Twelve dates of Christmas: On our fifth date of Christmas...

... we spent the evening in Chelsea. 

We started the evening at Chelsea Market, one of my favorite spots to wander, eat, and shop. During the holiday season, the main hallway is decorated with the most beautifully lit archway that brightens up the entire market. Brian and I enjoyed a cherry cream scone and coffee at Amy's Bread and made a quick stop at Anthropologie before heading to dinner. 

After Chelsea Market, we met up with my aunt and uncle, who were visiting from Minnesota, at Cookshop for a late dinner reservation. From the moment I walked into the restaurant, I knew I was going to love it. The best word to describe Cookshop is warm; Christmas lights line mirrors and trees throughout the restaurant, a wood-burning oven in the open kitchen lights up the dining room, and many of the seasonal, locally grown foods are slow-roasted with care. 

Start to finish, our meal was perfect. We started with fried artichokes, and then slowly dined on lamb, duck, chicken, and a variety of roasted vegetables over hours of great conversation. For dessert, we couldn't resist the warm gingerbread pudding cake with caramelized pears and ice cream... so we ordered two. It was wonderful to get to catch up with family in such a comforting setting. It made our fifth date all the more special and memorable. Beth and Tom, thank you for such an amazing evening!