Oh, I am so glowing after my neighborhood's holiday Afterglow Party - shield your eyes, baby, I'm bright, bright, bright. OK, maybe I'm just emitting uber-tiredness, since it's 1:30 a.m.(!), but hey, I wasn't the last one to leave, so I'm kinda proud. And, oh, tired.

I totally missed out on my neighbor Kasey's yummy-sounding appetizer - crisp bread with chives, ricotta, and prosciutto - so maybe I can snag the recipe from her, since they were obviously scrumpers and disappeared in a flash. The whole setting - generously hosted by Matt & Melinda Pfohl - was truly holiday gorgeous. Great food, lovely home, fine drink, a couple of roaring fires, good friends - what else could one want? Nothin' but a soft bed to fall into at the end of the night. And so...