Do you know the way to San Jose?

In the past 24 hours alone, we have had 3 different 'goodbye dinners.' Not to forget, the many other 'goodbye' meals and meet-ups in the last week. Food coma? Yes. Too much socializing? Not enough!

I never left home for college so to me, this is move up to the Bay Area may be the equivalent. I know, we're still going to be in the same state as our dear family and friends but it sure doesn't seem like it! I am going to miss everyone so much! I hate goodbyes so I'll just start saying "see you later" from now on.

Half-way through last week, I realized that I hadn't seen everyone I wanted to see yet so I called a quick last-minute dinner at Old Spaghetti Factory in Riverside last night. This is probably the only chain restaurant I keep frequenting. Thanks to their special Mizithra cheese! I was so happy with the turn-out. Did I mention, I'm really going to miss everyone? Speaking of cheese, here are a few pics from last night. Unfortunately, the only group photo we had was extremely blurry and non-photoshop-able. :(

Love these girls!

{Roeum, Inah, Alli, Jane, Audrey}

Marc & I with my 'little' brother from college, Rommel.

Marc & the guys {Doug, Leo, Marc, David}

Frostings cupcakes from my twin. Thanks Jane! Marc & I devoured them for breakfast this morning.

Following the dinner at the OSF, Marc and I rushed to LA to pick up my brother and headed to Noodle World in Alhambra where we met up with my aunt and uncle. By that time, it was 12 midnight! Marc and I just ate a little but still ate nonetheless. One of the highlights for me was running into my friend Dani who I haven't seen since college!

We'll be hitting the road early in the morning. Bay Area, here we come! Before I sign off for the evening, here are a few more photos from last night.

My brother Chad and Tito Alvin=man vs. food contest; who can eat the most pad see ew? Haha!

Below: Tita Susan and I

Fuddruckers, Frostings, and NPH

In the movie Idiocracy, a reference is made to a burger chain known as Fuddruckers. It didn't occur to me that this place actually existed 'til some friends mentioned it to us a few weeks ago. Last night, Marc and I met up with our friends David and Jane at a local Fuddruckers establishment. I'm not going to lie, I was quite excited for experience not only because it was referenced in a movie but also because it had it's own 'produce bar' where you basically build your own burger. I had a blast drenching my fries in cheese and loading up my burger with tons of bbq sauce! Count on me going back!

Marc and I kind of cheated and had a little bit of dessert before dinner. Frostings happened to be across the street so we made a mad dash, picked up some cupcakes, took a few bites and saved the rest for later.

What's in the box?

Lavender Pear. White cake cupcake with chunks of pear frosted with lavender-vanilla frosting.

I loved it! You can really taste the lavender and it compliments the pear quite well.

Raspberry Truffle. This was Marc's choice. It really did taste like a raspberry truffle as it had some sort of raspberry filling in the middle. Yum!

Food aside, I received a Tweet this morning and two words popped out: Neil Patrick Harris (NPH) and Rent. I got really excited as I thought Rent would be revived and NPH would reprise his role as Mark Cohen. I'm secretly hoping he goes back to Broadway for ANY show. So it wasn't quite exactly that. Instead, I found out that he will be directing Hollywood's rendition of Rent this summer. That is still exciting news to me! Now I just need to keep tabs on who will be casted for this production. I admit, this is my favorite musical of all time and I do have a dream cast that I'd like to see perform for this production. I'm no casting agent but I can dream, right?

Ok, enough Broadway nerdiness.

Friends+Food+awesome news= perfect way to start the weekend!

Vegas Valentines Weekend

Perfect weather and awesome company makes for a great weekend in Las Vegas. The time we spent in the so-called entertainment capital of the world gave us (extremely) full stomachs, nearly-empty wallets, and happy hearts. Sin City, as it is rightfully called, is definitely a place that should not be frequented! But spending time with friends should always happen. :)

The high-rollers at the slots. Don't even bother to ask what the denomination was. When we play, we play big!

