December is always a busy time of the year, so it’s a welcome escape from the hustle and bustle to just sit back and read or watch a movie.

2 points – New author: A.S.A. HARRISON

Barbara: One of my memories from when we were young was of our mom watching a TV show and yelling at a character if she was about to do something stupid. For example, Lost in Space had a female character and every time someone would specifically say, “don’t go into that room no matter what you do,” you just knew she was going to go in there. And that’s when we would hear our mother yelling at the TV.

The Silent Wife by A.S.A. HARRISON reminds me of that. I find myself yelling at one of the characters “are you stupid or what?” and other more stringent comments. The book is a fast read and engaging. Nothing heavy but it keeps one wondering about the resolution. And it definitely reconfirmed for me that I really enjoy a book that swings back and forth between character viewpoints/chapters.

2 points – Movie Theme – HOMELESSNESS

Laura: I enjoyed watching Same Kind of Different as Me, while at the same time recognizing that it relied too heavily on stereotyping and tear-jerking moments. It’s based on the story of a wealthy, white art dealer, Ron Hall, and his wife Deborah, who are seeking to save their marriage by saving the homeless. Their efforts are focused on Denver, a black man who changes from a violent thug into a loving, forgiving, wise man who teaches others we’re all the same under the skin. I had hoped to learn more about specific issues and challenges the homeless face, but this movie had a more narrow focus. The Halls had lofty goals and are to be greatly admired but I felt the way their story was presented was too sugar-coated to swallow whole.

HOT Dogs and HOLIDAY Drinks

2 points – New Restaurant: Dog HAUS

If you’ve had a love affair with hot dogs since childhood (oh those dogs at the Dodger games), it’s very tempting to read about a place that offers “gourmet hot dogs.” In fact, their motto over the name on the door is “The Absolute Wurst.” So off we went to sample a few things at the Dog HAUS in Richardson. We tried the Scott Baioli, which had caramelized onions, cheese sauce and garlic aoli and the Cowboy, a combination of cheese sauce, bbq sauce, bacon and crispy onions. The dogs were great and the sweet potatoes even better.

1 point – HOLIDAY Drinks

And what is this season’s food without a HOLIDAY drink or two? We each tried one that was new to us. Earlier this month we had attended our monthly Tales From Abroad event and were treated to the interesting and often hilarious stories of one of the club’s members who, with her husband, spent months on a season’s reality show in Sweden. Of course, the Swedish mulled wine drink Glogg was served – new to Laura. Then, at one of our book club’s (Bookies) holiday lunch and book exchange, Barbara tried a new drink – Poinsettia, which is champagne and cranberry juice. The Glogg and Poinsettia were very different from each other, but both were delicious in their own way.  Cheers!