cute things continue...

vitamin water and mini-vitamin water

Happy Anniversary for Vince and Me!!!

Yea!!! We made it to our one year anniversary!!! Thoughts for us this year... it went by pretty fast and yet not fast. This for us was a year of adjustment. Of course...since we had a long distance relationship when we were together...being together was very much of an adjustment. Living with someone else and coordinating schedules was not always that easy. But good for us...we are both still in one piece and have learned much about the other person and our habits. We also wondered...since this was a year of adjustment, whether we had put things on hold in light of other things not being in place. But while it seemed like we did, in actuality, all of the things that could have happened...probably wouldn't have happened anyway. So it seems that the mentality was to put things on hold...but in actuality...things unfolded or will unfold in it's time.

We had a wonderful dinner for our anniversary. We actually had a wonderful weekend. Lots of relaxing. Swimming, exercising, seeing friends. All in all the best things. The weather was spectacular. we got to go to alexander's steakhouse in cupertino. of course, in vince's opinion, not as great food as forbes...so i was called in for an opinion. i have to say...the food there was great! really great!!! the crowd there was good...not too busy and not too empty. it was cool to see the chef in the kitchen for there was a glass partition where you could see him...and i think even a bar and stools on the other side to actually watch. i must say...our server...andrew...was the best! he was super nice and very polite and kept bringing us out little treats!! overall...the steak itself was not as tasty as forbes...but the dining experience was stellar!!! i would have to say even better than at forbes (although it was a monday night when we dined at forbes; yet forbes was darker in lighting and seemed a bit more old school steakhouse).

ok, here's the play by play:

andrew asked if there was any special occasion and so we told him it was our anniversary. i have to wonder if they do this for all anniversary celebrating people...but in any event...i was super impressed with his or the establishment's thoughtfulness:

amuse bouche: foie gras with japanese rice crackers and preserved fruit with a sauce. haha...i should have a better memory. i am not a big fan of foie gras and have always tended to stay away from it since it was liver. but i have to say...it was a delight. first...it was not something we ordered so that was treat #1!!! the texture was really smooth. the taste...inexplicable. i'm assuming it was covered with the rice crackers to give contrast to the texture and taste. tastewise, it was a nice combo. but the rice crackers tended to stick to my teeth so that was not so pleasant. the fruit pairing gave nice balance too.


we ordered crab cakes with edamame (inside) and tofu and potatoes. i think sweet potatoes but i can't remember. the crabe cakes were really good. it was neat to have the edamame inside for a little bit of a crunch. vince also ordered this japanese beer. they have a website called kodawari.ccc. the beer was nice...smooth tasting and not bitter or watery. plus it has a really cute bottle. whoooo would have thought that an owl could be a good logo. haha. i'm clever.



i had to order the filet mignon. half because it's a super great cut of steak. but also because i really like the portion size and money is going to be shelled out...i'd like to think i'm not being too greedy with how much food i will eat. so good size portion for awesome meat. i ordered it medium rare. sooo yummy. the only reason why i like forbes better was because it seemed to be a more consistent taste and texture. maybe b/c it was a different size. who knows. at forbes i think it was 2 4oz pieces. here...i got 2 6oz pieces. and of course, the outside seared to seal in flavor and juices, and the middle...somewhat red. i could taste the seared part and the medium rare part all too distinctly. i hate to be so nit-picky...but i never noticed the difference before. but still...superb filet. vince had the porterhouse. yet another great piece of meat. funny thing was that he ordered it medium...and it was just as red as mine! maybe because it was a bigger piece...who knows. i had a bite of his...and i have to say that filet is sooo soo good. his was tasty too...just a little bit tougher to chew than the filet.


of course, we had to order dessert. and of course, i saw that they had souffle and so i had to order that. it took 20 minutes to make but that's cool. we still had beer and wine to drink. but in the meantime...andrew brought us out these little mini strawberry shortcakes!! i love all things mini!!! it was so thoughtful and a very very nice gesture. he mentioned they were still a bit frozen...so we might want to wait a little bit.

uh---someone didn't wait that long... i didn't even see vince eat it. he says he cut it in half and then ate the halves. it would have been just as easy to pop the whole thing in his mouth. more stealthy. in any event, whether it was standard b/c of the wait for the souffle...or b/c it was our anniversary (as stated by andrew)...what a nice treat #2!!!!

