Weekend in Monterey

On Saturday, we dropped Evie off at camp & drove down to Monterey to celebrate our anniversary. We stayed at the Portola Hotel & Spa near Fisherman's Wharf.


I booked the hotel directly through the hotel site, online, & we received a great rate PLUS, a discount on the restaurants on the property for booking in advance. The rooms were comfortable and the beds were super soft!


After checking in, we went down to Peter B's, the brew pub on the property. Erik tried the sampler and I had a Hefewizen. We also shared buffalo wings, the crab cake sliders, and Erik had the fish & chips.

We watched the Yankees/Rangers game, too. I credit the Yankees with bringing Erik & I together. I was went to a Yankees game the night I met Erik and was wearing my Yankees shirt when I met him. They were in the play-offs that year and made it to the World Series. So, ironically, here we were - seven years later, watching the Yankees in the playoffs! Maybe if we get married, we should do it in Yankee stadium as a thank you. hahaha.

After lunch, we strolled around Fisherman's Wharf.

Despite our hot weather week, the weather was "back to normal" by being gray & in the 60's.

First, we checked out the boats in the marina

There is something very calming about being in a marina or near boats. We would love to own a boat!

Then, we helped this fisherman pull in some fish.

We saw some adorable seals in the water!

So cute!

We walked down the wharf & saw this cute sign. Very true!

Posed for a pic

Then, headed back to the room to relax before dinner!


We stayed on the property & went to Jack's

Kind of a funny pic using the self timer!


Jack's was pretty good. It had an old-fashioned feeling to it but a solid menu & wine list. Erik had the mushroom ravioli(delish) and I had the halibut which was just OK. Our dessert was awesome though - apple & pear tart!


This morning, we checked out & then drove down to Carmel Valley Village. We had brunch at this cute little place called, Toast.



This place has only been open for a few weeks but it was good. We each had the egg omelet with cheese, spinach, & mushroom. It came with a side of potatoes & a biscuit. The biscuit was amazing. I am still thinking about it & wish we asked for some to go!

We drove home & picked Evie up. She promptly passed out in the car. Actually, it's 730pm right now and she is still dead tired. That is a beautiful thing!

Here is a pic I found of Erik & I in 2004. I think we look exactly the same. haha

WOLF

To stay in the Halloween spirit, we watched another movie: Wolf. It's from 1994 and stars Jack Nicholson & Michelle Pfeiffer(ps, whatever happened to her?) Nicholson gets bit by a wolf & becomes one. At night, he turns into a werewolf and is out for blood.

When he goes out at night, he doesn't remember going out & killing anything. He wakes up in the woods, covered in blood. Things change when his wife is found dead in a park. He doesn't have any memory of doing it. Did he do it? Maybe not.

I really liked this movie. It wasn't scary & was more of a storyline. Anything with Jack Nicholson is always great.

Sky

It has been great getting up & going outside in the AM in short & a t-shirt and not being cold. On Wed AM & Thurs AM, I got some cool pics of the sky as Evie & I are out there at 630am.

View from Alamo Sq as the sun is rising:


The clouds looked so funny this AM before the sun was up but...

Once the sun was up, the sky looked so cool






I think this warm weather is dying down. It is true that October is the best month here in SF. We give up warm, sunny summers, to have this weather in October.

Sunny Sunday

Check out our weather for this week!!



Yesterday was warm & sunny. I went down to work at the gymnastics gym for a few hrs & Erik brewed beer. Brewing beer is cool but it STINKS. Honestly, the apartment smells like either a bar or stinky feet for hours. Gross!

We had dinner together & I tried another new recipe from Fitness Magazine.

