we are family

life shares it's wisdom

when I was biking to Newport Beach yesterday I noticed on Back Bay Trail a grouping of ducks!  I had to stop my bike and take a picture!  There was a mommy sleeping and a group of at least four baby ducks huddled together sleeping.  I inched a little closer, trying not to scare them, to get a better picture.  Another duck, whom I am assuming is daddy, came swimming up to check on his family!! I quickly backed away and continued riding so as not to disturb the little family any further!.... I love you all

a little birdie for mama birdie

I saw this little guy taking a sweet bath at the fountain in University Center, while I was enjoyed a delicious frozen treat!

A Mennonite Recipe for Dinner!

. . .a piece of a great cookbook idea. . . 

* Nick and I have been thinking about things to cook for dinner and add to our collection of SoCal dinners we've had the pleasure of doing together this summer.


*I was checking out the "Mennonite Girls Can Cook" blog to look for dinner ideas and came across this delectable treat!!! We decided to give it a try, and it became a TOP 5 recipe it was so good!!


*Here is the link to the original post:
http://mennonitegirlscancook.blogspot.com/2010/08/chicken-broccoli-crescent-ring.html


*We will definitely make this again. . . maybe as a party appetizer!!! =)


Enjoy,
~Amanda

celebration

August Birthdays

both of Nick's roommates are celebrating birthdays this week!  Tomorrow, we are having a party for them!  I made cupcakes to celebrate using mom's tweaked "King Arthur Flour" chocolate cake recipe.  They came perfect!

bright and cheery

.h.a.p.p.y. .f.l.o.w.e.r.s.

Nick and his roommate are moving into a new apartment in Corona del Mar at the end of August.  I decided to cheer up the process today!! I biked to Whole Foods for lunch, and then ran into TJMAXX (where I found the vase) and then Michael's (where I got the flowers)... the arrangement will look awesome in their  new apartment with a beach view! It will be a surprise (well sort of-he knows I'm doing a floral/girly thing :P) when they move in.

~Amanda xoxo

routes and roots

biking to Newport Beach

to get from my aprtment in Irvine, to Nick's apartment in Newport I take a nice easy nine mile route.  It is a beautiful, flat trip now that I know how to travel the bike path.  The first (longish) leg of my trip is on PCH, *Pacific Coast Highway rt 1* which is that road that travels the entire west coast. PCH is a busy road, but really beautiful too...and VERY biker friendly because everyone bikes here!

The second, and logest leg of my trip is on Back Bay Trail which takes me around Newport's bay.  I have to go over this long bridge before I start the trail... it's super cute!

In the morning it is cloudy becuase of the Marine layer, which burns off by noon or sometimes earlier depending on how hot it will be that day.

Love

Amanda xoxo

sunsets and sweet dreams

under the California sun

we are so happy

laughing

drinking coffee

in each other's arms

watching the sweet, hot California sun

dip and drop below the horizon

looking in vein for

the green flash, 

but there is enough

spark 

between us

to last a long while...

walking home

. . . most nights after dinner. . . 

. . . nick and I take a walk into town to "Alta," my favorite coffee shoppe.  The beautiful twilight streets of Newport Beach feel so much like home to me now.

Love always,

Amanda

a little cheese with my wine

Wine Lab

Nick, his roommate, his roommates girlfriend, and I all went to this really small, cute wine store: Wine Lab on Saturday night.  They do mini-tastings there.  The boys got the red wine tasting set, and the girls got the white wine tasting set.  We also ordered some cheese and crackers to accompany the delicious wine!  

The last time Nick was at Wine Lab they served this cave made cheese with coffee in it.  We asked the waitress about it, as it wasn't one of the cheeses on our platter.  She brought us out some to taste. BY FAR, THE BEST CHEESE I'VE EVER HAD!  I hope to get a big chunk of it at some point.   Love, Amanda xo

frozen yogurt sundae

YUMMY!

Yogurtland has the best frozen treats!

Build your own Sundae!

*Strawberry Cheesecake and Peanut Butter Ice Cream

*Peanuts

*Strawberries

*Fruity Pebbles

all at University center! 

cycling

9 mile bike ride--my apartment to Nick's
I've become a pretty good biker as of late... making the trip back-and-forth from my apartment to Nick's.  It's really amazing exercise (gotta work off all those fish tacos I ate last night) hehe.  

on my bike!!!  
I actually set the timer on my camera for this one =)

we might as well be chefs

Delicious Food!

 *Chicken, Spinach, Tomato Pizza

*Turkey Lettuce Wraps

*Turkey Caesar Salad 

...and...

d.e.s.e.r.t

*Barefoot Riesling Wine and Chocolate Covered Strawberries

*Blueberry, Chocolate Chip and Pear muffins 

. . . all of it. . . 

h.o.m.e.m.a.d.e + from the h.e.a.r.t

beach days are so easy to find

at the beach

r.e.l.a.x.i.n.g

 must be what it's like

to glimpse

h.e.a.v.e.n

The Grand Canyon

Arizona!

