Sadly summer has come to an end. We absorbed all of it. Long days, beach days, and pool days. Hot days at the fair, little getaways out of town and whining, lots and lots of whining but so much LOVE! There were swim lessons and World cup filled days, wine tasting, birthday parties and MLS games.
I feel like I should rename the blog “Disappearing Act.” It’s not that I want to neglect it, its just “gestures at everything”. Life is busy and when time slows down we find ourselves with a new Netflix show or out at a new dive bar. Priorities people.
Since we’ve last talked Kaili turned a year older…8 YEARS OLD! Can you believe it?
She had a choice between having a birthday party or going to Great Wolf Lodge, she chose the latter. We drove up early on a Monday morning to stop at Crystal Cove for brunch and a game of tag with the waves.
With full bellies we headed to check in at the hotel. Great Wolf is an indoor water resort that the girls just love.
We stayed two nights and despite a few health hiccups, they had a good time. They were asking when we were going back before we even left.
On Kaili’s actual birthday I made her a rainbow Unicorn cake per her request.
We had a fun filled Memorial day weekend. Spending a day at SeaWorld and a couple of days in OC. The girls did it all and we were wiped OUT come Monday night.
While the kids were away Shawna and I took an adult weekend out to where the weather was warm because this May grey-June gloom bullshit is really getting to us.
We returned sun kissed and ended up at the San Diego Margarita Festival. It was a really good but crowded time. I could put this on the calendar for next year. Join us!
The one thing that always remains the same is my love for cooking. A lot of good food has come out of my new(ish) kitchen.
One of the best recipes I have come across is this one, Pan Seared Scallops with Lemon Caper Sauce. The only difference that was made was we didn’t add the noodles to the sauce, instead it was poured over the top, and the tomatoes were left out. It was absolutely delicious and I’m pretty sure I could eat it every week, why are scallops so good?
I was lucky enough to spend a few days in Chicago, my first time! The day of travel would have been just fine if the plane actually took off and arrived at the gate when it was supposed to, however we had a lot of down time on the tarmac. Dinner reservations were at 8:45 that night so we went straight to the room and back out into the city in search of the restaurant.
Top Chef winner Stephanie Izard was a must do. Unfortunately her flagship restaurant The Girl and the Goat was booked out until November so we decided to try her Asian restaurant Duck Duck Goat. “Reasonably authentic Chinese Food” is what the waiters say when they greet you at the table. The place was buzzing for a late Thursday evening. The space was tight and the volume loud. Sitting almost too close for comfort next to other diners, we ordered off of the “chef recommended” menu. I only have a couple pictures since the lighting wasn’t doing me any favors.
We started off with the wood fired duck hearts. The were tender, smoky and served on a creamy bed of garlic aioli. Delicious.
Along with those we ordered the duck spring rolls, braised pork belly and ended with the char siu bao. The bao dough was probably the best I have ever had, so light and fluffy. It was all really good. Happy with our decision we moseyed on closer to the hotel to meet a friend for a drink.
The next day we walked out on the river and hopped in a water taxi toward Willis tower.
Not wanting to wait in line for the sky view we kept on walking to Union Station where I had my first Chicago dog.
I’ll come clean, I don’t really like hot dogs. I felt that I had to try it and see what all the fuss was about. Eh, it tasted like a hot dog that had too much stuff on it. I won’t need another one.
The rain started to arrive as we were along the riverwalk so we tucked into a winery for a couple glasses of wine. I really dig the vibe of the river front, I can see spending warm afternoons out there listening to music and people watching.
Cold and ready for a hot shower we went back to the hotel to get ready for dinner numero dos.
Reservations weren’t until later that evening so we started at a speakeasy bar called Brando’s. Remembering I am too old for crowds, we weren’t sure if we would be able to stand the elbow to elbow nowhere to sit room. However the happy hour prices and delicious dirty martinis swayed us to fight the sporadic nudges of the flannel wearing strangers. Then a barstool opened up and we made ourselves comfortable until dinner.
Rick Bayless, he’s my favorite . He was who graced the screens of my early culinary classes and whom I grew to admire years after. Eating at his restaurant Frontera Grill was the first thing that came to my mind when I decided to finally see Chicago. I wish I had a better experience to share but it was just very underwhelming.
We started with pork tamales and tamarind margaritas. Both were just OK. I’ve had much better in San Diego and our waiter was less than gracious.
The entrees were molé enchiladas and a fish dish. The fish was better than the enchiladas. If you want really really good Molé Enchiladas head to El Comal or JV’s tacos in San Diego. Can’t be beat.
The best thing we had were probably the plantains, they could have stood to cook a little longer but dipped in crema and molé they were pretty darn good.
Unsatisfied we decided to call it a night and head back to the hotel.
