French Dinning!

I have a lot of catching up to do on my blog. I am going to start with something a little more recent though...Last Night!

Gabe had told me about a really good special they were having at his restaurant which was a 3 course meal for 18.00!

Yesterday we had reservations for 4!
Sean and Julia joined us and we all started off with some Champagne cocktails. I had the Chanel cocktails which was champagne with Strawberry Liquor and had some fresh sliced strawberries as the garnish, Julia I think had the French 75 which is champagne with Cognac and lemon which..it may have been called something else.

I of course had to order the Raspberry lemondrop martini too!

We all decided with a appetizer which Julia and I both never had tried and thought we would be up for trying something new...STEAMED MUSSELS..Spanish style. They were served in a pot full of a steamy saffron ,garlic and butter broth and had Spanish chorizo..I would have to say it was pretty good but I still could not get pass the look of the mussel..it grossed me out but I did eat 3!

After a salad and some sharing off of Gabe's french onion soup dinner was served. We all ofcourse order the Filet Mignon over a mash potato and fresh buttery steamed veggies all tied together with a brandy peppercorn sauce.....it was delish!

After dinner it was dessert and espresso. Well Sean and Julia got the espresso's Gabe and I opted out.

Gabe got the chocolate mousse with fresh berries and I got the floating Island. It was basically a baked meringue floating on a creamy vanilla sauce with berries and there was a very rich thin drizzling of caramel over the meringue..so delish!

We pretty much closed up the place...I just love the lighting and ambiance at this place.

Us gals waiting for the gents to use the restroom before hitting the road.

All of us. I will definitely being go back to dinner here to take advantage again of the 18.00 3 course meal special...maybe even next weekend! Bon Appetite

Ready for Take Off!!

A couple weekends ago Gabe and I were discussing how we never really ever traveled anywhere out of the country before since we been together and so it was decided..next Summer we are thinking of going to Italy for 7 days. I am meeting with a travel agent this weekend to discuss the financial plan.

We decided since we will be gone for a week we are going to take the kids as well. I think they are at good ages to travel. Ava will almost be 3 by that point.

Anyways, while we were discussing this Parker overheard the convo and said he did not want to go cause he is afraid to fly. He seems to have a phobia with planes maybe cause I have a Phobia with planes and he over hears me..who knows.
First of all he is afraid the plane will crash, then second he is afraid he may get air sick.
I actually think he would rather enjoy flying so I been thinking about trying to break his fear on a short plane trip to maybe Vegas for the weekend.

I was thinking maybe in November sometime Gabe and I and the kids just leave one Friday afternoon and spend a weekend in Vegas. There is so much for the kids to see. We can take them to see the lions at MGM, The Jousting at Ex caliber, the circus at Circus Circus etc...

Well hopefully it will work!

My Girls Getaway Desire

Last night I finally got to see the Sex and the City Movie and it got me to thinking...I am really jonesing for a Girls Getaway! Last time I had a girls getaway was I believe in June to wine country and it was seriously the greatest time even though I wish more of my gal pals came.
There is nothing like having great girlfriends to vent to, to share secrets with, to laugh with, to listen and share advice and thoughts with. It is nice to just feel free with those special gals and know that there is no judgement and in some instances we can all relate to each other. I have a few great girlfriends I can share so much with and I am so thankful for them. I share special time with my gals but to throw in a uncharted destination or even a old favorite place where we can all just be girls is the icing on the cake.
No men,kids, in laws, roommates to have to deal with ..just fun quality time with your girlfriends and that is exactly what I am dying to do

I do have a September 19th Spa girls day planned out with some very special gals coming up at Glen Ivy..which is perfect because I been wanting to go..we are just going for a day but hey that is something

I really want is a few days away with my gals with nice weather, great scenery, and of course a nice cocktail in hand..like I will take this place! Maybe even a flight to another state, or a cruise, or even Vegas. I am just ready...with the move and expenses these past couple months I have been holding a pretty tight belt but I am finally starting to see a light at the end of the tunnel.

To Cut or Not to Cut?

So my wonderful flat iron finally died so I been wearing my hair basically in a pony tail the past week. I really am having issues too with the gray hairs.
Anyway I am dying to do something with my hair and debating on cutting it again..I really would like for it to grow out. I am withholding to do anything though until I go on my New York trip....so the question is to cut or not to cut.
If I do decide to cut it I am probably going to do this..

However I am thinking about growing it out and just doing it classic pin up Betty Page style like this....

I guess I will know what to do when the time comes.

