It's that time of year again... December 3rd

Hard to believe the holidays are already upon us... Hanukkah is already underway and Christmas is coming... Yesterday I went up to Rockefeller Center to see the tree!

(It looks better at night when you can see all the lights!)

But not before stopping to see the tree they put up in my building's lobby!

Earlier this week I had lunch with Melissa at our usual spot, Sea Thai.

I got the spring rolls and broad rice noodle with tofu.

After lunch I stopped in the Chelsea Market and picked up some rainbow cookies at a bakery there. (I had been craving these for a while!!)

Wednesday morning I stopped in Elephant and Castle for breakfast... It was SO rainy out, but they decorated the restaurant nice for the holidays!

I got their "California" breakfast... which included eggs, french toast, hash browns, tea (or coffee), orange juice, and I substituted the bacon for fruit.

This is truly the BEST breakfast in Manhattan... you get all this for only $10 and their food is really good too!!!

When I was uptown visiting the tree, I stopped in Saks because I had a gift card to use there. Remarkably I didn't buy anything (everything was SO overpriced!!!). But I did stop in SnAKS (their cafe) for lunch.

I got their grilled cheese with potato strings. Despite the small portion, this was filling.

And finally, Peanut has been cuddling up on the blankets in this cold weather!!

In his usual position that we call "the duddy," where he "duddies" his arms about up over his head! lol

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! December 6th

Today was the first day that it really felt like winter. It was only in the upper 30's and there was that wonderful chill in the air, so it was a great day to go see the tree. I went up to Rockefeller Center early this afternoon and my God was it crowded! The tree looked beautiful, as always. After all, it is America's Christmas tree, so they'd better do a good job with it! Now keep in mind it was sunny, and being that it was daylight, you couldn't really see the lights that well in the picture. But here it is, up close and personal!

I was going to have brunch at Rock Center Cafe, but it was closed for a private party. This really irked me, because every year I attempt to go to this restaurant around the holidays, and every single year my plans are foiled! I suppose the restaurant just doesn't want me there! lol So I decided to go to Brasserie Ruhlmann instead, since it's right across from the tree. Thankfully the service was really quick despite how crowded it was. I got blueberry pancakes. :)

Afterwards I pushed my way through the crowds and ventured into Saks Fifth Avenue. Saks is always beautifully decorated for the holidays, but hey, with what they charge, they can afford all the decorations! lol Here's a tip for any out-of-towners... You want free chocolate? Go to the chocolate shop on the 8th floor and ask for a free sample! They give them out everyday and it's a great way to get a truffle without paying $20 for it! Today's sample was a pink champagne truffle. These are terrific btw!

When I got home Peanut was "helping" with the laundry.

I also forgot to post one of my favorite eats during the month of December yesterday! Every year I get a chocolate advent calendar. This year I happened upon this one at a kid's store right across the street from my building! It's from the Vermont Christmas Company.

As you can see, I'm desperately trying to get into the holiday spirit here, despite the massive problems I'm facing now. Between trying to find a place to live, a job, and my boyfriend woes, I'm kind of beside myself. I even bought a gingerbread house kit at Bed Bath & Beyond the other day to further distract myself (so look for that in an upcoming blog post!). Oh, and I have some petit fours coming from the Swiss Colony. Hey, if Christmas sweets don't fill the void, nothing will! lol That's all for now!