While being one of the scariest cliff-faces I've ever seen, it was also the most breathtaking place I've ever been to!  There aren't even words to describe the overwhelming beauty of the canyon.

we had so much fun hiking along the rim trail and looking out at the vast depths

Love to you all,

Amanda 

Sedona, Arizona

Sunday afternoon we drove to Sedona.  It was absolutely beautiful to see the red rock formations.   We walked around to view the landscape...

 ...took several photos, and sipped on ice-cold mango-pineapple smoothies!  We had a ton of fun!

 We also saw cactus, little artistic figurines, and a "mamacita" statue! We spent only the afternoon in Sedona, but got a good taste for it. There are trails and things, plus a main street, but you really would have to do a lot of hiking to stay more than a day.   
Love to you all,  
~Amanda

A Week of Birthdays!!

On Saturday morning, Nick and I woke up early to drive to Scottsdale, Arizona.  Best friends of his live there, Jack and Lindy.  Jack was celebrating his 30th birthday, and his wife, Lindy had this fantastic party planned.  

 She created everything you see here... so very creative!  It was a beer vs. wine themed black, white, and red party!  Everyone had to choose a wine glass and a beer glass when they arrived, each glass had a tag with our first initial on it.  We also had to grab out initial notepad and a marker.  

There were FIVE courses.  Before each course, Jack would introduce the beer that was accompanying the course, and Lindy would introduce the wine.  We got a tasting sample of each in the respective glasses, and a taste of the food dish.  We then, had to vote which wine or beer we thought paired better with the food and mark it on our notepad.  SO FUN! 

course one:  Pop's Peanut Butter + Bacon Triscuits paired with Samuel Smith Lager (England) and 2009 Crios de Samos Balbo Rose of Malbec (Argentina) 

course two:  Flo's Spicy Chicken Lettuce Cups paired with Hitachino Red Ale (Japan) and Gazela Vino Verde (Portugal)

course three: Scottsdale BBQ Pork Sliders paired with Two Hearted Ale Bell's Brewery (Michigan)and Page Springs Cellars 2009 Mule's Mistake (Arizona)

course four:  Chorizo Mac + Cheese paired with Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale Stone Brewery (California) and Zaca Mesa 2007 Syrah (Santa Ynez Valley)

course five:  Tammie Coe Red Velvet Cupcakes paired with Lambic Belgian Framboise and V. Sattui Madeira (Napa Valley)

It was a great night had by all.  The following morning, Nick and I and his friends Joe and Cassie (also from Newport), and Jack and Lindy all went to the Zinburger restaurant. The home of the very best burger and shake I've ever had in my whole life! It was a birthday celebration all around: Jack's birthday the 30th, mine the 2nd, and Cassie's the 7th.  GREAT weekend! 

The Counter

An Amazing Burger!

Nick took me to a restaurant called "The Counter" in Newport Beach on Friday night!  You build your own burger choosing: burger, cheese, toppings, sauce and a bun.  It was very messy, but also extremely delicious!  A great start to an AMAZING weekend!!! Come back for more on our adventures!!! 

cookies!

Beach Cookies!!  

I baked these adorable almond cookies today, and tomorrow... I'm headed to Arizona =)  I will blog again on Tuesday *muwa* love to you all!

Oh... and a happy 28th birthday to me too hehe!  
~Amanda  xoxo

amazing beach day!

Beautiful Newport Beach!!!

30 June

I meandered to the beach after lunch, listened to the rhythmic beating of the waves and read the latest novel that I brought with me.  A book about pixies (of course) entitled Need.  I also made a gallant attempt at tanning while using SPF100 suntan lotion haha... major fail!!

After work, Nick and I went to see "Midnight in Paris" at this really beautiful movie theater Edwards that was built in the 30's, and it looks like an old fashioned play theater!!! It was AWESOME!  Great movie, def a must-see!!!

Love to you all,
Amanda  xoxo

Feeding the 'lil Duckies

     I'm having an amazing time so far!!! Yesterday, I walked to "Wholesome Choice" grocery store a little over a mile from my apartment.  It is such an amazing store, they have all sorts of yummy food items AND they sell wine at the grocery stores here!! uh-mazing!  Just another reason to love Cali. 

beautiful scenery on my walk...

When I got home from the store, my roommate, our other roommates little brother and I all went to feed the ducks at the pond across the street.  There were little babies!! 

I'm Here! Day One:

27 June 2011

Rachael and I woke up early in the morning, our alarms were set for just before 5AM.  Early.  We still couldn't manage to make it in the car and on our way until 20 after 6- a condition we must've inherited from our mother (lol).   We were running a little late for a Monday morning flight, but nevertheless, I managed to make it on the plane in time and jetted off for California.  I traveled over clouds, valleys, crop circles, the Rockies, canyons, and finally touched down in the Golden State a little after noon yesterday! 

 Nick picked me up from the airport and drove me to my apartment in Irvine.  One of the first things I did was pretty-up my room and organize the things out of my very heavy, ready-to-burst bags.

California is such a walker/biker friendly state.  I went for a walk to the University Plaza, where I found Trader Joe's and some other really amazing shops!! 

 Nick and I went out for delicious Mexican food and had a wonderful evening =)
Love you all!  

~Amanda xoxo