The ladies posing in front of probably the best Anthropologie yet. Why? Because they're open 'til midnight! Visit it now at the Forum Shops. I'm promising good finds that you won't regret!

This is what husbands do while the wives shop. Typical, very typical.

Vegas at night.

Happy lunar new year + v-day!

Oh Serendipity, how I've missed you! Thank you for coming to the West Coast!

The ladies in front of Serendipity at Caesar's Palace.

Toasting with Mimosa's to a fabulous trip! I like to call it, the perfect ending.

Moroccan Birthday Extravaganza

On Friday night, my cousin Gem returned from a week-long 'job-hunting' trip to New York. On Saturday, we celebrated her birthday as well as her success in securing a full-time design job in the big city. She leaves for a permanent move on Tuesday and I can't help but feel really sad. Gem is the cousin who I am closest to on my Dad's side of the family and while I'm ecstatic for her and the amazing opportunity she has earned, I am going to miss her sorely.

Goodbyes aside, we managed to have a grand birthday dinner for Gem at Marrakesh in Newport Beach. I had been there one other time before and both times have been fabulous! The experience begins with a waiter passing out full-sized bath towels to serve as your 'napkin' for the eating as the meal requires the use of your bare hands for some parts. This is followed by a communal hand-washing ceremony. With all hands gathered around a basin, the waiter pours warm rose water adding a pleasant scent and supposed cleanliness to the guests' hands. Depending on what you order, the courses come out as follows.

1. Drinks. I highly recommend Casablanca-a very light Moroccan beer. I'm not a beer drinker myself but this is truly something else! Not only is it very light but it has some notes of fruit in it.

2. Lentil soup. After squeezing a wedge of lemon into this piping hot soup, you drink it straight out of the bowl. It truly does awaken your senses!

3. Four different kinds of salads-eggplant, cucumber, carrot and potato. Each one has a distinct flavor but when mixed together, it creates an explosion in your mouth. It's quite hard to describe but they are distinctly delicious!

4. Bread. It is recommended that you use the salads as 'filling' for the bread creating some sort of sandwich. The Moroccans know what they're talking about, trust me.

5. Bastilla. This is the round pastry looking dish in the collage above. It is a baked dish made out of filo dough stuffed with chicken, eggs, and almonds topped with powdered sugar and cinnamon. I know, it sounds like dessert with chicken but it is amazing! This is my favorite dish from this place and always will be.

6. Main Meal. Couscous with lemon-olive chicken and tender lamb. Just when you think you've had enough flavor from the previous dishes, the main meal comes out. Honestly, my favorite part of the main meal is the couscous and the cabbage! I can do without the meats.

7. Baklava. Too sweet for my taste but gets an A+ for flakiness.

8. Moroccan Mint Tea. This delightful concoction of mint, chamomile and honey is the perfect ending to an extravagant meal. I could drink this stuff all day long. There is nothing like it. And if there is, someone better tell me where!

To top it off, belly dancers circulate throughout the tents during the course of the meal making your experience that much more authentic. Marrakesh is definitely a place to go to with a big group. It is quite loud inside but you have semi-privacy by being in your own little tent. I must not forget that there is nothing more comfortable than sitting on a couch while eating one of the best meals you could ever have.

Good luck in New York Gem! I'm going to miss you cousin!

Fondue Feast+Friends

Prepping the cheese. Pictured above are Emmenthaler (block) and Jarlsberg (wedge)

This weekend, I had the pleasure of hosting a little fondue party fpr the girls. A year ago at this time, we took a girls trip to New York and had the time of our lives. In honor of our memorable trip, we decided to get together and reminisce. Well...and of course, gossip, eat, laugh, and just have a great time. *Mariel & MM-we missed you two!*

I love tomatoes so much and I couldn't resist making bruschetta for this dinner.

