Welcome. It’s New Year’s Eve and Omicron has put the brakes on any socially proximate revelry we may have had planned. We’re old pros by now at re-envisioning holidays — we’re old pros at re-envisioning any day, truth be told.
Today, for instance, you might not attend that dinner party or costume party or any party, but you might investigate one (or more) of Eric Asimov’s picks for sparkling wines with which to see off 2021. Or, if champagne’s not your thing, there’s Topo Chico, there’s Martinelli’s, there’s an array of alcohol-free spirits to explore.
Consider the year in fitness, read about some tech projects that improved the world this year or take in one of 2021’s many music documentaries. See the food trends forecasters suspect will be big in 2022. (Edible cups! Lab-grown chicken!)
Or take inspiration from the At Home and Away community. On Wednesday, I shared some reader favorites from 2021. Here are a few more to check out this weekend (submissions edited for length and clarity).
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“I binge-watched every single episode of the BBC program ‘Gardeners’ World’ on BritBox or Amazon Prime Video. Not only is there an almost endless supply of planting ideas and instructions, there are visits to famous gardens and viewer-submitted videos of their own gardens from around the world. I feel like I have a degree in horticulture.” —Linda Steiner, Madison, Wis.
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“The best book of 2021 is ‘Cloud Cuckoo Land,’ by Anthony Doerr. As soon as I finished this book, I turned back to the beginning and started reading again. I have never done that before, nor have I even considered it.” —Kathy Miller, Edenton, N.C.
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“My best for 2021 was going to a Broadway show again. My daughter lives in Manhattan and we saw ‘Hadestown’ in October and loved it, although it was a very unusual portrayal of Greek mythology. Also, seeing the Rolling Stones at their last show at Hard Rock Live was very special. Sometimes the best days aren’t apparent until we experience the worst days.” —Jonathan Jordan, Florida
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“This year, I pulled ‘The Serpent’s Gift’ by Helen Elaine Lee off my shelf where it had been languishing for many years. It enveloped me, captured my entire attention. The history, the culture, the people so intimately described. It stayed with me for a welcome long time after I finished reading it.” —Alexa Berton, Brattleboro, Vt.
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“While nervously awaiting the joyous occasion of my youngest son’s wedding just as the Delta variant arrived, I had the wonderful serendipity at the Mattituck public library of finding ‘Little and Often,’ a stunning memoir by Trent Preszler. His attention to grief was, of course, personal, yet so universal. Having lost and found multiple loved ones in recent years, I fully embraced every chapter.” —Patricia Rohrer, Mattituck, N.Y.
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“I fell in love with the podcast ‘We Can Do Hard Things,’ with Glennon Doyle, Amanda Doyle and Abby Wambach. I listened in the car while en route to errands and events.” —Cindy Wilson, Santa Fe, N.M.
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“Best book: ‘The Lincoln Highway.’ Amor Towles, a champion wordsmith, kept me savoring his complex character and plot development. I suspect that I am not alone.” —Bobbi Zehner, Madison, Wis.
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“A six-part series that got little notice is one I highly recommend: CNN’s ‘Lincoln: Divided We Stand.’ It is truly riveting!” —Eve Thorson, Maine
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“‘Studying With Miss Bishop,’ by Dana Gioia. I was just so impressed by Gioia’s narrative style and his effortless storytelling about literary figures that have influenced him.” —Gail Obenreder, Wilmington, Del.
P.S.
Tell us.
What, if anything, are you looking forward to in 2022? Write to us: [email protected] Include your full name and location and we might include your contribution in an upcoming newsletter. We’re At Home and Away. We’ll read every letter sent. As always, more ideas for how to pass the time this weekend appear below. Stay safe and warm. I’ll see you next year.
