What a wonderful first Saturday in December it was.  Wouldn't you agree?

In the late afternoon we met up with Ben & Daniel at City Arts Center for the annual pottery sale.  Michael and I finally found a cookie jar -- we've been looking since last Spring.  Michael also picked out a few other things he liked.  They currently have two fantastic exhibits.  One is the art of Donald G. Longcrier.  His installations have texture which tempts you to touch and play with them (though you shouldn't, of course).  Some of these pieces belong in a museum of contemporary art, they are that nice.  The other exhibit is the UCO design students' senior show, filled with imaginative, exciting presentations.

After some early evening coffee, we then headed to Cafe Picasso, the new restaurant in the Paseo, where Galileo's used to be.  We were very impressed.  Both appetizers we ordered, the pretzel and the sampler (humus, tampenade, and spinach dip) were very good.  Michael and Ben really enjoyed the Chicken-Fried Portabello Mushroom.  Now we have a new neighborhood favourite.

Dinner was followed with a stop by the Christmas party and ornament sale at the Red Cup.  Michael and I purchased a knitted red cup, in memory of that being the location of our first date.

We then went driving around to look at Christmas lights.  We were in Crown Heights and decided to stop and carol our friends Jill & Brian.  As we pulled up to their house, the neighborhood watch truck was behind us and turned on his lights.  He came up to the car and asked what we were doing because he had been following us for several blocks.  We said we had been looking at Christmas lights and were now stopping to visit our friends. 

Now we had a funny story for the evening.  Jill and Brian enjoyed the story and the singing and gave us wine.