We went to Tahoe last weekend for our one and only ski trip of 2009! There were 9 of us in a rental house (thanks to Jen for organizing!) and it was a beautiful weekend!
Jen & I worked on Friday while Dave and everyone else skied (Jen is pregnant, so no skiing for her this year!)
On Saturday, the entire crew (sans Jen) skied and we had a great day! We were at Alpine and it was really fun.
Dave and I at the top of Summit Six
The Crew during our Lunch Break!
Dave Skiing at Alpine
Jen made a fantastic chicken dinner (with sous chef hubby Alex), followed by a heated game of "Celebrity" that left us all in tears laughing!
Dave, Ali, Monica and Clayton also made use of the hot tub. We have a "tradition" that snow angels need to be made while in our bathing suits and Dave and Clayton decided to relive their 2007 induction. I thought this was HILARIOUS!
Dave and Clayton Making Snow Angels
We drove back on Sunday...it took us 3 hours to get to Tahoe early (4am) on Thursday morning, but 6 hours to get back to SF on the return! Well worth every moment.
It is weekends like this that make me so grateful for our fantastic friends! More photos can be found here:
I had a much-anticipated long weekend in Raleigh last weekend and it completely lived up to expectations!
I arrived on Thursday and we had a "Girls' Dinner" that night at one of the favorite little Italian cafes...Bella Monica.
Half of the table...ahhh, nice to be "home"!
On Friday, we had a kiddie "photo shoot" to let me get extra practice, especially with my new "grown-up" lens (which I'm terrified of).
We started out with fun-fun-fun.... Natalie & Caroline going down the speedy slide
But then.... Sweet Dino BROKE HIS ANKLE!!!
Meg rushed him to Urgent Care and we had a series of less-serious injuries over the next hour until we just gave up altogether!
A few highlights from our playtime: Rives...."On The Case!
Nay & Caroline...precious!
Emerson & Sydney...chillin' amongst the chaos!
Friday night, Nay & Natalie had us over to their house for an adult/kiddie get together. I was amazed and shocked when, one by one, each of the kids walked out to the living room with THESE SHIRTS ON!!!
Seriously? I melted.
Adorable!
On Saturday, Meg and I headed to a baby shower for Lindsay. Her girlfriends did a fantastic job of planning it and Lindsay looked fantastic!
The three moms-to-be...
Mom, Lindsay and me...
Meg and I departing...wine in tow!
We hit the town on Saturday night with the crew...no kids with us this night!
Elizabeth wore this shirt Meg found...a joke from their August trip here to SF
Just getting more and more ridiculous with each other...
Lindsay & Sunita came out with us and pregnant Lindsay was out until 2am with the rest of us!!! She is such a trooper - I certainly hope I am like her someday!
Sunday was pretty low-key. I got to spend time with my cousins who live in Raleigh, then hit up a rooftop bar with Meg & Nicole, then laid low back at Meg's for my last night in Raleigh.
I caught this very quick clip of Meg's son, Dino (the one with the broken ankle...poor thing...) getting kisses from Marco!
Dino swapping kisses with Daddy Marco
THANK YOU, girls, for not just this weekend, but for being the fantastic women of my life. I love you! xoxo
Our friend Katie visited us from the east coast a couple of weeks ago and we had a GREAT time! She and Dave grew up in the same town and then she and Dave were "reunited" when the three of us all went to BC together.
It was her first trip to Cali and we were super-excited for her arrival! She flew in for 72 hours (!), so we had a lot of ground to cover!
Checkin' out the SF Bay
We had amazing weather for the entire weekend she was here and we took full advantage!
On Friday, Kate and I had the day to ourselves. The three of us got coffee together in the morning, then Kate and I biked across the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito...
Checking out the GG Bridge Tourist Center...this is the actual width of the cables!
Loving the view from the Bridge!
Ferrying back to SF from Sausalito
After we got back to SF, we biked to Ghirardelli Square. This is about 1 mile from our apartment and I had never been, so I was really excited to check it out! We didn't see too much as we got sidetracked by the first wine tasting place we saw! Two hours later, we finally got on our bikes again and headed home.
On Saturday, we headed up to Napa for the day! I love this picture of Dave & Katie together:
Katie listening intently to the description....just POUR, lady!!
Mustard season just kicked off -beautiful yellow all around!
Dave enjoying my favorite dessert wine of all time...Honig Late Harvest Sauv Blanc
Sweet nectar from the gods....
The doggie at Honig...so adorable!
Sailboats all over the Marina/SF Bay
On Sunday (aka Super Bowl Sunday), we had a big RACE that morning! Dave & Kate ran the 5K and I ran the 1/2 marathon! Our friends Heidi & Beth also ran the half and it was awesome!
The running crew...
Having fun around mile 8....
