Oregone Wine Country

This past weekend was a special one indeed! Michael and I explored the Oregon wine region with Winemaker Tours for Michael's birthday. Our guide Amy planned an amazing itinerary for us filled with amazing wine, delicious food, beautiful sights and great people.

 

At Bergstrom we tasted different Pinots in different AVA's. It was interesting doing side by side comparisons because each wine had different characteristics despite being the same grape.

 



 

On our way to Walter-Scott, Amy told us all about the geography of the area and different families that have come over to start their own vineyards here. Before we knew it we were at our destination. Interestingly, Walter-Scott were sold out of their current releases, so Michael and I got the chance to do barrel tastings for the first time and buy future wines.

 

Oregon wasn't just Pinot Land. We got to try some neat whites at Brooks and Eyrie.

 

By the time we got back to our room, we had more than a few bottles and we ravenous for dinner. We ended up going to Bistro Maison in McMinnville. Classic French food that I highly recommend!

Swan Lake

This past weekend was seriously one for the books. I've always wanted to see a ballet. Something about music, dance, and story all wrapped up into one just sounds so... magical! Michael made my dream come true by getting us tickets to see Swan Lake for my birthday gift. It was about three hours long with two intermissions, but I could have seriously watched forever. The music from the orchestra, the costumes, and the athleticism of the dancers blew me away. If you haven't seem a ballet, I recommend you put it on your bucket list!

Note that photography is not allowed during the show because it can be potentially dangerous for the dancers, so I waited until the encore and turned off flash and snapped this shot. I know, such a rebel I am :P

After the ballet we went to Bottlehouse for some wine and met up with Michael's family to celebrate belated birthdays. It was just the right way to end the perfect day. 24 is definitely growing on me.

Tavern Hall, FLO Sushi, and Sunday Dinner

As you all know. I LOVE food. So this weekend was like an eat-fest of deliciousness.

After cooking all week,  Michael and I decided to grab a meal out on Friday. We tried a new place called Tavern Hall in Bellevue. Tavern Hall is a pub-style bar with an Irish décor vibe to it. Known for their Moscow Mule on tap, Michael and I both had one.

For our dinner, Michael had the Tavern Burger and I had the Chicken Sando. If you ever go, get the Chicken Sando. It is by far the best chicken sandwich I've ever had. So crispy, served on a rustic bun, with a crisp coleslaw, and spicy aioli, you'll think you're in chicken sandwich heaven after a bite.

On Saturday, I got a surprise gift from one of my sisters. Tea! Oh I do love tea.

Then that night we did a prebirthday celebration with Michael's sister (our birthdays are three days apart) and her husband at FLO sushi. We exchanged gifts and it was such a strange coincidence that we both got each other Kate Spade gifts!

 

Sunday was very rainy (as I write this, it's still raining), so Michael and I kept it low key. I spent the morning reading SPEAK (book review to come!) while Michael organized the garage and basement. For dinner, we realized we wanted to do something special because we'd be missing each other the next two weekends due to travel. Alas we did a team effort and made steak with onions and a green bean casserole. We opened a Maurice's estate Syrah from 2009 (my fave!) and had some dark chocolate for dessert.

A very good weekend of deliciousness indeed!

The Imitation Game, 80th Birthday, & the Super Bowl

So Michael and I finally went to the see The Imitation Game on Friday. We've been wanting to go for a while, but the first time we tried, we missed the showing. The second time, we got too caught up in the season finale of The Taste. Now the third time, after a mad dash of a dinner, we finally ended up making it.

And let me just say, I was blown away! It was such an awesome movie, well-paced, poignant dialogue, a note of humor with some intense emotional scenes, and just well done cinematic and music-wise. I really hope this movie, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Kiera Knightley all get an oscar!

On Saturday we celebrated Michael's grandmother's 80th Birthday. It was definitely a great time hanging out with Michael's whole family from his father's side. I can't imagine what the world will be like if I ever get the chance to live that long. I asked the Birthday girl if time seemed to go by quick or if it seemed like a long journey to get to this point. She answered, "Quick, too quick."

The grandchildren plus Tim & I (PC: Cristine Peters)

Delicious red velvet cake! (PC: Cristine Peters)

Michael & I (PC: Cristine Peters)

The next day was the super bowl. This year I wasn't stuck in a hotel in the suburbs of Boston, thank goodness! So I got to watch the Super bowl with Michael's family. All in all, it was a great time: the food, the company, the fluffy dogs.

PC: @benlowy

The only downside was that last play (let me just say, the city has never been so quiet, grey, and rainy like it is today).

