December has just flown by.

Oliveto lost the lovely Paul Canales, and gained a great new chef Jonah Rhodehamel. The restaurant is looking beautiful for the holidays. NYE there should be a great time.

My brother has started production on his documentary on Music Man Murray. He is a fabulously talented journalist and MMM is a worthy subject not just for his collection but for his story — what does a man see when he looks back at his life from the perspective of 88 years old? I want to see Richard raise 5K. Maybe you’re interested in helping? Every penny helps…literally! So if he gets as many pennies as this post gets hits, I’m a happy woman. Wink wink.

I wanted to do so many Christmas-related things this year: get a great advent calendar, celebrate St. Nicholas Day, and make candy among other things, but pregnancy kind of got in the way. There’s always next year…

Peko Peko is doing their annual New Year’s Osechi Bento! It looks even better than the previous years. (is that possible?) This time it comes in a 3-level cedar box and includes sweets from the inimitable Toraya.

I admit it. I’m a sucker for consumer Christmas. Which means I might — MIGHT — go to American Girl Place today to buy a present for my niece. Yikes.

More notes soon I hope. In the mean time—enjoy your merriness where ever you can get it!