List 35

Love: Gilda is one of my all-time favorite movies. Set in Buenos Aires, it tells the story of a love-hate triangle between Rita Hayworth, her former lover Glen Ford, and her current husband (and Ford's boss), played by George Macready. The snappy dialogue is innuendo laden to the hilt, Hayworth is amazing (as are her dresses), and the tension between the men is fascinating - there's a subtle homoerotic undercurrent that's perhaps surprising for a 1946 film. A pivotal scene takes place at a New Year's Eve party at Macready's casino, making it a good choice for anyone who wants to ring in 2011 with some celluloid.

Like: Gougeres, the classic cheesy French pastry puffs. They're easy to make (I like the Silver Palate version)and are a good addition to a New Year's Eve cocktail spread as they go nicely with champagne.

Discovery: When I first saw that a restaurant had opened in Berkeley called Gather, I rolled my eyes. That name! So the irritating side of NPR! But after reading and hearing many good things, we finally tried it. Gather prepares a daily "Vegan Charcuterie" that's a revelation. The contents of the board change all the time, but each is close-your-eyes-and-sigh delectable (this, coming from an avowed non-vegetarian.) If you have a New Year's resolution to follow Michael Pollan's edict of "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants," Gather's vegetables make it a pleasure to keep it.

Obsession: Flutes may be better for the bubbles, but after watching Boardwalk Empire, I've fancied champagne coupes or saucers instead. They just look more glamorous and have that vintage thing going on. (Gilda toasts with them too.) Some co-workers and I had a Yankee Swap holiday dinner and I was able to snag some, but I'm now also checking out eBay regularly for a larger set.

Complaints: I'm a pretty good cook, but this past week had a major dump-everything-down-the-disposal disaster attempting Dorie Greenspan's seemingly simple chocolate mousse recipe. So in addition to eating healthy, exercising and all that good stuff, one of my New Year's resolutions is to nail this dessert.

List 34

Love: Landmark, the Best Bar in America. Built 80 years ago, it has three bars, pool tables, darts, an arcade room and a bowling alley. Erich and I had our first date here, and anytime we're in Milwaukee visiting the parents, a night at Landmark is required.

Like: The weather flame on the old Wisconsin Gas Company building.

When the flame is red, it's warm weather ahead.

When the flame is gold, watch out for cold.

When the flame is blue, there's no change in view.

When there's a flickering flame, expect snow or rain.

Discovery: The East Side of Milwaukee, on the edge of Lake Michigan, is really lovely - miles upon miles of gorgeous single-family homes on tree-lined streets with wide lawns, snow-covered this time of year, but manicured grass edged with hostas in other seasons.

Obsession: My diorama obsession appeared in List 3, but I feel the need to repeat my deep love for the Milwaukee Public Museum here. In addition to the amazing animal dioramas (like the lion one below), they have The Streets of Old Milwaukee, an India street scene, and an igloo in Alaska, among many other human dioramas. The museum feels a bit like it was encased in amber in the late 1960s.

Complaint: We have great food in the Bay Area, but in the 18 years I've lived there, I haven't found places that scratch the itch for pizza and Mexican in quite the same way that Milwaukee's Zaffiro's, with its perfect cracker-like crust, and Conejito's, with its greasy paper-plate messes, do.

List 33

Love: My white Hideo Wakamatsu suitcase. It's pretty banged up and more dirty white now, but it's been all over the world with me, can stand up to my over-packing, and rolls like a dream through the airport.

Like: White Russians. I personally only drink a couple a year, at Christmastime. But the Dude is right to drink them year round, since they provide calcium and Vitamin D along with your alcohol.

Discovery: Public Bikes. Founded by the man who started Design Within Reach, Public Bikes are European-style street bikes that are really affordable and stylish, with lots of cute basket and bag accessories. I'm into this white one with white wheels.

Obsession: Subway tile. I love it here (our kitchen and bathroom) and there (restaurants like Schiller's Liquor Bar) and everywhere.

Complaint: That I'm ending 2010 still stuck with AT&T. My old iPhone is near death but I'm desperately holding out for the rumored January launch of the Verizon iPhone. As soon as I'm able, I'll get a white one, and then step 2 will be to skin the back of it with Short Sleeve Alliance's Polaroid Land Camera sticker.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/shortsleevealliance?section_id=7377316

List 32

Love: Cocktail parties. They tend to be clustered around the holidays, replaced by dinner parties and barbecues the rest of the year. This makes December a month to look forward to, but leaves me wishing more people had cocktail parties randomly - in March, say, or September. In large part, this is because I love hors d'ouevres. Over the years I've gathered lots of good recipes for fancy finger food, like duck and cherry skewers or wonton squares with ahi tuna, but two old-school standbys that always go quickly are updated pigs-in-a-blanket, with chicken-apple sausage and mustard, and these Indian-spiced deviled eggs.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Pastry-Wrapped-Sausages-108715

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Garam-Masala-Deviled-Eggs-234401

Like: While I am one to scour Etsy and smaller stores for cool things, I also like to come across gift ideas that feel like finds even though they're from mass brand stores, like...

West Elm's Wood Wall Clock and their Sheesham-Wood bar accessories:

Or J Crew's cashmere fingerless gloves:

Or Urban Outfitters' Pendleton Motor Robe Blanket with leather carrying strap:

Discovery: Tilden Park in Berkeley has a wonderful old carousel. Beginning the day after Thanksgiving it opens every night through December 23rd for "Christmas Fantasy in the Woods." You drive through the pitch-black park and then come across a clearing chock full of Christmas lights, the merry-go-round spinning, surrounded by decorated trees, and Santa waiting to take requests. It's a wonderful December holiday ritual.

Obsession: America loves The Nutcracker, with multiple versions staged each year in nearly every city. The San Francisco Ballet's version is spectacular, with the setting shifted to 1915 San Francisco, sumptuous production design and costumes, and imaginative takes, like having the Russian candy cane dancers burst forth out of gigantic Faberge eggs, or a gorgeous sequence with a Snow Queen and King dancing amid an epic snowfall.

Complaint: That I don't own this place. If I did, I'd promise to host a monthly cocktail party for sure.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/09/garden/09selma.html?_r=1

List 31

Love: The All Clad slow cooker. There's nothing like coming home from work or a weekend day out Christmas shopping and having a warm supper waiting for you. These recipes for Beef Daube Provencal and Mediterranean Roast Turkey are some easy winter standards.

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=10000000780341

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=10000001160644

Like: Martha Stewart's melamine nesting bowls. I've had them for years and seem to use at least three of them every single day.

Discovery: Twist scrub brushes and sponges. Who knew these kitchen necessities could look so good, so not needing to be hidden away under the sink? (Bonus, they are also biodegradable.) I particularly like the Ravioli Scrubby.

Obsession: Laguiole steak knives from France. They're as good as it gets, and beautiful to boot, in a range of wood and horn-handled varieties.

Complaint: French Press is our coffee preparation method of choice, but we have the worst old tea kettle to heat the water up each morning. It invariably splatters everywhere when I pour the water into the pot. I have my eye on this cork-handled kettle from SFMMOMA's store as a welcome replacement.