Happy Early Christmas!

Yesterday definitely had the holiday feel to it.  Not Halloween (which is tomorrow) but Christmas. 

1. Snow - check!  (Work as a claims adjuster on Monday will not be fun.)  Beautiful large flakes come to the DC area.  It was enough to make it beautiful to watch, and very cold.  Thankfully no accumulation on the roads, however last night everything did freeze.
2. Warm soup - check!  (This was mainly for the fact I was sick, but hot soup, on a cold snowy day, just creates all sorts of warm fuzzies!)
3. Book - check!  Again, very much in keeping up the ideal winter's day
4. Fire - nope.  Very sad day, but we have not cleaned out the fire place yet to do it.  Hopefully in the next couple of weeks.
5.  Christmas gifts - check!  And this is where the story lies.

Thanks to a wonderful U. Mike and some amazing friends in Chantilly I received my early Christmas gift: dinner in downtown Washington DC and the play Les Mis at the Kennedy Center. 

I am SO amazed at all the history that is around.  It turns out the restaurant that we went to, Old Ebbitts, was a favorite of the fore fathers.  In the Washington Hotel, the restaurant still has the old gas lanterns working and a major part of the lighting.  It was good.  And I was surprised at how reasonable the prices were.  I was scared prices in DC would be apx $30 and up per plate.  Now, I'm excited thinking I can get to DC more often and explore restaurants in my budget.

From the restaurant we rushed towards the Kennedy Center and found our amazing seats (I was in row T seat 121) and 2 minutes later the show started.  The costumes and the music was phenomenal.  The seating was amazing (row 20 and center) and with no one sitting in front of me I had a perfect view of the stage.  This tour of Les Mis was the 25h anniversary tour and the stage/costuming was completely revamped.  Gone was the circular/moving stage.  I do have to say there were some parts I particularly did not like (several spots of innuendo and seeing too much).  The story line was incredible and message sound.  The best singers was Jean Valjean, Eponine, and Gavroche.  I was amazed at the use of the lights and special effects.  How Javert fell into the lake below, how the caverns changed and moved with the lights which made the walking through the sewers seem real.  That was quite incredible. 

Thank you U. Mike and Tenny family for taking me giving me such an incredible night and memory.  And for a great kick start to the holiday season.