Although it ended up being quite gooey, the cheese fondue was a big hit! It was definitely a cheese fest as the girls brought other cheeses, crackers and some pasta.

Nutella Peanut-Butter brownies. I found the recipe somewhere online. I'm sad to say that I won't be making these again. The brownies were really dry and even with loads of Nutella, the peanut butter overpowered it in flavor. Oh well, it still worked out as a great dipper for the chocolate fondue.

Chocolate fondue is ready!

There is always dessert wine when we get together. It just happens to be the 'happy staple' of our gatherings.

Curious Claudine bought a bottle of non-alocholic (well...3% proof) White Zinfandel. It tasted like juice. What's the point? LOL!

Our little group is quite known for camera-whoring. By that, I mean, not in front of the camera but behind it. Here's a picture of Gem working some magic on her newly purchased Canon 5D Mark II. Soooo jealous!

Another 5d user, Samantha!

Claudine likes to keep it simple with the point & shoot. With all these cameras, I'm sure someone took a picture of me. I'll have to edit this post when someone sends it to me. :)

Paparazzi club-that's us!

The food coma we suffered afterwards was totally worth all the laughs and giggles that took place 'til 2am! We concluded that Samantha would make a great president, Gem belongs in either Sweden or in jail, Claudine will not default to "Plan B," and I will become a genetic engineer to re-create the gene that allows people to eat without getting fat. Thank you, friends for driving to visit! Why do the weekends have to end so quickly? Back to work tomorrow!

Another early Christmas

A few years ago, a group of friends got together and started a tradition known as 'game night.' It used to be that once every 2 or 3 months, we would all get together and bond over board games. Cranium became our signature game and to date, we have played about 4 different versions. Due to people moving away and the clashing of schedules, we have had less game nights in the past year. Despite that, we all make it a point to get together at least every December around since that's when everyone seems to be home. I will always treasure game nights as it was the perfect disguise to our surprise engagement party last year. :)

Claudine hosted this year's Cranium match and it was a success!

A new icebreaker game was introduced by the beautiful Mariel. It's like the game 'telephone' except with pen and paper. It was so much fun to see how a 'hobo' turned into Janet Jackson somewhere down the line.
Games get pretty intense especially when you have to draw with your eyes closed....
...or if you're given a tough piece of trivia to solve...
...but the best part is watching your friends in their attempt to act.
Thanks for hosting Claudine! 'Til next time!
*note to self: i desperately need a hair cut*

We leave for Playa del Carmen tomorrow morning and I cannot be anymore excited! Last night, I took out all my cameras to prepare for the trip. I had a few mishaps.

1) I realized I was low on Polaroid film. Made the trip to Urban Outfitters only to find out that they stopped selling the film as soon as they ran out last month.I knew I should've stocked up.
2) Broke the winder of my Chaika 3 as I tried to figure out how to load the film properly.

I guess I'll have to make do with 2 cameras instead of 4 this time. :) Oh how I love vacations! Wishing you all a fun and safe weekend! I will be back by Christmas Eve so the posts will continue thereafter. Take care dear readers!

Busy weekend up ahead

I don't think I could pull off a peacock feather dress nor would I even want to try!

This weekend will be a busy yet fun one for sure! Tomorrow, we are meeting up with some of our friends from college to see Spring Awakening. On Sunday, we will be at my cousin Melissa's wedding in Claremont. I'll be taking lots of pictures for sure! I'll be catching up on sleep during my short but sweet Thanksgiving break next week. Enjoy the weekend!

Patchwork

Gypsy Den, Sana Ana

Coffee bar inside

I met up with my girlfriends Ella and Jane for brunch at Gypsy Den on Sunday morning. It is the most adorable little cafe and , a vegetarian's paradise. Having grown up in "vege-land," (aka Loma Linda) meat substitutes have become part of my life. We had a wonderful time chatting over "stripples" and "sausage" before heading over to Patchwork. It was definitely hard to keep the wallet in the bag with all the beautifully crafted things there were for sale.I have so much respect for the crafting community especially with all the 'up-cycling' and 're-cycling' that is being done to create un-imaginable works of art.

