December at Urban Home Blog

Here are our plans for the festive month of December at Urban Home Blog.

• Take long weekend to remove decorations from storage and decorate for the holidays. Make stew and hot apple cider and play Christmas carols and holiday movies while unpacking and decorating.
• Test holiday lights and safely dispose of any strings of lights that are compromised. Replace as necessary.
• Prepare gift packages for gardener, handyman, and mail carrier.
• Discuss overwintering warm weather plantings with gardener in the event of the predicted wet winter.
• Go through books and clothes to identify items suitable for donation. Make note in February calendar to follow up with donation organizations regarding anticipated needs after the holiday rush.
• Attend reception at Jar to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the publication of Mary and Vincent Price's A Treasury of Great Recipes.
• Visit the restored Formosa Cafe to celebrate its return to Hollywood golden age stature.
• Shop small businesses in Los Feliz. Musts: Spitfire Girl, Wacko Soap Company, Co-Op 28, Y-Que Trading Post, Skylight Books. Have lunch at The Alcove; coffee break at H.
• Make New Year's Eve reservation at The Dresden Room.
• Have annual holiday season dinner at The Smokehouse. Musts: correctly quartinoed martini, garlic bread, walking the halls of this legendary supper club.
• Obtain supply of gift cards to thank favorite servers, bartenders, and other service workers for their service during the year.
• Make annual pilgrimage to See's Candies for holiday candy both for home and for gift boxes.
• Order country ham for Christmas dinner.
• Bake and share toffee bars and fruitcake biscotti.
• Plan annual White Christmas viewing party. Serve California wine, Black Russians, cheese board, artichoke dip, chicken salad, and fig and prosciutto pizza.
• Visit tacky souvenir shops and Larry Edmunds bookstore on Hollywood Boulevard to fill holiday gift parcels for friends and family back east.
• MAIL CARDS AND PARCELS BY DECEMBER 15TH.

Reading List: The Price of Salt, Patricia Highsmith; Living the Good Long Life, Martha Stewart; Yule, Dorothy Morrison

December, 2013: Holiday lights, baking, gravlax, Urban Bar
December, 2012: Baking, Yule, Wine Country gifts, American Table
December, 2011: Christmas, cookies, Homekeeper's Library, Sunday Supper
December, 2010: New Year's Eve, baking, party dips, Urban Bar, Weeknight Dinner
December, 2009: Weeknight Dinner, baking, From the Vault