Dining Room Rant

Here is what is unfair: If you live in New York City and you are not a billionaire, it is unlikely that you can afford an apartment with a separate formal dining room.

You know why this sucks? Because you can't host a proper traditional Thanksgiving meal complete with centerpieces and a family riot. But ALSO because you don't get the joy of decorating it! Look at this table and chairs! Look at that lamp! Look at the freaking wall art!

My current dining room is the small corner between the living room and my refrigerator. It is also directly in front of the door to our apartment and therefore it acts as a catch-all for mail and other detritus of daily life. Plus, randomly, our seltzer maker. I've always wanted a dining room because when I was younger we ate at our coffee table unless it was Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter and I hated it. I wanted a formal place setting and multiple glasses and flowers on the table! I wanted to practice my mastery of which fork goes with which course, etc!

So you can see why it is so disappointing to be in this predicament. Sure, I can eat a proper meal at my dining room table. But it will be to the hum of the refrigerator, not the chatter of my incredibly interesting and intelligent dinner guests and smooth jazz.  And god help us if someone happens to enter the apartment while we are eating because they will basically walk straight into our meal and chaos will ensue. Oh woe is me.


Image: roygbiv via my little apartment