Granola with Banana Almond Butter Smoothie

Granola with Banana Almond Butter Smoothie

12/22/2025

I am in the thick of Christmas Week. What this means is that the breakfasts need to be easy and ready to go--no new recipes or extensive prep work this week. Fortunately I have a number of things in the freezer ready to be thawed, warmed up, and presented as breakfast for Keshav. 

Today was not one of those days when something was thawed from the freezer, as I had some Trader Joe's granola left that I had not yet served my husband. I chose to pair it with a protein-rich smoothie that had banana, almond butter, dates, and milk. I added some Greek Yogurt and protein powder for good measure. 

Unfortunately, the smoothie was consumed by Yours Truly, as Keshav told me he was full with the granola. To tell the truth I was not surprised by this, as he treated himself last night to macaroni and cheese with chicken from The Melt. I am sure that was still sitting in his stomach this morning. 

I drank the smoothie. It was delicious. 

He usually eats everything I make for him, but on occasion he will bring me what he cannot finish. I don't take this personally, even though I admit it does disappoint me at times. At least it does not go to waste if I finish it. 

After he left for work, I dived into prep tasks for our annual Holiday Gathering, which is happening two days from today. I worry that the upcoming rainstorm may keep guests from attending, but if we have at least eight guests I will be happy. The food will not go to waste, and my work will be done. It is a lot of work. It makes me wonder sometimes what I would do with myself if I didn't have an upcoming event to plan and execute. 

*

The new building across the way is visible from our kitchen window. At night, the lights illuminating the rooftop decks blaze bright and constant, but I have never seen anyone there. Maybe I can't see them from where I am, but it is also possible that every night the lights go on for gatherings that never happen. 

Is anyone even living in this building? 

They worked on it for a few years. I know this because when we moved into this apartment in 2021 the new building did not yet exist. From our kitchen window we could see the business buildings of Hollywood. Not exactly inspiring, but interesting nonetheless. When they started work on the new building, we wondered together how high it would end up being. We got our answer once we realized that our Hollywood "view" was no longer visible. 

The new building offers fancy apartments at outrageous prices. I know, because I have checked them out online. I think they can get away with charging this much because of what they offer tenants beyond the living space: gym, rooftop deck, storage, etc. As mentioned, I can see the rooftop deck from our kitchen window, but it appears to me that nobody is yet taking advantage of this additional perk. Too bad for them, I say, because they are paying for use of it in the outrageous rents. 

I did notice one window that appears to show a room with a television playing in it, which suggests that at least one of the apartments has been rented. If this is so, they have yet to use the rooftop deck, as far as I can tell. And yet still the lights blaze on, illuminating a space that entertains nobody. 

*

Community is extremely important to me. I have told Keshav that wherever we move, there must be community that is easily accessible. I am drawn to apartment buildings that have it all: gym, doggie park and wash, pool, bike storage, BBQ area, community spaces. My worry is that we would rent an apartment in a building that has all of these things and find out that nobody uses them. That would actually be worse to me than not having community--having community spaces that no one uses. 

It seems that community is harder to come by these days--everyone seems to prefer staying at home, being online. I have an individual client who tells me regularly that his Instagram account has 242,000 followers. I am not sure if he is trying to impress me, or himself, but I just find it somewhat sad. I asked him how many of these followers he knows, and the number he told me was substantially lower than 242,000. 

He also tells me that when his account is suspended, some followers think he has blocked them--they interpret the invisibility as rejection, as though they have a personal relationship with a person they have never met. This is not the community I am looking for.

I follow bloggers who have a good number of readers but who also complain of loneliness. I love writing, but I could give a rats ass about how many readers I have. This does not make me better than other writers, just different (ask me if I still feel this way in the future when I am trying to sell my book!). 

I don't care because I write to write, not to be read, and also because I want to write what I want to write, not what I think others want to read. Probably good that I am not trying to make a living as a writer then. That being said, I do still write with readers in mind, working hard to ensure that the thoughts I share resonate with those living outside my head, simply because I don't want to write anything that is not interesting.

*

I am finishing this essay on the morning of Christmas Eve. The sun is not yet risen, and it is raining heavily outside. It is due to rain all day, but that will not deter me from hosting my annual holiday gathering. The food is made, the eggnog mixed, the decor on point, the candles at the ready. The question, given the weather, is will anyone come? 

I told Keshav that I would be happy with at least eight friends, and I mean that. I don't need 20 guests to show, though that would make it very festive indeed. We have had that in the past and it is jolly. But tonight I just want to enjoy myself and my guests, and know that the hard work I have done in the past month is being appreciated. 

The party starts in less than 12 hours, and I have my hour-by-hour schedule already calling to me. Yet I find myself thinking about 24 hours from now, on the morning after, which will also be Christmas Day. The party will have concluded, the food will (hopefully) be put away, the dishes will still need to be washed, but I will be done. Keshav will fly to Boston for his family, and I will recoup here in the rain with leftovers, solitude, and friends. 

The best way to celebrate the season, for me, is when it's quiet.