Christmas Party/Christmas

Here's a few pictures from our company Christmas party. We went to this really swank restaurant called EN. It was really good food, but small portions. Just an example, they brought out gelatinized champaign as an appetizer. We also had some sort of bread soup, and a kind of fish-pot-pie, which was delicious and crispy. Did I mention the food was really good.

From the left, this is Ashley, Jumko, Ruri, and Tomoe
Matt (also Canadian Matty or Red-haired Matty), Yuko, and Gina
Simon, Meyumi, and myself
Paul Webb (called Webbo) and Joanne's hair.
Not in attendance that night were Joanne, Paul Harrington (Harry), Paul Celenza (Paul or Big Paul), Ben, and Australian Matty.

We had a secret Santa gift exchange, and I drew Tomoe. I got her an American flag mug, and a picture frame with three different pictures of myself. She said it was the best gift she's ever been given.
This was what Webbo got. I'm not sure what to make of it. It appears to be a toothbrush with some sort of elephant attachment...or something.
Webbo and Meyumi supporting the West Side. I had to be true to my bloods, though, you know.
It was a formal-wear occasion, and despite the cold, Roy decided to wear his Kilt. You can't really tell from this picture, but the kilt, belt, and white shirt/no tie combo was really sweet-lookin.
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Christmas day, I went to the house of Webbo, Harry, and Ben. Ben was in Australia, but we really don't need him to have a good time, so we threw a small Christmas dinner party.

Here's Harry with the first round of food. Sushi, boiled potatoes and carrots, apples and pork, doritos,

and mashed potatoes and gravy (made by me).
The potatoes were really good, thanks to a tip I got off of Canadian Matty. I roasted some garlic in butter, then mashed them into the potatoes for a delectably mouth-watering finished product. The gravy unfortunately was a little off. I made it with the juice from the pork and apple. The apple itself just gave it a strange flavor, and for some reason unknown to me (possibly because of the sugar content) it went more like jelly than gravy. If anyone knows a good gravy recipe that calls for pan drippings from pork and apple, please share, because I would love to know; but as it is, I probably won't attempt that again.

Roast Chicken. Delicious. We decided to call it turkey, though, since it was Christmas.

Webbo in the kitchen

Harry and I with my homemade Eggnog. I'm not just being cocky here, it was delicious.


We had Christmas pudding last, made with fruits soaked in brandy, cake, and brandy. Harry and Webbo also put a penny somewhere in the pudding, and whoever gets it, gets good luck for the next year.

Then we poured brandy over the finished cake and lit it on fire. I honestly couldn't eat it, on account of the exceeding amount of brandy that jolted me with every bite.

But guess who got the good-luck penny...