The weekend in photos, Part 2

After the tree was all done and taken care of, I browsed around and realized that I had missed the events I wanted to do in downtown Chicago - both the Lucia event and the German Xmas market were only for the previous weekend. I somehow thought that they were running till this event, but sadly it was not the case. So I looked for happenings closer to home, and I found out that there was a port wine tasting at a wine and liquor store in downtown Naperville.

I love port. I have a modest 10 year Taylor Fladgate still unopened waiting for the Real Cold (TM) to happen. I especially love port with chocolate. There's nothing like coming home from work and relax with a glass of port and a chocolate treat. So, when I got there, I was happy to see that they had a guided tasting, meaning that the ports and other dessert wines were served in a particular order, along with a commentary from the attendant. We tried a riesling, a madeira, two vintage ports, a late bottled vintage and a tawny port, and then a chocolate merlot-based wine and a raspberry one.

The chocolate merlot (which was actually aged like port) is called Chocolate Amore, and damn me if I wouldn't get out of the store w'out a bottle. Feeling just a bit buzzed, I ventured out of the store and into a Starbucks where I had a mini scone and a cup of green tea to sober up a bit.



Having succeeded in not having much of a red nose, I got a call from hubby who would meet me up for drinks and a snack, so I decided to kill some time at Barnes & Noble. It's a bookstore, but what caught my eye while browsing was this magazine tote made of bottle caps and wire:



I drooled over cookbooks but since I had already bought the wine I left empty handed and went to meet hubby at the bar, where I had a glass of massively inferior wine and we shared a serving of really yummy pot stickers. The sauce was very similar to the one served with Peiking duck, so it was both sweet and hot. Delicious.


While at the bar, the discussion as to what to do for New Year's Eve came up, and we decided to make reservations at a Hibachi Japanese restaurant. Nothing says New Year's Eve like a big chunk of meat! When we got home I called them hoping they have a late sitting, which they did. Yay plans! Then, I put my newly acquired wine next to the tawny for some wine rack socializing:


Tomorrow it's football day, but there are some movie plans too. Dear me, I can tell it's holiday season cause we just can't stay indoors. Maybe I should buy more board games?