After Dinner...
This past shabbat was the first time I had friends over for dinner in my new place...Parshat Noach. It was sooo great....I love having guests and having a reason to create atmosphere...
I have been working really hard to conquer the everlasting project of making my home feel like mine and this was no exception. I had to carry out the vision for my meal, complete with lighting, color choices for tablcloth and setting out utensils. I am not one for small talk at my shabbat table or even in general, so I was happy to know that my friends would be open to my expectation of high level conversation along with a holy meal.
I love having guests, being able to share a bit of the world I create of healthy food, kosher, vegan and appropriately spiced. (Hopefully). Some tidbits from the carefully crafted menu was date honey challah and brown rice curry, vegan brownies and apple-pumpkin ginger soup. I love to cook because it results in an experiential experience for all and it's an art form I can relax into rather than constantly critique myself while I'm doing it. But, I digress....
After Shabbat ended, I was in my apartment, surveying the wonderful mess that was left behind. Empty wine and grape voice bottles, telling the story of intense discussion over their lofty aromas, crumbs on the carpet and stains on the tablecloth, not to mention the pile high of dishes in the sink. But I didn't care, I was happy to clean up...for their was an energy of home in the air that hadn't existed previously despite my initiatives to decorate and organize to my heart's content. This time, I had invited guests to participate in a holy, organic experience. And when we decide to create that level of atmosphere and use our home as a canvas for uplifting the physical, that resonates longer than the experience itself...it lingers long after the guests had left. So now my home is infused with the holiness of Shabbat and I hope it lasts a long time....
thanks to my friends for so easily helping me make that experience.
Shavua tov....
This past shabbat was the first time I had friends over for dinner in my new place...Parshat Noach. It was sooo great....I love having guests and having a reason to create atmosphere...
I have been working really hard to conquer the everlasting project of making my home feel like mine and this was no exception. I had to carry out the vision for my meal, complete with lighting, color choices for tablcloth and setting out utensils. I am not one for small talk at my shabbat table or even in general, so I was happy to know that my friends would be open to my expectation of high level conversation along with a holy meal.
I love having guests, being able to share a bit of the world I create of healthy food, kosher, vegan and appropriately spiced. (Hopefully). Some tidbits from the carefully crafted menu was date honey challah and brown rice curry, vegan brownies and apple-pumpkin ginger soup. I love to cook because it results in an experiential experience for all and it's an art form I can relax into rather than constantly critique myself while I'm doing it. But, I digress....
After Shabbat ended, I was in my apartment, surveying the wonderful mess that was left behind. Empty wine and grape voice bottles, telling the story of intense discussion over their lofty aromas, crumbs on the carpet and stains on the tablecloth, not to mention the pile high of dishes in the sink. But I didn't care, I was happy to clean up...for their was an energy of home in the air that hadn't existed previously despite my initiatives to decorate and organize to my heart's content. This time, I had invited guests to participate in a holy, organic experience. And when we decide to create that level of atmosphere and use our home as a canvas for uplifting the physical, that resonates longer than the experience itself...it lingers long after the guests had left. So now my home is infused with the holiness of Shabbat and I hope it lasts a long time....
thanks to my friends for so easily helping me make that experience.
Shavua tov....
posted by ImperfectArtist at 6:44 PM
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