Early Xmas in Texas - Dec 2021

Dinner at Elm and Good

Since we were going to Spain over Christmas, we made a quick trip down to TX to spend the weekend with Keith's family.  We arrived Friday night - Jean and Dick picked us up and then we picked up Lily at the bus station which is near the airport.  We had some cheese and wine (that we had bought for Keith's parents as a holiday gift) at the house before heading to bed.  

Dallas Arboretum

Saturday was a whirlwind day.  We went for a walk in the morning and then met with Peter and Michel for lunch at a sushi place.  It was great to catch up with them.  Shortly after we returned back to the house, we then left in two cars (we had to pick up Margaret and the kids) and went to the Dallas Arboretum to see the Christmas display.  In years past, we went to see this at night but we couldn't get tickets so we went in the daytime.  Right after this, we went to Graham's restaurant, Elm and Good, to have dinner where we shared a bunch of yummy starters - our favorite being the 'crab' cake made with mushrooms.  For our entree, we shared the Steak Diane and then we got a few desserts for the table.  Not surprisingly (since these are Graham's dishes), everything was very tasty.  Back at the house, we had another glass of wine and then went to bed.

On Sunday, we both had to leave mid-day as we were flying to different work locations - Keith going to San Diego and Shawna going to CT.  So that morning, we went for a walk, cleaned up and headed to the airport.  While the trip was quick, it was wonderful to spend time with everyone.

Thanksgiving in LA - Nov 2021

We spent the week of Thanksgiving at Shawna's mom's house in Louisiana, arriving on Sunday evening and returning the following Sunday.  We worked from her house the early part of the week and relaxed for the rest.  Shawna went shopping with her mom one day in Lafayette - going to Talbots, Dillards and Bath and Body Works.  One evening, we had dinner at Hope's house - they served chicken with roast vegetables and apple pie.  It was great to catch up with her and her husband Craig.  On Thanksgiving day, Nicole, Hunter, Harmony and Hayden came over for lunch - we had the usual fried turkey, dressing, sweet potato casserole and broccoli casserole with pineapple cake for dessert.  On Friday evening, we celebrated early Christmas - opening up gifts with Shawna's mom.  The rest of the time we relaxed - catching up on reading and watching movies.  

Cabo San Lucas - Oct 2021

We had not been to our time share at Hacienda Encantada in over two years so we decided to spend a week in Cabo with John and JoAnna - our first 'international' trip since Covid!  We had to work from there a few days so we upgraded to a one bedroom with an adjoining studio so that we could work in the living room and bedroom at the same time.  The only unfortunate part was that Shawna could not get her laptop to connect to the hotel wifi so she had to tether to her phone which was quite slow.

Hacienda Encantada

We arrived on Saturday, later afternoon - flying direct from Chicago on American.  John and JoAnna had arrived a couple of hours earlier and waited for us at the airport while getting a head start on the beer drinking.  When we arrived, they had a beer waiting for us which we quickly gulped down and then we got into our private transfer van where the driver also had a few beers for us to drink while we rode the 45 minute ride to our hotel.  After checking in and getting settled into our room, we went out to dinner at Los Riscos (at the hotel).  

For the rest of the trip, we stayed at the resort - we thought we would go into town one day/evening but opted not to do that.  We had purchased the all inclusive food/drink package which ended up being a good deal financially but not a good deal diet wise!  Each day (when we were not working), we relaxed by the pool - trying each of the three pools - our favorite being the one by Phase 1 that has an infinity pool overlooking the ocean.  We also ate all of our meals at the hotel - our favorites being the pizza place and the taco place.  One evening, we did the Mexican buffet and show which was entertaining.  

Phase 2 Pool

Phase 1 Pool

Since we had last been there, they had built a new building across from the main lobby that had a bar in the lobby (with live entertainment some evenings), a rooftop pool and a rooftop restaurant.  We tried both the restaurant and lobby bar a couple of nights - both of which were good.  John and JoAnna ended up doing the obligatory 'tour' of the property and were pitched that we should upgrade.  While the deal sounded tempting, we opted not to partake!

