I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We're spending today close to home as we rest up for our night out at Ford's Theatre. It's becoming a bit of a tradition for us. Only we're taking his parents as they made the trip down to spend the holiday with us this year. Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Planning the Thanksgiving menu and subsequently cooking the big meal is something I truly relish. I start thinking about the menu right after Labor Day. I then agonize over the final menu for the entire month of November. This year I'm thinking it will be a pretty straight forward theme of simple comfort. I contemplated new recipes, but really when it comes down to it everyone is happiest with the basics.

Now for the big shopping trip this weekend. I know Keith looks forward to this every year. (Can you hear the hint of sarcasm?)

Sunday afternoon as I drove out of the District it occurred to me that perhaps Keith and I should have fled town. Traffic was back up for almost a mile at our exit off 395 and the overwhelming majority of the streets near our apartment were blocked and not allowing traffic or parking. Our street, which is normally quiet and offers numerous parking options, looked like a parking lot.

Keith and I contemplated making our way up to the Capitol grounds to check out the festivities for all of maybe five minutes. As wonderful as the idea sounds in your mind, we know it would be absolute chaos and far from enjoyable. Obama's second inauguration wasn't as cold as his first. And no, the crowds were not as big. But yes, history took place no more than 5 blocks away from our apartment and we watched it on TV from the comfort of our couch.

Nothing formal. I basically want to continue the path I am on now.

In 2012, I finally reached a point where I am genuinely content with my life. So I'm wondering why mess with a good thing?

You may find this hard to believe, but we've had our Christmas tree up for several weeks now. We got a jump start on the holiday spirit when we took my family to Ford's Theatre for A Christmas Carol.  After seeing them off on Saturday morning, we spent that Sunday decking the halls. Of course, Sammy was there to supervise everything.

She wants to ensure people receive a proper seasonal greeting the moment they come into our apartment. As a thank you for her help, and because she's such a part of the family, we had to ensure she has a stocking hanging up too.


I'm hoping I can convince Keith that we should go all out and expand beyond the Charlie Brown tree next year, but it's not looking good. He's grown quite attached to this little guy. I just feel like our tiny tree is overwhelmed by the gifts. I wanted something fresh, which explains this impulse purchase from Whole Foods. Do you ever get sucked into those purchases too? No, just me.

Don't worry I didn't deprive the family of turkey while they were here. I'm even sharing the obligatory turkey picture.

I always get busy that I forget to document the final product. Such a shame when I think about it. It was such a beauty. Had Sammy not gotten sick, I had big plans of sharing my Thanksgiving checklist. I guess there's always next year.

I think the highlight of the visit may have been the evening at Ford's Theatre. We kicked off the holiday season in traditional Washingtonian fashion by seeing A Christmas Carol. Keith, often a theatre critic, even enjoyed himself.


Everyone knows the story, so let's get to the highlights. The special effects were almost magical. The music was heartwarming. And the actors nailed it. I highly recommend fitting it in this holiday season if you can. There's also something special about sitting in the same theatre as President Lincoln and looking over to see his box honoring him.

Perhaps, this will become a holiday tradition for Keith and me. Do you have any holiday traditions?

What I thought was fall allergies is in fact a nasty little cold. I have a cough that rattles my chest. My head is all congested and I should probably buy stock in Puffs. I've tried Dayquil and Nyquil without too much success. I'm pulling out the big guns, baby.

Let's hope tonight's pour has me feeling better in the morning. If not, I'll be looking for answers. I hope you'll have something to share.

I have descended further into my bourbon obsession. I have decided to begin bunkering bourbon.  A lot of enthusiasts have bunkers, but to this point I've resisted starting one.  I resisted for a couple of reasons: First, We don't have a lot of space.  Second, bourbon is for drinking.  I've never seen much reason to have a bunk of bottles laying around that aren't being actively sipped on.

So what changed my mind?

Well, this post on the Top Ten Whiskey of the Fall on the Whiskey Advocate blog started it.  If you notice, the list contains only one whiskey under $100.  And that whiskey is a bourbon.  It is my opinion that bourbon is the best deal in whiskey, but I'm not sure it will stay that way forever.  In fact, I think we're already seeing bourbon prices begin to rise--it is not unusual to see Pappy 15 in the $150 range and Pappy 23 in the $300 range.  More and more distilleries are releasing "Limited" or "Special" editions that come with a hefty price tag.  Luckily, we all can find great bourbon for under $30, but it might not last forever.

So I've decided to select a few whiskies that I especially enjoy and hold on to them for a little while.  If prices keep rising I can break into the bunker or try to find a trading partner to get a bottle I can't find. If prices go way, way up, then I'll think about putting a bottle up for auction.

My first two bunker selections are the 2011 Parker's Heritage Collection and E.H. Taylor Tornado Surviving bourbon.  I have open bottles of both on my shelf and they are a couple of my favorites.  Based on the limited release of these bottles, I suspect these will become very hard to find over the next couple of years.

The Fourth of July is by far my favorite holiday of the year. Apparently, I have a hidden pyromaniac just waiting to burst out. Unfortunately that has been repressed after moving to Washington, DC. At least, we call the nation’s capital home and are never short on things to occupy the time.

The heat wave mentioned on my prior occasions seems to be around for the remainder of the summer. Talk about putting a damper on most plans. Somehow we have found a way to power through and enjoy ourselves. Yesterday we hosted friends for grilled burgers and hot dogs along with fresh salads and watermelon. And because life is short there were Rice Krispy treats, blueberry crumble, and of course a little bourbon thrown in for good measure.

It was sweltering hot so we passed on the National’s ballgame, the neighborhood parade, and even the fireworks on the Mall. Instead we hunkered down with board games – you know they’re that much better when you have a group – and settled in on the sofa in the AC for the show.


Trust me. I never thought the day would come where I would forgo the Mall and the spectacular show. But when it was still 95 degrees at 9 pm, I learned there is a moment. Here’s to hoping next year is much more bearable. I’m not asking much maybe 89 degrees at 9 pm.

Hope you had a fun and safe July 4!