I was thrilled with my time for the 1/2 marathon (13.1 miles). I ran it in 2:07:34....for comparison, I ran the La Jolla Half Marathon in 2008 in 2:45!!! A huge improvement (mentally and physically) over last year (which, at the time, was the furthest I had run in my life). What a difference a year makes!
Short clip of the race...beautiful ocean background!
After the race, we had some friends over to watch the Super Bowl and gorge ourselves on food. I knocked out multiple beers, wings, pizza, various dips, more chips than any human should be allowed to consume, and so much more. And that was just "lunch". Ahhh, it's nice to run 13 miles and then eat like it doesn't count!
At long last, FRENCH LAUNDRY was last weekend! We have been waiting (as you blog readers know), since last SPRING to get a reservation at this Yountville establishment. Let me start by saying, it did not disappoint!!!
We headed up to Napa on Saturday afternoon, checked into our hotel (Silverado), then hung out until about 4:30 when it was cocktail hour (for us at least) in the main bar of the hotel. We enjoyed a glass of bubbly before our fancy "taxi" (black sedan - I felt very celeb-like) arrived.
Dave's adorable bowtie Dad picked out from Ben Silver in Charleston
Chris, Valerie & Us Outside the Restaurant
Our reservation was at 5:30pm and it was perfect (especially for my self-diagnosed narcolepsy at all the wrong times). The servers were extremely knowledgable without being snooty. In fact, I think they were all around our age, which made it easier to relax!
The sommelier was very helpful in helping us select each wine. We each started with a glass of "something" (all over the board). We brought a very special bottle of red with us that a dear friend gave us and we enjoyed every last drop! We then ordered two more bottles that the sommelier picked out for us (we had to give a price range as the CHEAPEST bottle on the menu was about $110 - somehow, my "frugal" self played it cool, though!). He did not disappoint and we absolutely enjoyed ourselves without getting crazy tipsy (remember, we were at this meal for 3 HOURS!).
The food, the food, the food. This ain't your mama's mac'n'cheese, y'all! Here is the menu from that night (changes daily):
After two delicious "Amuse Bouche" tasty creations, we started with the 1st course - "Oysters and Pearls". They were delicious and the perfect taster to lead us into the second course - choice of salad or Foie Gras. I had the salad, while the three of them upgraded to the Foie Gras and it was DIVINE! One of my favorite courses, for sure. The only comparison is like the richest peanut butter you can imagine (minus the peanut flavor) that just melts in your mouth, on a warm brioche...YUM! 3rd course I had Tuna Tartare which was done to perfection, then for the 4th course - wait for it - Maine Lobster "mitts" that, as I understand it, are the tiniest part of the inside of the claw. Each piece was about the size of a half-dollar and was heaven in the mouth. I agree with Valerie - I could eat an entire vat of just that! 5th course was a delicious Quail and we had to take a break after that! We went outside into the garden area and even though it was chilly, it was a perfect intermission to get some fresh air, let our delicious wine and food settle, and get right back in to enjoy the remaining courses. For the 6th course, I had the Lamb Ribeye which was coated in some type of bread crumbs and when you put your fork down on the meat, it just sinks in from the tenderness. Ahhhhh. The 7th course brought a perfectly paired cheese selection, followed by a sorbet for the 8th course, and then we finished our 9th and final course with dessert. Oh, dessert. I had the chocolate mousse with banana ice cream that was out of this world, Chris had the pineapple, and Dave & Valerie ordered "off the menu", requesting some folkloric "doughnut holes & coffee" that Valerie had heard about. Wow. Their choice was amazing - a fresh-fresh-fresh gourmet doughnut hole accompanied by a semifreddo coffee of sorts...it was divine! After all 9+ courses were over, they then brought additional sweets (an entire tower of them, actually) and we devoured those as well!
We finished the night with a kitchen tour. It was a symphony of activity in there. I recalled my days waitressing at The Ground Round while at BC and - well - let's just say it was nothing like that!
Taking our Kitchen Tour
Quick Kitchen Tour...Serenity!
The four of us - good times!
Until Next Time...or I should say, "Until We Hit the Lotto", French Laundry!
Thank you, Bryand-Clark Family, for making this all possible! More photos from the adventure can be found here.
We stayed the day in Napa on Sunday, having a glass of sparkling at Mumm, then meandering back to San Fran. After having "the meal of our lives", what kind of dinner could we possibly follow that up with? Oh yeah...we are klassy-with-a-k. We had Lucky Charms & Soy Milk at home. BALLERS!
Not Buffalo Wings (quite possibly my favorite food of all time), but rather YOGA ANTI-GRAVITY WINGS! We tried a new class today at Crunch and it was so fun! Very different and at times bizarrely uncomfortable, but so unique and definitely a fun workout.
Here is their video on YouTube which hardly does it justice:
Dave and I were FAR more awkward than the people in the video, but we more or less held our own for first-timers!