The Scorpions

This past Saturday Night Holly and I went to the Nokia to see The Scorpions.
Holly got 2 free tickets and she took me. It was quite the interesting evening equipped with heavy metal heads, lots of booze, zz top beard fondling, split drinks, rough housing, and ending up in Malibu at the end of the night.
What else would you expect from a Heavy metal concert..... I was a bit disappointed though that they did not play any of the Main stream songs that I know.
My first and probably last heavy metal concert I will probably attend..but you never know!

PDT!!!

So last time I was in New York my co workers took me for a girls night on the town in the East Village. We went and had drinks then got the beer munchies so we all walked over to Crif Dogs. It was just a total little dive hot dog place. When we were there waiting for our order of gourmet dogs and waffle fries with cheese sauce Mariette was telling me about the cool Phone booth inside.

This phone booth was secretly the entrance to this hidden Speakeasy type bar.
When you pick up the receiver a women answers the other line and if you are on THE LIST then the wall opens up on the inside to let you in the joint.

We tried to get in but they would not allow us cause the place was already booked solid with reservations. Anyway I been dying to go back to this place and one of my co workers from the NY office was down and I was telling her about the place and she knew what I was talking about exactly...it's called PDT ( Please don't Tell). Anyways on my Trip to NY we are all going to make reservations to go.

You have to call between 3 and 3:30 to get a spot reserved but the locals tell me that sometimes you can just try and get in and they will either call you when your seat is ready or you sometimes get lucky and they let you right in.
This is the outside of Crif Dogs..... you walk down the steps to get in

Once your in..it is just a regular hot dog dive with stools and a counter to eat your dogs...

Her is the entrance to the phone booth

Once inside here is the bar where the drinks are skillfully crafted with Delicious gourmet cocktails that are Built for you.

They use so many fancy ingredients..but I hear they come at a price ..rounding to 14.00 a drink!

The place is full of these really old school rat pack style booths. I hear if you are just sitting around and not having a drink they have the right to kick you out.

Here is a small photo of me last time i was in NY standing in the booth.

I so can't wait to go check this place out...I hear it is a great experience.

It has some pretty interesting reviews on yelp too.

I am already mapping out some other places to check as well....I am getting excited!

Bright Lights...Big City

I still have not found my camera cord so I have not posted anything in awhile..Soon...maybe tonight I will go on the hunt again!

Anyways I got some great news today at work...I am going to NEW YORK...not all fun and games though..going for a week to work work work however I know I will manage to make sometime in the evening to wine and dine and take in some bright lights of the city! My co workers in New York seem to be excited too that I am coming back and promised to take me to see the sights...it's been almost 3 years since I been to New York and it was in the winter so it was hard to go out at night when it was freezing cold and snowing but this time it will be Summer in New York!
I don't know the official dates yet but it will be in the next few weeks..I am so very excited...Good thing I got a head start on my workout and diet..gotta fit into my fashionable attire for a least one night of Cosmo's in the Big City!

No Photos..

So once again I managed to loose my camera cord ..so I will not be posting up any of the pictures I took this weekend til later in the week ( If I find the cord).
anyways the weekend consists of BBQ's, Wine, Friends, children, Lemonade stands and tons of shopping....stay tuned!

The Summer To Do list..lots of vino

There are so many things I want to do before the summer is over and so many things I have lined up.

First Stop is the OC Fair! The hubby and I with the kids go every year. We like it cause it is much smaller then that LA county fair (which we go to that every year as well) and we can pretty much see everything. We love to stop and do a little wine tasting at their wine court area and go see shows and let Parker go on rides and play games. Usually every year we hit up a concert too but there is really no one I want to see there this year..except maybe for that Smiths Coverband for shits and giggles.

Moving along Gabe and I are dying to get out annual passports renewed for some warm summer nights and cool fall days at Disneyland. There were due in February but it was right before the summer months and I don't care for going to Disneyland in the dead heat of summer and the crowds..oh boy the crowds

Gabe and I usually love to go do a wine tasting at California adventure before we go into Disneyland..it's like our normal routine..it's just small tastings but it helps us relax through the hectic grounds of both amusement parks

Every summer Gabe and I take the kids (well now kids since I have two now) to the Water park. We usually go to wild rivers cause it is cheap and it has less hills to climb like Raging waters. We took Ava last year and she LOVED it. Of course we could not take her on major water slides but she had fun floating was us down the lazy river and they have a kiddie water park play area that she had a blast in. I think this year though we will go to Raging waters or maybe even Soak City..since we are considering also getting annual passports to Knott's as well and it includes Soak City....No wine tastings here....

SOLVANG!! It is a must that I get to Solvang again and take advantage of the free tastings I get through all the wine clubs I have joined there. I was just here a few months ago but I really could go once a month to this place. It is just so beautiful and the weather is always perfect!
Paso Robles would be another Must go to place as well!