we then got to partake in the vanilla caramel souffle. i don't get to have souffle often...but it was sooo good! really sweet...very fluffy and moist. mmmmmm!!!!



while we were just getting started on our souffle...andrew comes out with treat #3!!!!! soo soo nice. very well presented. i was marvelling at how a little scoop of ice cream could be so wonderfully presented. and...as far as chocolate ice cream goes... it was super tasty!


so then we thought that was it...that we were all done with the treats and the awesome consideration and service. when lo and behold...here comes andrew with something quite interesting. because vince had dined here before, he was not surprised to see what it was, only that it was being brought out to is. not something that was listed on the menu...but great for treat #4...banana cotton candy!! ok, i know, cotton candy is just sugar...but it was so nice. and so fun. there was this little girl at a table next to us that we thought we should give it too b/c it's so fun and young...but then again...she wasn't paying attention and who know what the parents would have thought at strangers offering their child candy. haha.

great dining experience at alexanders. we wondered whether we would get all those treats if we had a bigger party...so maybe we'll have to try it next time. and andrew elevated wait service to a different level as he handed us his card when we were finished and let us know that we could ask to be served by him and then we'd get vip service the next time we were there. will do andrew...you really made us feel special and well fed on our first anniversary!!! thanks!!


of course, the might did not stop there. having been so spoiled with wonderful desserts...we topped off our night with delicious McDonald's hot fudge sundae and vanilla shake. hey...we're equal opportunity dessert eaters!!! and i remember when sundaes were only 39cents.

mmm...i love food.
what a wonderful weekend we had. here's looking to our 2nd year!!!

revelation for me...

so i have been having a dilemma with my job hunting...but i seem to be coming out of the woods. or at least there's light ahead. or at least light...may be a train heading my way. anyhow...i've been toying with the idea of an industry change. no more litigation for me. considering transitioning to corporate law. problem is...i have no corporate experience...can't really go back to school for that...and no one will give me a job in it since i have no experience. what a catch 22. anyhow...for the past year i've been one foot in just staying in litigation...and one foot in considering the change. so i haven't been able to move. just recently...i have become more comfortable in committing to the transition...so hence...the light up ahead. but still...i'm not 100% committed and i'm beginning to see what my problem is.

i think it's because i've never really had to really try hard or suffer for anything. not to say that everything has been easy or i've gotten all that's i've wanted. but i think that my nature is such that i'm pretty easygoing and whatever happens happens. i've always been ok with whatever and accepting of things that do or don't work out. but honestly...i've never had to really work 100% hard or give all of me to achieve something or head some direction. except when it came to my relationship with vince. that, hands down...was the hardest, most effortful, and most reflective time in my life. but things like school, job, material things, time spent...they don't fall in that caliber of putting forth my best effort. i used to wonder what would be different if i actually studied harder in school because i know i could have, in high school, college, and law school. and so now i wonder...if i put in my best effort towards my livelihood...what could happen?

so now what... my revelation is that i've been good at going with the flow and sometimes putting my oars in the water to change my direction and sometimes row a few strokes. but then i think of when those trying to be navy seals have to row their boat past the break of the ocean waves or in all i've learned this year about making marriage work... you have to commit and you have to give it your all. none of this half ass-ness. so now...i'm still not 100% committed to my industry transition...because i'm scared and prideful. i'm scared of not knowing what might happen. i'm scared of failing. i'm scared it's the wrong direction. i'm too proud to go down in the ranks. i'm too proud to do something that seems less than what i was trained to do. but i know now...that i don't want to not even try because i might be scared. ok, putting it more grammatically correct: despite my fear...i have to try. i cannot let my fear paralyze me. because that would be worse than failing. and i know now that my pride can be a huge obstacle. my livelihood does not depend on my title or how other people view me. my livelihood is knowing that i'm doing something worthwhile and enjoyable. what that is...haha..i still don't know...but i don't want to be scared or too proud to get there.

saw this at the stanford mall today. very very cute. everyone who passed by could not help but stare and smile and want one of their own. the owner said it may have been a balance issue after an illness. but it just kept going round and round..even while going straight!!

i was totally thinking of my old friend Jenny who is the champion of all dogs small and cute. i know she'd want to adopt this one!

