dinner and a concert in DTLA

We had a lovely night last night, through and through.  It's great that we've not only stacked up our social calendars through this holiday season, but also that the things we're doing are so enjoyable.  Hooray for that!

Last night it was dinner first, then a show.  We headed to downtown LA, parked the car, then walked past the Disney Hall

and the Broad,

past other buildings in the downtown/Bunker Hill area,

past the library,

and ended up at Drago Centro. 

We haven't been there in ages - I think it was my birthday a couple of years ago - so it was nice to be back.  A Caesar salad for me,

then a tasty pork osso bucco with saffron risotto. 

The others had pasta dishes for their main courses, and I tasted them, finding them very good.  I'd like to go back again, have a leisurely meal, splurge on a good wine, and just enjoy it all.  Oh, and we had dessert, shared.  An eggnog creme brulee. 

It was fine, more eggy, like my Mum's baked custard, than silky and boozy.

And then it was back uphill to the Disney Hall.  I don't have photos from the performance since they weren't permitted.  But I will say we had terrific seats in the second row (the rows curve, and as we were on the end, we were almost up against one end of the stage). 

Chanticleer were in performance - I'm listening to their new Christmas album now - and they were terrific once again.  Some familiar faces, some new members.  A mix of older and newer songs.  They seemed looser and happier this year than when I've seen them in the past.  All in all, just so good.

Home after that, and some reading before bed.  I have things planned this evening and tomorrow, but then it's a couple of days off - hooray!  But how fortunate we are to have these wonderful opportunities. 

songs of the year (31-35)

Third entry of songs of the year.  I've been posting these to my Instagram, and I've made it to #16 there, so a little ahead of the blog.

I was thinking to myself this morning as I was walking, listening to an older year-end list, that these lists are a snapshot of me in December of the year, not much more.  I go back to old lists and I think, hmmm... not so sure about this or that song any longer.  Even now, I'm posting these and rethinking the order.  So take these with a grain of salt.  Still, some of them will sit on my playlist for a loooong time to come!

That said, let's press on.

#35.  Rolling Stone - Maribou State

#34.  Another Life - Eelke Kleijn featuring Nathan Nicholson

#33.  For Him - Dan Mangan

#32.  Disintegrate - Suede

#31.  Wolves - Jeremy Loops 

second weekend in December

Hello from Sunday evening.  Dishes are almost done, we'll head to bed before too long.  I have a very easy day at work tomorrow, and I shan't go back after tomorrow for three weeks.  Yay!  So let me blog a little here, and then I will turn in for the night....

Back to Friday.  Friday morning was a lovely morning.  I headed out on a walk

without Conrad and got some good step count in that morning and all day for the first time since before I was sick in November.  At last.  I've resigned myself to whatever will be will be for this last month of the year, but I do need to recommit myself to doing some proper exercise in times ahead.

Friday evening was Conrad's office holiday party.  A nice time, truly.  I took a shot of me dressed up for it

but otherwise didn't bother taking photos at the event.  The food was fine, the drinks were fine, the company was nice.  We had a good night, all in all.  And it was a relatively easy walk home!

Saturday!  Ah, not a great start to the day.  I swear I didn't overindulge at the holiday party, but maybe I did?  In any case, after breakfast at Amara,

it was a low key day of reading and music and not too much.  It wasn't until much later in the day that we got ourselves gussied up and headed out.  Up first, the annual Candlelight Concert by the Pasadena Symphony. 

And then from there to a party at a home in Eagle Rock.

As for today, again, pretty casual and low key.  We eventually made it over to TJ's for groceries, and once I had some milk, I began the process of clarifying pomegranate margaritas. 

Where were the margaritas from?  Conrad's office party - they had some large batches of cocktails, and why let them go to waste?  I consider it my prize for coming in 4th in the trivia contest.

Anyway, the batch is now in the fridge and will need another filter.  We'll see how that turns out.  I otherwise made cocktails for online happy hour.  Pictured here, the Honolulu #1, the Winter Rye Solstice, and the Honolulu #2. 

It was this last one that was our first round drink.  Conrad stuck to that one, but for my second drink, I made the one Chris was enjoying, the Forest Elixir. 

And then I had some wine

while we grazed a board of stuff I put together for dinner. 

We tried watching a holiday romcom, but it just wasn't doing it for us.  Ah well.

And then it was blogging the weekend.

Lots of stuff ahead this week, and I will try to check in and blog about them, either one at a time or as a group.  Stay tuned.... 

songs of the year (36-40)

Shall we continue with my favourite songs of the year?  Why not?  Onward!

#40.  Last Night - Alaina Castillo

#39.  Thieves - Roan Ash

#38.  You Don't Know My Name - Giolì & Assia

#37.  Don't Let Me Go - Tom Odell

#36.  Gone Gone Gone - David Guetta, Teddy Swims, & Tones and I  

holiday dinner at Julienne

I'll post this Friday morning, but it's Thursday night as I write this.  Conrad is upstairs reading in bed, and I will soon join him.  No cards to write - I got the last of the 105 cards this year into the mail last night.  So while I play some Christmas tunes, let me share a few photos from a very nice pre-Christmas dinner at Julienne.

And my gosh, is Christmas really only two weeks away???  Sheesh!

Anyway, as you may know, we've been enjoying some Thursday night dinners at Julienne since summer.  This was the last of the year.  The place was beautifully decorated. 

And you know what?  The food was the best it's been as well.

A nice Caesar salad to start. 

The three of us shared a bottle of Pinot Noir from up SLO way.  Rolls to nibble on during the meal, lovely and fresh. 

And then there was my bouillabaisse. 

Superb!  So beautifully done.  I made sure to pass along my compliments on that one.  Dessert followed, and although I enjoyed my apple tarte tatin muchly,

Van's Italian almond cake with a cranberry coulis was far and away the winner.

There were Christmas crackers on the tables.  And there was very good company at my own table. 

Of course!

Tonight starts a week of daily events for me if not for the others.  It will be lovely, and I'll also look forward to next Thursday and a quiet night in with a simple dinner and no drinks and maybe a Christmas rom-com.  For now, though, this was a terrific dinner at Julienne! 

so good to be back

Because of travel and my illness and other silly things, it's been WEEKS since last we made it to Maestro.  And we knew we wouldn't be there this Friday due to Conrad's office holiday party.  So he and I took ourselves over to sit at the bar last night, squeaking in before a few large parties descended on the restaurant.  And it was soooooo good to be back.  I mean that.  Friendly faces, food we love, and even some new cocktails (a Fall Sour, drier than you would expect, and a drink I want to enjoy again).

I didn't photograph much of dinner (here's our chicken mole). 

In part because we didn't eat a huge amount, but also, we were caught up in chatting with folks there.

Maestro really is our Pasadena Yoshi's with the caveat that we don't know the other regulars.  Ah, but it does feel like a welcome return home every time we go! 

songs of the year (41-45)

That time of year when I do my musical countdown.  I narrowed my favourite songs of the year down to 45 this year.  Ready for the countdown?  Here we go!

 

#45.  Breathe In, Breathe Out - David Kushner

#44.  Wasted Love - JJ

#43.  Sports car - Tate McRae

#42.  Vodka Cranberry - Conan Gray

#41.  Born Again - LISA featuring Doja Cat and Raye 

holiday spirit

I maintain that there are no ugly holiday sweaters, merely holiday sweaters.  To be worn and celebrated!

Thus...

Not my only Christmas outfit of the week, I promise!