A Miscellany...

Wow this Holiday Season is a busy one. I had planned to luxuriate in some sick days to sleep late and do some shopping, perhaps enjoying a martini during a quick break at the mall. But with the new job, I'd prefer to make a better impression. So I'm there every day. I did, however, have my regular Friday off this week and managed to get all of my Holiday shopping done! The crowds and traffic were not bad. I had excellent luck finding just what I was looking for, and S will LOVE her presents this year!

Thursday night she and I went to Kabob Palace in Arlington for the best kubideh in the area, served with rice, spicey chick peas, and flat bread. Fortified, we charged ahead to H Mart in Fairfax. No one there on Thursday nights apparently. We bought some groceries for entertaining and drove home in the year's first snowfall! Just flurries, though.

Friday was a healthy workout at the gym and the shopping trip. That lasted all day. The only flaw was an ill-advised stop at Chevy's for a too-sweet margarita and a poorly executed meal. It was SUPPOSED to be a pork tamale, a chile relleno, and black beans. Turns out they unilaterally decided to give me refried instead of black, and they were cold at that! The tamale was... "deconstructed" shall we say? No corn husk. That's authentic. It was topped with a red "New Mexico" chile sauce that tasted a lot like ketchup. The relleno had obviously been fried quite some time ago, because these things do not normally come out of deep fryers cold and soggy. It serves me right. I know damned well the best Latin American food in Arlington comes from the taco and pupusa trucks on Columbia Pike. Why didn't I go there? Next time.

Saturday we made yet another trip to my happy place, Litteri's Italian Grocery. Pancetta, Prosciutto di Parma, giardiniera, bucattini, sausage, Parigiano Reggiano, and a sub. YUM! We entertained Saturday night and had a wonderful time with our friends Kay and Scott. The menu was: prosciutto wrapped grapefruit supremes, braised carciofi alla Romana, bucattini all' Amatriciana, and lemon custard. I don't think they were impressed with my sidecars, though. A classic, but not for anyone who likes a fruity cocktail.

Today I laized about, read the paper, made some tea, watched some golf, cooked some rice krispy treats, made hummus, wrapped Christmas gifts, went to the gym, and had a cocktail. Not necessarily in that order. Tomorrow its back to work. At least its a job I like these days!

Oh, yes. The picture. Mr. Lucky is wearing a dashing new Christmas collar. He's so handsome!