I had the next day solo, so after lounging in bed with multiple cups of coffee I ventured out. I walked down to Navy Pier and had a mango smoothie along the water. I had some company stop by.
I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with the afternoon so I just started walking along the lake.
So unreal, just breathtaking! Are we sure this is a lake?
I found myself not far from Lincoln park, I decided that would be my destination and a place to stop for lunch.
I found a little restaurant outside the Lincoln Park zoo that suited my needs. A glass of rosé and a sandwich. The wind picked up and my toes were going numb, yes I wore flip flops, duh!
I also found that cabs were much easier than ride shares out there, do you guys agree?
Back at the hotel I poured a big glass of Syrah and submerged myself in a piping hot bath. We were invited to an event at the House of Blues later that night, so with time to kill we went to the hotel bar for a bite to eat and a drink.
The short trip ended with an open bar, live music, late night pizza and amazing company!
It was a perfect little getaway. I love being in a new place, it’s one of my most favorite things. Like any place, I could have used a couple more days. If I ever get back there, I have a list ready!
This is a perfect dish to make when you have beautiful tomatoes begging to be used. Store bought pie crust makes it an easy weeknight meal and the addition of some golden caramelized onions can turn it into a weekend hit. Although you may not want to share, it’s that good!
INGREDIENTS
1 unbaked Pie Crust
1 (5oz) package of Boursin Garlic and Herbs Cheese
1 small yellow onion, sliced and caramelized
2 Large or 3 Medium Tomatoes
1 Tablespoon Honey
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
Handful of torn or chiffonade basil
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 large egg with a drizzle of water, beaten
Preheat your oven 375 degrees.
On a parchment lined baking sheet, unroll the pie crust. Spread the Boursin cheese on the dough leaving about a 1 1/2 inch border. Sprinkle the onion over the cheese and then layer on your toms. Sprinkle with a healthy shower of salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle with olive oil and honey and then the basil.
Gently fold the edges of the dough up over the tomatoes, repeating every two inches around the free formed pie. Brush the crust with the beaten egg wash.
Pop into your heated oven and bake for *1 hour or until crust is golden.
* Don’t go too far, check at the 30 minute mark to make sure the crust isn’t burning,
Let cool for 5 minutes.
Devour with a nice glass of wine.
Hi guys! I am sorry I haven’t been around lately. Our lives are facing some new changes. I am going to push pause on Simply Four for a bit. But I will still stopping by Facebook and Instagram for posts on the girls, but as for the blog, maybe someday soon I will come back with something new and improved.
I just want to thank you all for sticking around, reading about the ups and downs and watching the girls grow up. A lot of you have been around since the beginning and I appreciate you all.
XO
Kim
The other night at dinner Kaili had told me she finished all her hot dog. I told her she could grab her Halloween candy and pick something for a treat. Once the candy was ingested I went over to the table where I noticed a rather large amount of hot dogs on Averi’s plate. I knew that I never gave her that much so when I asked Kaili about it, she admitted she put her food onto sisters plate. Little sneaky shit.
We decided to battle the crowds at Balboa Park for December nights last Friday. The International houses were open and serving a few of their countries delicacies. As much fun as it would have been to linger longer and try more food, the amount of people with two little kids is an anxiety attack waiting to happen. I have learned that the older I get, the more I hate crowds and especially lines.
We really didn’t get much out of the experience aside from the girls going on a few overpriced carnival rides, free entry to a couple museums and a visit with Santa.
We ended up leaving the park for a proper dinner and found ourselves at a very unpretentious old and quaint Italian restaurant for dinner called Volare. I haven’t been really excited about a meal out in a long time. Shane might tell you I order wrong but I just think I have become a tad snooty with my food. However, I did not order wrong here and everything I tried was delicious. We were not disappointed and I can’t wait to return.
I apologize for my absence, it really hits you how boring life is when you have two kids in school. OR how AWESOME it is. I kid, I kid, sort of….
Averi finally picked up the whole potty situation, with a few here and there oopsies. She is in school four days a week and loves it. We had her first field trip to the Children’s museum and she had a blast.
The amazing thing about Averi is she is very independent. She made her way through the museum doing her thing and didn’t worry about anyone but herself.
I want to be like her when i grow up. Free and not giving a shit!
Kaili has been doing great in first grade and she loves going to school each and every day.
Her interest in cooking is emerging and I love it.
These two keep me on my toes every single day. They are smart, funny and just plain awful sometimes….It’s not funny if it’s not real, right.
Kaili is finally getting comfortable in the pool. Between swimming with her friends and swim lessons, I am hoping she becomes a very strong swimmer.
We had a nice visit with friends and it took the sun going down to finally get everyone out of the pool.
The weather has been spectacular, making it very difficult to stay inside.
I made an Indian feast for family using this recipe as my always go to for Chicken Tikka Masala. I made some Dal and Raita and bought Trader Joe’s frozen Naan and Samosa’s. We were all happily stuffed at the end of the night.
