Category Archives: weekend

Recuperation

Posted by Leaf on January 2, 2011 None comments

After all that wild partying with endless food and Settlers of Catan, we needed some time to recuperate for the start of a new work week.

Here’s what we did:
Dec. 23rd – Dinner at home with the extended family. Catan the rest of the night, into the morning.
Dec. 24th – We went home to give our neighbor’s cat a kitty-loving session while they were out of town. Then came back for round 2 of family dinner and Catan.
Dec. 25th – Brunch at Hunan Palace. We had Taiwanese brunch dishes. After dinner of leftovers, we yes, played more Catan.
Dec. 26th – The twice yearly pilgrimage to Full Key. Delicious as ever. Nap. Catan.
Dec. 27th – Dec. 29th – Had to go to work. I think we tried to get some normal sleep hours going. On Monday, our uncle took us out to Rio Grande. On Wednesday, a few of us “kids” got together at Dave & Busters for some drinks after dinner at Amina Thai.
Dec. 30th – Got out of work early. Went shopping at the nearby mall. Then went to my other cousin’s house for a NYE-eve dinner party. Surprise! We didn’t play Catan. It was Taboo instead.
Dec. 31st – Took sis & b-i-l back to the airport, which was interesting. We came back, napped, then they came back, then we all had dinner, then they went back to the airport. That’s the short version. We spent the rest of the evening at my uncle’s house to count down to the new year. I slept a good 3 or 4 hours there. It was a beautiful nap. I needed it. I woke up to the end of Kick-Ass which was disturbingly violent. Yuck. I had the impression from the trailers that it was a comedy. Talk about misleading.
And finally!
Jan. 1st – We were home so we went out to Rustico for lunch.

Chickpea crusted (gluten-free) eggplant pizza. Delicious. Delicious crust too. Usually we get to a point where we start skipping the crust. This time, I was breaking it off and eating it. We also shared a very interesting stout beer. It tasted of Asian barley tea and chocolate. After, we went grocery shopping. I made a curry with chicken, mushrooms, onions, butternut squash, and carrots. A big ol’ pot of it.
Jan. 2nd – Did nothing. Rotted our brains out with TV! It was luxurious. Between yesterday and today, we also watched The Wrestler, totally depressing and tragic, Knowing, a little odd but okay, and Milk, hopeful, inspiring, good, and Gentleman’s Agreement, also along the same lines as Milk, about fighting bigotry and also hopeful and good.

And that was how we spent our holiday season. I’m beat.

Another holiday season

Posted by Leaf on December 26, 2010 None comments

Ahh, another holiday season is here. This means more food than you can shake a pair of chopsticks at and sleep deprivation. We’ve spent most of the time playing marathon games of Settlers of Catan. The 6 player expansion. I usually last until maybe 2 or 3 AM. The rest of the family will go til the sun rises. I’m guessing 7 or 8 AM. We’re not normal! Somehow, with 4 players the game runs at a decent clip. With 6 players all out to get one another, wheelin’ and dealin’ it’s another ball game. Or board game.

So far, I haven’t gone post-Xmas shopping. It’s just too cold to want to venture outside. No matter how good the sales may be. We keep hearing about 6″ snow on the horizon but aside from a short snowfall this afternoon with no accumulation, I haven’t seen a thing. Hopefully, it stays that way.

Furry Friend Fix

Posted by Leaf on November 21, 2010 None comments

Yesterday we went to a local pet store to volunteer at a Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation adoption event. Volunteers are paired with a dog and we walk around outside the store waiting for some folks to come check them out and maybe take them home. I’ve never had a dog so I was a bit nervous about how these animals would behave. I was concerned with big dogs or aggressive dogs but I think every dog was incredibly well socialized and friendly towards everyone (though not necessarily other dogs). The dog I got was Tibby, a 15 pound spaniel mix. She had the sweetest disposition, completely calm, secure, and very affectionate. She never barked the entire few hours I spent with her, even when other dogs started barking. She wasn’t scared of loud cars, young kids that came up to her, big dogs, small dogs. She was just mostly the quiet observer. I think one person even joked that she was given sedatives, she was such a cool cucumber. When I went to take a photo of her, I learned of her weakness.