To get back into US, we had to take a Covid test which the resort offered onsite.  Aside from it being somewhat inefficient of a process, it was convenient.  We all tested negative - we were told that no one had tested positive which made us suspect of the quality/rigor of the testing!  We got home on Sunday evening - having had a really nice and relaxing time - albeit one with too much food!

New York - Feinberg Bat Mitzvah - Sept 2021

Having quite a laugh (post injury) at the bat mitzvah

We spent a few days in NYC so that we could attend Casey's bat mitzvah - Mark and Alicia's daughter.  We had attended their sons bar mitzvah a few years earlier so came back to witness the 'girl version' of this fun event.  We arrived into the New York City late on Wednesday night as we took a direct flight from Oregon (spending a few days in wine valley with the Snarrs to celebrate Kim's 50th birthday).  We checked into our hotel, Courtyard Marriott Central Park (which was not your typical Courtyard - rooms were decent, not many amenities but at least it was close to the park) and promptly went to sleep.

Central Park Reservoir

We worked out of the hotel on Thurs / Fri and had dinner on Thursday night with Keith's boss and his wife at Buddakan.  While Shawna had met Keith's boss a couple of times before, it was nice to spend some more personal time and to meet his wife.  When we sat down at the table, we were surprised with some glasses of champagne that have been arranged in advance by Keith's work to celebrate Keith's two year anniversary with the company.  We shared several tasty dishes including dumplings, cauliflower pops, stir fried broccoli and fish.  When it came time for dessert, we ordered two to share but needed up getting one of each (four in total) comped as Keith's boss happen to know the general manager.  

On Friday night, we had dinner just the two of us at Musket Room, a small, very cute and really yummy Michelin starred restaurant in SoHo.  We were quite tired and had contemplated canceling but we were glad that we ended up going.  We shared the bread with spreads and squash blossom for an appetizer and then shared the duck for an entree - delicious!  We had a drink to start, a bottle of wine with our meal and a couple of glasses of dessert wine.  All of which made for a good night's sleep as we slept in until 7:40 am the following morning!

Pre injury photos

On Saturday, Keith got us Starbucks for breakfast and then we worked / relaxed in the hotel for a bit until we headed out to Central Park to do the big loop and one lap around the reservoir.  On our way back, we stopped at a Sweetgreens and got a salad and a warm bowl that we shared for lunch.  That afternoon, we took a nap and then got ready to go to the bat mitzvah which was located in a warehouse type building in Chelsea.  Kim and Tom also came and we also saw Alicia's sister.  At the party, we had a few drinks and some heavy appetizers and then decided to join in on the fun on the dance floor.  About two minutes into dancing, Shawna ended up tearing a calf muscle as she was jumping up and down.  She felt a tear in her leg and quickly hobbled off the dance floor.  Apparently you should no longer dance that way in your 50s!!  She elevated her foot and put some ice on while Keith, Kim and Tom enjoyed a bit more of the party.  When it came time to leave, Keith and Tom had to carry Shawna out because at this point, she could not walk on the injured leg!  We cabbed it back to the hotel, hopped her way through the lobby and to the room and then elevated and iced some more while trying to get some sleep that night!

Getting carried out of the party

Next day heading to airport

On Sunday, Keith went out for Starbucks again and also got Shawna some crutches and bandages to wrap the leg. We then checked out of the hotel a bit earlier, recognizing that it would take longer to navigate the airport on crutches.  At the airport, Shawna did not make it very far before needing to get a wheel chair to get her to the gate and then needed another wheel chair (which we had to wait for) when we landed to get her to the curb.  We were back to our house mid afternoon and Shawna did her best to unpack and settle in while using crutches in the house.  While we will certainly remember this silly mishap, we were bummed that we could not enjoy more of the party.

