it's quite odd to feel like i'm already starting to show!! my tummy isn't able to be sucked in anymore, and i just look really fat. i totally want a shirt that says, "i'm not fat, i'm pregnant!!" it's silly to have just a slight belly at the moment. i want all or nothing, silly baby!!

it also feels like my tummy is expanding and stretching from time to time. it feels kinda hard when i touch it, and i don't want to stand up straight. i just hunch over while it's pulling and try not to look too out of place. hee hee!!

other than that, things have been very well with me!! i've been enjoying the time off, and getting to see parts of australia that i haven't seen before. i'll have to do a down unda update in just a bit!!

time for a little update!!

i've been having a hard time figuring out what i've wanted to say on my blog after i found out i was pregnant!! james looked at me on the evening of january 1st and said, "you're pregnant. go take a test." i took 3, not believing that he could tell so early on that i was preggers!! and yes, all 3 were positive. :)

only being a day late, i was kinda in shock that i really did have something growing inside of me. james and i had just started trying, and i thought that it may take some time. i am over the moon with joy, excitement, and just a tad bit of anxiety. i keep having dreams that the nursery isn't painted yet!!

it looks like i'm about 11 weeks along right now, putting my due date at september 7th. my doc told me she'd give me a better idea of how far along i am for my next visit!! right now, the baby is 4.37 cm!! i had a doc visit today, and i didn't know what it was for, so i was drinking water all morning in anticipation for another blood/urine sample. turns out, i had my first belly ultrasound!! i was incredibly sad that james wasn't there, but got tears in my eyes when i saw the baby move their feet and also when i heard the heartbeat for the first time!! the ultrasound pics also are starting to look more like a baby, and less like a slug. that's always a good thing!!

james and i had a really fun valentine's day this year!! he took me out to the cheesecake factory earlier in the week so we could really sit down and have a long conversation with yummy food. i had the apartment all decorated, and it was super cute with pink and hearts!! on valentine's day, i made him breakfast in bed. then, we drove up to muir woods and went on a very nice and relaxing hike. it was raining on and off that day, and it was wonderful to walk under these huuuuge trees and not get more than a drop or two on us here and there. it was also fun to do a loop we hadn't done before and really get away from the tourist-y area. after that, we drove to the city for some lunch, and by the time i got home, i was pooped!! i'm starting to feel a bit tired here and there, so instead of cooking james his favorite meal, we had leftovers. don't worry, i cooked it for him the next night!!

tonight, i'm off to australia for 4 weeks!! i'm pumped to be back with james' family for the time and to enjoy the beautiful weather down unda!! hopefully i'll have some more time for some better updates!! :)

christmas fun!!

it was the first christmas for james and i as a married couple, and first christmas together in cali!! we had a blast, and here are just a few of the fun memories we had as a married couple!!

we really jazzed up our apartment this year and i went all out and got snowflake sheets (see previous entry) and snowflake plates. no, they don't match, but they are super cute!! :)

we took our second annual walk in the cold at night at fulton street in palo alto to see the pretty christmas lights. they're not amazing or spectacular, but we really like to go for walks, especially when one whole street is lit up.

christmas morning consisted of our own stocking and present opening, and we had so much fun!! so many yummy treats, tangerines, travel games, and cute nail polish were found in our stockings. james got an electric drill, other tool stuff, wall-e, and some clothes from me, and i got some adorable clothes and the tiffany ring necklace that i had given my bridesmaids!! we're also going on a trip to seattle to see the symphony in a few days which is the last party of our christmas celebration!!

after our own fun, we went to my 'rents house to eat traditional croissants and breakfast and open presents over there. it was the christmas of sparkles for me, with a gorgeous swarovski ring, sparkle converse, and sparkle clothes!! i think my favorite present was actually the coffee ice blended kit from the coffee bean. i am totally excited to make my own favorite chilled coffee drink from the comfort of my own house. purple straws included. james got a crazy huge tool set from my parents, and some more wii games and guns (pew pew!!), and my mom gets to ride in a zeppelin soon!!

