The Beach House

This year, my wonderful parents rented a beach house in Oceanside, Ca. for our whole family to enjoy. We arrived Saturday before Thanksgiving and enjoyed an early Thanksgiving meal on Sunday. The rest of our time there consisted of relaxing, walking on the beach, reading, playing video games, eating way to much food, sleeping, drinking, and enjoying eachother's company. Sadly, our time at the Beach house went by too quickly as it always does, and we left on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving day.

Mom and Dad, we had such a wonderful time. We are so grateful for all that you do. We hope that you know how special you are to us. Giving this opportunity for all of us to spend time with one another has established so many fond memories for us to look back on. We love you.

My wonderful parents

My brother-in-law, Josh and sister, Mandy



The Family: From Left (back): Rick, Mom, Dad, Josh

From Left (Front): Me (Lena), Grandma, Grandpa, and Mandy


Just us...

Donuts and Baseball

Last Sunday, Rick and I traveled to San Francisco with our dear friends, Blake and Becky. We met early Sunday morning, grabbed a coffee and headed to the city. Rick and I wearing our Giants hats, and Blake and Becky wearing blue...Dodgers, that is. It was a peaceful ride...seriously, it was. On the way down there, Becky told us about a show she watched that week that was "all about bacon." On the show they featured a donut shop located in San Francisco that made homeade maple bacon donuts....mmmmmmmmmm. Let's just say, the car turned to auto pilot and in no time we were at Dynamo Donuts and Coffee. Let me tell you, as an inconsistent "vegetarian"(I don't eat four legged animals, but sneak it in occasionally), this adventure away from tofu was AMAZING...Here are a few pictures and a video review:


After our fun and sugar filled trip to Dynamo's, we headed off to AT&T Park to see the Giants and Dodgers battle it out! It was a lovely day and we had the perfect view of the bay. And of course, a baseball game is not a baseball game without a hotdog and a beer...and garlic fries. Yum yum! Ending score: 7-2...Giants win!

Baltimore/Washington DC

In April, Rick and I headed to East Coast to visit our dear friends, Ben and Laurin Wilkinson. At that time, they lived in Baltimore, Maryland. While we were visiting we traveled to Washington DC as well as Pennsylvania. We had a wonderful time, and saw many beautiful sites! Here are some pictures of our time back east.

Rick and I enjoying a beautiful morning on the Harbor in Baltimore.

Laurin and I eating the famous Maryland Crab Cakes....sooo good!!!


During our trip, we traveled to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and ate at a restaurant that used to be home that housed slaves in the underground railroad.









We also had a spectacular time touring our nation's capital. It was very crowded (we went during Spring Break) but we enjoyed all of the beautiful sites!

While we were waiting for our private tour of the capital, our guide allowed us to sit in our Senator's chair and took a picture of us outside on the balcony.

The Korean War Memorial.


The World War II Memorial.

The White House


The Washington Monument.


The Marine Corps War Memorial aka Iwo Jima Memorial.
This memorial was beautiful and Rick's favorite spot in Washington. It was amazing!

Swan Oyster Depot

Rick and I are celebrating our 5th wedding anniversary this weekend!!! To celebrate we drove out to San Francisco for the day and ate at Swan Oyster Depot, which is our favorite "hot spot" in the bay. Although very small...and somewhat uncomfortable on the tush (the stools are hard), the food is FRESH and the experience is awesome!!! If you like seafood this place is a must!!! And believe us when we say...if there is a line...wait it out...it is definitely worth it!

Here are some pictures and a review!


First opened in 1912, this historic fish market is also a famed oyster bar that draws fans both near and far. If you're visiting San Francisco, this is one place you should stop by for breakfast, lunch, or a midday break. Nevermind the tourist-y spot of Fisherman's Wharf. The Swan Oyster Depot in Nob Hill offers its own great menu of seafood favorites, from fresh shrimp cocktails to a bowl of steaming clam chowder. And what's more, the dining experience is truly unique, one you're not likely to forget.


Indeed despite its popularity and renown, the establishment remains simple and modest. The marble countertop provides surface for dining, with a mere 22 barstools lined for seating. Dining conditions may seem tight, but it helps maintain the spot's "hole in the wall" charm. Visited by local regulars daily, the landmark is also discovered by new patrons every hour, on the hour. When you arrive, you'll likely find a queue (during lunch, a long one!), but the wait is well worth it. Plus, the line moves quickly. Before you know it , it'll be your turn to sit at the bar for an order of clams, cracked crab, or shrimp salad.

True to its old-fashioned, mom 'n' pop feel, the Swan Oyster Depot does not accept reservations, nor does it take credit cards. Cash only.

1517 Polk Street / Between California and Sacramento Streets

Napa Trip

Last week Rick and I spent two days and one night in beautiful Napa, Ca. This was a first trip to the wine country for me...I know, it's a shocker to all you who know my love for wine! We stayed in a beautiful french inspired Bed and Breakfast called Maison Fleurie.
We stayed in the Carriage House. It is right off the pool/garden area and has a King sized bed, fireplace, and an amazing jetted tub!!! We were so relaxed there. The staff was wonderful. The inn offered a bountiful breakfast, afternoon wine and hors d'oeuvres, home-baked cookies, refreshing sodas, evening turndown service, and morning newspaper delivery. Rick and I enjoyed ourselves and will be back to stay.

During our day in Napa we took advantage of the many wineries, including my absolute favorite "St. Supery". Their Cabernet Sauvignon is fabulous and I was looking forward to the visit. The experience was incredible. St. Supery Winery offered a full tour of the winery that included a full explanation of the wine making process as well as information on wine tasting (basically, what to look, smell, and taste for when you are tasting). After the tour, Rick and I sat at the wine bar and shared a tasting of their wonderful wines. A wonderful woman named Laurie poured for us and explained each wine perfectly. We especially appreciated her allowing us to taste their vintage 98 Ellu Cabernet...which was fantastic by the way! We enjoyed each and every wine that she poured for us, so in the end we joined their wine club and will be receiving two bottles every two months. I was very satisfied with this experience and will be re-visit St. Supery whenever I am in Napa.

Rick and I ate very well when we were there! We had a picnic on the grounds of V. Sattui winery. They have a wonderful deli on the property and we took advantage of their cold tri-tip sandwich and vegan pasta salad. We also had a tasting there and bought a bottle of Madeira.
For dinner we ate at a local restaurant called The Mustard Grill. For our appetizer, we shared Sweet Corn Tamales with wild mushrooms, tamatillo-avocado salsa, and pumkin seeds. A "must" if you ever visit! For dinner, Rick had the Truckstop Deluxe steak dinner with yukon potatoes and asparagus...it was delicious! I had the carrot and celery root gnucci...mmmmmm...the best!

www.mustardsgrill.com

And then...for lunch the next day, we ate at the famous Taylor's Automatic Refresher! Rick had the Blue Cheese burger and a mint n chip shake and I had the bacon burger with a soft drink....and we split the sweet potatoe fries! Soooo good!

Our trip to Napa, although short, was a perfect getaway!