23rd Birthday!

As of May 19, I'm a 23-year-old! 

This was my Birthday outfit! Being a Wednesday, I had to work (with special ed kids, mind you) but didn't care and wanted to wear a dress darn it! Oh, I did wear purple flats at work though, and slipped on the purple heels for dinner.

Dress: Target

Belt: Forever 21

Sweater: Target

Bow Headband (not that you can see it well): Valleygirl (Australia)

Shoes: Tahari brand -- THE most comfortable heels I've ever worn!!!! My best guy friend Cisco bought them for me as a present, and I couldn't be happier with them!! Plus they're purple :)

I wore this when I went out to dinner at Red Robin Burgers with my boyfriend... It isn't a fancy place, but it's kind of *our* place. It's the first place I took him to, the day he arrived in America, and he loves it! So do I, mm mm mmm. I got the "Banzai Burger" sub Gardenburger patty. It has pineapple and teriyaki sauce, and their steak fries dipped in Honey Poppyseed dressing is HEAVEN! Oh, and he treated me to a top-shelf Margarita!!

 Because no special day is the same without a silly face photo.

David's present to me. My face: "What the heck could this be?!"

"No way!!!"

"*singin an electric guitar lick*" ROCK ON!

So exciting.. I got loads of cards from all my family and a few more from friends came the next day.
I got the adorable carry-on luggage and oven mitt from my aunt. She knows I love polka dots!
My aweeesome brother got me the entire series of Fraggle Rock!!! HE rocks. Ahh, childhood!
My dad and stepmom got me some jewelry making supplies since I've been wanting to get into that! and a gift certificate to a fancy bead store.

above & below, from their website

On Friday, my family took me out to dinner to a Neopolitan Pizza place -- one of the only 30 in the US certified by the organization in Naples. It was pretty good -- my favorites were one with roasted garlic and melted Cambazola cheese, and one with Italian sausage and caramelized onions. Yummo!

For dessert, I had the most delicious hazelnut gelato ball! It is called "Chocolate Tartuffo" described as having a "Zabaglione cream center (which to me tasted of amaretto, almond, or eggnog), surrounded by chocolate gelato and caramelized hazelnuts, topped with cocoa powder" Or as I describe it, "absolutely insanely decadent delicious heaven in my mouth"

After dinner, it was my idea to go wine-tasting at Sweet Cheeks Winery, which *little did I know* had a gorgeous view! It had been raining, but stopped once we got there, to give us this lovely rainbow across the valley! The photo really doesn't do it justice, it was much more vivid.

The winery is in Crow, Oregon... hence the crow mascot, I suppose. Such a striking logo!

It was lovely.. There was 3 wines to taste, free cheese pairings (tiniest little samples though!), and a live musician, playing guitar and singing many Beatles songs.

I love this raincoat I got at Kohl's for only about 20-30 bucks! So pretty. The dress is also from Kohl's but over 3 years old.

I really liked the wine glass holder. It was very pretty with all the leaves and little crow. And the metal sign had a very raw industrial, yet still pretty, feel.

That wine there was a sparkling dry red. Very tasty and interesting! Like a red champagne.

All in all, I had a decently good birthday! My coworkers made me feel special, and the little kiddies sang/signed "Happy Birthday" which made my day :) A lot of people made me feel special from home.. I just wish that I could be there. I miss California, and I miss my mom, and I miss my best friends! Birthdays are always an excuse for "the girls" to get together for dinner, and I'm sad that I always miss out on that by living far away. Oh well. At least I had my lovah, who always treats me very special. I woke up to find Happy Birthday notes all over the room. Plus he got me Guitar Hero! yahhh! :)

♥

Oh, and thank you all for the Birthday wishes on my last post!! :)

Don't Rain on My Parade!

Well, the 19th is my birthday! I am turning 23 today! This weekend I'll be going wine tasting and to the Oregon coast with my love! As well as enjoying some Chinese food (my favorite!) and karaoke! :)

Until then, here is an outfit post from earlier this week!

It's Rainy; I don't care!
I was anticipating sun when I put this outfit on. That didn't work out so well.

I'm 100% serious when I say that I literally have not worn a pair of pants in one year. And that was just two days for doing work in the dusty hills. And before that it was another 9 month hiatus. I just don't like how they look on me!! Skirts are much cuter.

I usually wear knee-length skirts, but of course I busted out the short skirt on a rainy day. Though, it was on-and-off rain, so not too bad!

WHEE!! LOVE MY NEW PINK BOOTS! These girls are so Barbie. So hot pink! They're a lot brighter than in these kinda-dull-colored photo. I got them for $20 on clearance at Hot Topic.

During these photos, the rain stopped, and the sun started coming out. It was still not a 'summer outfit' kind of day though!

My backyard!

BAAA! Our dog tormenting our sheep. haha.

Spring Wedding in a Mansion!

Kohl Mansion ~ Burlingame, CA

My brother and sister-in-law's wedding venue this April. This place was so lovely, and so interesting, that I had to devote an entire post to it! I wish I'd been able to to more/better photos, but being involved in the wedding made it hard to find time!

This tudor-style mansion feels full of history and has a beautiful garden (which I don't have photos of!) It was built by a couple in 1914, who later separated. Charles Frederick Kohl committed suicide in 1921, leaving the mansion to his opera singer mistress, who later sold it to nuns who opened it as a girls school. The mansion is reportedly haunted by Kohl, although I saw/heard nothing! :) The mansion originally included a carriage house, a rose garden, a tennis court, and a 150,000 gallon reservoir!

What a grand hall

Loved the big staircase, and the huge old painting.

This room was beautiful! It became the dance floor, although at night its beauty couldn't be appreciated!


And how lovely is this entryway to the wedding? So romantic...

Totally dug this old oriental-esque carpet!

The ceremony took place in front of this lovely fountain!

The view from the wedding party, looking into the reception hall.

This study was the waiting area for the groomsmen and myself (the best woman!) I loved the old-fashioned library feel (the other side's walls were stacked with books -- it felt like Beauty & the Beast!) and the large sunny window.

Some photos from the wedding night

How interesting is this cake? Hexagonal! Very unique. 

The wedding color was blue, and orange flowers were in the arrangements, cake, and our bouquets because it is my brother's favorite color! :)

Oh, also, during pictures, the topper slid down the cake, completely ruining one side of it! They had to change out the tablecloth, flip the cake around, and replace the topper. Luckily, my brother's bride wasn't a bridezilla and it didn't stress them out. Honorable woman!

A lovely wedding in a lovely mansion!

♥