Oregon - Kim Snarr 50th Bday - Sept 2021

The gang wine tasting

To celebrate Kim's 50th birthday, we spent five days in Willamette Valley in Oregon (we had been there in July to celebrate our anniversary).  We were joined by Kim's sister, Kerry and her husband Stuart as well as Kim's friends Mark and Tracy.  Tom had rented a VRBO which was a beautiful farm house on a hill overlooking a vineyard.  We ended up in the garage that has been transformed into a game room and had a pull out sofa - the joke was that we won since our room was the biggest!

Rental house and view from deck

We flew in on Saturday, landing around noon.  We couldn't check into the house until 4pm and the others were arriving around that time so we decided to go to a few wineries which sounded good at the time but then was not so good later in the evening after having too much wine!  We tried two wineries that a colleague of Keith's had recommended - Ponzi (which has a nice modern tasting room and some nice wines that we really enjoyed) and Dusky Goose (which we did not enjoy as much).  We ended up buying his colleage a bottle from Ponzi to send to her.  We then capped off the day at Penner Ash (our favorite winery there) where Mark and Tracy joined us for a tasting and then we had a bottle of wine sitting out on the Adirondack chairs.

Dusky Goose Winery

Ponzi Winery

Penner Ash Winery

We then checked into the house and had an amazing dinner at the house - Tom had arranged for a private chef who made us a five course meal which was delicious.  Mark had bought the wine for dinner so after a day of wine tasting and an evening of more wine, we had our fill!  Keith couldn't even make it passed the second course - he was so tired that he retired early.

Dinner from private chef

So good she licked the plate clean!

On Sunday, we took a van (Tom had arranged for a driver) and did tastings at three wineries - Argyle (where we liked their dessert wine and ordered a few bottles), Domaine Serene (a large winery with a more traditional tasting room and beautiful views - some of the pinots were nice), and Stoller (which has a large modern tasting room with a nice lawn - wines were pretty good but our waitress was terrible).  That evening we had dinner at Park and Main in Carlton where we shared a pizza which was quite good.  

Argyle Winery

Domaine Serene Winery

Stoller Winery

On Monday, the rest of the crew went for hike while Keith and Shawna worked from the house.  Late afternoon, we met them at McMenamins, a rooftop bar in McMinnville.  We had several drinks and bar food - burgers and tots.  It was Kerry's birthday so we had a mini celebration with Stuart buying an ice cream sandwich with candles - the candles took almost an hour to hunt down!

On Tuesday, we worked for a couple of hours in the morning and then went for a hike in Silver Falls State Park where we saw some beautiful waterfalls.  We then went for another wine tasting at Cristom (a smaller winery near Salem) where we really enjoyed all of the wines and the woman did a really nice job explaining each.  We went back to the house for a quick shower and then had dinner at Pura Vida in McMinnville - a small Mexican restaurant with yummy traditional dishes.

Silver Falls State Park

On Wednesday, the rest of the crew drove out to the coast where they planned on staying for two nights.  Keith and Shawna worked from the house and then headed to the airport to fly to NYC where we would stay for a few days so that we could go to the Feinberg bat mitzvah.

Outer Banks NC - Sept 2021

NC Crew + Snarrs

For Shawna's final (although Keith doesn't believe it) 50th birthday celebration, we rented a house in the Outer Banks over Labor Day weekend with our NC friends.  We had 7 couples and 4 kids in the house and had a great time enjoying the surprisingly great weather, playing games, laughing our hearts out and eating way more than we should have!  Included in the house were: Keith/Kate (with the two girls), John/JoAnna, Phil/Joyce, Kim/Jonathan, Steve/Amy and Kim/Tom (who drove down from NJ with Riley and her friend).