once we were done with presents, we got ready for the rest of the fam to come over and have a big celebration!! it is great to see my cousins grow up, catch up with them, and have everyone open presents at the same time. my mom does such a great job at playing hostess. i have no idea how she's been organizing 3 different christmas celebrations each christmas day without being stressed. she's seriously the best!!

james' birthday is the next day, but i had surprised him with a surprise un-birthday party a few weeks earlier while all of his friends were still in town!! since alice in wonderland is his favorite movie, i thought i'd go with that as a theme for his birthday party, buying party decorations in disneyland last may!! he was totally surprised, and we all had a blast. i think the best part was that since it was in the evening, james' family was able to call in and see the surprise via the computer cam!! i'm so excited that they were able to be there to see his face and wish him a happy birthday. :)

luckily james has had lots of time off of work, and we've been spending lots of time together. the real only reason for that is because we've both had icky colds, and are trying to man up so we're ready for our trip to seattle!! james has booked us tickets to see my favorite song, beethoven's ninth, and we have a few days to hang out and see the city. i've been there once before for just 2 days, so hopefully we can see the fun things i saw last time, and a few new places as well. like the boeing factory. you read that right...james is pumped. and i'll do it cause i love him so. :)

all right, i think those are the latest updates from me. most of the pictures from the events i mentioned are found on my facebook page!! check em out!! :)

i've built such a cute and cuddly nest!!

i made such a fun and cheap find last week that i have to share it with you all!! i bet it's something that everyone already knows, but since i was in the dark, i will assume that there may be someone else out there who is as well. i was browsing target's site last week and found the most adorable sheets - cream colored with red snowflakes.

random.

but i've always wanted holiday sheets!! when i was younger, i used to get my mom's potter barn catalog in the mail before she could read it so i could see the pretty holiday sheets and think of how cool it would one day be to have my own christmas sheets!!

so i saw an adorable sheet set for $19.99 and almost peed on myself with excitement. yes, that's even the price for california king!! i can't even get a king-sized pillowcase set for under $50 that's really really soft at bed, bath, and beyond!! the sheets had a few great reviews, so i said, "what the heck...it's not that much!!" i also found a more expensive red snowflake quilt and pillow set, and i went for it. the total of that was still less than what i pay for sheets at b,b&b!!

they arrived yesterday, and i dolled up the bed to surprise james. it's seriously really cute, and the sheets are OMG, OH SOOOO COMFY!! i'm a big sleeper, and love my comfortable jammies, sheets, and blankets. these sheets are the softest sheets i've ever slept in, and i think everyone should go out and treat themselves to this cheap indulgence!!

i'm addicted!!

juuuust whistle while i look for work!!

in this fabulous economy and time of low low low unemployment rates, it's been oh so fun looking for a job!!

james is happy with me being at home ("now you could be a stay at home mum!"), i'm getting kinda cramped and ready to get back out in the working world after my really fun honeymoon and taking care of my little cousin all last week.

if you're aware of any opportunities in the hr or recruiting world, please don't hesitate to let me know!!

hugs!!

honeymoon update: week 2!!

sunday - we decided that this would be our day off!! we stayed in and watched football all day. woohoo!!

monday - james and i went snorkeling back at kapalua beach. unfortunately, the water was choppy, and we saw the crazy stalker fish again! i felt sick, it started to rain, we went back early and i tried to feel better and we watched the sunset.

tuesday - james got me dramamine, so i took it all day but didn't totally feel better. walked to lunch, randomly found a japanese restaurant using some new app on james' iPhone. they served appetizers, and we had fun trying things from tempura to ribs to oysters to cow tongue.

