Today was very cold. Travalon and I spent most of the morning snuggled up at home, but eventually we braved the cold to go shopping on State Street. We got a snail ornament at Madison Modern Market.
I've never seen that before! We got coffee at Fair Trade and then got a couple of CDs at B-Side, a Beatles outtakes CD for Travalon and a Perez Prado CD for me. As we were headed to the vintage clothing store that Travalon wanted to visit, I got a text that Tiffy had arrived in town, so we went to her sister's apartment building, and she gave me some presents she had brought back from Greece.
A Niko shot glass, an icon magnet, a Niko keychain, and a Niko magnet! Of course there is a name for this Evil Eye protector which I can't remember offhand (the Turkish is "nazar"), but I just call them Niko because he is one too.
We got lunch at Baked Wings and Things, and Travalon had this delicious boozy hot chocolate. (I tasted it.) It had RumChata and peppermint schnapps in it.
Some carolers came in and serenaded us, and then we had to leave to get to the Madison Bach Musicians' Christmas concert. (Travalon did more shopping while we were at it.) It was so wonderful, with the Corelli "Christmas Concerto," some Water Music by Handel, a couple of Schuetz pieces, a Magnificat by a woman composer, and a Mass based on Medieval French carols by Charpentier. When we got there, a sign said there was a ticket available for someone who needed one since someone who had purchased it was sick, and I asked if it was still unclaimed, since the concert was about to start. They said, "You should have it, since you come to all the concerts!" so I even got in free! At intermission Tiffy and I went to buy chocolates (vanilla, raspberry, and orange filled), and everyone was happy that I got the free ticket because I'm such a loyal fan... except when they do non-Baroque music.
Travalon picked us up, and we went down Monroe Street to see the inflatable Santa parade, and also by the zoo to get a glimpse of the Zoo Lights. It must have been closed today due to the weather, because there was not a single car in the parking lot, and during Zoo Lights you can never find a parking space. Mamastep and her friends were going to do a Krampus parade today, but that was canceled due to the cold; she said they were still meeting for dinner at Prost, but we had planned to go to Lola's tonight, so we stuck with our Plan A. Of course there was a wait, so we went to the Side Car and had drinks, and after about an hour we got seated in the restaurant, which is decorated so beautifully for Christmas. A DJ was playing soul music as we ate dinner and dessert. Those budinos are the best thing ever! They're like a chocolate pot de creme with lavender-infused whipped cream. Then after dinner we went to the Festival of Lights in Olin-Turville Park, which was surprisingly crowded. I swear they even had more new displays than when Travalon and I went through it earlier, like a leg lamp and pink bunny from A Christmas Story. As if stealing from the plot of that movie, Bad Bunny claims he got his name because he and his siblings had to wear bunny costumes once as kids, and being the oldest he felt too dignified for such nonsense so he had an angry expression in the photos. That's how he got his nickname, which is now his stage name. Not sure why he's not Conejito Malo, since his first language is Spanish, but whatever works - he's the most-streamed artist in the world. I'm still laughing about all the people who got their fee fees hurt over the Super Bowl announcing that he would do the halftime show.
Famous Hat
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