On Saturday, our local held another INC Giving activity and this time it was for sports mentoring and we focused on Basketball. Approximately ___ children participated. They were taught how to dribble, how to pass the basketball, and they also got into teams and played a game. A couple of bystanders watched and asked what was going on, so it was explained to them what the activity was about and they were given information about our church :) I’m looking forward to next year’s Sports Mentoring because the kids were soooooooooo cute! My favorite player that day was this little guy (and yes, he made the basket).

Lastly, I wanted to share our family photo! Yes, I finally got to take photos of MY family. I’ll post up more photos later, but for now, here’s one for my mom who keeps asking to see the photos :)

OH and before I forget. I need to post up one more picture (or group of pictures) that was taken when our friend Grace came to visit :) It looks weird, but it was so much fun! Our uncle Norman was so determined to spell Grace’s name :)

I think one of the highlights for that evening was when our waitress brought out a chocolate cake for Grace and started to sing, “We’re glad that you’re here!” using the Happy Birthday tune with her operatic voice! It was really sweet and at the end, we all started to applaud and I asked for an encore! Thank goodness for singing waitresses! :) Here’s a group picture that she took of us last night. It’s blurry, but hey, she sings, so it’s okay. 

So Grace doesn’t forget where we took her last night :)

Yay! Me and Grace!

Grace and the girls

It’s been years since we’ve had Pink’s but it’s still delicious! So my Friday Favorite feature is this hot dog stand that has captured our hearts… and our stomachs :)

After dinner, my mom kept suggesting that we “kids” go up and sing a song for my dad, but we all knew SHE was the one who wanted to sing for him. So we asked Phil and Derrick if they knew, “Can’t Help Falling In Love” and of course they did! So my mom went up and dedicated the song to my dad.

Here are some photos of good people, enjoying good food and creating good times. :)

If anyone is interested in some nice live entertainment, contact Derrick at djgrnlite@yahoo.com or call him at 310.697.9629.

Here’s a photo of my mom, Phil, and Derrick.

Also, I wanted to blog about one of the coolest (no pun intended) ice cream cafe in Chicago called the “icream cafe“.  Remember in my previous blog when I mentioned it was one of eateries that I definitely wanted to try out? Well I did and I wish we had one here in California! Maybe one day someone will open a shop over here because I know it’s going to be a major hit! You can custom create your ice cream right then and there and using liquid nitrogen, it takes between 3-6 minutes! They also offer a variety of other frozen dessert options as well! IT’S SOOOO AWESOME!!

I ordered a scoop of ice cream and the flavors I choose were Vanilla with Honey and Graham Crackers. Then the lady behind the counter asked me what color I wanted my ice cream to be. I was like, “color!?” and she said, “Yes, choose any color you like!” and so I said blue because that’s my favorite color! :) This is what I got and it was DELICIOUS! 

Can I, like, copyright that Vanilla-Honey flavor or something or at least get it called, “the Solitario” flavor?!? What do you think!?!?

Here’s a picture of me and Ryan enjoying our ” icream” masterpieces! :D – Please don’t mind me and my frizzy hair! It was straight when I left the hotel that morning :P

So if you’re ever in Chicago… OR if you LIVE in Chicago, you must try out this place!!

Anyways, without further delay, here is our summary slideshow of our awesome trip to Chicago, IL :)

16 years ago, I was baptized into the one and only true church, the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church of Christ). I am forever  thankful to God for this blessing because it really is my true and only wealth in life. So, tonight, I’ll have to tell Ryan that we need to do something to celebrate today!

By the way! If you’re ever in the Long Beach, CA area and you are craving for some Italian dishes, please try Il Poggio’s Restaurant. Ryan and I ate there on Friday night and it is such a friendly, family-owned restaurant. We ordered a dish that was a Spinach-stuffed Ravioli and it was delicioso!!  

Be sure to make room for dessert because to me, desserts totally scream, “LET’S CELEBRATE!!”

