Friday Things
1. Last week, I mentioned that my Chief Culinary Consultant and I have made a tradition of shopping at the outlets on Black Friday, walking around and usually not buying a single thing. We continued that tradition last Friday, although instead of heading to the outlets an hour north of us, we ventured an hour south. As in years past, we didn’t buy anything, then traveled further south to Oglebay in Wheeling, WV. We enjoyed dinner, did some shopping, and then drove through their light display, since the one that has been a Pittsburgh mainstay for years had to be cancelled this year due to lack of funding. It wasn’t the same, but it was a fabulous way to spend the day after the Thanksgiving, and we even saw our first snowflakes of the season that evening!
2. To cap off the holiday weekend, we went to see The Brian Setzer Orchestra Christmas Extravaganza concert. The music was fabulous, with a mix of Christmas tunes and some classic swing hits.
If the tour comes your way, I’d highly recommend it, such a fun show! It was the perfect end to the holiday weekend, and an awesome way to kick-off the Christmas season.
3. I have long been a fan of Anthropologie for their kitchen items and aprons, but this week I discovered the world of their apparel. More specifically, their sweaters. Heaven help me.
4. I’m pretty sure that if Santa can’t deliver, it’s not going to happen. We need a Christmas miracle…
5. When I was a kid, it was absolutely impossible to make a list for Santa until the JCPenney Christmas catalog arrived. That catalog is the source of some of my most fond memories from the 1980’s. I have visions of myself, my sister and two cousins huddled around my grandma’s dining room table, catalog open, scribbling feverishly on pieces of paper. I’m not sure when JCPenney stopped sending that catalog out, but I’d like to start a petition for its revival.
6. My new pet obsession: a reindeer.
I know, totally not practical, but neither is my desire for a polar bear. I obviously live in a make-believe world in which wild animals will only want to hug me. This video totally brainwashed me:
7. Tomorrow I’m planning to start my Christmas baking list. Otherwise known as, the crazy, long, over-ambitious list of things I want to make before Christmas. I inevitably only ever get about halfway through the list, but making it is part of the fun! What are some of your must-bakes for the holiday season? Link up recipes if you have them, I’m always looking for new things to try!
8. Remember when I told you I was going to give the whole photo-a-day challenge a try at the beginning of November? I didn’t do so well keeping up with it, unfortunately. However, tomorrow is December 1st, which means another chance to give it a go. Is anyone else taking part? See the prompts below and check out the post on fat mum slim for more details!
9. In case you missed it earlier in the week, don’t forget to enter to win an iMac or a $500 Visa gift card! The giveaway is still open, so get your entries in! Good luck!
10. TGIF! Do something crazy this weekend!
I love the reindeer photo! Where can I get a copy?
i love your recipes… but everything is “my culinary consultant and i”.. i guess blogs change after a while, the “my culinary consultant and i” is getting sort of tiresome. read back and see how many times that same phrase is mentioned lately. it’s off-putting, at least to me. i read your blog less now because it seems you’re more caught up in that.
These were my absolute favorite cookies we made at the holidays last year. I’m already getting requests to make them again: http://www.dailygarnish.com/2011/12/crystallized-ginger-spice-cookies.html
When I watched Christian the lion for the very first time, I bawled!
Love the hockey shirt! I miss my Coyotes playing.
I love your Friday Things posts…both funny and informative! We’re watching The Men Who Built America on DVR right now based on your recommendation (fascinating!), and I’m itching to try the photo-a-day challenge with my new DSLR.
As far as traditional holiday baking, I usually do some form of buckeyes as well as some cutout cookies, but I try to mix it up. For the past several years I’ve been making a giant batch of salty snack mix that I gift to our neighbors. It’s SO addictive!
Haha! Love your pet obsessions! Mine is to get one of those tea cup pigs! Totally impractical…my dogs would probably try to make bacon of the poor little guy! :(
The video clip made tears stream down my face…now I need some chocolate.
I TOTALLY remember the JC Penney catalog!! Too funny.
My mom and I are always looking for new ways to use walnuts from her tree during the holidays. We substitute them in recipes that call for pecans (e.g. we make walnut pie instead of pecan pie)… The coolest use we found was candied walnuts…she somehow incorporated kahlua and coated them in cocoa. So good!
I am in a “delete all Anthropologie emals” phase right now or else I would be penniless. Their clothes are amazing – be careful! Also, I too am of the mind that all wild animals want to be my friend and snuggle with me. How awesome would it be to hug a snow leopard? They look SO soft!
I used to go through the JCPenney catalog and circle everything I wanted. Those were the days!
We used to cut the people and furniture, etc. out of the Sears Roebuck catalog and use them for playing “house”. Lots of possibilities there!
Any chance you could bake up some eggnog cupcakes? I’m on the hunt for a good recipe and have this picture in my mind/taste in my mouth of a rich vanilla and spice yellow cupcake with some sweet/spicy/rum? icing. Would love to see what you do!
Hi Sophie, I’ll add them to the list!
I love your blog and your passion for baking and life! You are a daily inspiration to this amateur baker :)
My sisters, brother and I also used the Penney’s and the Sears catalogs for Christmas ideas back in the 40’s and 50’s. My dad was in the Army and we spent many Christmases in Germany. The catalog was “kaput” by the time Christmas rolled around. But we also used those catalogs for the rest of the year for other things like clothes, shoes, etc. Receiving a package was always like a gift from home.
oh Brian Sezter…..LOVE LOVE LOVE him…for years!!!!! have also been to his Chrismas concert….GREAT!!!
i have two must bake items this time of year: buckeyes and sugar cookies from the recipe my mom clipped from a magazine back in the 70s or 80s. they’re so buttery and soft and crisp at the same time. yum! both of these are on my brother the chef’s ‘hey sis will you make that for me?’ list, lol.
I LOVE the hockey shirt. Where did you find it? I sure miss watching hockey.
I know, isn’t it great?! I saw it posted on Facebook, but did some digging this morning, and found it for sale on CafePress: http://www.cafepress.com/dd/73017866
Totally understand the reindeer thing! ;)
I was going to do the photo-a-day last month also, but missed the first few days…and then the whole month! Let’s try this again now!
Oh my- the penguins!! Penguins are my 2 (going on 16!) year old niece’s favorite animal, I have to show her this picture!! :0)
I can’t even look at anthropologie because i want EVERYTHING. Also, I totally forgot about how much fun the JCPenny christmas catalog was – it’s how I made my christmas list too!
Lovin’ the last photo. Too bad the Pittsburg light display was cancelled but the one you did see looks wonderful. The Cdn. Sports section in the local paper is pretty sparse now that they don’t have hockey to write about.
Good luck with your photo a day challenge and have fun with all your Chrismas baking. Have a great weekend.
I love Brian Setzer! He’s my favorite Stray Cat! :) Have a great weekend!!
OMG the JCPenney catalogs! My sister and I made our wish lists the same way! I was just thinking about that last night!
Please tell me where you found the hockey tee shirt. Love it.
Hi Lynn, Pure Hockey (a hockey retail outlet) posted that photo on their Facebook page. It looks like you can buy it from CafePress: http://www.cafepress.com/dd/73017866
Michelle,
Thanks for the quick response. I’m thinking that I need several for Christmas gifts.
Let’s go Pens! My 84 yr old mom is a season ticket holder. The only time she’s ever given me her ticket is when she couldn’t go because she was in the hospital with Pneumonia. LOL
Love your Blog! Happy Christmas to you.
ohhh anthropologie… there is one within 3 minutes of my house and it is DANGEROUS! love all their stuff.
have a great weekend! x