Hello from the empty void that is Downtown Los Angeles the day after Christmas! We had a fantastic Christmas dinner last night. I made my first prime rib ever! Using Tyler Florence’s Ultimate Holiday Table as a starting point, I made the horseradish garlic crusted prime rib with wild mushroom sauce, candied carrots and creamed pearl onions. Instead of the potato cake, we had regular mashed potatoes, putting some traditional dish into the otherwise quite “fancy” dinner. We fed Shane and his dad, Big Erik and K9 Steve. Poor Steve was on patrol last night, so I packed him a...
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I popped in my Christmas Day CD from my beloved Victoria’s Secrets Christmas compilation as I drove out on my Santa Round, taking presents to friends and families. “Sleigh bells ring, are you listening. In the lane, snow is glistening. A beautiful sight, we’re happy tonight. Walking in a winter wonderland,” crooned Tony Bennett. I started to giggle. Here I was, in my short sleeved shirt with the windows rolled down, driving down the sunny street where today’s forecast looks like this: I usually protest temperature dropping under the 70s, but welcome the cold during Christmas. I have spent a...
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From my #1 Christmas movie of all time (so far) Love Actually. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWjl80WFBzY] And for you geeks out there, Merry Christmas from Chiron Beta Prime! [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5M9UTlDb10]...
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The day after Brandon’s office party, where I showed up wearing the elf hat and chugging the big ol’ mug of Guinness, one of his colleagues from another department came up to him. “Was you wife drunk at the party?” “What? No! Why? Because that giant mug of Guinness?” “Well, we figured she’s got to be drunk wearing that elf hat and all of that.” “Nah. That’s just how she is, man.” “Oh.” Brandon’s sergeant chimed in at this point that, yes indeed, Oakley is quirky that way, with or without the booze. “Now don’t you be spreading the rumor...
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Just got a confirmation from my dad. He’ll meet us in Honolulu in January for Emily’s wedding. Oh, I didn’t tell you? We. Are. Going. To. HAWAII!!!!!! Emily is the youngest daughter of my dad’s best friend Ray who lives in Hawaii. Ray’s been bugging my dad for years for us to come visit. When I told Brandon about it, he looked at me and said, “Okay. Let’s go.” Surprised the hell out of me. Really? “Well, that’ll take care of what we’re getting each other for our anniversary, right?” Damn skippy, baby. Damn skippy....
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I love the smell of bacon in the morning. But when it starts to linger through the afternoon, one must brave the cold breezes through the house just to get the smell out a little bit more. Our kitchen vent is not powerful enough to do anything, really. Since I was going to make my breakfast skillet this morning and the house was going to smell like bacon anyway, I figured I’d just go ahead and make a batch of Jessica Gorman’s Olive Oil and Bacon Truffles. And before you say “Ewwwwwwwww…”, that recipe is for doggies. That’s right. I...
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