Lemony Fusilli with Chicken, Zucchini, and Pine Nuts

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients
3 teaspoons salt
8 ounces whole wheat fusilli
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 slender zucchini, halved lengthwise, sliced into 1/4-inch thick pieces
5 scallions, chopped
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 lemon, rind peeled in strips
Small pinch red pepper flakes
12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
5 large basil leaves, sliced
1/4 cup grated Parmesan (optional)

Directions
1. Bring a large pot of water with 2 teaspoons of the salt to a boil; add the fusilli. Cook until al dente.
2. Warm 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the zucchini, scallions, pine nuts, lemon peel, red pepper flakes, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt; cook, tossing frequently, until zucchini is well browned and tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Use a slotted spoon to transfer zucchini to a serving bowl. Remove lemon peel from pan. Mince 1/2 teaspoon of the peel and discard the rest. Squeeze half the lemon over the zucchini.
4. Turn heat to medium-high and swirl in remaining olive oil. Add the chicken, minced lemon peel, and remaining salt; cook, stirring, until golden, about 7 minutes.
5. Drain fusilli, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water. Add fusilli, zucchini, and reserved cooking water to skillet. Cook 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and top with the basil and, if using, Parmesan.

Nutrition facts per serving: 426 calories, 32g protein, 49g carbohydrate, 14g fat (2.2g saturated), 6g fiber

Very easy to make & very good!

In other news, I think we are still learning what the AM schedule is going to be. I was getting up at 6am last week to walk Evie & run. Evie hates getting up in the morning. Plus, it is pitch black out at 6am so I might adjust the schedule so that she goes out at 630 and I can run in sunlight at 7am. We'll see.

Erik is also surfing at 6am so we have the house to ourselves in the AM so we can make up whatever schedule we want. I think this week I will try the 630 walk for Evie. Also, still trying to get a phone call with the potential dog walker. We keep missing each other. Otherwise, we are all doing great on the new schedule!

Finally - I watched GLEE last night, finally. I thought it was a very political episode and really haven't seen one show discuss gay & religion in one episode. I thought that was pretty bold of them esp when Kurt said he doesn't go to church bc the church doesnt like gays. There is still something very off with Rachel this season. It's like she's lost her innocence or something. Im not a huge Gleek this season but they still have a bunch more episodes to go to change my mind.

Werewolves & Zombie Children

We watched two movies last night. First up, a classic from 1981: An American Werewolf in London. Jack & David are two Americans traveling in London & are attacked by a werewolf. No one believes them that a werewolf attacked them & killed Jack. David remains in the hospital and is visited by Jack's ghost who tells him that he is actually also a werewolf & will turn into one by a certain date.

Of course, David doesn't believe Jack but soon enough....David turns into a werewolf.

I really liked this movie. Its from 1981 and the graphics are so bad, it's funny. Plus, Jack's character is pretty funny looking when he comes to visit David.


Next Up, Wicked Little Things. This movie was just like Haunting in Connecticut except things don't happen IN the house, they happen outside the house. A Mom & her two daughters inherit a creeeepy house in the back woods. As soon as they move in, everyone warns them of the Zombie Kids in the woods.

The youngest daughter explores the woods & finds an old mine entrance. She can see the zombie kids & befriends one named Mary. Turns out that the kids were trapped in a mine back in the 1900's and are back for revenge.

Each night, they come out looking for food aka any living thing to eat. Pretty gross, not scary, and surely predictable. Pass on this one.

Pumpkin Pickin'

The weather on Saturday was amazing! It was in the 70's & sunny which made for a perfect day to be outside AND get our pumpkins. I got up early & walked Evie. Then, I went on a run. After lunch, we went down to Pacifica to get pumpkins. This is the same place we went to back in 2008 for pumpkins. We had high hopes of going up to Petaluma to a cute little patch with a corn maze but then when I thought of driving the 45 min up there at 2pm on a Saturday - I realized it wasn't worth it. We drove 20 min to get our pumpkins quickly.


Look at these green & white pumpkins

A white pumpkin

The usual, orange pumpkins

We came home with a mixture of pumpkins. Can't wait to carve!

When we got home, we put the hockey game on & relaxed. We ordered pizza in and watched two Halloween movies. Evie, passed out. Her long walk + the warm weather = fast asleep. Great, relaxing day

Sushi Time

Hooray for the weekend. Yesterday, I worked from home for part of the day & then had to go to the Client for the afternoon. I got a much needed manicure, too. Erik got home before me & walked Evie, which was awesome.












