L to R, top to bottom: row 1: frisee salad for xmas #1 at home, showing off the 4505 Meats poster, Denver airport with snow, BOOM Xmas wrapping paper. Row 2: Marc Johns print for steve, dungeness crab and cardoon appetizer at Commis, portugese sugar bowl and fancy christmas tea from my mom. Row 3: paper mache daruma I made for steve, super swank chocolate from NOKA, homemade salted caramel and coconut macarons, made with friend Sara, presents under the tree, Steve suspiciously eyeing the piment d’espelette present. Row 4: gift wrapping, made with thai masking tape, more hand-drawn(NOT foot-drawn) wrapping paper, slow poached egg, onion, and malt amuse at Commis, decoration at mom’s house, McSweeney’s Panorama, friends Pete and Kimra at Commis, and our Xmas #1 feast, featuring smuggled jambon iberico.

Reluctantly back from over two weeks of celebrating both here (xmas #1) and in Dallas with my family (xmas #2). And xmas #3 is this weekend with Steve’s fam a little further south. Lots of relaxing, crafting, eating, cooking, and times spent with friends and family.

Seriously great presents this year! I always feel like I’m probably difficult to shop for, because I rarely want more stuff (part of years of constant moving in my adult life, mostly to small apartment) and can be kind of picky. But my gentleman friend, my parents, and friends did a great job.

Highlights included a super cool chicharrones poster from 4505 meats*, this beautiful necklace from etsy seller Lauren Haupt (Local Library on etsy), McSweeney’s Panorama**, simple office supplies from Muji, and 5 bottles of Texas Pete’s hot sauce.

I have never had this in Texas, despite growing up there. First time was two years ago while on a government training base in Georgia. It has great flavor, not much heat, and damn it goes well with greens.I was clearly, very excited about this one:

My parents also came through mainly with Ad Hoc at Home and a new, and much need ipod. Not only was my mom able to get the Ad Hoc book before it sold out, she stood in line for HOURS to get it SIGNED by Thomas Keller! Great mom, right?

Until now, I’ve been proudly rocking a 3G ipod. As in 3^rd generation. As in 10 gigs of 2003-era awesomeness. It has served me proudly and well, but the last few months, it has been frequently losing its charge, so much so that sometimes it dies in the middle of a gym session. Which means I HAD to stop biking. So, welcome to my shiny, skinny, new 32 gig iPod.

You are beautiful, and useful, but you lack personality like my old boy. See:

I’m excited about the new year — lots of personal milestones for me and my family members to come. I’ll be posting some goals soon.

So far, my new daily drawing project – MEAT SECTIONS – has been keeping me busy. I think I’ll give a formal introduction in the next few days. In the meantime, check it out.

*though I can’t see the supposed lard thumbprint of Ryan Farr. Boo, I guess. The concept was kinda weird though, right? Seems like it would eat through the poster.

**Which, as it turns out, was actually purchased by our friend Pete, who graciously relinquished it to Steve so he could deliver it to me on xmas. Pete’s copy is on its way this month.Thanks Pete!