Belly rubs!! When I stooped down she rolled over and that was it. She started doing it every so often. And I noticed she wasn’t sensitive to me touching her paws or anything. She didn’t seem abused. At first I was worried her calmness gave other people, especially kids, the impression that she was aloof, but when one family came by, with 3 kids, I showed them her weakness and they fell in love with her. After walking around to visit all the other dogs, they came back and said they wanted to take her home. Yay for Tibby! The father seemed reluctant because he said he was allergic but I think the rest of the family had already fallen in love. Especially the 2 girls. They carried her around like a baby and she seemed to enjoy that. I think I heard the wife telling him that there’s a 2 week trial but gosh, when they walked out of the pet store with a new pink leash, name tag, and doggy bed, I got the feeling this was a keeper. At the end of the event, on our way home, I kinda’ wished I had taken her home. She would’ve been the perfect lap dog to watch House Hunters with. I think we kinda’ bonded for the short amount of time we spent together. But I know she’ll have a better doggy life with that family than us. We’re out so many hours and with the 3 kids to shower her with affection, she’s going to be living in the lap of luxury. And given that she’s a calm & quiet dog, I think even their dad will grow to like her because he was pretty much the same way too.

The other dog we met was Houdini, a hound mix. He was about 40 pounds and also very calm and quiet. Never barked the entire time. I think due to his size, people worried that he would be harder to keep. His bio read that he needed a fenced in yard at least a 6 feet tall. Gosh, he would’ve been a nice dog to have too.

Volunteering for this was so much fun. I basically got to pet doggies and kitties all day. If I’m ever in the market for a dog, I’ll want a grown dog and I’d definitely look at these adoption events. The animals this organization handles were all rescued from about-to-be-euthanized situations. They keep them at a ranch in the sticks of Virginia and are spayed/neutered and up-to-date on their vaccinations.

The road to gout, one bite at a time.

Posted by Leaf on November 17, 2010 None comments

Our five day visit to Cali wasn’t just about food you know. I just don’t remember those non-food related parts as well. And even when we were not eating, we were thinking about where to eat next.

We arrived Thursday before lunch and after meeting and greeting the buns, we headed to Crepevine for lunch.

Their entrees were very large and made with very fresh ingredients. We got the Milano and San Francisco crepes and swapped halfway through. We each liked what the other ordered better but they were both very delicious. These aren’t your typical crepes though. I mean, they’re huge and they are stuffed. The filling is the main event and the crepe seems to just barely make an appearance. If you’re looking for a snack, this isn’t it. If you’re looking for a meal, it is mmm, wonderful!

After Crepevine, we loaded up the bunnies and went with sis & b.i.l to their vet appointment. They recently fostered a 1-year old mini-lop and were considering permanently adopting him. He’s bonded very well with their existing bunny but they wanted to make sure he was in good health before committing to this fairly long-term decision. Turns out, he’s doing great, except for a lot of earwax. A lot.

So even though we got the ZipCar to go to SeaSalt for dinner, it was getting late and I was tired from traveling all morning so I asked for carryout pizza to eat at home instead. Not just regular pizza, this is Zachary’s deep dish.

It is cheezy, tomatoey and the crust is thin and crunchy.

On Friday, we trekked out on our own to explore the nearby campus and stroll through the downtown area. We stopped by Dara Thai for lunch and got duck pad kee mao (drunken noodles?) and summer rolls. The duck version isn’t something we see back home but it was very tasty. After lunch, I wanted to go to Telegraph Ave to shop at all the little street vendors. Last time I went, I got many pairs of earrings. One was a little wooden one which I lost down a sink drain so I was looking to get another pair. This time, I got a bigger one.

For dinner on Friday, we went to eVe.

It had a nice relaxing atmosphere with an open kitchen where you can see the husband/wife chefs whipping up your dinner. I played Sims 3 a lot on Friday too. I think I want to get it.

