September 2009

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Weekend Wedding

msbabs32: (N&M)
Monday, May 4th, 2009 12:58 pm
Attended a friend's wedding this weekend. It was out of town so N and I hopped on a flight the day of, had a lost reservation at the car rental place and still made it to the wedding on time. It was on this gorgeous residential golf course smack dab in a vineyard. Every thing was beautiful. The ceremony was very short but very elegant. They did a sand pour thing that was really neat. I wish I had thought of that for mine.

Cocktail hour and all through the night had an open bar. I must stop to describe the candy wonderland they had. An entire buffet of candies (mints, chocolates, gummies, sugar drops, etc) was available - and they provided bags to carry away loot. Simple, elegant, not expensive and a huge "Wow!" factor. I definitely approved.

Dinner was very good (the fish definitely outshined the beef). People danced, exchanged info and generally had a good time. I very much enjoyed my table as well as the other people I met. It was a great time and I only wish I had another day to explore the area and hang out with friends.
  • Current Mood: happy
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Melekalikimaka...

msbabs32: (chirstmas)
Sunday, December 28th, 2008 11:40 pm
... is the thing to say on a bright Hawaiian Christmas Day!  On Dec 23 N and I successfully boarded a plane to visit my dad in Hawaii.  There is some moderate drama with the airline, but I'll save that for another post.  We are staying at my dad's new condo and it has a spectacular view.  You can see Magic Island, the main part of the park and Ala Moana Harbor all in one breathtaking view.  I have pictures which I will prob. post after I'm back on the mainland.  The weather is 80 pretty much all the time unless it's raining, then it drops to 74.  The humidity, unfortunately, is obscenely high.  And while the view from the southwest facing windows is awesome, it makes being in the condo from 1-5 in teh afternoon pretty impossible.  I know, anyone not in Hawaii who reads this is like "cry me a river" - but it's like a friggin' kiln in hte afternoon.  At morning and after sunset is when it's a great place to be.

Christmas Day: I got some really cool presents from N (a Fluke(tm) IR thermal reader and a kitchen scale with automatic turn off.  The first is really fun and the second will save me money on 9 volt batteries - rock!  I love my N.  He liked his gifts too.  Christmas day was good and simple.  N and my dad watched sports all day and night long and ordered pizza for dinner.  So a good, uneventful, fairly lazy Christmas day with family. 

  • Current Mood: thankful
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Check one off the LA List

msbabs32: (food)
Sunday, December 28th, 2008 11:32 pm
I have a loose list of things I want to do in LA before I get-too-old/have-kids/leave-LA/etc. For N's birthday I got to do one: Eat Dinner at Spagos.  For those who don't know about Spagos, it is Wolfgang Puck's First Restaurant.  It still has a rotating menu and is known as "the place" for really special occasions and to see a celebrities.
The decor is whimsical.  I now know where Cheesecake Factory got their decore.  There weren't any celebrities we recognized but that's fine.  I find they tend to distract from your own experience.  However there were some impeccably well coiffed people there.  Most people looked like we did - dressed up for a special occasion.  These people looked like they were established regulars.  They looked like they fit.
Well, let's start with the wine list.  I don't think there was a bottle under $80.  The cheapest glass of wine was $17.  However the Pinot I got was very nice.  Then they came by with a bread tray and seemed strangely insistent we take something.  Once again delicious.  I ordered the Bass with seafood and got exactly that.  No side of potato or rice or vegetable.  And the food was not in large portions - ah, that's why they wanted us to take bread.  That being said, I don't think I can describe the food in a couple of sentences and give it justice.  However I also don't want to take up an hour giving it the justice it deserves so I will just say it was exquisite.  You could taste every single flavor instead of only 1-2 dominant ones. 
Dessert was difficult.  N is allergic to nuts and all their normal desserts is made with nut oil.  however their serve proved as impeccable as their food.  They got N an ice cream dish with raspberries and wrote "Happy Birthday" in chocolate sauce.

