Eat Drink SF

http://eatdrink-sf.com/

Eat Drink SF is an amazing event hosted by the Golden Gate Restaurant Association. This was our first year going and we're so happy we did! They had a four day event where you purchase your ticket for the Grand Tasting event, whether you chose the day or night pass; each included a variety of bay area local restaurants, breweries, wineries, and the like. The only price you pay is the ticket itself; once you're in, you have an unlimited array of food, drinks, and swag to go around! They even have cooking demonstrations and classes to further your knowledge. 

You're free to mingle with the vendors or even the foodies all around you. They made it even easier by offering a little backyard gaming section. If you do plan to go in the future, I'd definitely recommend you look into which businesses will be present during which event so you know what kind of food/drinks you can be looking forward to, or leave it a surprise, and it's totally your choice if you wish to spring for VIP access. It was a wonderful event and we hope more cities begin doing this as it spreads awareness of so many of our local establishments and we hope to return in the future!

Spa Palace

620 S Union Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90017

http://spapalacela.com/main/

Relaxing in the Clay Sauna

Spa Palace is a Korean Spa that is open 24/7. They offer a day pass and an overnight pass. There is a separate changing room for men and women, where they actually have a relaxation room inside there, along with showers, jacuzzis, and other nice little amenities. Fare warning, this place is not recommended for the modest as most are walking around in the bare when in the changing rooms. Once you check-in, the staff give you a bath towel, a small towel, a uniform that is different for men and women, and a designated wristband that will be used for your locker and any purchases so you don't need to stress carrying anything around with you. 

Exterior of the sauna rooms

Spicy Ramen w/ Kimchi on the side

We like this spa because of how much of it is co-ed, a few other places we've researched has very limited co-ed facilities in the area at the moment. However, Spa Palace's changing rooms open up to their Jimjilbang (communal area) that some choose to rest in; they have different sauna rooms and each door tells you the temperature of the room, they even have an ice room which is really nice to cool off in; further along there's a nice juice bar and restaurant that you're welcome to give a try. They even have a co-ed pool area! The food was delicious, it felt homey and was perfect for relaxing. 

Mango Smoothie and relaxing in the Jimjilbang (Communal Area)

We visited during the day and loved it so much that we decided to come back later in the evening to stay overnight. Who can beat staying at a relaxing spa that you can literally sleep in overnight for practically $25 a person?! (Side Note: If you purchase any of their spa services, most of them will gain you free admission; they also offer discounts if you pay cash!)

Relaxed, rejuvenated, and Ready to go!

Rok Bistro

124 S Murphy Ave, Sunnyvale, CA 94086
www.rokbistro.com

Bourbon Bramble & Bad Girl Roktails

We decided to try out Rok Bistro over in Sunnyvale for the first time. They specialize in fondues as well as their entrees served on either a 700 degree hot rok or even a cold rok for dessert! For my drink, I started off with one of their signature Roktails, the Bad Girl, which is a wonderfully sweet drink with vodka, peach schnapps, cranberry and orange juice thrown in there, and you can't forget the sweet sugar crystals lining the rim. Billy on the otherhand started off with the Bourbon Bramble, which had bulleit bourbon mixed with some elderflower and black currant liquer. We both liked each of the roktails we tried.

Romancing the Stone

Moving on to the entrees, we went with their "Romancing the Stone" Entree for Two Special. Primarily because it was a wonderful way of sampling an array of meats and fish they offered. The meal included filet mignon, buffalo, ahi tuna, and chicken; along with the four sides we chose - rice pilaf, mashed potatoes, sauteed mushrooms, and seasonal sauteed vegetables. Our server brought the meal over on two separate platters, with the hot stone in the middle already sizzling up the meats (2 on each platter) and a side on each platter, with a sauce for each meat that was explained to us. Be careful, because the stone you cook your meat on stays hot enough to cook for a good 30-45mins. I loved how we were both able to cut our own pieces and cook it however way we each wanted. Plus if I felt I wanted it cooked some more I could just move it from my plate back onto the stone and voila, perfection!

