Well hello new decade. Nice to meet you.
And the last decade?
I remember the moment you were born. I was working at an overpriced Italian restaurant that had somehow drawn in a few unfortunate tables for the inflated prix fixe menu. I worked the night away, and when the year came to an end, I slipped into the alley behind Fabio’s Restaurant and Grill, my own bottle of New Mexico Gruet in hand, and drank to the decade to come.
Things are a little different now. There are children and marriage; there is adulthood. There are plans gone awry and made more exciting in the process. And there is cooking.
Ah yes, cooking. That reminds me of something I’d like to show you. See that up there? With the funny bookshelves? And the large amount of space? And most importantly, the dishwasher?
This is my new kitchen. This is not its final resting place. There is more work to be done, and everything will be moved again eventually. But for the next year, this is the kitchen, and we are getting along great so far.
I think we’re going to have a pretty good time in here this year. You in?
Excellent.
Oh, and there’s one more thing! It being the first day of a brand new decade, I can’t help but give something away. You know how I love to do that.
So, today, I’d love to hear about what you’re hoping for this decade to come. Let me know and I’ll throw your name in the hat for the new 2010 Nikki McClure calendar.
I’ve talked about Nikki McClure before, but I’ll say it again- her calendar is one of my favorite things that I have in my house, next to my new dishwasher. And now it can be one of my favorite things in your house too. And don’t hang back if you’re not in the US. I’ll ship this baby to Australia if I need to. I’ll keep this open until the night of January 4.
Happy new year, friends. As soon as I get everything put away, I’ll get cooking, and you will be the first to hear about it.
Occasionally I teach workshops, and I have one coming up this fall. Join me and stellar novelist 
Please enter me in the calendar giveaway, and a Happy (Secular) New Year to you and yours.
MS
Congrats on the new kitchen! What a perfect way to ring in the new year and decade. Happy happy!
xox, Ana
love to all in this new year!
-india
Congratulations on the new kitchen! Our existing kitchen will get marginally bigger this year as we do some work on our house to prep it for its hundredth year. And this decade? I hope to feel purposeful.
Something to hope for in the whole decade–wow so many things! Health and happiness for all. Four, Yup, 4, graduations (5 if you count Will from 8th grade). And more rich and wonderful times with you.
Lissa
hopes for the coming decade…great tenderness for mine and his and theirs and all. homes and health and creativity and the sharing of good food and walks. your blog gives hope for the next meal. that it is more than a missed opportunity. keep writing alana. you will be so glad for these observations come another decade.
I hope for more J&A time, to meet the girls again, now that they're older and funner (I hear), to move someplace rational (spendy-wise), to have a pet, and a garden and a dishwasher (color me jealous!).
Happy New Year! xoxo
hello friend!
Wishing we had been able to join you on New Year's Eve — I'm so glad to find you here! 🙂
I have so many wishes for this coming decade as we start this journey of creating a family… I suppose most of my wishes revolve around the little being I am creating and hoping for a good, healthy and happy start to her life, as well as healthy relationships growing between she and me and my husband and all of us together. If that makes any sense.
I would also like a bit more simplicity, in my life and the collective world — a bit more slowing down and enjoying the moment and not waiting every second for the next new gadget or improvement.
I love the Nikki McClure calendar — I've never had one but always admired Willow's and Liz's. I hope to grow with Owen and be the best mommy possible in the coming decade. My main goal is to focus less on money and things that can be bought and instead try to make the things I need. I'm planning on making all my bread this year, making all of Owen's organic baby food and making all my Christmas gifts (I'm planning to start early). Love your blog, it always inspires me to try cooking things I haven't tried before.
Hopes for the next decade: now that my eldest daughter is just about at the point where she will begin really remembering things, I hope to create some awesome memories with her and her sister, less work more play – or maybe more meaningful work and more memorable play. Also a better releationship with the stepson, hoping he moves from thinking his parents are idiots to discovering how much we can learn in just 10 years.
For the next decade I hope there is a greater unity in our country. I hope to turn out to be a wonderful mother. I hope to move to a place where I am mentally happy, as opposed to yearning for more things than I have right now. And I hope to continue my blog; I realize our websites will be ways to look back at our lives and chronicle our children's lives. (since I have little time to actually scrapbook!)
So great to see you last week!
For the next Decade: To be present in the moment, not to take things to seriously, to foster play and sponteneity. To feel my feet on the earth and remember i'm connected to the sky. Have good time with my kids, family and friends. To feel at home within myself. To nourish all the parts of myself, my mind, body spirit and, of course. belly. To digest fully my life and to blossom and grow. To feel inspired and inspire. To breathe deeply and laugh a lot.
For this new decade. first and foremost would be to spend more time with you!… which leads me to continue to spiral into beautiful depths with friends; to take root within myself and all my surroundings in a way that is new, yet familiar, strong and forgiving, expansive and compassionate, safe and creative; to grow vibrant food and medicine with deep care and reverence for all elements that support its growth and all community that is willing to share it; to honor all my relations; to learn how to truly breath; to leave room for MORE…
jen