Peer Pressure List, Vol. 20

This week has left me feeling a bit schizophrenic, what with shuttling back and forth between Chicago and Houston, Janacek and Puccini, walking and driving, freezing and sweating. As of today, I am safely ensconced in our Houston hovel, and I plan on staying here for, oh, about a week before flying away again. And what's more, I start rehearsal for Tosca tomorrow. That's right, TOMORROW! There's time for one deep breath, a few hours of sleep/denial, and that's about it.

So, without further ado, this week's PPL:

• Southwest Airlines: You know what's great about Southwest? Oh, everything. You know how all the other airlines charge for baggage now? Southwest doesn't. You can check 2 bags for free. Perfect for the girl who's accumulated so much stuff in the past 3 months that she needs 2 trips to schlep it all home.


• Restoration Hardware towels: On a whim/months of dreaming and planning, CM and I finally overhauled our bathroom and bought all new towels. In this case when I say towels, I mean clouds of fluffy cuddliness sized for a giant and softer than any metaphor you can think of. And while we were at it, we upgraded our shower curtain, too. Now the bathroom is in shades of Sky, Marine, and Azure. It's so luxurious in there that you almost forget the whole room is only 3' x 3'.


• Mercadito: For the past couple months, this has been our go-to after-the-show spot for drinking and gorging ourselves on tacos. The drinks are fancy, the food is delicious, and the lighting is just dark enough for arty photos. I was so happy to go there one more time after closing night of Katya. I'll be dreaming about the pomegranate guacamole. And the company I kept while eating it.


• Puccini: Good Lord, Tosca is gorgeous. It's Mama Bossy's fave, so I think this music is in my blood somehow. I will not be sorry to listen to it every day for the next 2 months, that's for sure.


• Christmas: I'm wholeheartedly diving into the holiday season as of now. The Santa Mix is playing nearly constantly on the soundtrack of my life, the (waist-high) Christmas tree is up and decorated, the stockings are hung (although not very gracefully, as we have no good place to hang them), and the ingredients have been assembled to make many cookies this week. And yesterday I ate Puffer mit Apfelmousse at the Christkindlmarket, so it must be Christmas time. I'm so ready.