wednesday - we drove up to haleakala in the morning and i felt slightly better. i wasn't feeling the best, and that was with the dramamine. it was super cold at the top of the mountain and totally awesome views. it was interesting to look at all the clouds from above!! and a few moving through you. i slept on the way home from the drugs and we relaxed and watched the sunset again on the beach. this time, i jumped in the ocean in my clothes, and it was so much fun!! it's really nice and warm, no matter what time of day. :)

thursday - we tried to snorkel at the first spot, but it was totally choppy, and lots of crap in the water like leaves/tree branches so went to the best beach and relaxed. i love the way it sounds when we're snorkeling!! it's like rice krispies (or rice bubbles as aussies say) in the ocean!!

oh, and i love all the fresh fruit here!! the pineapple is unbelievable - like dried pineapple since it's so sweet. i also like the star fruit. it's like a pear, apple, and orange had a baby. hee hee!!

friday - hung out at wailea beach, saw 007, and ate at a thai place right next to the movie theaters. it was nice to relax today before we're off!!

saturday - took the ferry back to ouahu and filed the police report for james' camera and enjoyed one more night at the moana surfrider!! i'm so spoiled!!

oh, and i can't remember if i wrote about this in my last blog entry, but be careful of the ferry in hawaii!! it says it's leaving at 6:30, but it always leaves half an hour early. get there an hour and a half before it leaves, so you can check in and get a good seat on the ferry. i really don't understand how it's so hard to leave on-time or just change the time on the tickets. i'm sure i'm not the first to encounter this...

all in all, james and i totally loved hawaii!! it's weird to be back now and wearing socks for the first time in a few weeks. luckily it's not cold or rainy here yet, so it's not like our last big trip when we came back from australia with great tans, and it was super cold and wet. a nice slow transition into reality is always nice!!

i'm trying to write a quick bit about our first week in hawaii that hopefully has some good notes about what we're doing and actually makes a little sense!! please forgive my crappy writing/spelling as i'm just trying to get out all the information on our fun week!! :) oh, and i'll update about the wedding reception in just a bit.

we started our journey on the plane, and were told that we got to play a game while on the flight. "oh boy," i thought, "scrabble for 300." the captain got on the intercom and told us we'd be estimating the time (in local hawaii time) we'd be at the geographic mid-point of the flight. he gave us the time we left, approximate time we'd arrive, speed we were traveling, and the air resistance we were experiencing. james busted out his iphone to take advantage of the calculator, and took some time in making his calculations. a guy next to me spent about 20 minutes on his, and i looked down at the paper and thought, "i'm just going to go with an average given the starting and ending time." that got me around 9:50 or 9:55, and i thought i should guess 9:53 cause 3 is my lucky number. we also had to add in seconds, so i put 30, just cause it was the middle. we turned in our papers, and while i didn't get the closest, i was the second closest!! the woman who got first was 15 seconds off, and i was 17 seconds off!! so much for james and his so-called "math" skills. hahahahahahah!! i did end up winning a gift certificate for hilo hattie that i still haven't been inside of....

we arrived to warm weather ("perfect" as our pilot stated) and then we were off to the moana surfrider. um hello, this is the most amazing resort i've ever been to!! it's small compared to others located around us, but is beautiful and stands out as THE place you want to be at. there are large rocking chairs on the porch, so you can sit, rock, and watch the world go by. the lobby is opened up (no windows or doors) and full or large comfy chairs. the back has nice comfy chairs and tables along with a restaurant, bar, pool, and private part of the beach reserved for guest and an umbrella and beach chairs. we had an ocean view room, and it was incredibly comfortable with a beautiful view. i loved the sound of the ocean at night, too. juuust perfect. :)

sunday - i believe we just spent today swimming and walking around, checking out the shops.

monday - we drove around a ton of oahu and found a random beach and cool rock pool. we hung out for bit hear and got to hear the monday morning tsunami warning. let me tell you, it's REALLY REALLY loud. :) after that, we drove down to check out the uss missouri. i was super duper tired by the end of walking around this huge battleship, but it was awesome to see the place where WWII ended.