Romancing the Stone

The portion size of the meat initially didn't feel up to par for the pricing. However, keep in mind we ordered more of a sampler platter. Once we finished the meats, we began sizzling up the veggies some more on the stone and finished up our sides, which ended up filling us up wonderfully!

Chocolate S'mores Fondue

Birthday Surprise on a Cold Rok

We really wanted to try the fondue, so we decided to order their Chocolate S'mores fondue for dessert. Our server brought the pot over with melting chocolate inside (Billy may have ate a few), we waited for it to melt, and she returned to making the special fondue in front of our eyes! There were an array of fruits and pastries included for dipping. You could even spice things up and have them add some liquer in your fondue, for an extra fee of course, we didn't bother since the Chocolate S'mores fondue is flambeed already. We finished that up and they surprised me with a Birthday Ice Cream on one of their cold stones! The Rok Bistro definitely thrives on providing a unique experience with your meal!

Carmel Valley Ranch

The Property & Our Room
Carmel Valley Ranch is a beautiful 500 acres of land with bundles of fun all around. This place is so huge that they offer an on-property shuttle to bring you around their 500 acres of land. You may also spot a few deers, birds, and other wildlife around the ranch. There are lots of exciting and fun things you can do at Carmel Valley Ranch; unfortunately, we didn't have time to do everything as we only had the chance to stay the one night. Where should I begin to describe how great this place was. We stayed in the Vineyard Oak Studio with an amazing bathtub located in the bathroom as well as another on the patio deck outside. The room was open and inviting and oh so cozy.

The Experience
We had a rather interesting stay as we were lucky enough to stay the night of the peninsula power outage - which also happened to rain the same night. So yes, this meant no electricity (aside from the phones), no hot water - other than what the generator could handle onsite. Luckily the main lodge seemed to be operating fine, which also meant food was available! With the limited power on property, the staff ensured our safety throughout by checking on us and were very courteous and kind. There was a flashlight in the room but they offered us a lantern as well. This added on to our romantic getaway as well as give us the opportunity to explore all their playground had to offer - rather than stay in the room watching tv, as we probably would've if not for our luck! Let me begin with the service, as that is the most important aspect of hospitality. The service was great everywhere, from the front desk to all of their event staff. Wonderful communication from booking our stay and everything on our itinerary to having a folio emailed to us after we've departed! We were also able to make amazing s'mores by the poolside campfire, which even the rain of that night couldn't ruin.

Food & Beverage
Dinner - We had the following brought up to our room via room service: Honey Chili Chicken Wings, Truffle Fries, Seasonal P.E.I. Mussels, Ceviche, and Mary's Free Range Chicken Breast. The mussels were a bit strong on the wine for our tastes that evening but the ceviche was definitely a crowd pleaser. The chicken wings were sweet and delicious, whereas the chicken breast was easy to slice through and was savory to taste.

Breakfast - We chose to go off of their Hot Buffet Style Option as we were in a hurry at the time. They offered smoked salmon, so I even got to make my own smoked salmon bagel. Loved the all-you-can-eat buffet option with the variety of hot and fresh options available.


Amenities & Extras
Tennis - We were able to play on a clay court for the very first time. I was probably more excited than I should have been. If you're a tennis athlete I would highly suggest playing on a clay court. The ball absorbs into the court, leaving a mark on the court showing where the ball had landed and making it more difficult to hit an ace, and much easier to call it in or out.
Gym - We also went to work out at the gym located at the hotel to burn off all the great food we had at their restaurant and room service located on property. They have more equipment available to use than we're used to in a resort. They also offer different fitness classes, many lovely pools throughout, an adults only pool area, as well as an infinity hot tub!
Organic Garden - Where they have fresh fruit and plants as well as their chickens and bees. Yes, I said bees; they do have a bee experience class as well.
Horseback Riding - We initially had planned for their Chaparral Loop Trail Ride however, due to the rain we had to take a raincheck on that. So hopefully another day! However, the days leading up they do ask you experience level as well as height and weight to give to the trainer, so they're very thorough with their information, which we appreciated much.
Golf - As you stroll throughout the property, you may see many partaking in golfing all around the property. There's even golf carts onsite!
Spa Aiyana - We ended our stay with a relaxing 110 minute Couples Massage. From the spacious locker rooms to the array of drinks and snacks offered, it was everything we needed to complete our little getaway.