Anyway, Ryan finally took me to a new restaurant that I haven’t tried but heard of: BJ’S Restaurant. This past Wednesday, after Ryan got his fingerprints done, we headed to the restaurant for lunch before going to work. Since we love calamari so much we devoured the Crispy Calamari appetizer in less than 5 minutes :oP.  Ryan ordered the Fish Tacos, while I decided to get the Fresh Atlantic Salmon dishes that we both couldn’t finish.  We decided to take the rest home so that we could still have room for dessert: BJ’s Famous Pizookie, which was suggested to us by our friend Shana (Thanks a lot Shana!). All the dishes we ordered were delicious in case you’re looking for some recommendations on what to eat… :o)

Here are a couple of photos from our lunch date and our proof that working 5 minutes away from one another was the right decision! :o)

I was happy that Vanessa and Maia were able to join us too because we really don’t get to see them as much as before now that they are part of the Torrance locale.  I think that little gatherings like these are important and spending quality time with the ones you love and care for are priceless…

Life is too short… Especially nowadays… I seem like I’m always running around like a chicken with it’s head cut off…  I have to remind myself to slow down… smell the roses…or make time to have a cup of tea with my family.. my friends.. and all those that I care for…

I love Elise’s Tea Room :o)

Our special guest…. Maia

Cheers! ;oP

Thank you for joining me for tea!!!

Ryan and I have been married for the past six and a half years and we’re still going strong! We don’t have kids yet ;o) because we’re still in our “honeymoon” stage… We’re just two people enjoying each other company and trying our best to see as much of the world as we can! If we’re not traveling, then we make sure we have a couple’s night or day out! It’s the little things we do together that keeps our love as sweet as German Chocalate Cake!

Yesterday, Ryan and I finally decided to try out a new eaterie place that we haven’t been to together.  The restaurant is in the Bixby Knolls community in Long Beach and is called, “Jongewaard’s: Bake & Broil”.  Delicious food! We liked it so much that we decided to eat breakfast there this morning after our worship service.

My favorite is the fresh strawberry jam. It was so good that I decided to buy some before going home!

So, if you decide you want to take your significant other somewhere nice, definitely try this place out! It’s always busy and packed, which goes to saying how much other people like this place too!

Here are a few photos from yesterday:

Of course I had to take a picture of my husband – fresh from the barber shop with his hair cut!

I really don’t like my photos – i’m always a MESS… but here’s one of me anyway… NOTE: I belong behind the lens!

This was our delicious dessert that we shared! Vanilla Ice Cream and German Chocalate Cake! Such a sweet combination it deserves to be in color!

Usually, they have events booked there for Bridal Showers, Baby Showers, Weddings, and Parties so I made sure nothing was going on. I called the restaurant and Elise answered the phone. I asked her if the place was available for me and Ryan to come by and she said yes.

Elise’s Tea Room is such an inviting place. I enjoyed our afternoon drinking tea, eating their assortment of sandwiches, and her homemade scones were delicious! I would recommend the Chai Tea! It. Was. Soooo Gooooood!

After our afternoon tea, Ryan and I checked out their event room that they are currently renovating. They also have an antique Grand Piano that Ryan was able to play.  According to Marcos, who is the Event Coordinator for Elise’s Tea Room, that piano was made sometime in the 1800′s!  But it sounded so awesome when Ryan was asked to play on it.

Here’s a video (HAPPY FRIDAY VIDEO) I took of Ryan playing on the Grand Piano with my iPhone. There’s a lag with the video/audio, and Ryan made mistakes on some of the music, but oh well, it still sounds marvelously grand!! 

I LOVE how Ryan plays the piano/organ… I just fall in love with him every single time…. ;o)

If you ever have a chance to visit Long Beach, definitely check it out! Here’s a picture of Elise and Marcos that I borrowed from Elise’s Tea Room’s Website. So.. who’s up for a tea party???