tuesday - breakfast downstairs at the moana (soooo delicious and right next to the ocean), trip to monoa falls. it's the perfect little hike, not too short - not too long. then grabbed a drink at the coffee bean since we were dripping hung out at the ocean and pool again. i did some shopping, and grabbed dinner to go so james could watch the election results. i got a text as the sun was setting and the whole sky was pink. great news and a beautiful moment near honolulu (where obama's grandma lived). i am so proud to be an american.

wednesday - early trip on ferry to maui. we barely made it on in time since they told us it would leave at 6:30, but we actually left at 6. it took us 3 hours, and we had a little nap, got some food, and sat and watched the sunset on the beach once we arrived. got a nice walk in after as it slowly got dark.

thursday - we rented snorkel gear for a week - $25 for fins/mask/snorkel, and great directions to a spot not many go to. james taught me how to use everything, and even dive down to see the very bottom. we saw maybe 20 different types of fish and freaked out at each one. i love snorkeling, and may never come back to the bay area!!

friday - snorkeling again and i saw a three legged turtle!! well, james saw him and we followed him as he swam away from the crowd. it was unreal to swim with him, and i hope that he's doing well without a leg!! we also checked into a cute b&b. it's called kai's bed and breakfast, and it's slightly different that a normal b&b. we have a nice place with a small fridge, sink, microwave, and kitchen area, but breakfast consists of a few muffins, fruit, and sunny d delivered in a basket the night before. not really the "breakfast" one's given while staying at a b&b, but it's nice and quiet when the dog and rooster aren't waking you up at dawn. :) i think it's nicer than the hotel we were just staying at. it doesn't get as hot, and has free washing/drying, beach towels, sunscreen, snorkeling gear.

saturday - snorkeling again...surprise surprise!! we went to this beach: and apparently it was voted THE best beach in the US. it was super hard to find, but james was a great looker, and driver!! once we got on the beach, i knew this was going to be fun. we put our feet in in water, and a fishie swam up to us!!! omg!! it was the clearest water ever, and a fishie actually swam up to our toes!!

we put our snorkeling gear and hopped in the water!! i freaked out when i saw i rock jump in the sand!! i thought my eyes were fooling me, so i looked down at this rock, and then noticed he had red and yellow fins!! i got so excited that i tapped james on the shoulder, spit out the mouthpiece, and swallowed a ton of sea water. i finally told him that there was a rock fish and it jumped for us a bit more!! we saw like 6 new fishies this time, and the water was so clear and the beach was pretty small and private. all perfect except for a STALKER fish!! OMGOMGOMG!! this greenish fish with white polka dots and weird fins that made circular motions while he swam was our friend at first. we had never seen a fish like this before, and he just sort of hung out with us. but i slowly grabbed james' hand, and swam behind him cause that fishie was scaring the crap outta me. he followed us everywhere, even when james tried to make him go away without touching him. we finally hadn't seen him in a minute or two, and decided to hop out since we had been swimming for a while. i felt something odd behind me as we were getting out of the surf, and i turned around. oh hello...that crazy ass fish was behind us!!!!! i totally screamed and james came to my rescue again!! i got my fins off and got outta that ocean!! james said that fish was being all nuts and he hopped out as well. i still had a blast at that unreal area to snorkel, and i'm sure i'll be out there again soon.

here's a link that james and i have worked on to show others our fun times and cool spots we've found!! i've tried to write details about parking for snorkeling spots, and we were very specific about where we placed the markers. hopefully it's helpful to anyone else going in the future, or for us when we return!! here it is!!

this weekend was a ton of fun, and flew by a bit faster than i expected! on saturday james, erik, and i went to the cal game. i felt so badly because i was really craving a pretzel, so i asked james to get up when the game felt like it was dragging on and on. of course that's when cal decides to get all fancy and bust out a flea-flicker. james missed it live, but i guess saw it on the tv as he was buying my snack!! hee hee!! sorry!!

