Santa Barbara post Christmas visit

My mom and I enjoy meeting in Santa Barbara after Christmas and hitting the stores for the sales.   We eat, shop and exchange gifts.  Afterwards Vince and I snuck in a nice visit with our dear friends Lorie and Gug.  Chinese food was yummy too :) 

Something Rotten

Fun Show!  A great way to spend Boxing Day - and no food was involved.  I needed a break from eating :)

Merry Christmas 2017

With my little helper

I was so enamored with Zuri helping me open each package that we forgot to take any photos of us.  But here's one with Vince and his new car.

Markie's House for Christmas Eve

One of my favorite traditions is having Christmas Eve dinner at Marks house.  Neal comes in from New York and makes a smoked mozzarella mushroom lasagne that is famous.  Mark's house is decorated and the table set with gorgeous '50's style dinnerware.  I think I was in such a food coma after eating this amazing meal that I forgot to take pictures of the desserts.  

Shitakes galore.  This is an extra bonus for me.

Check out the plates.  From Mark's mothers collection that she handed down to him.

We stuffed ourselves silly.  The appetizers were off the charts - garlic bread with caponara, roasted red peppers and marinated artichokes.  The meat eaters also had a plate of thinly sliced meats.

For dessert we had peppermint brownies, persimmon bread, mini cheesecakes with strawberry sauce and homemade whipped cream. And...vanilla Haagen Daz.  And the Ice Wine that Rick brought... sweet and delicious.  It was a pig out to be sure.  We were very happy.

Christmas baking

Plans and execution:

Eggnog cake:

Mini cheesecakes with strawberry sauce:

German Apple Cake:

Hidden in the freezer: Peppermint Brownies, Persimmon Cake, Chocolate Persimmon Cake, Eggnog cake...

Two of my favorite guys!

We met Mark for breakfast yesterday and he and Vince were both wearing their Vinpix French Kodachrome t-shirts.  (to see more of Vince's designs - check out: vinpixstudios.com) 

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Meeting my newest cousin on Thanksgiving

Introducing Jayden.  This tiny cousin was born on my mother's birthday, eighty years apart, forever tying Jayden and his great aunt together by their shared birthdays.

Uncle Bob and his kids, my cousins, Bobby and Kristin with a very new Jayden.  Cutest thing ever!

 

The proud Grandpa:

Prince is taking all this baby stuff in stride.  He really likes Jayden.

Three Stooges Laugh Fest 2017

I always look forward to seeing my dear friends at the Three Stooges Festival.  This was the 20 year anniversary of the festival and the shorts were hilarious.  See the boy sitting behind me?  The joy of hearing him laugh his head off made our day even better.  

Malibu Canyon hike on a perfect fall day

After our very hot summer I'm so thrilled to be able to get outside again and in to nature.  We had a great lunch and hike in Malibu today with our dear friends Chris, Eiko and Sophie.  This is the good stuff in life that sustains me throughout...

This hill is really steep...

At the end I yelled to Sophie - push or I'll never make it!

Hamilton!

Enjoyed every second of Hamilton!

We ran in to these two - Nicole and Matt!

Happy Halloween 2017

The first cut:

 The great pumpkin head:

 Vinney got lots of props for his Jack O Lantern.  The kids loved it.

 The parties over...

Halloween wouldn't be the same without my black cat Zuri: