Wine Dinner

So one of my top fave restaurants is having one of their fab wine dinners next Thursday and this is one not to miss.

First off the restaurant is in this very swank 50's ranch house. The inside is very classy and the atmosphere is dim lighted with jazzy sounds playing. It gives off a really nice vibe.

The wine dinners are basically a 5 course dinner experience.

You start off typically with champagne and Hors D' Oeuvres

Than you go to course one that comes with a wine pairing than 2,3,4 and dessert.

They usually have a theme too. We been to a few. One Italian one, a French one and a Italian -American.

It is always a great time and usually at the end of the courses the chef comes out to greet everyone.

This is next Thursday's menu...I can't wait.

C H A N D O N
Thursday April 30th
6:45 p.m
etoile Restaurant. If you are going to wine country I
highly recommend etoile at Domaine Chandon. It truly is
one of the most beautiful restaurants in the country.
Having worked in Paris, Versailles and traveling Europe
it is reminiscent of the Châteaux’s in France in both
looks and class.
Menu
Hors d’oeuvres
Served in the park
Chandon Blanc de Noir

Flatbread
Pancetta, Mozzarella and Italian Parsley

Demi Tasse of Chilled Avocado Soup
Cilantro Crème Fraiche

Veggie Spring Rolls
Mango Chili Dip

First Course
Chandon Carneros Chardonnay 2006

Chilled Crab
Sage Ranch honey, tangerine and Garden Herbs

Second Course
Chandon Pinot Meunier 2006

Oregon Morels
With Creamy Polenta, Marsala Wine

Fourth Course
Chandon Pinot Noir 2006

Filet of Beef
Pinot Demi, Buttermilk Onion Rings and Asparagus

Dessert
Chandon Rose

Chocolate Pave
Espresso Crème Anglaise

$60.00 per person food and wine.
Service and Tax additional

Happy Birthday to Rick!

Last night we went to celebrate Rick's birthday at a Japanese restaurant in Stanton. We sat for a long while enjoying Japanese Beer,Plum wine and Saki after Saki.

Here is one end of the table

And the other end..Sluggo said he was talking about Port

Than Adrian Showed up with one of her Famous Birthday cakes (she did my baby Shower Cake) She does amazing work and always ready for hire! The cakes are reallllly good too!
Rick's theme was a sushi cake. It even had fondant chopsticks and a dipping tray on the board it was sitting on..too cool.

I had Loryn take a photo of us cousins

Ok take 2!!!

After dinner it was time to let Rick blow out the candles

Closer view of the cake

We all cheered Gabe cause he was the only one to brave and eat the Fondant Sushi on the top of the cake..He said it was really good. Even better than his dish

After dinner we all went to have some beers at The ratskeller in Old World...we had a pretty awesome joke fest upstairs in the evening..some even made Michael Steven Burns blush!

Diners,Drive-ins and Dives

Anyone who knows me knows I am a huge FOODIE and let me just say that I absolutely love this show on the food network. When I travel one of the main things that I enjoy is checking out new and interesting places to eat and this show makes me really want to plan my ultimate road trip vacation one day soon when Ava is a little older.

Every time I watch the show though I get the urge to eat! Sometimes I think what are some good dives out here in Long Beach that I think Guy should come check out for his show and here is my list...

1. The Coffee Cup Cafe

2. The Potholder

3. Egg Heaven

Those are my choices. I think they would mesh really well with the whole theme of the show.

It's Tradition

Every weekend at least one day we go out for breakfast. We been doing this for almost as long as Gabe and I been together..even the simplest of restaurants is golden for us...

Parker decided Pizza for Breakfast is a GREAT idea

While we dined .....Ava Played

Parker had fun adding food coloring to his water..

Gabe falls victim to the aroma of a hot skillet breakfast

This was my breakfast..and it was everything I could ask for

mmmmm......CHEESE

WOO HOO! Today is Bonus day and now we are going out to celebrate.