after that, we grabbed a lite dinner of salad and garlic bread at tomatina and then headed to deanza college to watch a pink floyd laser show. i know...how random!! james loves pink floyd, and really, why not hang out and watch a laser interpretation inside a planetarium. hehehehhehe!! it was pretty cool, and i'd totally do it again. they have other bands they do shows for like U2 and the beatles, so that will be on my to-do list at some point. :)

yesterday, i started the day with a bagel with james, shona, and kynan, and then off to mani-pedis with shona and the roomies!! such a nice way to pamper yourself, and i decided to go bright pink for the wedding reception, not a boring french manicure. it's my party and i'll pink it up if i want to!! :) after that, we had a very delicious meal at a thai restaurant in downtown mountain view that i haven't tried before. luckily shona's been to thailand like 8 times, so she said this one was the most authentic. it wasn't that spicy even though we did ask for it, but everything was very fresh, and my mouth still tastes like cilantro.

this week, i'm doing a few last minute things for the reception, and then halloween on friday!! i've also got to fit packing for the honeymoon in there, but i know it will all work out!! after saturday's big party, james and i will be gone to hawaii for two weeks!! i'm pretty sure i won't be updating this thing very often, so sorry i'm gone for a bit!! i can't wait for a tropical vacation, and i'm spoiled by james to be gone for so long, and have NO idea what we're doing while we're there!! that boy loves his adventures, and i'm sure i'll have really fun stores when i return.

oh, and what are you all doing for halloween? i think i'm dressing up as linda richman from coffee talk, and having a few friends over for halloween movies/treats. i'm not going all out and having a huge party like i thought i'd try to pull off, just with the reception the next day and all. i've got my halloween candy treat bags ready, and i'm making caramel apples and halloween cupicakes later this week. izze has cute halloween cans, so those are chillin in the fridge, and i'll probably have a few easy snacks for the evening. oh, and i need to carve my pumpakin, but i'm not sure what i want to do yet. hopefully a bit of inspiration comes my way in the next day or two!!

see you all in a bit!!

something that i'll actually watch on tv is sports. of course i'm a huge football/baseball/hockey fan, and i love going to games in person, but something has been different this past year or so. i haven't been excited to watch the a's or giants in person, let alone more than a few innings. the same goes for hockey. i only went to one game last season, as opposed to my usual 10-15.

i still enjoy cal football, and i wonder if it's just because i know they'll never make it to the rose bowl. i have faith in my other teams, and just seem to feel really depressed after they choke in the playoffs. i wonder if i'll ever get back into it like i used to be.

as i mentioned in a previous post, i'm a big halloween nut, and am bouncing that it's coming up!! the apartment and desk were covered in my fun decorations a day or two before october started. gotta get the most use out of it as i can!! :)

i am putting together candy bags, baking halloween cupcakes, and making caramel apples. i was going to have a little par-tay, but thought it might be over the top as my reception is the following day. :) i WAS going to pass out all the goodies at work, but i have just found out that google no longer wants to continue the vendor recruiting program that i was a part of, so i'm out looking for a new job!

it's sort of happy and sad at the same time. i've loved working for google for these past 2 years. i've made amazing friends, eaten foods i've never tried at delicious cafes, and of course, met my wonderful husband here. the opportunity has been great, and on the other hand, i'm a little frightened to throw my resume out there as it seems everyone is being laid off or trying to find something new and exciting.

i'm convinced that something will work out, and until then, i can only do my best to apply apply apply everywhere. i can't wait to see where the next chapter of my life will take place. :)

november 28th - espresso truffle

sounds ah-may-zing!!

sprinkles cupcakes is finally open in palo alto!!

i got 2 dozen and it only took 30 minutes in line!! i was expecting a bit more of a wait with the line we were in, but the staff was super fast with everyone's order.

i won't be eating all of them (darn!!), but i'm sooo excited that a great cupcake shop is so close to me!! but so embarrassed with my excitement, as i ducked every time the camera crews there were filming!!

red velvet, here i cooooooome!!

