Obama and Palin in Riverdale

Omigosh this week is going by quickly. It's as though time has suddenly speeded up.

Monday evening I had dinner with friends Jay and Janet, as I do every few months. Both were colleagues at Lippincott. We went to Tria, where the food is good and the ambiance is very dark - we couldn't see the menu without help from a flashlight or a smartphone light.

I had the butternut squash appetizer and a tuna sandwich.

On the walk back to the train station, I enjoyed noticing the narrow Philadelphia alleys decorated for the holidays. Some are so narrow that they are suitable only for pedestrians or carts. The night was balmy (for December), and people were visiting on their back steps, or walking dogs in the alleys (although you can't see any people in this photo).

Some of the sidewalk vents have been outfitted with pipes so that the steam rises above the heads of pedestrians. It lends a spooky atmosphere to the sidewalk outside Finn McCool's.

I had about a half hour at Market East before the train, so I admired the stuff for sale at Claire's. For example, all the tiaras a girl could want.

And extravagantly lush peace sign earrings.

Tim picked me up at the train station, and we went to the local comic store to look for a Christmas present. I had never yet been in this store, and it was very cool.

They have superhero banks.

And Captain Kirk.

And it looks as though Archie is still a cheerful high school student in 2011!