Holiday Highlights

[1] A festive trio of holiday headgear, courtesy of the local Card & Party Factory.

[2] One of the bushes in the flower bed in the front yard. Très holiday, non?

[3] The normally foofalicious Decorator's Warehouse down the street from where I live. Though 10 months out of the year the store is stacked with enough silk plants and sweatshop-produced flummery to choke a horse, 2 months out of the year it is really pretty to behold.

[4] While being extorted paying for gas at the local Diamond Shamrock gas station, I noticed these new speaker boxes with accompanying sign and I had to take a picture of it. Is it just me or does the little elf look an awful lot like George Dubyah?

[5] Hooray! I'm up next! (that's my sandwich in the middle). I've always liked Subway, and there are 2 near me. The one to the north of me has a lot less traffic and is considerably more clean, modern and all-around nicer, so I have been going there for lunch for the last few days or so. On this day I ordered the meatball sub on the parmesan bread with black olives and bell pepper. Mmmm! And just so you know, their chicken noodle soup is quite delicious (and the temperature of piping-hot lava). I also enjoy their veggie sub: lettuce, black olives, bell pepper, light onion, pickles and creamy Italian.

Anyhoo, while waiting in line I (and 6 other people) got stuck behind a real winner. She single-handedly turned ordering a goddamn sandwich into astro physics. Tune in Monday for the story.

[6] My empty P.O. box. I think I heard an echo.

[7] The beautiful tile adorning the counter at Subway. I don't know if this qualifies as a mosaic, but I think it's pretty.

[8] This is a picture of a place down the street that creates and sells lighted displays for the holidays. It's been a staple around here for at least 5 years. Really beautiful when lit up at night.

[9] For some reason, I associate the liquor store with the holidays. And, no, not because my parents stress me out so much. That's what the 'ludes are for. But seriously, I think it's because my parents were forever giving and receiving liquor for the holidays back in the 80's. For me, there's something nostalgic about the liquor store, not necessarily because of particular instances during my formative years, but because the liquor store is one of the few places that has, in my opinion, not really changed all that much over the years. There's something refreshing about receiving your merchandise in a paper sack (remember those?) or a cardboard box. And you can't help but get a kick out of the perpetually cool displays. I was unable to get photos of some of them this time, but they had a couple that were motorized and were REALLY great-looking. I really get a kick out of all the packaging, not to mention the endless variety of shapes, sizes and flavors of liquor.

Though, I'm not a big drinker, I do like the occasional mix drink. I even picked up a few little stocking stuffers. Get a load of this: They had a stand loaded with little bags, each filled with 2 mini bottles each filled with the ingredients for a particular cocktail. i.e. Bloody Mary, Margarita, etc. I got a few that contained ingredients for apple martinis (AKA "tartinis"): 1 mini bottle of Vox Vodka and 1 mini bottle of Dekuyper Sour Apple Pucker Sweet 'n Sour Schnapps. Just $2! How cool is THAT? I also bought some weirdo bottle of buckwheat beer, simply because the bottle was so great. When I have time I'll photograph it and post the picture in a later collage.

This picture is of some Patron Tequila. I love the whole citrus-colored line of packaging. Very beautiful.