Stacy Horn

Christmas Eve is better than Christmas. I like the anticipation, the movies, the music, and by Christmas morning all of that is mostly over, and within hours the day feels ordinary again.

But today feels special, even if you don’t do anything particularly special.

My plan: goof off. I’m going to Anthropologie and Sephora, but if they’re too insane I’ll leave immediately. Then it’s reading and the Alastair Sim and Mister Magoo versions of the Christmas Carol, and I still haven’t decided if I’m getting a pedicure, but maybe that.

I think I forgot to say this: thank you Senate for repealing Don’t Ask Don’t Tell and for voting for the 9/11 bill.

This fantastic day-glo tree is in the window of a store on Perry Street.

I went inside for a second to take a picture to show everyone how crazy it is, but I couldn’t deal with it and fled. Outside the Salvation Army guy was dancing with his bell (not just ringing it, but dancing!) and a girl grabbed a bell and started ringing it with him. It was very sweet. Oh! Did she grab his bell? Because I see he doesn’t have one anymore! Ha! (He was laughing, too.)

More often than not, when I go out in search of some obscure records from a long time ago—in this case, an arrest made during the Civil War years—I usually don’t find them. The other day at the library, the one page I wanted on a roll of microfilm was blank. No explanation, just gone.

But today I hit the jackpot. I found the records for four men who were arrested in New York City in 1834!! Their arrest was in the New York City Police Office Watch Returns. Good times.

I was also looking for the site of an 1895 murder. I knew the building was long gone, but I wanted to take a picture of the park that’s there now. Even though it was FREEZING out it was packed!! It made me want to be part of a community so tight they’ll go out and endure freezing weather just to hang out together. This is a Baxter and Bayard in Chinatown.

My family is doing a grab bag for Christmas with a $10 limit. Turns out, you can’t get a lot for $10. Especially when you took a freelance job that needs to be done by Christmas and you don’t have time to ponder it and shop. So I came up with an idea and ran over to the Lower East Side to get it. (Can’t say what until after Christmas!)

This is the Katz’s Deli that was in the movie When Harry Met Sally (“I’ll have what she’s having.”) It’s looking a little sad. But when I’ve eaten here it was amazing. The best brisket I’ve ever had. Oh! I’ve always tried to remember when I became a vegetarian. It happened when I stumbled across a show on Manhattan Cable where they showed how animals are slaughtered. I watched maybe 10 seconds and have been a vegetarian ever since. I could never remember when that was, but I know I was in my 30’s when I last ate at Katz’s.

I was going through all my old video tapes the night before last, looking for footage of that First Night thing I was talking about in an earlier post, when I came across an interview with me in short hair. I love it!! It’s hard to tell what it looks like in this picture of my tv screen.

This was around 15 years ago though, so God knows if it would still look good. Also, I went to a guy who charges something over $300 for a haircut. Insane I know, but he was worth every penny. What are the chances that anyone I can afford now will be able to recreate this cut?