"Get Down! Boogie Oogie Oogie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                Today is a difficult day, darlings!!!!!!!!  Though the Holiday Season does not officially end until January 6, (which is this Sunday!!!!) this is the day, when, for all intents and purposes, things come to a screeching halt!  Which has always been difficult for me.  Thankfully, I have Monsieur to get me through this rough patch.

                                 But I just want to back up a little--could this be setting a pattern for the year????--and tell you about this past Sunday, December 30. which started out sedately, but ended up WILD!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                   It began with an early brunch, with the ever glamorous Ellen, at this local place we had never heard of, called "HOM."  Isn't it just charming???   You should see the inside, because, when you first walk in, there is thorough confusion.  There are these colorful, bohemian type clothes, and chotchkas on sale; at first, I thought the place was an antique shop!!!!!!  But, in the back, is an extremely small, cafe-like space, which is why one must arrive early!!!!  Actually, the entire atmosphere reminded me of the French Quarter in New Orleans, although I am not sure this is what they were trying for!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The food was fabulous!!!  Home made soda bread and biscuits; some of the best I have had!  I just HAD to try the Red Velvet Pancakes, which were good, and I am glad I had them here, because, while the portions are just enough, they do not overwhelm you with food!!!!  Which I can appreciate!!!!  Monsieur had the hamburger, with cheese, salsa and chips.  And a bit of guacamole, I think!!!  Ellen, in keeping with her glamour, had the pear salad, which, getting a taste, I have to say was very good.

In fact, the entire "HOM" experience was good enough, that I would certainly return for the charming ambiance, friendly service, and tasty cuisine!!!!!!!  A new dinery has been discovered, darlings!!!!!!!!!

But the day did not just end there!  Because we all piled in to Ellen's car, and drove to the 36th Street subway station in Brooklyn--what a neighborhood, darlings, not  like OURS!!!--to go into Manhattan our respective journeys--Ellen, to a matinee of the Broadway musical, "Chaplin!", and us to visit David's friend Bea  (now into the fourth month of her 100th year!!!!!!) in Rego Park, Queens!!!!!!!!!  She proves to be as strong and stalwart as ever, eating up a storm, and with that indomitable will to live!  Being the age she is, of course, she sleeps a lot, which is understandable; so, after waiting several minutes to see if she would wake up, we ended our visit, kissed her gently on the forehead, and went on our way!

We arrived at our place, early in the evening, expecting to wind down and settle in.  I was in the living room, reading, and writing on here, Monsieur was in the bedroom, comfortably settled, watching television.  Suddenly, my cell phone, went off!!!!!!!  It was my friend Audrey, who announced they--she, daughter Ruby, her sister Erika, her husband, their two lovely children, Sylvia and Arielle (sp?) plus his parents, visiting her from Israel,  and, of course, Audrey's father--were in cars, and coming to Bay Ridge!!!!!!!!  I thought, "Now?????  Oh, my God! "  "David!" I yelled!  "We have to clean up!"  But no; actually, Audrey wanted to know of a restaurant in the nabe, where we could all meet, have dinner, and visit..

So, David quickly made the bed, just in case, bundled himself into clothes, and out we went, where we ended up at the Greenhouse Cafe, on Third Avenue!  Even though the band was going full blast, we had some enclosure in the Garden, but let me tell you, Miss Ruby danced to the beat!  At one point, both she and Arielle, were out, standing by the foot of the band; I don't know how those little ears stood it, but they were both bopping away!!!!!!!!

Not only they, but at one point, in the garden, Audrey's father got up, and joined the children, and he did some very impressive boogieing himself!!!!!!!!!  Where does he get the energy??????????  I want to know his secret!!!!!!

Ruby continued to carry the evening; at one point, I saw her helping one of the bus boys carry something out!!!!!!!   By the time we left, because Audrey and family were driving over to Dyker Heights to see the famously spectacular Christmas lights there, the staff knew us, and, upon leaving they all said, "'Bye, Ruby, come again soon!"  This child could give Anna Wintour a run for her money!!!!!!!!!!!

And that was our Sunday!  What started as a quiet, unexpected day, turned into an exciting adventure!!!!!!!!!!

You just never know, girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!