Saturday. Saturday was amazing from start to finish. We began with a trip to the farmer’s market. After taking a first stroll through all the stalls to decide what we would come back for, we had brunch at the Thai stand and vegetarian taquitos. Sooo good. The crunchy taquitos were in a very spicy green sauce which made my nose run. After we ate, we walked back to buy the olive oil face and body cream and organic brown rice. We also got Hog Island oysters to taste. It was odd eating them for brunch but they were fresh and briny. After dropping off the produce, which was mainly for the bunnies (yes the spoiled little turds eat organic greens, duh!) we set off for Napa to do a bit of wine tasting. The first stop was V. Sattui. What a zoo. The lady who poured tastings for us was very nice and we did buy some wines but it was so crowded we probably wouldn’t go back there again. The next place we dropped by was Milat which was a small boutique winery and it was just us. We asked them to recommend another winery, and ended up at Rutherford Grove and then asked them for a recommendation. And so on and so forth, covering a total of about 5 wineries. The final one was a place that sold $70 – $500 cabs. At $70 or $500, it had better be mindblowing orgasmic. They were neither. On to Yountville for a taste of real mindblowing stuff. Since we were early for our 6PM reservation at The French Laundry, we dropped by the Bouchon Bakery. Also part of the Thomas Keller empire. We got macaroons, a nice reminder of our trip to Europe this past spring.

I’ve already talked about The French Laundry. My first impression of the outside was, it looked like an unassuming cottage. Behind the doors, they have a little garden where we waited for our table.

The food was decadent and to me, the entire experience more than met my lofty expectations. I couldn’t have asked for more. As for whether I would come back, the answer is yes. But, it’s definitely not something I would do regularly. It’s not only a splurge for your wallet, it’s also a splurge for your digestive system.

Thank goodness we did the wine tasting/French Laundry on Saturday. Sunday was recuperation day. We stayed home and played with the bunny buns. Then some board games and then had Gregoire takeout for dinner.

Monday was our last day here. I had lunch with my sis at Taste of the Himalayas. It’s similar to Indian cuisine. We both walked out of the place too full. It wasn’t even a buffet but after I left, all I could say was, “no mo food!” Something about this style of food, once I start, I can’t stop myself!

We ordered mango lassis, eggplant and potato curry and goat and mushroom curry.

Finally before we took off, we headed to Sea Salt for their happy hour dinner. Mmm! I’d say this might have been the 2nd or 3rd best restaurant we ate during this trip. #1 being The French Laundry and #2 Eve. Or maybe Sea Salt is #2. It’s so hard to decide.

Getting some R&R

Posted by Leaf on November 15, 2010 2 comments

There’s no vacation spot quite like visiting my sis and b-i-l that gives me homey relaxation. Sleeping in hotels and using hotel bathrooms is fine, but seems to keep me at a constant level of squicked out. I still have a good time but it’s not complete rest. Last night we were all pretty tired from wine tasting so we all decided to have an unplanned day at home.

We played with Fluff and Hellspawn, napped, walked next door, played with the neighborhood cats, then settled into some board games. First it was Carcasonne. The only way to describe it is, conceptually, it’s a lot like Scrabble. But instead of 7 at a time, you draw 1 at a time and instead of words, you are building a map while trying to block others. The next game we played was Settlers of Catan. We had never played this game before and I always thought it would be difficult because of all the pieces. After we started though, it was really not hard and was very fun. Even though you roll die, it’s one of those games that’s more strategy, skill than chance. We played one game of each then decided to eat in, ordering food from Gregoire, a French takeout. When we were waiting to pick it up, I watched the chef cooking up a storm. She was speedy. And the food certainly did not taste like typical takeout. It was very delicious. I got a half of a chicken and it was cooked perfectly. Juicy, flavorful and the skin was spiced well. For dessert we had macarons from Bouchon bakery and a bottle of red wine from the V. Sattui winery. Basically, every trip here is marked with nonstop decadence. I can almost feel my big toe swelling with every sip and bite. We played another round with each of the board games then packed up our things. I was a bit worried we wouldn’t be able to pack up all the wine we wanted but we were able to take home 6 out of the 7 bottles.

The French Laundry

Posted by Leaf on November 14, 2010 None comments

The whole day out in Napa was punctuated with a grand exclamation point at The French Laundry. It was amazing from start to finish and my expectations were met and then some. Often, with multiple course meals, you like certain dishes better than others. Here, there were multiple impressive courses.

There was the lobster cooked in butter. The rabbit. Yes, we ate em. The turnip soup. Every thing down to the amuse bouche and bread was memorable. There were a total of 9 official courses with 2 amuse bouches and I was so full I had to stop eating after the 6th course. I was in a dress with no buttons or belts to loosen. I simply had no more room in my body to hold another bite, and I was taking short breaths. It was an amazing experience, not just for the food, but the service, the ambiance, and best of all, the company.

