The NYtimes has an informative video on skateboarding in Afghanistan and an Aussie who’s established the first skate school in Kabul. A girl comments, “We skate because we want to lose our fear and to get courage and to be healthy.”

Check it out on NYtimes Video page.

When was the last time you had a s’more? Not a store bought cookie variety but the real-deal thing. According to the back of the graham cracker box, each square should have one marshmallow and one piece of chocolate. I’m sure there are other, more fancy recipes but you can’t go wrong with the original—simple, delicious and ‘tis the season.

First step is to wait for your fire (with a traditional s’more it’s gotta be an open fire) to burn down a bit. A lot of people make the mistake of going in to early. You wanna wait till there are some low flames but mostly burning embers.

When it’s ready, roast your marshmallow according to your preference. I personally like a golden brown color with some touches of black carbon. Make sure to use a straight roasting stick so that getting all sides of the marshmallow isn’t too much of a challenge.

Add one slice of a Hershey’s chocolate bar on top of each marshmallow. I like to squish it down a bit spreading the marshmallow over the whole cracker. It also releases a bit of the heat so you don’t burn your tongue.

Add another graham cracker to finish off the sandwich.

EAT IT ALL.

In what originated as a suburban luxury housing development for NYC’s wealthiest back in 1895, Dyker Heights, which sits under the Verrazano Bridge, is now predominantly an Italian-American neighborhood and home to some of the most spectacular Christmas light displays you’ll ever see. In an attempt to outdo each other, professional crews work for weeks on a single house and electric bills have been known to run upwards of $5,000 for the month of December.

We went down to check it out last week and were not disappointed. It is magnificently gaudy. Just when you think you’ve seen all of NYC…it’s big.

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year.

Most of the mansions featured gothic roman columns.

Santa at his post.

A Mediterranean villa.

Looking for some professional decorators? Call the Christmas Decorators at 718-837-0225.

My girlfriend (Bryn Chernoff of Paperfinger) and I just got back from a much needed vacation out on the left coast on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State. I feel rather relaxed and recharged.

I’m on holiday and will be back shortly!