A shop called The Road Less Traveled hosted classes throughout the day. We were fortunate enough to participate in a finger knitting class. While my friends had gorgeous finished products to take home, I had nothing but a ball of yarn! It was great to try but honestly, I don't think I'm cut out for using my fingers as a loom! Although I must say, that I am even more inspired to continue to craft after attending Patchwork!

Patchwork lined the sidewalks of the space where the event was held

I wanted to take all of these critters home!

A cute little donut Christmas tree ornament

I love how Oh, Hello Friend displayed her necklaces. What a great idea!

Adorable flower rings

More rings and hairpins

I want to make a cute bib necklace just like this!

Jane is trying her hand at finger knitting

Ella with her self-made yarn necklace

For those of you who missed this one-of-a-kind craft fair, there will be another one in Long beach on November 29th. Trust me, you'll want to go!

A Wonderful Fall Weekend

For Marc and I, this weekend was full of great company, music and pleasant weather. So far, it has been one of the best fall weekends yet. On Friday night, we drove half a mile down the street to The District to watch our friend Mike Isberto and Kaleo perform.  Despite the cold outside, it was a wonderful performance. Not to mention, we saw a lot of our friends from Loma Linda there. After the show, we all [except Ken :( ] went to Lee's Sandwiches at UCI and had some good laughs and good food! It was great reuniting with familiar faces.

The "MI Band" as they're known

@ Lee's Sandwiches with my best friend Jane & her hubby David

With the performers Kaleo (left) and Mike (right)

Jordan: Guitarist

Chad: Bassist (my brother!)

On Saturday morning, Marc and I met up with our friends Ella and Shelby at our favorite breakfast place, Bonjour Cafe. I absolutely adore this cafe and have not found any place like it. When we still lived at home (Inland Empire), Marc and I would make it a point to trek out to Dana Point at least once a quarter to indulge in such delicious French breakfast delicacies.

Every time I've gone here, I've forgotten my camera. Not this time! My breakfast is the one on the top right. Fluffy scrambled eggs with goat cheese and chives inside a flaky pastry with mornay sauce on top-can it get any better?

Following breakfast, we took a short walk to a cliff overlooking the harbor. Not to mention, it was a gorgeous day! We had such a beautiful view, especially of the paddle boarders. We drove down there to check out prices on lessons and rentals and before we knew it, Ella and Shelby were up SUP Boarding (Stand-up Paddle Boarding) in no time. Marc and I were not dressed appropriately for the beach so we took off to the breakers, sat on a rock and enjoyed the cool ocean breeze. We all ended up at our place afterwards to hang out before stuffing ourselves at Ruby's Diner for a late lunch. All in all, it was a fabulous day. Thanks partner-in-crime for coming down. Please visit again soon!

This morning, I got in line at OCPAC with The Guilty Ones to purchase our on-stage seating tickets for Spring Awakening. I am now even more excited now as I have my tickets! While I was there, I got tickets to see Rent for Marc and I. I just went to see it in March but Marc hasn't seen it with  the original cast yet (no, i'm not just using him as an excuse, I promise) so it will be EPIC! I hope that I get to meet Anthony Rapp this time around!

I ended the weekend by baking a quarter batch of chocolate chip cookies. Yes, you read that correctly-a quarter. The reason I don't bake so much is because I end up devouring everything myself.  I couldn't find the usual recipe that I make so I settled for a recipe I found here.  Yum yum yum! Once I got the oven going, I didn't turn it off 'til about 4 hours later. Baked salmon, baked mac 'n cheese and baked potatoes followed after the cookies. Oh how I love the weekends and having the time to do fun stuff like making food! Here's to another week!

My cookies & milk