PTSD

Posted by Leaf on October 30, 2010 None comments

Today, I had to babysit three boys ages 2, 7, and 10 for seven torturous hours.

There is a reason why some people choose not to have kids. I may have just experienced some of those reasons today.

Building a Living Classroom

Posted by Leaf on October 23, 2010 None comments

Today was one of those not-to-hot, not-to-cold sunny days. We went to a suburban elementary school to do some volunteer work this morning. It’s for a a little conservation project called “For Lands and Waters.” They’re creating various areas of gardens for wildlife, to prevent erosion, to filter runoff, and also as a teaching tool for the schoolkids. I hate bugs. HAAATE them so it was fine when I was digging but then when we had to separate the grass from the dirt and actually touch the dirt, I wandered off with a classmate to “take a break.” It was nice catching up with her though. We both agreed we missed school. It was fun going to a classmate’s home to work on group projects and head over to happy hour after a final exam. It’s been a year and we’ve started to fall out of touch as people return to their lives, get married, get new jobs, have babies, move out of state, move out of the country. It’s great that we’re all so active but it’s also nice to be able to reconnect sometimes.

We had lunch at Temel after. A local turkish restaurant with three big fish tanks. One with cichlids (oscars, convicts), another with discus and corycats, and another with angelfish. Oh yeah, they have food too. And it was very good, but we loved looking at the tanks. They were very well-kept.
Their bread was warm and crispy on the outside.

Reliving the weekend

Posted by Leaf on September 27, 2010 2 comments

It’s only Monday and I’m ready for the weekend. This morning, I had to have coffee because I just could not wake up. It was pitch dark and rainy.

So this weekend we explored Clarendon Day. I brought out my fancy camera and when I went to take pictures, I realized I forgot to put the memory card back in from the last time I uploaded photos. So I’ll just say there were lots of vendors, food vendors, jewelry vendors, myriad assortment of schtuff vendors, and live bands. Obviously we got nothing but food. People food and some cat and dog food samples for our neighbor’s pets to sample. I stupidly wore my 3 inch heels. THREE inches!! They’re shoes I bought years ago and never wore and of course, since I’ll be walking for hours in the city, why not three inch heels. My brain functions most of the time. Except for when I’m at DSW staring at a pair of three inch heels. And when I’m heading out for a day of walking. I’m in blister hell.

Sunday, we went to a bakery that was having an open house. They let people come in to tour their factory and gave out cookies, pretzels, rolls, muffins, and doughnuts as they demonstrated how they made them. I love watching pretzal twirling. Then, we went to Costco. By this time I was pretty hungry. After all those treats, I wanted meat! I got some steaks. Here I am trying to cut back on meat because it bad for me, bad for the environment, bad for everyone in general, and certainly bad for the animals, but I’m weak. Incidentally, we had a t-bone with melted blue cheese on top for dinner. Paired with a glass of wine. Ah, decadence.

And I played an ungodly amount of Sims 2. It’s like the Days of Our Lives of video games.

Last Hurrah!

Posted by Leaf on September 7, 2010 None comments

Generally, Labor Day is the mark of starting laborious tasks. Like homework. Not anymore. To me, it’s just the beginning of more days off every single month til the end of the year. Next is October 11th, then November 11th and you know the rest. So this past 3-day weekend, we drove out to the other side of the Chesapeake Bay. No hurricane Earl in sight. In fact, there wasn’t even a drop of rain. A good number of people had to be hospitalized for injuries from the strong waves though. We just went to hang out with some family and watch lots of movies. First up was The Last Song starring Hannah Montana who can’t act. But I still liked it because I’m a sucker for silly romance movies. It’s not worth a second watch but I enjoyed it and I hate to admit it but it did make me cry. Grrr.. Nicholas Sparks!! Bonus: There were sea turtles in the movie! Next was The Backup Plan starring J.Lo. Chickflick night! I liked this one better. It was another romance movie. Funny and fun to watch and there were lots of cute dogs in the movie. I tried to watch Death at a Funeral next but was way too worn out to stay up for the third flick. I haven’t seen so many new-to-me movies in a long time.

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