Posts tagged family

The day of shopping.

Not much to say about today except for we shopped - for hours - at Santana Row and the Valley Fair Mall.

I got this bag from Sanrio to support the relief in Japan.

We went to California Pizza Kitchen for lunch which I was kind of bummed about since we have those in Florida.  Mom and MawMaw shared a wild mushroom pizza (which looked amazing) and I order the Arugula and Asparagus salad (which ended up being the best salad I’ve ever had - arugula, asparagus, almonds and a lime vinaigrette topped with shredded parmesan cheese - which I didn’t eat.)

After lunch we shopped some more.  I did end up getting a really cute blazer and tank top from H&M, but I don’t have a picture of it.

Tomorrow Ariana is driving up from LA to stay for a few nights.  So. Effing. Excited.  We are going to take a million pictures and be as annoyingly bff as possible.

Okay, I’m going to bed.  But first, a picture of TriPod, the three-legged dog.  He’s so sweet and I want to take him home with me.

I woke up yesterday with some hellacious plague sickness that I either got from being around Steve or from the dirty mutant child that sat in front of me on the flight over here.  He was disgustingly sick and would not stay seated and kept turning around to look at me over his seat - and even sneezed in my “general direction” (but really right in my face). 

When I finally pulled myself out of bed around 9, we went to Old Town to go shopping.  I found the most amazing boutique with vintage inspired clothes.  I didn’t get any clothes, but I did buy this really legit ring.

We also found a place called Bow Wowzers that is essentially a department store for dogs.  MawMaw wanted to find a “different” toy for AnnieFanny while we were there and didn’t end up finding anything.  BUT, I did - I found this trivet with basset hound that is Duke’s twin!

Once my Aunt Leslie got off work she met up with us and we went out to Cooper Garrod Vineyards for some wine tasting (she also needed to pick up some hay for the goats and pig while we were out there).  I tried the 2008 Chardonnay and the 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon.  The cab was amazing so I bought a bottle to bring home :) Here’s a picture of the vineyard from the barn’s view:

After our wine tasting we went into the Saratoga mountains to watch my cousin Cameron’s baseball game.  They won!  The view was amazing from the field.  I didn’t have my camera on me but I did take a few pictures with my phone while I’ll post in a while.  After the game we came home for dinner and called it an early night.

Today we’re heading to Santana Row for shopping and lunch.  I’m most excited about H&M!!  Here’s to another lovely day <3 xo

It felt amazing to wake up yesterday morning and be completely relaxed and not have a schedule to worry about or people to please.  I didn’t sleep in like I was hoping (stupid jetlag) but I got up anyway and grabbed a cup of coffee and sat out on the balcony.  The view was amazing.

We went to Mass for Easter Sunday and then came back to the house to change.  We drove about an hour south of Los Gatos and went shopping in Carmel (or Carmel By The Sea).  

The area was so adorable.  It looked very European.  We shopped for about an hour and then found a little alcove down a street called Jane Austen at Home.

There was a cute little coffee place so we stopped for coffee and some lunch.  After lunch we walked around for a little bit but it started to rain so we went back to the car and headed to Monterey Bay.

My mom had never seen a Sun Fish (Mola Mola) before so we decided to go to the Monterey Bay Aquarium.  I have been there before, but it’s been 12 or 13 years so I definitely wanted to go back.  I got some really amazing videos of a giant octopus which I’ll post as soon as I upload it.  They have an entire section dedicated to jellyfish - so if you know me at all, you know I was there for an unnecessarily long time.

We walked through out the entire aquarium (including the “splash zone” which simulates a tidal wave with tide pools where you can pet and pick up various sea life… which, btw, if you’ve never touched a sea cucumber then you’re in for a huge surprise - they look hard and prickly but they’re actually really slimy and squishy.  So bizarre.) and didn’t find the exhibit with the sun fish.  A lady told us that the “deep sea” section of the aquarium was closed until July for construction so we weren’t going to be able to see the fish.  I was pretty bummed about it considering that fish was the main reason for the visit to the aquarium, but we still had a good time.

After the aquarium we walked around the bay area for a while and stopped by a winery and had a glass of wine in a room that had the most spectacular view I’ve ever seen.

It was heavenly.  I had a glass of the local viognier (as did Aunt Leslie) and Mom and MawMaw had a glass of the white merlot.

After wine we were pretty hungry and had reservations at the Sardine Factory.  With that name I was expecting it to be a fun, family friendly, local fish type of place, but it was GORGEOUS.  They had all been there before but it was my first time.  I had a harvest salad and seared halibut with pea risotto and a glass of riesling.  It was amazing.

I was exhausted after dinner and slept most of the ride home.  They all stayed up when we got back but I passed out after loving on Sweet Pea for a minute.

I’m not sure what’s planned for today.  I think we’re going to downtown Los Gatos for lunch and then we’re heading to my cousin Cameron’s baseball game.  

Until next post… xo