i am totally spoiled at work. i honestly hope that the novelty never wears off that i get to eat the most delicious food!! i tried a new cafe today, and had grilled korean beef, a yummy salad of iceberg lettuce with chipotle ranch dressing, tortilla strips, cheddar, scallions and tomatoes. i also enjoyed a small slice of margherita pizza, some seared ahi, and two california rolls smothered in roe. dessert was some fresh summer fruit and figs filled with orange flower scented mascarpone.

no wonder there are so many people working out in the afternoons.

at least everything is in small servings. i keep telling myself that to justify what i ate today. woohoo!!

p.s. do you also think it's hilarious that my work cafes are listed on yelp? how many people do you think have done a search for a cafe specializing in tapas, and been totally bummed to know they couldn't go in, because it wasn't a restaurant?

*grumble grumble*

i was hoping that my recent surge in jogging was actually getting rid of all pain in my poor little ankles. they haven't been too bad after longer runs, but this cooler weather is totally killing them!! i just want to soak them in a hot tub all day long or ice them (ouch!) to get rid of the aches.

on a happier note, all of my halloween plans are coming together. i was going to host a little par-tay after the goog shindig, but now i'm thinking i may not with oh, you know, the wedding reception being the next day. hahahahahahahahah!! i'm thinking of doing fun candy bags, cupcakes, and caramel apples for everyone instead!! oh, and the cupcakes are going to be soooo outta control!! i can't wait for october so i can actually start decorating our place!! can you tell that halloween is my favorite holiday??

I don't feel the sun's comin' out today
It's staying in, it's gonna find another way.
As I sit here in this misery,
I don't think I'll ever, no lord, see the sun from here.
And oh as I fade away,
They'll all look at me and say, and they'll say,
"Hey look at him, I'll never live that way."
But that's okay, they're just afraid to change. (change, blind melon)

all right, kiddies. big big changes on my blog today!! for the past 6 years, i've been using a template that jackson was so kind enough to create for me. sorry jax, but it's time for an upgrade. thanks for helping me find the perfect shade of pink years ago!! the old blog was a beauty, but it was time for an overhaul.

i might have a few more minor changes as i add/delete settings. also, all the old comments are gone, so it's time to start over and tell me how you really feel!! :)

i grabbed this questionnaire from another blog. i'm really bored right now, so i get to do it. and if you're bored enough, you can read it. woohoo!! :)