So I will blog now since I won't be around later. Gabe is coming here to pick me up from work and Chris is gonna meet Holly and I think a few other co workers are gonna join us for Martinis and Fondue at THE Melting Pot.

http://www.meltingpot.com/

The have this LOVE martini that I want to try!

Malibu Rum, Peach Schnapps, cranberry juice with sliced fresh strawberries!

We are gonna go for the Happy hour special. $32 dollars you get a cheese fondue, two salads and 2 martinis. We are gonna order additional Chocolate fondue as well.

I wish I had my camera with me so I can take photos but I didn't think to bring it...oh well!

Another Sunday Champagne Brunch

Every Sunday we go out to breakfast and yesterday we went over to French 75 for the champagne brunch before picking up Parker from Uncle Andy and Aunt Davina's house.
It was very nice! We usually try and invite a pair of friends with us since we can get the 50% off deal there but since we were driving home from Josh and Vickies and decided last minute to go we didn't have a chance to call a couple to come join us.
They have this deal were for 32.00 you get a three course brunch with bottomless champagne or mimosas..I was only able to drink 3 flutes.

My starter was a butter lettuce salad with Roquefort cheese and toasted almonds with a vinaigrette dressing..it was gooooood

Gabe had the shrimp smothered in a garlic sauce

Ava was such a good baby.a few guests in the restaurant had to stop at our table to admire her

She kept smiling at the table next to us and the servers

She cracks me up

My second course was a filet Mignon eggs Benedict with a cheesy potatoes

Gabe and I toasting our mimosa's

My dessert was a Tahitian vanilla creme brulee with fresh berries..It was the best!

Gabe had a tart it was called something in french but was basically baked Cinnamon apples on a thin pastry with vanilla bean ice cream

Eat at EAT CHOW

So it is hard to get back into the groove of things at work after having 4 days off and the week before 5 days off.

Today is our first official day back with most of the staff back from vacation. However we have to move this week and next so it shall be interesting. I have so much to do like go to the post office to have our new address forwarded and than get the utilities transferred over and a lot of other setting up things.

Anyways My boss is back from vacation and I told him I had to run over to the new building to see how it is coming along and he said he wanted to go too, so we jumped into the company truck but before going to the office we went to breakfast at his friends New cafe in Costa Mesa called EAT CHOW.

This is such a cool little cafe that serves breakfast lunch and dinner. They had awesome coffee and I ordered a breakfast BLTA sandwich with country potatoes and strawberries.

My boss had some oatmeal that had big fresh cuts of strawberries,bananas, and blueberries and had a little carafe of creamy steam milk and a little silver bowl of granola to add to your oatmeal.

I never seen oatmeal so appetizing before. So check it out.

They have a GREAT menu.The location of this place cause it is BRAND NEW is

1802 Newport Blvd Costa Mesa CA 92627.

It is conjoined with a hip clothing store called The Closet.

I recommend this place to everyone!

Piaggio Christmas Dinner

So last night we had my company dinner party at Park Ave.
We met there about 8pm for cocktails first. Once everyone arrived we were seated and had the most delightful dinner. I wanted to share something pretty special with my colleagues so I brought two of my favorite bottles of wine for dinner.
We had tons of appetizers which the coconut shrimp ROCKED!
I had filet Mignon Medallions with roasted potatoes and fresh cut green beans.
We Had great food, good conversation and tons of laughs.
Later on the Chef came and joined us at the table for some chit chat.

Everyone was very happy and said I did a good job.
They all say that I always know where the good places are...and I agree!

Pre dinner cocktails

The boys having martini's

My boss and his wife

Holly must have taken this picture a dozen times but I kept shutting my eyes.

My boss was telling me to close them and when I see the first flash open them..

Another try

My co workers Sean and Peter (that is Peters girlfriend Sabina)

My boss his wife and my co worker Rafael

My co worker Josh and his wife Ampahn

Holly smacking the husbands around