Christmas Preview

Sunday evening we took Mum with us to the downtown Christmas preview. We decided to have dinner downtown, too, while we were there. We grabbed Mum at 5:00 (the festivities were scheduled 4-8 pm) and headed downtown. I could not believe how crowded it was. We drove around, and around, and around. Finally we scored a spot in the B of A parking lot next to the parking structure. It was perfect because I had chosen Broadway Heights for dinner. It's upstairs in the Phoenix building (the brick building with the ice cream store and greek eatery downstairs) which is right next to the parking structure. We got there at about 5:15 and had around a 5 minute wait to be seated. That's when the fun began. Even though it was cold outside, it was sauna like upstairs in the building which only serves to make Chris cranky and uncomfortable. Follow that with an hour and 15 minute wait for our food and everybody's having a good time! Mine was delicious (I had the salmon with artichoke heart special), but their pizzas were only so-so. But nothing worth waiting over an hour for. I was a fool for thinking we could eat downtown on preview night. Bad Susan.

By the time we got out from dinner we only had just over an hour to puruse the stores. The streets felt less crowded than last year, but inside the stores were absolute mayhem. Zucchini and Vine? Forget about it! Made in Chico? Not a chance!

Here's Mum and I checking out the goods at one of the stores.

We weren't let down with our favorite part of Christmas preview. That's the live dancing in the storefronts. Our favorite are the young girls who do hip hop dancing to suggestive 80s music (like OPP, Baby got Back, etc). We love that stuff! And by 'love' I mean we're completely mortified that their parents/dance coaches allow them to dance to this stuff. I mean, really???
Go skanky dancers, go!

We didn't actually buy anthing, but I don't think that's the point on that night anyway. You just see what people have and go back later when it's not a super zoo. It was fun, but next year we're leaving wet noodle Chris home. He is not good at aimless wandering. Not good at all.