Update

Well I'm not good at this. Seems when life gets busy, my time with my hobbies goes away. Perhaps I should learn some better time management or prioritization? Or maybe there just aren't enough hours in the day. Although lately, I've been needing less sleep and feeling more energized, which has given me more hours in the day to accomplish stuff. I think I give credit to 2 factors: being back in CA (and thus, being away from the more severe of my allergies) and taking high dosages of Vitamin D. 

I've been researching the supplement since I started taking them. Clinically they are only given credit to bone health and prevention of osteoperosis. But for me, since taking them, I feel like I am more energized and therefore, more happy and motivated. Sun does that to people, right? I'd assume Vit D could too then. In either case, that's how I feel. 

Work started at EA where I am working as a contract web producer for the Sims Online team. It is not gameplay production, which is where I want to be (I think...) but I am still having a lot of fun. And learning a lot. Being on the Sims team, one of the largest games in the world, definitely teaches you a lot about production and management and how things get done on a global scale.

Haven't been going anywhere new lately, but I've been cooking a lot more often. Maybe I should start sharing those photos?    

Sonoma

My friend Lauren came up to SF (oh yeah! I'm back in SF! :-D ) to spent Memorial Weekend with her aunt and uncle, who live in the the city. They were going to spend the weekend at their vineyard in Sonoma and guess who Lauren decided to invite? ^_^

I spent the weekend at a beautiful vineyard in what I will call an estate. There were 2 gates getting to their home and a long driveway up to a beautiful house that overlooked their vineyard and had a spectacular view of wine country. There was also a deck & porch with lovely decor, a vegetable & flower garden, a heated in-ground swimming pool, a lower viewing/picnic point, and two separate cottages for their 2 sons who come up on occasions.

We spent the weekend cooking and eating and went out for wine, olive oil, and balsamic tasting. Most of what we did was in the house though, which was fine with me. It was really nice.

During my stay there I kept thinking, "Wouldn't this be an awesome place to retire to?" Not that I am thinking of retiring any time soon (hello college debt), but I think a quiet country-side, when life is good and the night sky is so clear you can see the stars, seems like a perfect place to simply enjoy the rest of your life. Good food, good wine, relaxation... it was like a retreat. ^_^

Unfortunately, my allergies didn't want to agree with me. :P

Still, when your bedroom has a view like that, I think it's something to be grateful to have.



It's good to be back in SF. :-)

Jen's Wedding

I was in Detroit last weekend for my cousin, Jen's weekend. It was kind of awkward for me to be there. I didn't really know anyone, other than my dad. And while you could say she's family, I hadn't seen her in over six years, and even back then, I had only seen her for maybe a weekend on Thanksgiving?

I can't really comment much on the wedding. She's Lutheran (I think?) and the wedding consisted of family and church group friends. I guess you could say I'm not a very religious person (or at least, that I'm not a Lutheran myself) so the culture and traditions were something new to me. Her dress was beautiful though, and she seemed happy to be marrying her husband. :-)

So it was nice to be able to go.


(no that is not stock footage. That is me messing w/ Photoshop....)

Harbor Inn

Harbor Inn is a seafood restaurant in Portage Lake, OH. My mom had been talking about taking me for years, but we never seemed to make it due to other, um.. food priorities (see previous post).

But last week, we finally made a trip.

Truth be told, when we arrived I was a bit disappointed. My mom painted the place as a nice relaxing lake-side seafood restaurant, but as we walked in, it was, well... a lakeside pub, complete with plastic wine glasses (the frosted colored kind) and burgers. I guess when I hear "seafood restaurant", I don't think of fish and chips.

But, as it turns out, inside was a nice restaurant. Outside was the pub-like bars. My mom asked for the indoor menu and all was well. We got a bottle of wine and ordered our seafood dishes. I got freshwater trout with almonds and amaretto cream sauce and for dessert, I ordered a butterscotch crem brulee to share.



Both dishes were delicious. :-)

I am very happy to find a good seafood restaurant in our area of Ohio. Most restaurants around my hometown are either chains or involve burgers & chicken wings (which I do not mind. :-) Yum). There was once this nice place even closer to our home but it has unfortunately closed down due to lack of business (The food was very good and the environment really nice, but I suppose what they offered wasn't of interest to the neighboring residents because despite the good food, classy bar, and jazzy live music scene (and being the only place around like this...), they still had to close).

I do wish Harbor Inn could offer the niceties of the indoor restaurant outside as well, but due to regulations (no glass on the deck), they leave outside to the bar hoppers. But I also think this combination is what allows Harbor Inn to keep up a nice seafood place in our small town area. In either case, I really liked this place. :-)