Alas, there's always next year, right?

Recap: Michael's 27th Birthday

I'm going to keep this short and sweet and let the photos recap last night at Daniel's Broiler in Bellevue for Michael's Birthday.

 

Birthday boy making a wish (photo cred: Cristine)

From L to R: Michael's Dad, me, Michael, his Mom, his sister Cristine, and her husband.

Tasted more like a brownie than a cake ;]

 

Michael was very excited about this Bandol wine!

 

Photo cred: Cristine

Presents from Cristine and Tim

Wine I got for Michael

His new gold clubs from his parents!

Birthday with the Armfields

I know, this is like my third post about my Birthday, but good news is it'll be my last post about it! So bare with me it will be very brief!

Opening my gift from the Armfield rents!

Since Michael's parents were in Palm Dessert during Cristine and I's Brithdays, they were so sweet to take us out this past Saturday to celebrate at Bis on Main in Bellevue. Here are a few photos:

Squeezing in for a photo with Tim at the center!

 

The Californians of the table!

 

Another wish!

 It was so fun and a night to remember, and as always the food at Bis on Main was absolutely perfect!
Thanks to the Armfield/Peter family for my gifts! They were all so truly thoughtful and I'm so happy to be a part of your lives!

Great wine, chocolate, a framed photo of Michael and I, and an Amazon gift card to buy books on my Kindle from the Peters! Thanks again!



Gorgeous earrings from Mr. and Mrs. Armfield! I love them!

And to add, here's two other photos from my weekend:

 

Blaire trying to sneak in nap!

Signs of Spring on my run in Volunteer Park

 Happy Monday everyone!

23 Birthday Wishes

Hazelnute Cake with a Chocolate Ganache and an Orange Cookie

 Another Birthday for the books! Thank you to everyone who sent me Birthday Wishes via text, social media, phone calls, cards/gifts in the mail, and most of all by simply thinking of me. It's so comforting to know that although I'm away from my California home, I am not far from your hearts.



My first Birthday in Seattle was definitely one to remember. My co-worker and friend was sweet enough to take me out to lunch and after work Michael took me to my favorite spot in town, Bottlehouse. We drank great wine and ate great food which always makes for a good time.

Best board I've had so far! Wild Boar, Cheese with Truffle, and Wine Soaked Irish Cheese

Recommended flight by our server. It was absolutely perfect.

 

The staff was amazing and knowledgeable as always with great recommendations for us to try. They were kind enough to put a candle in my dessert so I could make a wish and complimentary glasses of sparkling wine to celebrate.
 

Afterwards, I had this unexplicable craving for mac n' cheese (weird I know), so Michael and I got some on our way home and relaxed for the rest of the evening, and sometime around 9:37 p.m., I fell asleep (I guess I am getting older if I can't stay up past ten!).

Cheers to another year and hopefully another Birthday Wish come true!

Mom's Birthday Celebration!

*Warning: Tons of photos in this post!*

Already I'm missing my mom, my sisters, my family, and the California sun. It's really true what they say, you really don't know what you're missing until it's gone.

I'm really grateful I got to go back for my mother's Birthday weekend. I really think my sisters and I made her year.

My mom is everything to my sisters and I. She's a strong and independent woman who raised five girls by herself in an unfamiliar country. She's sacrificed so much for us to have an opportunity to chase our dreams, that we are forever grateful for her. Never has she asked for anything but health and happiness for us, and for that, we owe her everything.

RECAP of the weekend:

My sister Dao (who currently lives in New York) and I arrived in Sacramento late Friday evening. The next morning we surprised my mom to let her know we were here. She didn't expect a thing and her expression was priceless!

It was strange to be back in Sacramento, though I was here just a few weeks ago. But I definitely took advantage of it with some quality time. My sisters and I did a three hour bike ride around Lake Natomas (that really kicked my butt!).

Emily, ready to pound that bike trail pavement!



This is me, completely pooped!

 Afterwards we took my cousin out to bowling for his Birthday and to the toy store so he could pick out his gift.

For my mother's Birthday we got dressed up in our best for family photos!



My mom, me, and Oanh

 

Bothering my mom as she gets ready!

I was doing my 'mug' face

Behind the scenes! So much light, I can pass as a vampire!

The twin and I

My sisters and I are a bit... sassy!

It's been such a long time since we've done a family portrait. I think to date we have only done it three times. Below you'll fine some old ones and the new ones (I wasn't able to find the first family portrait).


The second family portrait (I was seven)



New family portraits, now age twenty-two!

And what's a birthday without a gift ;) I think we certainly made her day memorable.