Then, we rode our bikes to the Pisco Lounge to have a drink with Sierra for her birthday! Erik could never come out to Happy Hour on Fridays so it was very exciting to have him out! After Pisco, we continued on to a sushi place for dinner. This is one of the spots I found near by but we have never been - Amasia Hide Sushi Bar. We shared a couple of rolls & Erik had a sashimi bowl that included pieces of octopus - yuck!

After dinner, we biked home & put on Haunting in Connecticut again. This time, I didn't think it was that scary. Things pop out & there is this scary guy in black that shows up but overall, there is a story behind everything that makes everything not so scary. A family moves into a former mortuary, which of course is a stupid idea, but they have no time to find a home near the hospital where their son is receiving cancer treatments.

Matt, the son with cancer, has these visions of what used to go on in the home & can see all that happened. Once he sees the trapped souls in the home, he tries to free them.

This movie is supposedly based on a true story of a house in CT that had demons in it. Famous ghost hunters - Ed & Lorraine Warren investigated the house & did find activity there. They exercised the house in 1988. When this movie came out, I remember reading that people were driving past the home in CT and taking pictures. The current residents of the home say there is no longer any activity.

Here's a video with Lorraine:






I really think that the old school Poltergeists are scarier than this movie but for a Halloween thrill, check it out.

Spaghetti with Shaved Veggies

The other night, I tried another new recipe that I got from Woman's Day Magazine. It was easy to make & tasted great!!

Here's the recipe:

Recipe Ingredients

1 lb zucchini, ends trimmed
1 lb carrots, peeled
1 box (1 lb) spaghetti
5 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut up
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp grated lemon zest
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Shaved Parmesan

Recipe Preparation

1. Bring a 5- to 6-qt pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, if zucchini are long, halve crosswise. Using a vegetable peeler, shave zucchini and carrots into ribbons.

2. Cook pasta until al dente as package directs. Add zucchini and carrot shavings to the pasta pot. Cook 1 minute or until vegetables are just tender. Remove and reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain pasta mixture.

3. Meanwhile, melt butter in same pot used to cook pasta. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds. Remove from heat.

4. Return pasta and vegetables to pot. Add lemon zest and juice, salt and pepper; toss. Add enough reserved pasta water to create a thin sauce. Top with Parmesan.

(Photo from Woman's Day)

Another Halloween Video: Family Style

Oh Wow. I just had to make another video this time of the fam. hahaha

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Pumpkin Baking

Yesterday, after work, I decided to make a yummy dessert I saw on another blog. I made Pumpkin Blondie Bars & they were delish! Get the recipe, here.

Gather supplies & get glass of wine to start making dessert

Eat butterscotch chips from the bag while mixing ingredients

Dump everything in the bowl

Have a baking assistant who stares at you intently waiting for a taste

Finally, a lick of Blondie mix for the assistant

Place mix in a pan, bake for 40 min, and ta-da

Very moist, chewy, & yummy!

Since I had half a can of pumpkin left, I whipped up some more pumpkin oatmeal muffins, too. As you may recall, I tried to make these last week but they never puffed up like real muffins. Erik's Mom suggested I try new baking powder & sure enough, that did the trick. This batch came out great. I also threw in some butterscotch chips to the muffins and they are deeelish!

Also last night, we tried to watch a Haunting in Connecticut but it was too scary. haha. Seriously, things were popping up in places- especially mirrors. It was too much for a Thursday night movie. haha

Surfs Up

We all know Erik is obsessed with surfing. His new work schedule is not allowing him to spend 3 hours of his morning at the beach. So, he has decided to try a new way of getting his surfing in.

This morning, he got up around 545 and went surfing. At 545, it is still dark out so he was out there in the dark! He said it was great though & that no one was really out there & he caught a lot of waves.