For years I been saying and Planning to go to Glen Ivy Hot springs and this is something that I have to Full Fill! I don't think this will happen until the fall!

Speaking of Fall it will be Off to Vegas to meet up with our friends from far and close and have swanky cocktails at the 3rd annual Mondo Lounge weekend. Gabe and I went to the first one and it was a complete blast!

Here is a brief description of What Mondo Lounge is all about..

Mid Century Modernism, Las Vegas, Hollywood Glamour, Lounge Culture, Rat Pack Shenanigans, Martinis, Cocktails, Vintage Fashion, space age, Atomic era, exotica (ala Les Baxter, Esquivel), the fox trot, Eames era Style, 1950's, 1960's style, Bachelor Pad, Minks and black ties, stereophonic sounds, tikis, fezzes etc..

Of course I know I been on the fence with going to Tiki Oasis but it looks like we will be going! I have a few great pals that offered to let us crash with them in their room and I told them we will probably take them up on that offer...I am so excited! Time to get my Cabana wear ready and drop a few pounds while I am at it!

Anyways I know there is a lot of stuff in between coming up we are working out friends such as a few BBQ's, a couple cocktail parties, Dinner Parties, and some scooter events so I better get my Vespa all polished up.

Party, Party , Party

We had a incredibly busy weekend. Friday started off with cocktails at the Tiki bar at the corner of my work and ended up with more cocktails at home which I used a Ginger Lemonade mixer that gave me the worst indigestion I ever had and ended up calling the night a early one.

Saturday however was going to be a marathon day of activities...I originally had 4 events that I RSVP's too and had all intentions of going to every one of them but unfortunately only made it out to two.

We were off to Whittier for a Surprise party for Issac. I have to say their place is AMAZING for parties. They have 2 BACKYARDS!! One with a Pool and one with all this shady greenery. My camera was on it's last leg and I could not get very good shots and it was delayed when i would try and snap it.

Gabe was having fun mingling with the crowd

There was lots of food, drinks including Rum Infused strawberries and jell-o shots, and lots of good vinyl spinning on the turntables.

Let the dancing begin.

Look at those Jello shots..I only had one..if this were the only party I was going to I probably would have indulged in some more.

There was a ton of people there..it was Great fun!

The Birthday boy was having a blast dancing

Good times

Amazing pool Huh!

I don't know what was going on her but It was our cue that it was getting late and we had other places to be. We were on our way out to head to The Grove for a Duel Bachelor/Bachelorette party but we noticed it was way late to make it there and were a bit concerned about drinking and driving from there to our next location in Long beach and it was already 10 pm so we just went to our next stop that was closer to home.

A few scooters out front of The Basement where we went to.

Sitting down waiting for my cocktail. The basement is a really cool Underground club/lounge in Downtown Long beach. My friend holds his Mod/Soul club there once a month.

The inciters played that night...they were incredible!

We met up with Sean and Julia..they showed up right before we did

It got really crowded and we saw so many of our friends we had not seen in awhile there. We had two cocktails and socialized for awhile then we were both tired since our partying started at 4pm. So Gabe and I made a B line for the front door and grabbed some good ol greasy fast food before we went home.

I have to say it was a pretty good Saturday..I just wish I was two people so I could have went to all my events I had planned for.

Great Thrift Store Finds

So as you all know I love the hunt of finding a good treasure or two at local thrift stores and Boy did I find a couple great items this past weekend.
This is a awesome old vintage sewing chair

It opens up to store all you sewing needs and is in excellent condition. I spent twenty bucks for this but seems worth it.

This very awesome bowl set with Horoscope designs on it..17.00

I figure I would use this for maybe serving chips and using the smaller bowls for assorted dips.

Or I can serve some Ambrosia salad in them...so many things to do with it.

I think these were a couple of pretty awesome finds!

A Sneak Peek inside

So everyone has been asking about when they can come check out the new house. We have been lagging behind on the decorating but did manage to put some stuff up but there is still a lot of priming here and there but here is a sneak peek. Soon we hope to have everyone over for a cocktail party.

Well most of you have seen the bar already.

The House
Weird angle of the living room

One side of the living room. The end table will not stay there and I will probably be putting up tall lamps on each side of the buffet table

The couch- I have this one temporarily until I have the money to re upholster my vintage mid century couch

AC!!

Parker's room is a disaster at the moment

Ava's room...so much more to add to her room..but we got the curtains up!

The backyard..as you can see being well used

That's about it for now. Can't wait for everyone to come over and see it in person....