Warmer weather

I haven't posted anything for quite a while because I feel like there hasn't been much to write about.  There were some very nice dinners with wonderful people, to be sure, but I just couldn't muster the energy to write about them.  Now that the weather has warmed up again though I feel like Erin and I have gotten out more and I once again have something to write about.

About a week ago we had a busy weekend.  We started it off with dinner and a movie Friday night at the Alamo Drafthouse.  The nice thing about this place is that you can order before the movie starts and then the server will bring it out for you to enjoy during dinner.  The drinks are pretty good too.  We went to see "The Great Gatsby" since Erin had been teaching it in her classes recently.  It was a nice rendition of the book highlighting the class rivalry and the hubris of trying to repeat the past.  On Saturday we had brunch with Erin's parents after I picked up my motorcycle from the shop.  The shop had repaired my back tire and it was so nice to be able to get back out and ride around for a little bit.
Then on Sunday we celebrated Mother's Day with a hike above Evergreen with Erin's parents before going out to dinner at Duo with them.  It was a very nice, if somewhat exhausting weekend.

This weekend ended up being just as exhausting.  On Saturday morning I went with my friend for a morning of climbing in Golden.  We have been practicing in one of the climbing gyms in Boulder throughout the winter and have been able to climb outside now that the weather's warmer.  Golden has a lot of exciting climbs that are within our range, but we need to get there early before they get too crowded.  I always come away from these pretty worn out too.  But then Saturday night I was up and ready as we went out for dinner with our supper club.  This month we went to "The Wooden Table" which had some very delicious (if expensive) food.  It was good to catch up with everyone before things got really busy over the summer.

On Sunday Erin and I started early getting on the motorcycle, getting some breakfast and then heading up to Golden.  We had found a hike up on Lookout Mountain above the town at Windy Saddle.  It was quite windy and fairly rocky, but the views were amazing looking down on Golden and Denver plus out West to the Continental Divide.  As a city we would like to move to this summer I was encouraged that such nice hikes were so close to town.  Before we got too far though we were heading back down to have brunch with my aunt and uncle in Littleton.  We had a delicious meal as we caught up.  The rest of the day had to be devoted to chores and preparing for the upcoming week so it was nice to finally get some rest Sunday night.  It's also been nice to finally get out and enjoy the warmer weather.

Birthday Weekend 2

Back in November, as my birthday was approaching I had decided what I wanted most was a snow weekend up in the mountains.  Only problem was that there wouldn't be enough snow in the mountains in November, so Erin and I postponed until two weeks ago.  Since it was a three-day weekend we were able to take our time and enjoy the week away from home.

We got up, had breakfast, and packed Saturday morning.  On our way up the mountains we stopped in Idaho Springs for lunch.  Traffic wasn't bad, and in no time we were at our destination of Winter Park.  Our first activity that Erin had found was riding in a dog sled.  It was a beautiful sunny day for it, though a little windy.  After filling out the waiver we were taken back to where they were preparing the sleds.  There were about 85 dogs in a few large pens and it was very noisy when the drivers came out.  They bundled us in to one of the sleds and then hooked up nine dogs to it.  Before long we were of sledding through the snow.  The dogs seemed to enjoy running and it was quiet enough for us to ask the driver questions.  It was a very interesting experience.  After about an hour or so of sledding we returned to the pens and got to play with the dogs a little while they were being put back in their pens.

We next headed to our hotel to check in and relax for a little bit.  Our plan was to go to an early dinner and then go out for a horse-drawn sleigh ride.  We walked over to a sushi place for dinner, but halfway through dinner we realized that we wouldn't make it to the sleigh ride in time, so we postponed that for the next night.  With bellies full of sushi and sake we walked back to our hotel to sleep.

On Sunday we got up and had breakfast at the hotel before heading to the slopes.  It took a while, but eventually we found where to park, go rental gear for Erin, got lift tickets, and got on the chair lift.  We shared the chair with a nice older couple that were very friendly.  We skied and boarded for a while, but it was hard to get into a good groove and we kept losing each other.  We eventually stopped for lunch and relaxed for a little bit.  When you spend so much time and effort to get on the mountain its hard not to feel the need to do as many runs as possible, so we were soon back on the slopes.  The wind had picked back up by that time though and we were getting tired, so we called it a day.

We found a nice cajun-style place for dinner and this time we were able to get there early enough to have time to make it out to the sleigh ride.  It was dark by the time we made it out there and it turned out that the other people to go on the ride didn't show up.  So it was just us and the driver on a large sleigh pulled by two very large horses (I think they said they were Haflinger/Percheron).  They took us out under the starlit night to a place where someone had prepared a fire and some hot chocolate.  It was nice to enjoy the warmth there and roast some marshmallows before heading back to the stable.

On Monday we got up at a leisurely pace and made our way back down the mountains to avoid the traffic.  It was a somewhat exhausting weekend, but nice all the same.  All in all, in was a great birthday treat.

Social Weekend

For those of you reading regularly I'm a bit behind on my blogging and trying to catch up.  About two weeks ago Erin and I had a social weekend with our friends and family.  First was bowling on Friday night with friends at Lucky Strike Lanes.  The downtown location provides a hip atmosphere for drinks, snacks, and bowling.  However, finger foods and public bowling balls don't seem to make the most sanitary combination.  Erin and I had a good time, but had to leave before too long as we were pretty tired from the week of work.

Next, on Saturday night Erin and I met up with her parents for a night of dinner and theater.  For dinner we went to Rioja for a very nice meal.  We then walked over to the theater to watch Romeo and Juliet.  The actors performed well, but it's not a play I particularly enjoyed.  Maybe that's just because it's such a staple of our culture.  I'd prefer to see some adaptation like "Romeo & Juliet - Undead" where the star-crossed lovers return from their graves to exact revenge on their warring families.  In any case it was nice to get out for the night.

On Sunday we joined our Supper club at True Food Kitchen.  The restaurant works to be very green and healthy, but I didn't find my meal to be prepared all that well and the service was pretty slow.  I expected more.  The slow service did give us plenty of time to chat and enjoy the company of one of the couple's baby.

Altogether it was a very social weekend with lots of good friends, family, and food.

Birthday Weekend, Part 1

Three weeks ago it was Erin's birthday and we spent the full weekend celebrating.  We started Saturday morning with brunch at the Hornet with all of our friends.  Erin and I really enjoy going to the Hornet for their $2 build-your-own Bloody Marys and delicious meals.  Getting the Pupusas Rancheros is Erin's delight each time we go while I often enjoy their Bourbon Banana French Toast.  Sharing the experience with our friends made it all the better as we got to catch up on all the latest stories.

After brunch I took Erin to Jared for her pick of necklaces.  It was fun to see the different styles and I'm happy that she was able to find something that she really enjoyed.  Even though she had picked it out herself we still had them wrap it up so she could enjoy opening the present later.

That night we continued towards our goal of going out to each of the "25 Best Restaurants" noted in Denver's 5280 magazine.  That Saturday night I had made reservations at Luca D'Italia, one of the fancier restaurants on the list.  It started with valet parking and a hostess to take our coats.  The fanciness continued when the sommelier came to our table to help us pick out a bottle of wine for the meal we had selected.  The meal included several courses of small, delicious plates that we shared.  It was a long dinner and quite expensive (maybe even a bit over-indulgent), but it was fun to enjoy as a rare treat.

The Sunday morning was more low-key as Erin got to sleep in while I fixed some breakfast for her.  The weather seemed somewhat warm, so we decided to take the motorcycle out for a ride in the afternoon.  While it was nice to get out on the motorcycle the weather soon grew cold and all we could muster was a short ride to the store for some wine.

That night we continued the festivities at Erin's parents place where they were preparing her one of her favorite dishes: Lemon Chicken Picatta.  After drinks and a wonderful meal it was time to open presents as Mike and Susie showed their generosity.  With a delicious dessert and long goodbyes we were on our way home.

Unfortunately, Erin and I both had to work on Monday, the actual day of her birthday.  We made the most of it when we got home that evening by having dinner and opening the last of her presents that had been mailed to her.  It was nice to see all the cards and thoughtful gifts from everyone and it was fun to share in such good times.

Christmas in California

For Christmas 2012 Erin and I took a trip out to California to see friends and family.  We were able to find a flight directly from Denver to Fresno, CA.  Through a coincidence of scheduling Amy, Kevin, and Nora were flying in to Denver a few hours before we were scheduled to leave.  This made it possible for us to drive out to the airport in Erin's car, park it in short-term parking, and then hand the keys to Amy and Kevin in the airport.  We had a bit of a bumpy flight, but were soon in Fresno where my parents had driven to pick us up.