As for us this morning, Evie did not do too well as a running partner. She was dragging behind, wanted to stop every few seconds just to stand there, and was the opposite of how she was on Monday. So, the good news is that we went out & got some exercise even though it wasn't as productive as it could be. I think I might go out on my own & then come back to get Evie for her walk.

To complete the surfing day, we went to see a surf movie tonight called Stoked & Broke. It is about these two guys who go on a surfing trip with no money. Before the movie, a band played a couple songs. You may know them; they are called the Blank Tapes. I am not that hip but Erik knew who they were. It was nice to hang out together after work.

This week is going well so far, with our new schedule!

Monster Mash

Check out my funny Halloween Video I made! It's of Kimmy, Jess, Marla, Evie, and Me! haha

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Dolores Park Walk

Yesterday after work, I took Evie for a looooong walk. It was a good idea when we left the house but it was a long walk home, in the dark. We walked for 3.5 miles down to Dolores Park and back. I put her on the long leash to run around, which she loved. However, we rushed back home to eat dinner before Erik's hockey game at 8pm.

We'll call this route the Dolores Park Loop.

Pretty views from the park



Evie was thirsty. Instead of drinking from the small doggy fountain, she was drinking the drips coming off the bigger fountain. Too funny.


Unfortunately, Erik's hockey team did not win last night which means their playoff run is over. They had a good season & will start another one back up in a few weeks.

New Schedule

Erik started his new position yesterday! He has been on a wacky schedule for the past two years where he worked 3-12 and had Tues & Sat off. We adjusted to this schedule though. It allowed him to surf in the AM & walk Evie mid-day. This also meant that I didn't really see him that often but on the flip side, I was free to do whatever I wanted most nights & he had his mornings free. The downside was not having him around to hang out with so the days he was off from work were precious ones.

Now, he is working M-F, 830-530. This is great news but it also means a schedule shift for us. He is going to see if he can surf in the early morning(like 6am), Evie doesn't get a walk mid-day, and now after work activities are going to be changed up. One of us is going to be rushing home to let Evie out. So, I am also changing the morning routine so that I can get a run in and Evie gets a long walk. Erik & I are also up at the same time so we are sharing the bathroom, kitchen, etc.

So far, things are going well. I am up before him & out of the house with Evie while he is getting ready so that works out well. If I have to work late, he can take Evie out when he gets home. I can also work from home sometimes to be with her & I am looking into a dog walker for a few days a week(if she will let someone else walk her). Plus, it is great to see Erik more and have him home even if that means sharing the TV :-)

I feel bad she is home all day by herself. When I left on Mon & this AM, she went under the bed. But, she is a big girl and can handle it.



She also surprised me by getting up with me yesterday AM at 6am and went for a run with me. She is never very good at going for a run but 6am is a perfect time for her. The sidewalks are empty and it's quiet out. She doesn't have to stop every few seconds to sniff or look at someone. This could be great for her to jog 3 mi in the AM.

Movie Reviews: Social Network & Nothing But Trouble

On Saturday night, Erik & I saw "The Social Network." The Social Network is the story of how Facebook was started by founder, Mark Zuckerberg. No one from FB was behind the making of the movie(apparently) so this isn't an authorized biography of what happened.

Basically, Facebook was started from a dorm room when Mark was in college at Harvard. But, three fellow students claim that the idea was theirs and that Mark stole it. Well, we all know how quickly Facebook caught on! Mark was involved in two different lawsuits over FB. However, he is now a Billionaire and he's not even 30.

I read an article in the NY Times about how generations are divided on their thoughts of this movie. The older generation think that Mark is a conniving, little jerk whereas younger generations think he is a a go-getter who built something that the world needed.

On Sunday, we watched the movie(from 1991) called "Nothing but Trouble". I'm sure you all have seen it but I never have. It was strange but I guess appropriate for October/Halloween.

Chevy Chase & Demi Moore are business people who go on a trip. They get pulled over by a cop who brings them to this crazy house with this old Judge who keeps them captive in the house. The house is really creepy and there are these huge babies that work in the backyard. It was so so so strange.

