French toast. First brunch.

Our traditional first meal on New Year’s day, throughout the five years we lived in New York, was brunch at Frankies. Thank goodness they have a cookbook

. I’ve been practicing the French Toast. (And I’m getting closer. I just need someone to ship me the Sullivan Street Bakery bread they use.) Do you have a first meal of the New Year tradition?

On an unrelated note, this Google Zeitgeist video is one of the best “highlights of 2013”-reels I’ve seen. Enjoy! And again, Happy New Year!

P.S. The best waffles and my favorite way to cook eggs.

Happy New Year! (& how to open champagne)

Some of you have no doubt already welcomed 2014, but we’re still many hours away from the greeting the New Year, out in California. Wherever you are, I hope 2014 begins brightly for you!

If you’re still in preparation mode, maybe you’d like to brush up on your bubbly-opening skills with Jacques Pepin. I find his French accent—and demonstration of how to quickly chill and properly open champagne—goes so well with the French spirit, don’t you?

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Merry Christmas!

To those of you celebrating the holiday today, Merry Christmas! And to everyone, we wish a happy holiday season!

[Photos from our trip to Yosemite this fall]