Shayna’s recommendations for holiday activities with your loved ones that don’t make you want to commit arson at Christmas!
Food recommendations, activities, games, and of course more wine talk!
I know the timing of this article is pretty late but bear with me. It’s the holidays and I just had a blood infusion yesterday so I woke up this morning thinking it was 1978. Anyway, I know that a lot of us are going to be celebrating the holidays with family this year which means that either boredom or tensions can be very high, so I wanted to share a few ideas for what you can do to lighten the mood and keep things interesting without wanting to punch someone in the throat (ideally) or call someone a Karen. Some of these ideas are totally free and others can get a little pricey so I’ll organize them from least expensive to most expensive. Also these are all things that I have done and can recommend to anyone. Here we go!!
Hallmark Bingo (free)
While I wish I could take total credit for this one, I actually saw Hallmark bingo mentioned on a TikTok a few weeks ago. Basically, you and everyone that you’re with who wants to participate, gets a piece of paper and a pencil. You all make a bingo card on that paper and leave it blank (for now). Then you find a Hallmark movie or literally any really cheesy holiday movie on TV or a streaming service. Turn on the movie and everyone watches the first 5 minutes. Once you get to through the first 5 minutes, pause the movie. Now, everyone needs to brainstorm what they think will happen for the rest of the movie and use those things to fill up the bingo card.
Will the main character find a home town hunk?
Will there be a child that teaches the main character something about christmas?
Will the hometown hunk’s name start with a C, S, or K?
Will there be a musical number?
Talk about your options with your group. No one’s bingo card should look the same but everyone’s card needs to be filled before you start the movie again. Enjoy the chaos!
PRO-TIP: this is a great game to play while drinking. I played with 2 of my childhood friends and we bought a box of wine (strongly recommend this brand of boxed Pinot, you can get it at any ShopRite that sells wine):
We also got a bottle of Sauv Blanc because we have no impulse control. This is the best bottle of inexpensive Sauv Blanc I’ve ever come across, it’s about $9.
Double PRO-TIP: If you do not want to watch a holiday movie, watch the Black Widow movie. It’s a comically terrible movie where I promise you, you’ll never be able to predict what’s going to happen next. AKA it’s perfect for this game.
Huertas in the LES
If you and your people want to eat out for a night then I MUST recommend going to Huertas in the Lower East Side. Not only do they have one of the most flavorful and inexpensive happy hours in NYC (especially considering how much flavor they pack into the happy hour menu) but I also personally know the manager. Her name is Coco Kim and she’s BRILLIANT! She was a contestant on Chopped on the Food Network (I’m not going to tell you the results of that episode because you gotta watch it). But she manages Huertas with grace and friendliness and she gives the best hugs ever!
I know that with the Covid spike, many people might not be willing to go into NYC for a dinner but, if you do, it’s definitely worth it! NYC has a Covid vaccine mandate for all restaurants (check), the restaurant is well ventilated and very clean (check), and now I’m going to rant about two of my favorite things I ate while I was there and the price.
-Basque Dog: this might sound like a regular hot dog, but let me tell you something. This $5 hot dog did something to my spirit. They grind and package the sausage in-house and they have a special casing for it, too. It’s not spicy (in a hot way) but it’s full of spice and seasoning. You bite into it and the juice starts running like the cops are around the corner. They couple the sausage with a piquillo mostarda (which is a relish of piquillo peppers and other goodies) and a garlic aioli. This is arguably the best 5 bucks I’ve ever spent. I bought 2 of them. I took no pictures of them because I ate them too fast…
-Citrus Brulee: My god. If you want a dessert that hits all the markers of a perfect sensual experience this is it. The bitter from the burnt caramel. The thick flakes of salt on top. The light citrusy sour and gentle sweetness from the custard. MY. GOD. Plus you have the smooth, perfectly cooked custard coupled with the crunch of the burnt sugar on top. I went here with a friend of mine and we had a full blown moment over this dessert. Coco came by to ask how we liked it and all I think I said was “...my god.”
PRO TIP: Huertas is closed until 12/26 and you’re going to want to make a reservation for their happy hour. Also, they have some of the best house red wine I’ve had in a while (it’s $6 per glass)
Double PRO TIP: If you visit, tell her “Shayna sent me here for the hot dogs.”
Cooking classes!!
Now there’s two ways to go about this and I’m going to start with the cheaper option, which is from home. I bought a cookbook by my favorite chef on the Food Network, Alex Guarnaschelli, and here it is:
If you want to have a fun cooking date night then I strongly recommend getting this book, especially if you do not consider yourself a wiz-kid in the kitchen. Her cooking style is “simple things done well are innately restaurant quality” and I agree with that. You won’t need to break the bank at the supermarket for the ingredients and most of her dishes can be done pretty quickly. I’ve made her pad thai, shrimp scampi, and gluten free butter cookies all without burning down my apartment AND i ate well. Plus a good cooking session is one way to have a cute date night without leaving the house! Her cookbook is a little under $20.
Method number two is to go to an official cooking class. This is where things can get pricey but, if you can afford it, it’s worth it! Hudson Table has three locations (Brooklyn, Hoboken, and Philly). I went to the one in Hoboken on a date relatively recently and, even though the date was terrible, I had a great time at Hudson Table! The staff are super informative, helpful, and just friendly people and they give you recipes that teach you practical cooking and prep techniques that you can take home with you and apply to everyday cooking. When I went, we had a 3 course Mediterranean menu (whole fish stuffed with onions and lemon, pistachio baklava, and feta-and-something stuffed calamari). I ate so good that I’m determined to go back again but this time with better company, or just by myself :) If you go to the one in Hoboken, it’s also right next to one of my favorite wine shops, Wine Dads, and they can perfectly pair your wine with whatever meal you're making at Hudson Table and deliver it to you! Hudson Table is currently doing classes on Korean BBQ, handmade pasta, Mexican date night meals, and more!
Warning: Like I said, these classes can get pretty pricey. The class I took was about $100 per person.
Do with this information what you will and let me know in the comments if you want more activities and food recommendations! Happy holidays and I’ll see you all in the new year (I’m taking next week off to just vegetate until 2022 starts)!!