Being as frugal as I am, you can guess that I am a HUGE fan of Goldstar, a site that offers half price discounts to tons of activities in various cities (plays, comedy, tours, music, etc.). If you haven't checked it out, you're sleepin'...there are great deals on there!
Before the holidays, we saw that a play called Santaland Diaries, written by David Sedaris, was being performed at a small theater downtown. Our friends Jen & Alex are Sedaris fans and we got our $10 tickets to see the show. The show is about Sedaris' experience one holiday season working as an ELF at Macy's. It goes through some pretty funny scenarios, though I must admit would be much funnier if performed by David Sedaris himself. Alas, it was nice to see a live performance. Afterwards, we were all in the mood for some red meat and Jen & Alex suggested this place called The House of Prime Rib. We had seen this place on Van Ness (a major street in SF, clogged with rather tacky storefronts) and figured it was a really old tourist trap. Just goes to show our IGNORANCE as we walked in to a Carnivore Mecca! The interior design is classic and tasteful. We were there on a Sunday night at 5:30pm, expecting the crowd inside to be just us and blue-hairs. Instead, the place was PACKED and we had to wait an hour until our 6:30pm reservation had arrived!
I should start by saying the service is phenomenal. These are professionals who not only do a fantastic job at "serving", but have wonderful personalities and immediately bond with your table, making you feel like you are the only VIP in the house.
As for the menu, there are basically two choices....Prime Rib four different ways, or seafood. That's IT. Sweet and simple! Also included is a house salad, baked potato and a choice of creamed spinach or creamed corn (you might be able to tell from this description that this is definitely NOT somewhere to go if you're on a diet or don't want a heart attack to hit you...though that might be worth it because the food is so darn good).
We took a short video, which in no way captures the joy in our hearts. I think we were all stunned at the slabs of delicious cow before us, but know the excitement is deep within!
My coworker, Matt, goes to House of Prime Rib ("HOPR" as I will now affectionately name it) for his Guys' Night a few times a year and I honestly never got it as to why they picked this place. I assumed it was some type of dirty hole-in-the-wall where "men can be men" and eat more prime rib than should be allowable by law. I have now SEEN THE LIGHT. For those of you in SF that had the same misconception, stop what you're doing and find a special occasion to go there NOW!
Although Santaland Diaries was a bit disappointing (Jen, Alex and Dave all had to be nudged to stay awake during portions...surprisingly, my narcoleptic self was not the issue...once), we have now dedicated HOPR as an annual holiday tradition for the Bauer/Bryand households! Jen is pregnant with their first child, so I am publicly calling DIBS on the baby's leftovers!!!
Although belated, I wanted to share one of my favorite days of the holiday. For Dad's Xmas present this year (technically last year), we created "Dad's Day". We wrote clues (aka cheesy poems) that led Dad through a day-long scavenger hunt!
The first clue instructed him to meet us at the front door at 10am with exercise shoes on. We started with a family walk around their neighborhood, then came back and he discovered Clue #2 in the mailbox, which led him to find a jump rope hidden in the garden. My dad has always liked the CONCEPT of jump roping, but I wouldn't say he's entering a competition anytime soon. Dave and I have been the family jump roping "connoisseurs" for the last several years because we got such great experience when we were taking boxing classes in San Diego.
Here's a recap of Dad's Jump Roping Skillz (yes, with a "z"):
The turnaround is my favorite part
And just to give some perspective, check this out (48 seconds long):
Can we acknowledge the huge GRIN on her face???
Clue #3 led the guys to a "Man Spa" in downtown Charleston called Gents (try not to judge them on their horrendous website). It's pretty much a man dream...you walk in and are asked if you want a beer to get the treatment going. On the coffee table are issues of GQ, Maxim, even Playboy! You are then led to your treatment of choice (old-fashioned shave, haircut, massage, facial, manicure, pedicure, etc.) where there is a beautiful bombshell woman awaiting you. No happy endings here (this is my DAD, people!), but definitely a great way to get your man to enjoy a little pampering of his own.
The guys post-Gents
After Gents, we grabbed lunch and headed back to Mt. Pleasant for a few hours before Cocktail Hour took place and (thanks to our Designated Driver, Pregnant Lindsay), we then went back to Charleston to eat at Slightly North of Broad. None of the "kids" had ever been there, so we were excited!
SNOB
Clue #5 led us to have "the best" coconut cake in all of Charleston, at Peninsula Grill. We intended to just grab a slice or two and eat standing up in the bar area (if you've been there, a rather small/narrow space), but we were instead pleasantly surprised as we were ushered into a semi-private drawing room where we had our own waiter and everything! I must say, the coconut cake was DIVINE!
Royal Treatment at Peninsula Grill
Our final clue was leading the group to High Cotton for some live jazz, but we were all POOPED and had to give up after the coconut cake.
What a great day for ALL of us! I'm not sure of my favorite part, but I can put a strong vote behind the jump rope "competition"!!