For the next several days we spent time with my parents and Michael enjoying delicious meals and good company.  There were several games of dominoes and a lot of time to relax and read.  The weather was a bit wet, so we didn't get out too much, but there was often a warm fire crackling in the fireplace to keep us warm.  It was also fun to play with my parent's rescued kitten, Bella.

After Christmas, Erin and I drove out to Pismo Beach on the coast.  Before leaving town though we had lunch with our friends, Chris and Katie, who live out there.  They recommended several places for us to eat and places to see.  One of the places we really enjoyed was the Cracked Crab.  The main dish was crab and they gave us all the necessary tools to enjoy the fresh legs.  It was a lot of work, but also fun and very tasty.

There were so many things that we enjoyed doing out in Pismo.  Our first night, after arriving at our hotel we found a stairway leading down to the beach and walked down the beach to town enjoying the sunset and the sound of the waves.  On our next day we enjoyed a creek-side walk before getting a picnic lunch and heading out to one of the wineries to enjoy it with some wine.  On our last full day we started with a trip to the Monarch Butterfly Grove to see thousands of butterflies clumped on eucalyptus trees for winter.  After lunch and some shopping at the outlet mall we went out to Montana de Oro state park for a hike.  We found a beautiful cliff-side trail that took us past tide pools and breaking waves.  As the sun set we watched surfers trying to catch a few more waves.  That night we enjoyed a wine bar and an upscale Mexican restaurant.

The next day we reluctantly drove away from the coast and back to the Central Valley for the last of our trip.    Before returning to my parents we met up with our friends, Joe and Angie, in Bakersfield for a chance to see their baby, Sophia and have some lunch.  Finally we spent one last night with my parents after a nice Italian dinner.  The next day they drove us back to the airport and saw us off.

Fortunately, Amy and Kevin were in Denver for one more night, so once we landed they picked us up and took us back to Erin's parent's place where they were staying.  We were able to enjoy some final Christmas/New Year's celebrations before everyone had to head home.  It was wonderful holidays and I'm glad we could share it with so many friends and family.

Wonderful Family and Friends

As the Facebook updates poured in last night and today I was reminded of the wonderful family and friends who are a part of my life.  Friends that go all the way back to when we were growing up in Tulare, to more recent and far-flung friends in Taiwan and Turkey; from eagle scouts and paratroopers to college roommates and supper clubbers.  And dearest of all, my family, both in California and in Colorado, made me feel very loved.

Erin started it off this past weekend, actually, by joining me out for dinner at the 9th Door - a Spanish tapas restaurant we both enjoy.  We then went out for vodka at the Red Square before making our way home.

Then on Sunday night Erin's parents made me dinner at their place with steak, mushrooms, carrots and mashed potatoes with an apple pie to finish it off.

Then there were the cards and gifts from both my parents and Erin's parents.

What's more is that I have a weekend up in the mountains that Erin is planning for me this Winter once there gets to be more snow.

For all of you that read this blog and are a part of my life I want to say, "Thank you."  It is a very happy birthday because of you.

Halloween diversions

Erin and I have been celebrating the season over the past few weeks starting with pumpkin carving at our friend's (Pete and Leah) house.  We tend to put a fair amount of effort into our pumpkin carving and this year was no exception as we carved out a cat.  It was also fun to just hang out with friends and enjoy some snacks.

For Halloween night itself we didn't actually do the traditional dressing up or handing out candy.  Instead we went to a restaurant called "Jing" which serves Asian Fusion cuisine.  The food was okay, but for the price it could have been better.

After dinner we were near a theater showing a movie Erin and I had wanted to see called, "7 Psychopaths".  From the ads it looked like it would be a comical dog-napping story.  Unfortunately for Erin it proved to be more about psychopaths and less about the cute dog.  I (and the rest of the men in the audience apparently) enjoyed the humor, but it was a bit too gruesome for Erin.

Last night we finished off the spooky diversions by going out to see a reading of Edgar Allan Poe's works.  We started the night at Cuba Cuba for dinner and drinks with our friends Cameron and Rachel.  The food was good and the mojitos were tasty.  We then walked to the reading at the Byers-Evans house near the Denver Art Museum.  There was an ensemble of 6 or 7 actors reading poems and plays from Edgar Allan Poe.  Some were better than others.  Sometimes the actors helped place us in the scene.  Other times they detracted from the scene or made them hard to understand.  All in all though we had a good time and an interesting evening.