in my throat. Oh, NO! All the putting off of a cold I'd been doing before the holidays had finally caught up with me. I was in bed by 10:30 pm on New Year's Eve. Great.

My Mom got me up to see the ball drop. I nodded, said a muted "Happy New Year!" and was right back in bed. I flew back all super sick, and just today have ventured outside of my room for the first time (reluctantly, but work calls). It wasn't my ideal way to start a new year, but I'm not mad. It's all uphill from here!

I have mad library books to read (and books to write!) so it was all good, especially when I saw a lovely first sunset outside my sickbed window.

I might say this every year, but I really have a good feeling about 2016. Sweet '16! Oh, the stories we'll tell! Fittingly, my horoscope this morning contained a quote, "No one else sees the world the way you do, so no one else can tell the stories that you have to tell." - Charles de Lint

Exactly. Looking forward to sharing them all with you in this exceptional new year. CHEERS to us all, everywhere! Happiest New Year.

Glögg Jam 2014!

Last night was the delightful occasion of the annual Glögg Fest, where my friends and loved ones are invited to eat, drink and be merry, Viking style, Venice style.

The night began with a stunning - I mean, STUNNING - sunset spectacularly coloring the skies overhead in brilliant neon. It set the stage for what is always one of my favorite nights of the year. After getting everything baked and prepared, it was time to light the fire, turn up the tunes and wait for guests to arrive.

It's always a situation that I should have way more room for, but somehow the squeeze-in seems to add to the coziness and warmth of the season.

I usually try to have Glögg pretty much right before I leave town, as a bit of a last hurrah for us here in Los Angeles, to see each other and make merry before we all scatter out about the world.

I'm actually just now done cleaning up and packing and about to zoom off to Minnesota myself, full of good cheer from last night.

It was a great bunch because it was a group gathered from across my diverse areas of friendships, so many people had never met, and bridges were built.

Many in attendance had also never before had glögg before, nor been to the Jam, so it was a good initiation to them ... given with the safety warning that glögg can indeed pack a good whallop.

With their first glögg, they also had their first cherry chip cookies (the overwhelming crowd favorite) and their first lefse (the Norwegian tortilla). All were accepted with a hearty SKÅL!

There were some friends I hadn't seen all year, and some friends I'd never met before. Some friends have been to every Glögg Fest on record, some had to miss it to travel, but all were most welcome and a complete blast to have over.

I rarely leave my cauldron of glögg, as it's kind of an on-going re-make to keep the batch going, so the kitchen very much becomes the congregating spot. It's fun to have the party have to keep coming to you to get re-fills, and that way you get to see and talk to everyone.

Laughter rang out over the town, as the place kept getting hotter inside and doors and windows had to be wide open (Sorry, neighbors! You're always welcome to join!). Call it our version of caroling.

Today was not only a glögg fog in our heads, but in Venice. The winter solstice we celebrated last night has ushered in the winter light. As I took my walk on the beach before departing (shortly) for the winter wonderland of Minnesota,  I reflected on how beautiful it all is, here and there. I feel warm enough inside from all that goodness last night, and all the goodness inside of the people I love, that I probably won't even have to wear much of a coat back home. Probably.

End this crazy year feeling great about it, and about what is to come. I'll be back soon. Enjoy all, love all, Merriest Christmas to ALL! God Jul!

Glögg Fest 2013 - Skål!

Much of Venice is in a fög today, after making very, very merry at Glögg Fest 2013 last night.

It's been in the high 70s outside for some reason all week, so it took some added effort to create a Winter Wonderland aesthetic in the new pad, but I think the vibe was felt.

For the first time ever at Glögg, I had a fireplace. So even though it was a balmy, Full Moon-lit night outside (and a furnace in the kitchen over the mulling cauldron), I had to have a fire going. Atmosphere. And then clothes started coming off, always a bonus.

I love Glögg night so much because I'm pretty into my traditions (as longtime friends will be happy to tell you), but also because I get to see the hard core honorary Vikings in town who won't miss it.

In some cases, I hadn't seen people almost since last year's pillaging.

Some folks just flew back into town that day, some are leaving town tomorrow (ME!), but all were in extra good holiday spirits and ready to get down on a Tuesday.

Indeed, as it was all still going until a few hours ago (Thanks and sorry, new neighbors!).

I always enjoy waking up the morning (ok, noon) after Glögg and seeing absolutely everything gone (especially the lefse that my Mom had made from scratch and sent from Minnesota - legit. Thanks, Mama!).

No cookie crumbs left, scraped out pans, and an empty red pot, with only the dregs of spices remaining on the bottom. That's so gratifying to see after spending hours with a rolling pin getting ready for this festive time of our year.

New friends were made, and old ones were treasured. Everyone was up for a night of Viking style celebration. A robust TUSEN TAKK to all who make it such a pleasure to Glögg (it's now a verb) with each year, as we bring the Minnesota to Venice.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, EVERYWHERE - from Glöggtown!!!

Gloggtown!

SKOL! Last night was the 5th Annual Glogg Fest at my house. I started it up so my friends from all over could get a little taste of my Norwegian Christmas traditions, and also get rid of all the Christmas cookies I make every year with my dear friend, Brigette.


It has grown over the years into a thing that I actually need a bigger place to host it at, but the crowding helps you keep warm, in heart and body. I love it as an evening where we can all see each other before we scatter across the universe for the holidays, and make merry one last time in Venice. Last year it was the last time most of us saw our beloved Sponto before he passed away on the 28th, when we were all away. So we've all come to look forward to Glogg Night, and whoop it up in a big way.


Which leads to what we in the business call "Glogg Fog" the next day. Glogg, for the uninitiated, is mulled wine. Lots of names for it around the globe, I call it Glogg. It smells and tastes great, and if you're not careful, will sneak up on you. I serve it "Viking Style", that is, with a splash of brandy on top of each glassful. And as we all know, Vikings were a rowdy bunch.

Last week we talked about lefse, so everyone who was over last night got to taste that treat. GONE. All that's left of the cookies (everyone's favorite seems to be the famous Cherry Chip) are some crumbs underfoot this morning. I'm not sure how many people we squeezed in, but almost all the cups were gone, so we may have had trouble with the Fire Marshall ... but they weren't invited.


So now my heart is warmed by the love and fun of friends, and it will carry me into the snow and arms of home, and more love and fun with friends in The Great White North. I am so grateful for the people in my life, and what a true pleasure to share my heritage and holiday cheer with such dears.



GOD JUL to us all!