So, in short:
Food - Smaller portion, but you will be comfortably full
Wine - Not cheap but very good
Service - Excellent
Repeat Business: For a very special event, absolutely

Now I need to work on that afternoon at the Getty...
  • Current Mood: satisfied
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I'm still alive....

msbabs32: (chirstmas)
Monday, December 22nd, 2008 06:51 pm
Disclaimer:  I haven't had the time to be present online for the last several weeks so I will be posting all my scribbles from my scratchbook over the nex few days...

No, I haven't died (although I think others thought I was close).  I've just been very busy.  Two and a half superbugs, manic shopping, insane work demands and one family holiday party later, I have survived.  I am happy to say that I am almost completely done with Christmas shopping.  I only have to aquire 2 presents once I land in H.  Assuming I can get on the plane (long story, lots of rant and for another post), but I'm 95% sure I will.  A few observations for the holiday seasons - so far:

On shopping/presents:
  • It is infinitely easier to get gifts for someone who has a casual hobby.  Casual being defined as not wanting/needing/analyzing the best products for the hobby.  People who are "totally into" a hobby are impossible to buy for.  "Rock Band" or gardening are good examples of casual hobbies. 
  • If you are making/baking things for multiple holiday events, pick one or two things that is your specialty and only make those.  This makes things easier because it reduces ingredient waste, keeps the recipe in your head and lets you get into a groove.  This year it was cheesecake.  I did the equivilant of 5 cheesecakes this season ( 2 cakes worth in cupcake form).
  • If a gift doesn't work out for this year, keep it in mind for the next one.  This way you have a back-up plan if you can't think of anything and you will have more time to coordinate group-gifts.
  • All gift certificate presents should come with a Wrapper-gift. Just something small ~$5 so the recipeints have something tactile on Christmas Day.  It makes a difference.
On Holiday Food:
  • Have No-Cook foods in the house.  You may very well be too busy/tired to cook dinner.
  • Compromise nothing in Holiday recipes.  Low fat/low carb can be done the rest of the year.
  • Well wrapped foods are a great "for everyone" gifts.
On Health:
  • An electric blanket really helps when you are sick and freezing.  You also know you are getting better when the lower settings feel "too warm".
  • Take naps when you can. They are your best defenses against getting sick.
  • Unless you're down and out ill, exercise everyday (at least 20 min) to keep your immune system going, keep yourself alert and make up for the food tips.
  • Buy at least 2 hats - one you can wear comfortably at home and one that can be worn for work.  they keep you warm when three layers of sweaters can't.

  • Current Mood: accomplished
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T-Day Aftermath: Almost as if it never happened

msbabs32: (food)
Saturday, November 29th, 2008 03:37 pm
Last afternoon I started to do my own Thanksgiving Dinner.  It was small, only 4 people.  A wedge of brie, crackers and pear was the appetizer until the turkey finished.  Dinner was a 12 lb turkey, garlic potatoes, mashed yams, gravy, baked spinach, asparagus and cornbread.  I forgot it takes a frigg'n long time to do T-day dinner and it will take you longer than you think.  I am forever glad for the decision to do the appetizer.  I still think its possible to get everything hot/warm to the table at once and relatively on time.  It will most likely require a choreographed cooking schedule in 1/2 hour increments.  Next time....  But the turkey turned out really good.  I just had a leftover leg and it still sung of flavor and moisture.

After dinner started the cleaning - oh dear god.  Actually it was very doable.  I started with an empty dishwasher and that helped tremendously.  First thing I did was dispatch the turkey.  I had a container for the keep and a large open trash for the toss.  I moved all the side dishes to appropriate containers and loaded the dishwasher.  After half an hour the kitchen was perfectly clean.  With the exception of the dessert waiting to be served, it looked as if T-day dinner never happened.  It. Was. *Awesome*.

I like doing big dinners.  And I think I'm finally getting good at the logistics.  I wish my place was more conducive to large gatherings.  Perhaps my next house.  Then I'll do a set of Prime Rib or I'll brave the inconceivable: a from scratch Turducken.
  • Current Mood: content
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