Holiday Highlights Chez Boulevardier

Chez Boulevardier has been a busy place in the last few weeks. We had many relatives coming and going (mostly Madame Boulevardier's family), culminating in eleven for Christmas Dinner. Your Boulevardier has been busy with professional work, which is unusual for the last month of the year. And, sadly, Madame has experienced some health problems that have made things a touch more stressful than usual.

But there have been times of great joy as well. Several of us went to ACT on Christmas Eve to watch their famed production of "Christmas Carol." (Note that the theatre's program does not use the indefinite article in the title, so neither will Your Boulevardier.) Your Boulevardier, as a member of the Castro Valley Community Band, played in the winter concert on December 20. Madame et moi also took in "Christmas is Forever" at the Neighborhood Church on Thursday, December 21 -- a production with a fine orchestra, creative choreography, and more smoke in its finale than a Cub Scout campfire.

With all of this activity, strolling the Boulevard and our neighborhoods has taken a back seat. Your Boulevardier attempted to remedy this situation this morning with a walk up Lake Chabot Road as far as Quail Avenue. The walk was largely uneventful, though an alarm sounding at Chabot Elementary prompted Your Boulevardier to call the Sheriff's Department non-emergency number (for the record, it's 510-667-7721). A deputy responded within ten minutes, though Your Boulevardier did not stick around to see how the situation was resolved.

Why We Patronize the Chabot Cinema

Madame Boulevardier and Yours Truly decided, at the last minute, to attend the 6:30 p.m. showing of the animated penguin movie Happy Feet at Castro Valley's own Chabot Cinema last Thursday. Your Boulevardier had not had any dinner, and announced on the way -- much to the dismay of Madame, who eschews unhealthy food -- that a hot dog would be in order.

Imagine the disappointment upon seeing that the hot dog cooker was not operating on our arrival. It probably should not have been a surprise, considering that there were at most twenty people in the theatre.

Upon Your Boulevardier mentioning the situation, Chabot manager Josh Caudle offered to turn on the hot dog machine. Your Boulevardier gratefully accepted, and asked how much time should pass before returning to the lobby for the food. Mr. Caudle offered to deliver the hot dog to us and asked where we planned to sit. (When he brought it, the tray even included an array of condiments.)

It's this sort of service that makes us very, very pleased to have the Chabot Cinema in town. Your Boulevardier offers Mr. Caudle a grateful tip of the beret.

Humming Along at the P.O.

Your Boulevardier has noticed that the Salvation Army Bell Ringer working at the Castro Valley Post Office quietly hums Christmas Carols while she works. It's a nice touch.