Dear Mrs. Claus

Dear Mrs. Claus,

I'm not sure if it's appropriate for Santa to have his own list, but he's hoping that these few items find their way under the tree this year, as you can attest he's been on the nice list most of the year:

Santa loves getting a new and interesting coffee table book every year. This year he'd love to peruse this book while dreaming of a trip on the Royal Scotsman or the Venice-Simplon Orient Express. Santa's had a love of train travel ever since he took a cross country trip as a boy in a private cabin on the much less luxurious Amtrak (though they had cabin steward service and a nice dining car, but that was many years and a few government bail-outs ago). As an added bonus Santa might just convince himself to book the Venice to Istanbul trip he and Mrs. Claus have discussed on and off over the last few years.

Though the reviews are mixed this story captured my interest. This may further help convince Santa to take Mrs. Claus to Italy this year.

The Widow Cliquot sounds like she was a fascinating woman and the makings of a very interesting book. Mrs. Claus can tell all of her friends how enlightened Santa is reading biographies of powerful and interesting women.

Santa loves Simon Pierce glass and has a collection of their decanters, but does not yet have this one. Imagine how nice it would look filled with Grey Goose, that is, for good or bad, both purchased and consumed in bulk at the North Pole.

The Dalmore King Alexander III is a newer offering, falling near the top of their regular line and based on tasting notes and my previous experiences with Dalmore products sure to be a hit. As an added bonus it will warm Santa after a long night climbing down chimneys. Just think how much faster and more accurately Santa can finish his mise en place with freshly sharpened Henckels and Wustoffs.

Santa's favorite scent for the cooler months.

And last, but not least, a feathered friend to keep Santa company when Mrs. Claus is away from the North Pole for business or out with the elves for dinner. Santa's former little helper took his last sleigh ride earlier this year and is sorely and deeply missed.

XOXO,

Saint Nick

I'm back (from Chile)

Pardon my extended absence, but the Mrs. and I just got back from a fantastic trip to Santiago, Chile. The country was specatular, the weather perfect, the people friendly, the wine stupendous, and the food, well nothing's perfect. Here are a few photos from our trip to inspire a trip south for the winter. Future posts with more cohesive themes upcoming.


A massive city of six million people is built in a long valley with the Andes to the West and the Chilean Coastal range to the East. This leads to a constant haze, particularly in the winter. Spring is just starting so the smog should be lessening soon.
The benefit of smog, if there is such a thing, is colorful sunsets. The sun set behind our hotel each night, but the light reflected off the snowy caps of the Andes was magnificent.

The old, this Church in Providencia, one of the 34 comunas (semi-autonomous districts within the city), represents some of the typical colonial architecture that can be seen throughout the older and more affluent parts of the city.
This skyscraper, also in Providencia, represents the new. There's a building boom going on in Santiago with new office towers (like this one), condo buildings, and infrastructure improvements everywhere. Santiago will soon be home to the tallest building in South America, it's currently up to the 26th of its 60+ floors.