I Had Myself A Merry Little Christmas

For the 2011 Christmas holiday festivities, pixie pal Leonard joined me in Brooklyn Heights Saturday night for a Cmas Eve throwdown. The evening started with a world class event indeed, cool cats: I treated Leo to a preview of the Taylor Top 40 for 2011, as he clutched tightly to Abby & Spencer, perhaps frightened by the fact that Beyonce, despite her typically shrill vocal signature, actually made the list. I guess that's what happens following a D-I-V-O-R-C-E... lots of damn break-up songs. (Full tally will be announced on The Smoking Nun Thursday!)

The countdown was followed with a din din feast comprising fresh turkey and fluffy homemade mashed potatoes, with chocolate & peanut butter ice cream for dessert, as we enjoyed a roaring fire in the apartment and, uh, unfortunately, chose to watch the much-hyped flick Bridesmaids... which seemed like a two-hour stream of consciousness ad lib with few big laughs. What a disappointment...

Christmas morn, Leo and I took a wondrous walk around the nabe with the doggies & prepped dishes for our afternoon celebration... and I'll be damned if we didn't misfire again, renting the Ewan McGregor & Christopher Plummer film Beginners, which could not have been more depressing... geez, who knew?

Finally, at 3, we joined neighbors & friends Tracy & John's for Christmas dinner, a lovely 10-minute walk away form home. Tracy cooked a delectable pork lorn, while I brought my mama Evelyn's baked mac & cheese. And what a warm, absolutely ideal Christmas it was, joined by Tracy's sis Jeanette and her parents Janice & John, their friend Oscar, as well as T&J's 2-year-old Gracie, who was a perfectly behaved child: She didn't cry, she wasn't overtly needy and she didn't require leashing to keep her from taking over the apartment. Wow, good parenting! It was a fab day, full of good will, great food and love & laughter... just perfect. *