It’s My Birthday!
Chocolate ice cream cake and bubble wine at midnight!
C&O Trattoria for dinner with friends and family.
Thanks everyone for coming out!
Sunday Afternoon
We came home from Solvang fairly early and swung over to Randy’s for some donuts.
Then down to Venice Beach to catch the sunset and watch the skaters.
Solvang Day 2
Since we had an early night last night, we got up bright and early for breakfast and a stroll around town.
Solvang is a Danish town in Santa Barbara County that was founded 100 years ago.
I have been to Denmark many times, and to Solvang a couple of times before, but I am yet to figure out what these little houses are. They look like small bird houses, but I’m pretty sure they are not…
We were only gonna have breakfast, take a stroll around town and then head back home when we walked by the Lucas & Lewellen tasting room and this sign;
I dont think anyone of us was really feeling it, it wasnt even noon yet, but the “buy one case and get an additional case for 1 cent” was really tempting!
But we couldnt buy a two cases of wine without tasting it first!
The wine was not good enough to buy a full case, but the lady pouring our wine told us to go to the Mandolina tasting room down the street.
We liked that wine better, so we bought a couple of cases!
We had to pay a last visit to a bakery while waiting for our wines to get ready.
Solvang
We drove up to Solvang to have a relaxing weekend with lots of wine! Our first stop was Gaineys Vineyard,
We were told Gainey was one of the first wineries that open up in the Santa Ynez Valley, we thought it was a little too commercialized for us. The wine was ok, but we were not that impressed and none of us bought any wines.
We had only planned to visit one vineyard and then just hit the tasting rooms in Solvang, but since we were a little disappointed with Gainey, we decided to hit up one more vineyard. The first one we saw was Buttonwood Farm.
Buttonwood had a totally different feel from Gainey, they were super busy but it was a warm, cosy and welcoming atmosphere.
The Sauvignon Blanc was really good, and I think I will visit this place again!
Once back in Solvang, we visited Carivintas Winery’s tasting room. There were nothing wrong with the wine, but the tasting room itself was a little annoying. I like the idea of allowing the dogs in the tasting room, but I didnt like the art on the walls or the labels, and it seemed like the girl pouring our wines have had one too many, and not in a charming way.
We had some time before dinner and stopped by one last tasting room; Dascomb Cellars. We all loved this place from the moment we walked through the door. Sofas, comfy chairs, fireplace and Trivial Pursuit questions on the tables. I bought a bottle of the 2008 Dascomb Roussanne, and the 2005 Port from East Valley Vineyard was Ah-mazing! I’m usually not a big fan of port wines, but it was served with raspberry chocolate that we let melt in our mouths while sipping on the port. My friend got me a bottle and the raspberry chocolate to go with it, since it is my birthday week. Yay!
There isn’t much to do in Solvang after 10pm, so we headed back to our hotel early.
First Fridays at the Natural History Museum
Every first Friday of the month for the first half of the year, KCRW – the radio station, is putting up a show at the Natural History Museum in Los Angeles; DJ’s, live music, alcohol and dinosaurs!
It’s difficult for me to wrap my head around that this has actually been a live animal!
I love museums, and I had never been to the Natural History Museum before, I will have to go back there to check out everything I didnt get a chance to see tonight!
My Sister is Here!
Ever since they booked their tickets, I’ve been super excited for this day! Then a storm rolled in over America and they shut down the airport in Chicago for two days. If it would have been me traveling, either me or my luggage would have been lost somewhere along the way, cos it always happens to me. But their connecting flight was scheduled to get into Chicago two hours after they open up the airport, so they made it through with no problem at all – they were actually a little early touching down in LA!
AND they bought chocolate!
10 days worth of breakfast!
My Sister is Here!
Ever since they booked their tickets, I’ve been super excited for this day! Then a storm rolled in over America and they shut down the airport in Chicago for two days. If it would have been me traveling, either me or my luggage would have been lost somewhere along the way, cos it always happens to me. But their connecting flight was scheduled to get into Chicago two hours after they open up the airport, so they made it through with no problem at all – they were actually a little early touching down in LA!
AND they bought chocolate!
10 days worth of breakfast!
Happy Year of the Rabbit
Today is Chinese New Year, and we’re celebrating with Taiwanese style Hot Pot!
Whiskas
Since we already have 3 cats in the house, I thought it was a good idea to get a fish and name it Whiskas.