SkyDive Monterey Bay

We went skydiving for the first time at the World's Highest Tandem & Longest FreeFall of 18,000 ft. over at the Marina in Monterey Bay. It was a beautifully, amazing experience!

You should plan to have the day set aside for this however, as it is true that you may have to wait to jump depending on when you get there and finish your paperwork. Also, it is weather permitting - so please don't blame the instructors for not letting you jump; I know it sucks to have to get a raincheck, but in all honesty it's for your own safety afterall. We started off watching a video of someone telling us how we could die, over and over again, and wanting to ensure that we understood that we could back out at anytime as safety is key - don't do anything you don't want to! Then signing a few pages worth of a waiver form as expected. We decided to also add on the picture & video package with our jump.

We had a bit of a wait as we actually did read the waiver (yes, we read these things) and had a few jumpers go before us. While we waited, we got to play pool and watch as the instructors repack the parachutes for the next wave of jumpers. Once it was our turn to go, our instructors were very relaxed and let us know what to do from going on the plane and landing. On the plane ride up, Billy became the talk of the crowd as his instructor, photographer, and the pilot started singing about him "Billy got on a plane. Billy jumped off a plane. Billy's life was changed forever!" 

You're looking out the plane and thinking "Oh, it looks like we're about high enough to jump now" then you see them look at their altimeter and overhear them say we're only at 4,000 FT. Oh boy. Once it's time to jump you don't even have to worry about taking that leap of faith on your own as your instructor pushes you forward with them - unless you're Billy of course, and don't listen to directions well. That first fall is cold and fast and can hurt your ears a tad (depending), then they pull that lever and you're parachuting down so smoothly it's beautiful to see the sights as you drift down. They even let you guide the parachute a bit as well! We survived and loved every moment of it!

Hawaiian Pokebowl

387 S 1st St. San Jose, CA 95113
http://www.hawaiian-pokebowl.com/

Yesterday, Eileen surprised me with lunch at Hawaiian Pokebowl, located at the SoFa. What we both didn't expect was that this was the same place I used to go to at the Farmers Market located on Market St, in downtown San Jose. I remember going down there on Fridays ordering their delicious pokebowls. It really brought back memories, and the food there is still as good as ever. I ordered the Spicy Ahi Tuna Pokebowl. It was delicious and very filling and I would recommend everyone to go and give it a try. The place is located at the back of SoFa. The staff is very nice and will welcome you with a warm smile.

Spicy Ahi Tuna Pokebowl

Blue Line Pizza

Inspirations for eating pizza tonight:
SpongeBob SquarePants - Krabby Patty Pizza

Supernatural - Scene where Death offers Dean a slice of pizza

146 Castro St. Mountain View, CA 94041
http://bluelinepizza.com/

Blue line pizza is a small pizza joint with seating inside and outside. You can choose to dine at their bar if you like and watch sports on their two flat screen tvs. The waiters are super friendly and will not rush you with the bill. We never had to worry about going with an empty drink as everyone was so accommodating and showed us wonderful service. Today we ordered the roasted peppers, a small classic deep-dish pizza, and their limited time pumpkin cheesecake. The food came out amazing from appetizer to dessert. The roasted peppers were nicely charred, the pizza was warm and cheesy with the slices cut all the way through so it was easy to serve and eat, and lastly, the pumpkin cheesecake was sweet goodness. I would definitely recommend taking a group of buddies down to blue line pizza to dine with a couple of beers while watching the game.

Classic Deep-Dish Pizza

Roasted Peppers 

Pumpkin Cheesecake