Our rental house

We flew into NC a few days prior and stayed at John's house - Keith visited properties while Shawna worked from the house.  On Thursday, we all drove out (we rode with Phil and Joyce as John didn't have enough room in his car) to the beach with most of us arriving around 4pm (the Snarrs came on Saturday).  We checked into the AirBnB rental which was a great house - three stories with plenty of bedrooms, a very large kitchen and dining/living room on the top floor with views of the ocean, several decks out back, some games and a movie theater on the ground floor, and a pool and hot tub in the backyard.  Our only complaint is that the landscaping in the back could have used some work.  After we landed on our bedrooms and got settled in, we had some beers and enjoyed some of the amenities of the house.  John and JoAnna ordered pizza for dinner from Nags Head Pizza Company and then we had some ice cream for dessert from Booty Treats that was right across the street from the house.  

Hanging out on the deck

Pizzzaaaa

On Friday morning, most of us (except John and JoAnna) went on a two hour boat tour to see dolphins in the sound - there were plenty to see!  It was also nice to see some of the islands and lighthouses out on the water as well.

Dolphin Tour

For lunch, Jonathan and Kim made their yummy veggie wraps and then that afternoon, we hung out at the pool/hot tub.  For dinner, Joyce made an amazing meal of Caribbean lamb stew with beans and rice and of course a lemon cake (Shawna's favorite) for dessert.  

Yummy Caribbean Lamb Stew

On Saturday, we went out to the beach in the morning and then had lunch hosted again by Kim and Jonathan who this time made a great salad and sausage rolls.  Kim and Tom arrived right after lunch, bringing cookies with them from Crumbl which we of course all tried.  In the afternoon, we hung out again at the pool/hot tub, drinking and chatting.  

Beach time

That evening, Shawna and Keith hosted dinner - we had arranged for Outer Banks Boil Company to do a seafood boil at the house including shrimp, corn, potatoes, lobster and crab along with key lime pie for dessert.  We all had dinner out on the deck and while we all ate a ton, we still had some leftovers that we used the next day to make chowder.  

Yummy seafood boil

On Sunday, everyone did their own thing in the morning - there was a group of us peeling all the leftover seafood to make the chowder.  After lunch, we kicked off the 'Beach Olympics' which sounds way more active than it really was.  We divided the teams into girls and boys and each person wrote down their proposed competition on a piece of paper.  Joyce was our judge who then drew each competition from the bowl and then we had to decide who from our respective teams would compete, knowing that everyone eventually had to play one of the games and you could not have someone compete in two games in a row.  The games included: standing up from a lying down position while holding a cup of water, describe in a sentence the plot of Forest Gump (which was quite funny), Catch Phrase, shuffle board, holding breath under water, hair flip in the pool, pool relay on floats, shot put, and the ultimate competition - relay running into the ocean and tagging John's hand while we stood out there battling the waves!  The girls won 6-4!  Needless to say there were a lot of laughs.  That night for dinner, the Artins made a tasty Italian meal of pesto pasta, sausage, and eggplant parm!

Beach Olympics!

On Monday, everyone (except Kim and the girls and Steve/Amy) did a 1.5 hour kayaking tour along one of the rivers.  We saw snakes and a spider and lots of pretty plants and trees.  

Kayaking Tour

On our way home, we stopped for an ice cream treat and then had lunch which was leftovers from prior meals plus some freshly boiled shrimp.  That afternoon, we spent more time on the beach.  For our last dinner, Steve and Amy made over two hundred dumplings along with some beans and steamed fish - so yummy!  Since we did not have enough of games from the day prior, we decided to do the cereal box game which brought a lot of laughs - JoAnna won again!

Yummy dumplings!

After a quick breakfast on Tuesday morning, we packed up and left the house around 9:30 to head back to Raleigh.  We rode back again with Phil and Joyce who then dropped us off at John's house.  Once we got there, we went out for a burger and fries (as if we needed anymore food at this point) at Red Robin in Brier Creek and then took a nap back at the house before heading to the airport to fly back to Chicago.  

"Fashion" shoot!

What a great way to wrap up the summer and to celebrate with great friends!