MMMM...filet mignon wrapped in prosciutto...

Yea! My birthday just passed!! It's funny how one second I feel old and think fondly of how i'm getting older. then the next second...i'm thinking that i'm young and there's still so much ahead left for me to do and see and experience and learn. i think i'll park myself in the second camp. i'd like to never feel like i'm old...even as i get older in years...

so recent thought was that i think it would be cool to never retire. i mean, don't get me wrong...not having a full time job can be great sometimes. but sometimes...it feels mighty boring and lame. but i was thinking recently that i hope, i am at age whatever...when the retirement age is close at hand..., at a job where i can do and enjoy and like doing until i physically or mentally cannot do it anymore. i know many people look forward to retirement and all...and that there are so many things that one can do when retired...but i'd hope that i can enjoy my life during these years as much as i think i might enjoy them after i might retire. why does this thought come when i'm transitioning ages...who knows. maybe i'll feel different later. but for now...that's where i'm at!

so for my birthday...it was awesome!! many birthday wishes...thanks for all of you who remembered!! really that's the best thing. just that people remember and wish me a happy birthday. the weekend was pretty fun. dinner with family...lunch with friends...then work (ok, that part was kind of sucky). but overall...very relaxing and a really great time with vince! we went to eat at a super extraordinary steakhouse called Forbes Mill Steakhouse in Los Gatos. i have to say...i'm not a wine connoisseur or a food savant...but it was the best food i had in ages...if not ever.
i had the best cabernet ever. not too tanin-y...smooth but not as thick or heavy as a merlot. it was from the winery 75 cellar from amber knolls...couldn't tell you what year or anything else specific...but i could drink that wine all day and night! i had ordered a different wine to start with and they gave me a half glass of the 75 cellar on the house just to try and taste.

though it was monday night and the place was somewhat empty...it was still the best dining experience i had ever had. they knew it was my birthday and so they put a little birthday wish on the daily special menu. now i have to say...that probably took an ounce of effort and a millisecond to print out...but it made a huge impact as it was super thoughtful and quite a nice touch. one of the owners, Dean, stopped by our table about 4-5 times during the night to make sure we were ok. and even when i called back to ask about the wine...he was nice and chatty and very friendly. the server we had, jeffrey, was super friendly and not too imposing or anything. attentive enough that we never wondered where he had gone too. even the busing people...they were super nice and always asked if we were ok...very high quality personnel over there.

i had the tournedos and scallops and it was awesome!!!!!
never tasted better. i can never cook scallops to taste the way they did that night. they were warm...and firm but then melted in my mouth!! and the filet...wow...after i finished the first one...i was amazed that i had yet another one to eat. i have to say...just the right amount of indulgence. and you can't go wrong with meat wrapped in meat. i have to say also...vince's huge porterhouse steak was quite mouthwatering too! my pieces were bit larger than the size of a golf ball slightly flattened (about 1.5 times the size of the large scallops)...vince's steak was huge!!!! look at it!!!


and then we got the dessert sampler!!!! yum!!! it was just the right amount of such great desserts!!! there was a lilikoi cheesecake... kona coffee creme brulee...some apple cobbler thing...and then a chocolate torte...MMMMM!!! again...just the right amount of indulgence.

the only down side of that experience...these two "little wanna-be kids" sitting near us. they may have been early twenties or something. they didn't seem like they were on a date (or at least if they were...someone wasn't into the other person) and we hard the guy complain that the ice tea was "a little to sour" so could they take it back and get him another one. well..be that as it may...i have great doubts that the ice tea would be sour...it's ice tea. ok...i'm getting on a tangent. maybe it was sour. maybe it was so sour he couldn't drink it.

anyhow...go there if you are ever up here. you won't regret it. and you can stroll around town before or after dinner. it's such a nice town. such a nice place to spend the afternoon/evening.

i also got my hair cut. it's way expensive to get my hair cut. i need to find a cheaper place!!! tried a new look. not too into it right now. so i'm just going for the wild uncontrollable hair tied back look for the time being.

here's to next year!! thanks to all of you my friends!!!