Ladybugs

On Saturday, Erik was tending to his garden. He bought something unusual for the garden - Ladybugs. Apparently, there is some type of bug on the plants that is eating the plant. So, he bought the lady bugs to sit on the plants instead because they kick the other bugs off (or something like that). Turns out, you can buy ladybugs in a container!







So cute!

The garden is flourishing. I added a little sign I had out there.


Erik's tomatoes are finally coming in!

Lady bug hard at work!



We also have a cucumber growing, the mint is thriving, and the scallions are growing. I can't wait for a tomato!!

Chili Update

The chili recipe is AMAZING. I definitely recommend it. One big change I made is NOT using the 28oz can of tomatillos that the recipe called for. I couldn't find them at the store and was not going to search for them. Instead, I used a 24 oz jar of salsa verde. It turned out great!

Cold weather is coming & this will be a perfect dinner. I brought it for lunch today and cannot wait for lunch!

White Turkey Chili - Take 2

A few weeks ago, I tried to make a White Chicken Chili which turned out more like a stew. Last night, I made a White Turkey Chili and this time, it looks just like a chili. I'm having it for dinner tonight & will report back on how it tastes! I got the recipe from Whole Foods & this yummy picture is the Whole Foods photo, not mine.




Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 pounds ground turkey breast
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt to taste
1 bay leaf
1 (28-ounce) can tomatillos, drained and chopped
1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles, drained
1 small jalapeño, seeded and finely sliced
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 cups cooked Great Northern beans, drained
Chopped cilantro, for garnish (optional)
Grated Monterey Jack cheese, for garnish (optional)
Sour cream, for garnish (optional)

Method

Heat 1/2 tablespoon of the oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add turkey and cook, stirring often, until browned. Transfer to a bowl and return pot to heat. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil, bell pepper and onion and cook until softened and golden brown. Return turkey to pot and add coriander, cumin, oregano and salt. Stir well to combine. Add bay leaf, tomatillos, chiles, jalapeños and broth, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 45 to 50 minutes. Gently stir in beans and cook for 30 minutes more. Stir in cilantro, ladle chili into bowls and garnish with cheese and sour cream, if you like.

Weekend

We had a good weekend. Today, I worked at the gymnastics gym all afternoon, then went food shopping, came home to make chili, and am now trying to get to bed. I will post more tomorrow. We saw The Social Network movie ---very interesting to how story about how Facebook was started.

Well, I am trying to get ready for that 5K race on Halloween. I ran twice this weekend. I am just going out and pushing through 3 miles. It feels good to be out running again.

Tomorrow, our lives change. Erik starts his new shift. I have a new morning schedule for running & walking Evie. We are going to have to adjust to being up at the same time, sharing the bathroom in the morning, all of that stuff....

October 1st

Well, the decorating went well last night & I will post some pictures soon! We ran into the mouse again last night. He was in the kitchen and Evie saw him. He was hiding between the cabinet and the wall. So we jumped up to find him. Sure enough, he was in the hiding spot. So, Erik ran around trying to find a container for him to run into. While he was doing that....THE MOUSE RAN OUT.

Evie almost caught him, I screamed & jumped on the counter, and the mouse ran under the stove.

Erik moved the stove to see if we could get him, but we think he ran UNDER the cabinet. Now, we don't know where he is. I hope he leaves on his own because I do not want to have to trap him.

Anyway......so happy it is Friday! This is one of my Friday nights IN and I will be doing a ton of laundry so that we can enjoy the weekend.

Congrats to Erik!!

CONGRATULATIONS TO ERIK!! He just accepted a new position at his work!! He will be moving to a normal schedule of Monday -Friday AND he got a raise. Very cool.

So, now we will get to hang out more together and he will have a more normal schedule. Not sure how he feels about that since his surfing time is going to get compromised but he is coming up with ideas on when he will be able to surf.

I also have to figure out what to do with Evie. She is used to going out mid-day and that will be going away. I might get a dog walker 2x per week or something. or buy her the Potty Patch. haha.