Well, it's getting to be that time of year. Time that our electric and gas bills will go skyhigh, time that there will be a thousand obligations and parties, etc. Time that your neighbors will have their christmas trees up before Thanksgiving. Friends, that's just wrong.

There are a couple of great things about this time of year. I have a weakness for homemade christmas light displays which can be found all over the central city. There is of course the holiday beers, winter warmers, and such, that are so yummy.

But for me, this time of year brings up the trinity of winter holidays: Thanksgiving, Dec. 25, and New Years Day. These are wonderful days on their own, made even better with dim sum. Dim sum!

Yes, Wong's King is exquisite, but if your table is fully non-asian, you might have a hard time getting all the carts to come by. Legin is supposed to be very good, but again, the level of service and food is variable. So I stick to downtown. House of Louie is your place if you're into atmosphere and funky jello desserts. But Fong Chong, with its diner like atmosphere and total lack of jello desserts, is my fav. Last year saw the entrance of a new dim sum chef, and it was lovely and cheap. It's hard to spend more than $12 a person. Try getting a holiday meal anywhere else in town for that price.