duck, duck...duck.

As it is now 11:42 (or was when I started writing this) and I am exhausted, I am seriously wondering how people are so good about blogging every day. I'm so ready for bed but I really want to keep this going so I'll do my best.

Last night basically my entire extended family came over and it was pretty great. They are all recently acquired since they are technically my ex-step grandmother's new step extended family (I know, waaay to confusing), but they are beginning to feel like family already. The adults are all really chill and awesome, and the children and totally rambunctious, which is exhausting, but really fun for the first couple of hours. My older brother and his girlfriend also joined us last night, so the party just got bigger.

Today we headed over to Longwood Gardens after an amazing brunch prepared by Phyllis. I remember vaguely going there as a child, though most of my memories are of the lily pond, which I thought was awesome and always reminded me of that book "Linnea in Monet's Garden". Unfortunately when we went this time the lily pond wasn't open because it is pretty freaking cold outside, but we were instead treated with the Christmas decorations, which were beautiful. I have to say that often, though, I just like pretty simple Christmas decorated trees. Otherwise you forget that it is a tree in the first place.

This was pretty cool. It is the largest green wall I think it is called, in North America, I think. I'm a little fuzzy on the details. But it is pretty sweet nonetheless. Weirdly there are like eighteen bathrooms breaking up the wall, which looks good, I like the way the plants frame the doorways, but bathrooms seemed like a strange way to go.

Here are some more examples of the beautiful plants I saw.

Later we went for dinner at this restaurant called Blackfish. It was ranked number one according to some magazine for restaurants in the Philly area I believe and it was damn good. I got the prix fixe meal which centered around duck and it was absolutely delicious. Who knew that duck with huckleberries and parsnip puree was so good? And then there were they amazing cinnamon filled beignets for desserts. Heaven. So crunchy and sweet. The perfect ending to a great day.