the bliss is back

I've finally updated my wedding blog..

Let me know if you have any florist or officiant (preferable one that is familiar with pagan rituals) recommendations!

...and all i got was crabs..

Spent a quick weekend in San Francisco with a few of the girls. Nothing was on sale so we pretty much just ate our way around town. Actually, we didn't even make it that far.. We ate at Michael Mina, which was in The Westin St. Francis where we stayed! Made it easier for the bell staff to roll us back to our room.

We started with a complimentary appetizer trio, nearly everything was served as a trio! (My apologies for the photo quality. I just used my iPhone... Didn't want to be a complete dorkus-malorkus and disturb the others enjoying their dinner!)

shrimp, a fish fritter and a stacked tuna nicoise salad bite

Dungeness Crab ~ Local and Seasonal
• Poached Claws, Endive, Aïoli
• Roasted Whole Leg, Beurre Blanc, Espelette
• Cioppino, Backfin Meat, Roasted Peppers

I was pretty much full at this point and we were barely even into the meal! The crab was so heavenly. There were three poached claws, each topped with a different aioli. A trio in a trio!

Pasta ~ Braise and Confit
• Fettuccini, Rabbit, English Peas
• Ravioli, Duck Leg, Radicchio
• Orecchiette, Pork Short Rib, Fava Beans

The pork short rib was melt in your mouth good.

Brandt Farm Beef ~ Spring Vegetables
• Filet Mignon, Sacramento Delta Green Asparagus, Sauce
Béarnaise
• Dry Aged Rib Eye, Wilted Spinach, Morel Jus
• Braised Trio, Young Leeks, Horseradish Vinaigrette

The Béarnaise sauce was dreamy. And the rib eye? Fuhgettaboutit. I heart morels! And what's this? Another trio? Count me in. This time it was tongue, cheek and... something else delicious. I can't remember!

Maine Lobster Pot Pie
• Brandied Lobster Cream, Seasonal Vegetables

Ah-mazing. Whole lobster with the creamiest, silkiest sauce. I could've bathed in it. Seriously. I want to. Getting naked now.

California Squab ~ “Peking” and Citrus
• Smoked Breast, Pixie Tangerine, Pea Leaves
• Consommé, Poached Breast, Shiitake Dumpling
• Foie Gras, Steamed Buns, Pickled Tokyo Turnips

Mmm... What's not to love about little birds? I could've eaten that foie gras all night, while sitting in a tub of lobster sauce.

Cheeses ~ Goat, Sheep, Cow
• Minuet, Pear Purée, Hazelnuts
• Pecorino Ginepro, Port Cherries, Juniper Balsamic Vinegar
• Pianoforte, Porcini Syrup, Puffed Wild Rice

I was soooo stuffed by this point, I could barely eat the cheese. The waitress mentioned that they were all local cheese made by an artisan near Napa. And then something about them being named after musical terms and being available at some rainbow grocer's.

Citrus ~ Herbs
• Meyer Lemon Marmalade, Basil Financier, Huckleberry
• Lime Curd, Shiso Meringue, Sablé Breton
• Grapefruit Gelée, Tarragon Ice Cream, Masago Arame

This was the only thing we didn't really care for. I guess our palates aren't so sophisticated because the combination of herb and citrus flavors weren't exactly harmonious.

Chocolate ~ Exotic
• White Chocolate Panna Cotta, Passion Fruit, Almond Crumble
• German Chocolate, Coconut Espuma, Candied Pecans
• Bittersweet Chocolate Cream, Rum Bananas, Macadamia Nut

Rich, dark, bitter.. Just how I like my men.

Our only real complaint about the evening was that the sommolier was not very helpful. He didn't ask what we were eating, which is totally weird right? All he asked was what we liked to drink and then he proceeded to point to random wines in the wine list and just say, "This one is good... I like this one.. Or you could just get this one.."

He didn't once mention the flavors of the wine or anything!

Anyway, I just chose something and it was good.

Twelve hours later...

French toast with sliced strawberries and coconut cream

Stay tuned for more crab.

splendid!

Remember when I decided that instead of denying my shopping needs, I would curb my other expenses e.g. haircuts? Well imagine my surprise when darling blogger lily.splendor sent me an email with an offer a couldn't refuse!



She had an extra coupon for a free haircut and wanted to share it with little ol' me. How utterly thoughtful of Miss Splendor! And to send along a sweet card in my latest color obsession - fuschia!? I die! She certainly knows the way to a girl's heart, no?

Let's see what happens when I get my hair did on Monday.. Stay tuned.

i'm not good at math.. but i'm good at sales!

I can figure out discounts super fast. Sad. I know.

Anyway, I made a random stop at the mothership, I mean the Rack, on Saturday and as soon as I walked in, I saw a giant table covered in Giorgio Armani and Trish McEvoy makeup!

Most of it was seasonal stuff like bright coral lippies and seafoam green eyeshadows.. But of course I managed to find a couple fun things. I picked up a Giorgio Armani high color cream lipstick in a punchy berry color. I'm more of a neutral lip kinda girl but lately I've been intrigued by the berries so what a great way to try it!

(That photo really isn't true to color. Stupid lighting... It's more purply-fuschia, less orangy-red.)

The funny thing is, no one was even looking on that table until I started rummaging. Then all of a sudden there were five or six other women digging for colors. Good thing I snagged a couple glosses too! Each was under $10.

Done!

Not really. After the makeup frenzy, I looked around the unusually crowded store and noticed signs that said nearly everything was an additional 35% off! (Including the items in my hot little hands!)


So I grabbed this too!

Hope you guys all had a lovely Easter with loads of chocolate bunnies and fake grass and baskets and plastic eggs that I can never open.

oh no she didn't!

It's that time of year again - time for the crazies to come out.

Sakura Con 2009!

Every year there's a convention in downtown Seattle for hmmm.. I'm not exactly sure what.. Anime? Video games? Whatever it is, these broads are definitely not Harajuku girls.

D'oh!