This evening is full of magic.
The playlist is titled ‘Mystical Christmas’. It is a folksy mashup of celtic instrumentals and acoustics accompanied by romantic vocals echoing across misty landscapes. The theme is spiritual connection. The season, the myths.
Think of all the christmas songs blasting in the shops right now… then imagine the exact opposite.
It is understated celebration. No-one is yelling at you about how great christmas is and how they are desperate to get laid at the office party. Instead they are playing instruments and connecting to something primal – a deeper understanding.

Sometimes it is the combination of simple ingredients that make the pudding.
Angelo cooked a mushroom risotto tonight while I poured myself a Barbera frizzante.
After shunning sparkling reds for most my life I’ve come to the conclusion they are actually the best of both worlds… Champagne… but red. full bodied in taste but light on the tongue, and oh-so-drinkable.

The lights were dimmed in our open-plan kitchen/living/dinning room/office/playroom/guest bedroom/dance hall, and the christmas tree glowed with candlelight warmth.
The fire crackled.
As we sat down, an overwhelming sense of magic ran through us as if everything around appeared to be vibrating on higher level. Christmas decorations twinkled, music enchanted, food sated and wine aroused.
I added a pinch of nutmeg, cayenne pepper and parmesan to my creamy rice dish – a side order of broccolo romano with its fractal spirals.

Cassi talked about the difficulty in conceptualising numbers above one thousand and Ara built an abstract work of art out of lemons, avocados and a strategically placed ginger root.
Inadvertently, I grabbed the ginger, and the whole structure all came tumbling down.

The ginger did smell delicious though.