Not a creature was stirring, except a Powerbook Mouse...
So I find myself just back in from a movie: a new one starring our man Ralph Fiennes, entitled "White Countess", in which Ralph, playing a blind ex-diplomat in 1936 Shanghai (talk about typecasting for our boy--what's next one might ask, a period love story set against the backdrop of apartheid South Africa? The West African Ivory Trade? Still, great roles all around...), dreams of opening the perfect bar--and then finds the inspiration to do so in a particular Russian Countess, one fallen from wealth but whose family is determined to keep up appearances regardless, this until they can buy their passage out to Hong Kong. The metaphors in this one do come in a little heavy at times (we know, at the outset, that he's building the thing as a simple a refuge, a means of retreating from the variety of obligations with which he's been saddled for years--yet we needn't be reminded, time and again via exposition, of the "oh-so-heavy doors" he's put on the place...), but still, a really great flick all around ("Ralph Fiennes" and "The Perfect Bar"--need we say more?), and one most highly recommended this holiday season.
So yes (where were we?--ahem ahem): I'm just back in from this movie, and it occurred to me to wonder where I might have been on Christmas Eve one year ago today... The memory came easily enough: I was dining out with Michele at the Sea Grill at Rockefeller Center--devouring caviar and champagne, and a having a wonderful time watching a neverending crowd of ice skaters slide by us in the twinkling night (not a bad date eh? Something else most recommended this holiday season...). So of course now I'm thinking (as I nail down that one-year-anniversary of sorts), "Hmm--I wonder how she's doing anyway? Haven't seen her for months..."; this followed by, "I hope she's having a ball (perhaps literally, with this one! Some very swanky affairs, here...) with her family in the south of France right now..."--when, sure enough, an e-mail comes in at that moment from the very subject herself: in the south of France, hope you're well (meaning "me", obviously), will call when I get back ("her"), and here's a few photos you took of us a year ago (today). (Including the one above, of Michele watching the ice skaters: apologies for the grain, but the dim lighting did require the aperture to be open for longer than I would have liked...) So indeed, what a marvelous coincidence I say!! I'd swear sometimes, back in the day, that she and I shared the same brain... But yes, hopefully then, I shall catch up with her soon (and pour through all of the new photos she may have taken throughout her recent adventures).
Right then, it's off to bed for this one: I find myself entertaining a few of my fellow Christmas Orphans here at my place for a lunch tomorrow, and absolutely must get just a bit of sleep before I venture to undertake something I have, as of yet, never done in this lifetime: singlehandedly cook food and then (gasp!) serve it to other people... (Of course, I did warn my guests that A) all of my food would be strictly veggie, and B) I was probably running about 50/50 odds of botching the job entirely regardless, and hence, they'd best bring their own dishes--so, hopefully, people won't actually starve on the morrow, should my oven technique really go North by Northwest...) I have, however, managed to put together a few knick-knacks already thus far--a small salad, a bit of BBQ tofu--but, the crown-jewel of the feast, the centerpiece of the day (and the one which I shall start in upon first thing tomorrow), shall be:
ERIK'S ALL ORGANIC ALL VEGGIE CHILI CHEESE DOG PIZZA
(Sorry Nat, cookiehoneysweetiebaby, I'm stealing your idea--and recipe--and takin' this one all to the way to the next level... Will be sure to let you know how it turns out in the end!!)
Merry Christmas all: here's hoping this day finds you all with friends, eating and drinking well, and marvelling at the wonder and beauty of each other. Cheers, to the New You in the New Year...
