A Grown Up Night

It is a blustery Sunday morning and all I can think about is not having to prepare for a gazillion classes this week.  Fall Breaks are the best.

Hold on while I leisurely sip my coffee.  Mmmm.

Our beloved Razorbacks shut out Ole Miss yesterday and are now eligible for a bowl game.  On the commercial breaks I took down the fall decs and started putting up the Christmas decs, since I apparently have no patience and cannot contain myself.

This is what Lucy looks like under the Christmas lights.  Can you see her?  Skulking behind her cage?

A few years ago we went to Germany at Christmas time and spent all of our money at their various holiday markets.  I got a beautiful lace table set that I never use because I don't want to mess it up.
This year I'm throwing caution to the wind and using one of the pieces in the library.  You only live once and all that.

Then!  As if the day couldn't possibly get any better, we hopped on over to Nat King Cole and Chef Campo's house to devour "grown up mac & cheese."  Yes, please!  This time I remembered to take pictures.

Earlier in the week, they asked what kinds of toppings we would like for the mac & cheese.  All I could think about was lobster but I refused to be one of those hey-why-don't-you-cook-an-incredibly-elaborate-and-expensive-meal-for-me type of dinner guests, so I texted something totally noncommittal like, oh whatever ingredients you pick will be fine.

And they picked lobster!  I was in Heaven.

Chef Campo made a homemade cheese sauce using like 55 different varieties, and added cilantro, shallots, lobster, green onions, and a few (non spicy) red peppers.  G and I contained ourselves after just one bowl but I was tempted to lick it clean and I saw G roaming around the kitchen checking for left overs. 

We decided this needs to be a yearly tradition, the week before Thanksgiving.

I am thankful for foodie friends.

Before dinner, I sipped my Bordeaux and watched Rosie tolerate play with my niece.

Now excuse me while I make another cup of coffee, double check that Lucyfer isn't trying to get into the fire place, and settle in with Count Dracula.