1. What time did you get up this morning? alarm went of at 7:30, our neighbor's smoke detector was beeping around 5...grrrrrrrr
2. Diamonds or pearls? honestly, either, but i love my sparkly diamonds!!!
3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Wall-E, and it was so cute and i love it and and and...sigh....
4. What is your favorite show? i don't watch many shows, just sports and netflix...but maybe The Office
5. What do you usually have for breakfast? i'm so bad..i don't normally eat brekky cause my tummy isn't awake. maybe something small like a glass of milk or tea or coffee and a banana.
6. What is your middle name? danger
7. What food do you dislike? mushrooms and curry.
8. What is your favorite CD at the moment? maybe across the universe, cause that's what's in my car right now.
9. What kind of car do you drive? a shiny bmw 328i. vroom vroom!!
10. Favorite sandwich? tuna is always a winner.
11. What characteristic do you despise? dishonesty
12. Favorite item of clothing? new betsey johnson shoes!!
13. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go? i'm really looking forward to my honeymoon in hawaii, but maybe back to europe!!
14. Are you an organized person? hell to the yes!!
15. Where would you retire to? i have nothing specific in mind yet. i love the bay, so i won't rule that out!! :)
16. What was your most recent memorable birthday? my last birthday was also my bachelorette party!! it was all about me all day, and it was amazing!!
17. What are you going to do after you finish this? go grab some lunch.
18. Furthest place you are sending this? not sending it anywhere.
19. Person you expect to send it back first? see above.
20. When is your birthday? in may. duh.
21. What is your shoe size? 9
22. Pets? not yet!!!
23. Any new and exciting news? i found iridescent bags yesterday!! ping me if you're REALLY REALLY bored to hear the story!! :)
24. What did you want to be when you were little? a mommy. that was always my answer when my daddy asked me.
25. How are you today? pretty darn good since i have a latte in mah belly.
26. What is your favorite flower? i love so many!! i'm a big roses and hydrangeas gal.
27. What are you listening to right now? typing from co-workers
28. What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to? november 1st!! reception!!
29. What was the last thing you ate? a banana
30. Do you wish on stars? always!!
31. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? magenta with iridescent sparkles!!
32. How is the weather right now? wonderful!! lots of sun with a little breeze.
33. Last person you spoke to on the phone? my husband. <3
34. Favorite soft drink? dr. pepper!!
35. Favorite restaurant? taco bell. i'm easy to please, yo!
36. Hair color? brown
37. What was your favorite toy as a child? don't make me pick!! tie for barbies and leggos. i looooved dressing up my million barbies and the huge wardrobes i had for each!!
39. Summer or Winter? this answer varies, depending on the time of year. i love summer, but i'm looking forward to winter!! lots of cuddly clothes and hot chocolate and soup!!
40. Chocolate or Vanilla? vanilla!!!!
41. Coffee or tea? coffee, but i love my tea!!
42. Do you want your friends to email you back? i guess...
43. When was the last time you cried? yesterday. silly pms.
44. What is under your bed? wedding stuff and a fan.
45. What did you do last night? had an amazing workout, then dinner and cuddles with my james.
46. What are you afraid of? anything in the dark!!
47. Salty or sweet? both. i always crave salty snacks, but i love sweet things like bubble gum and lollipops. :)
48. How many keys on your key ring? 3
49. How many years at your current job? 2
50 Favorite day of the week? probably saturday!! i don't have to think about going to work the next day, and there are always lots of fun things planned!! :)

i just love this picture of the sydney harbour bridge. i still can't believe i got engaged at the very top!! that james sure likes an adventure, and i'm so glad that i'm along for the ride. le sigh. <3

ahhhhh, my moment of zen.

i've been blogging quite a bit about food lately!! you know what keeps this girl happy!! after a great workout at the gym yesterday (including lots of jumping rope!!), it was off to aldo for dinner. james and i really like this restaurant, and it had been far too long since we had been.

i love aldo, because the fare here is incredibly light and fresh, and lunch/dinner never seem to "sit" with you like some italian places. also, they serve authentic italian food, which i love much more than what the olive garden passes off as bona fide italian. don't get me wrong, i enjoy the food at the OG, it's just not real italian cuisine.

we enjoyed an amazingly fresh caprese salad, and a great bottle of cab sav. i'm so happy that james loves cab sav as much as i do!! he had the lamb, and i had quite possibly the BEST SALMON EVER!! i know, people...get excited!! i had the salmon with lemon infused olive oil, roasted potatoes and sauteed spinach. it was one of the most remarkable meals i've had, and really wonderful after such a hard workout!! of course i had to top it off with the affogato classico. i love love love espresso, and this reminds me of one of my favorite desserts from belgium. espresso + vanilla ice cream + small cafe = love.

such a special night with the man i adore. life is superb. <3

birthday celebration for the boss: strawberry shortcake and champagne with st. germain. THE perfect dessert/adult drink combo on a summer afternoon.

i have a confession to make. i went to fentons late last night with james and his friend wanted something sweet after our amazing sushi. yes, people...we drove from mountain view to oakland for ice cream!!

since i was so stuffed and not expecting to fit my normal black and tan in my belly, i thought it would be appropriate to try something small...something i'd never had before!! dun dun DUUUUUN!! i've never actually looked at the bottom of the menu, and found that fentons bakes their own pies!! SOLD!!

i enjoyed the perfect summer treat, fresh peach pie with a huge scoop of vanilla on top. it was sweet and wonderful and everything i had hoped for. if you are a fentons and pie person, i strongly recommend this as your dessert choice next time you're in town.

oh, and james' friend got the banana special. pics to come!!