I also made Chrissy Teigen’s Pineapple Grilled Shortribs and you guys, they were Ahhhhmazing. I will describe them as candied meat or a very tender and sweet beef jerky.
Kaili has her last swim class, it’s bittersweet. She really loves it and asked me if she could have a playdate with her instructor. Every day she gets a little bit braver.
Well that was quick wasn’t it? Doesn’t seem very long ago that we walked her to school for the first day of Kindergarten. She loved it, made great friends and had wonderful teachers. We couldn’t have asked for a better way to kick off the elementary years.
I won’t lie, having her in school from 9:am -3:45 pm everyday was pretty sweet. So now having her home all day is going to be an interesting challenge. I might will have to call in my trusty helper wine to make the days go by a little easier. In reality it should be a pretty good summer with a nice break from the mundane as we take a trip up to Washington state…..For more wine!
I made the teachers a fun little gift bag that I’ve had saved on my Pinterest board for years. I am finally finding a reason to make some of these cute gift ideas.
Inside I put a beach towel, sunscreen, chapstick, coconut body wipes, a fruit infuser water bottle, a magazine and a bottle of rosé.
We have enrolled Kaili back in swim lessons and although she’s only been to two of them so far, I am definitely seeing improvements. We’ve got to get this girl to swim or at least not drown, that is a great start.
And to kick off summer, I took her to the salon for a new haircut.
Taking a few inches off and adding layers, I think it looks great. She is now ready for hot sunshiney days
We decided to spend Memorial weekend up at Lake Arrowhead. It has been over a year since we were last up there and now that Averi is a bit older and a tad easier, we thought….why not?
We rented the same VRBO that suited our needs perfectly last time. Plenty of rooms, a fire place and a nice deck with a hot tub.
Once we hit our first destination on the mountain, Lou Eddies Pizza, Kaili hopped out of the truck and threw up. We high fived her for making it to the top and saving us a huge mess to clean up.
After a few sips of 7-up, she was ready for pizza.
Full on delicious pizza, we checked into our rental, unloaded ALL of our stuff (crazy the amount of stuff we need for just a few days) and hit the store.
Then it was time to play.
We wandered around the Village and stopped at a new Tap Room for a couple of coconut margs and snacks for the girls.
It was absolutely beautiful up there.
Dinner was enjoyed on our patio. Grilled rib-eyes and wine, while the girls splashed in the hot tub.
After bath and pajamas, we indulged in S’mores while the sun went down.
The next morning we woke up and headed out for a hike to “Heart Rock”. We had zero phone service by the time we got to where we thought the beginning of the trail was but it turned out we were in the wrong spot. Luckily other people were in the same predicament and working together, finally managed to find where we needed to be. Unfortunately, Averi decided she was done with nature and her mood went to shit.
There were loads of Ladybugs all over the place, to the point where it was actually making my skin crawl.
About a 1/4 mile up the trail Averi had given up and I had to carry her. I wanted to throw in the towel and just let Shane and Kaili finish it, but Shane talked me into continuing. We took turns carrying the little terrorist to the end. We didn’t really get to explore the waterfall or the heart shape rock since the girls were well, you know.
Kaili did a great job and had a lot of fun, that is until I told her I wanted to take her picture. Tell me how you really feel Kaili.
Shane carried Averi all the way back to the paved road where she managed to use her two feet to make it to the truck.
We were all famished and ready for lunch so we stopped at a highly recommended Mexican spot that sits cliffside the mountain. The food was really good as were the views.
After lunch, Averi’s mood lifted so we headed down to the village for some play time.
The girls finally got to go on a few the rides, something we have been hearing about nonstop since we arrived.
The pirate ship was the clear favorite.
Then it was our turn, we sat outside and had margaritas while the girls had ice cream.
We wandered up to the grocery store for some goodies to build a charcuterie board for dinner.
Once the girls were down for the night, we sat outside enjoying our meal when a visitor let himself into our yard.
We tried calling the number on his tag but no one answered. Shane said he remembered seeing this dog the last time we were here so while he walked down to that house, Zuess and I enjoyed some cured meats. Then he was happily reunited with his owners.
Sunday morning after some espresso’s made with my new Staresso, which I LOVE, we went back down to the lake for lunch.
We shared some appetizers and a few cocktails, which were all really good.
A neighbor of the house we were staying at invited us to a block party later that afternoon. It was an interesting group of people and after an hour or so of chatting, we had had enough and decided to head back to the house to try and eat up some leftovers.
Before heading home Monday morning, we took once last glimpse of the lake. We left beautiful weather and headed back into town welcomed by a grey sky and cooler weather.
It’s always a good time up there and I am ooking forward to enjoying a Christmas in Lake Arrowhead some time in the future.
The Art of Thyming 