Anniversary Adventure!

This weekend the boyfriend and I went to Santa Barbara for our 5th anniversary. I didn't think we would actually do anything special so I was really surprised when he said we should go there. I was in charge of picking of the hotel & the restaurant for dinner.

The hotel we stayed at was the Hotel Santa Barbara. It was really nice. The location was great, right in the middle of downtown. The room was a little small but since there was only the two of us, it was just right. They also have quiet hours form 10pm-8am so no parties! We had to sign a paper saying we understood about the quiet hours, so I wonder what happens to people who are loud. There was a free breakfast too but we didn't get up early enough for it. We ate breakfast at Joe's Cafe across the street. That was really good as well.

Views from our hotel window onto State St.

On Saturday, the 25th, we got to Santa Barbara around 12:30pm and had lunch at a little cafe off of State Street. Then we went to the Goleta Butterfly Grove. Every November-February, thousands of Monarch butterflies converge here on their migration from Mexico. This year there are less butterflies because of the drought. All you have to do is look up and there are butterflies are fluttering around. It's pretty magical. You can also walk up through the mesa and come out onto a cliff overlooking the ocean. It's a beautiful view and very romantic. If you go there between Nov-Feb definitely stop by & see the butterflies!

It's hard to see but there are huge clusters of butterflies on this tree!

The beautiful Pacific Ocean

After seeing the butterflies, we went back to Santa Barbara to check into our hotel. Our room wasn't ready yet so we had to wait about 20 minutes in the lobby for our room. When we got to our room we just relaxed until it was time to start getting ready for dinner. I made dinner reservations at Bouchon. I wasn't sure if Noe would like it but when we got there I was pleasantly surprised. It's a cute little restaurant. The host was super nice and friendly. He took my coat and gave me a little beeper to click if I wanted my coat back at any time during dinner. I didn't click it but I kinda wanted to just to see how it worked. Our waiter was also great. I think his name was Kevin. He was also super friendly and very knowledgeable about the wines. We got to taste a few to decide which we wanted to go with our dinner. I had the chicken and Noe had the duck. My chicken was really good and I tried his duck & it was good too. After dinner we went to Eos for some dancing. It was pretty early still so there weren't many people there, which was actually fine with us because I hate when clubs/bars are super crowded. On the walk back to our hotel, a homeless woman told me I looked pretty so it was a good end to the night.

The only picture i have of us all dressed up.

Today, Sunday, we got up and had breakfast at Joe's. I was surprised to see that it was raining. I checked the weather while still at home and it had like a 20% chance so I didn't think there would be too much. Then we checked out of our hotel and headed up north to Solvang. It was about a 45 minute drive but it's a pretty scenic drive so it goes by fast. We got to Solvang around noon and walked around and looked at all the cute shops. If you want to feel like you're in Europe but can't get all the way there, then Solvang is a nice substitute. The windmills are adorable and there are lots of cute little resturants everywhere. We were disappointed that we ate breakfast before we got there so we ended up getting a snack at one of the many bakeries. After walking around the main streets, we stopped by the Santa Ines Mission. Mass was currently going on so we didn't go inside. We just walked around outside.

Solvang

 

Mission Santa Ines

After the Santa Ines Mission we decided to head back to Santa Barbara and decided to check out the Santa Barbara Mission. We got back to SB around 1:30pm. The Santa Barbara Mission is beautiful. It costs $6 to go on a self guided tour through the mission. It was really nice. There's a cemetery that was really interesting, it's crazy to think about the people who lived 100 years ago at the mission.

Santa Barbara Mission

After the mission we went out to Stearns Wharf for a late lunch. We ate at the Longboards restaurant. It was ok, nothing special.

We ended up getting back to Garden Grove around 6:30. I was sad our weekend getaway was over. It was the first time we've ever gone someplace overnight that we'd never been to before. We've done weekends away in San Diego and Vegas but this was new. Since I was in charge of picking pretty much everything we did (the hotel, the butterflies, Bouchon, Solvang), I really wanted them to be awesome things to do. I was afraid that if they sucked, he would never want to go away again. Luckily it all worked out and he's already talking about taking a trip up PCH all the way to Seattle. We'll see if that ever happens but I'm hoping it does!

And no we did not get engaged this weekend. I know I had a few people asking me if I thought it would happen and I did not expect it so I was not let down hahaha We specifically talked about it this weekend and he says since he's on the 10 year plan (as in we need to be together for 10 years before we get married which yeah I think is ridiculous), engagement is still a few years off. That's ok with me, for now, I need to finish school first. So next year I might be expecting it a little more hahaha

Now it's time to celebrate my last week before school starts again & I'm working my ass off until December.

Happy Summer!!!!

Hello!! Long time, no see!!

 This summer has been beyond busy for me! I spent all of July working the summer program for my job. It was really intense! The school I worked at had a special grant given to enable them to have the program. So there was extra pressure to make sure we did it right. Our theme for the summer was National Treasure so we had to teach the kids about our national parks which included alot of history so I really enjoyed it. We also got to go on 2 field trips, first to Crystal Cove to learn about the animals & what it's like to live by the beach. The 2nd was to the Heritage House in Santa Ana to learn what it was like to live here 100 years ago.

 Summer program ended on July 31st and on August 1st, I headed to Las Vegas with my boyfriend. I definitely needed a vacation! I haven't left Garden Grove since February 2011 and after moving around so many times in college, I'm not used to being in one place for so long anymore.

We stayed at the MGM for the first time and it was really nice. The hotel is under construction right now but it didn't bother us except for when they turned off our water from 11am - 4pm.

Our King Deluxe room

The view from our room

Thank you Victoria's Secret for the extra push up bikini!

We spent each morning down by the pool. We didn't pay to go to Wet Republic. I don't think it would've been worth it to pay for that because the regular pool was good enough. There was music and it has a river (which doesn't open until 10am but if you want a good spot go wait by the gate at 9:50am).

Our first night in Vegas, we had dinner at The Venetian at a restaurant in St. Mark's Square. I loooove The Venetian because it reminds me of when I was in Venice (6 years ago omg!). I did even spot a real pigeon flying around inside. After dinner we went to see The Phantom of the Opera. I've seen Phantom in every city I've lived in (Orange County, Kalamazoo, London, & now Vegas). I think the boyfriend was bored in some parts but overall I think he liked it. It was his first Broadway show (mine too back in the day) so I'm glad he liked it because that means he won't put up a fight about going to another one! After the show, we just went back to our room since we were tired from traveling early & getting settled in.

The bf said he was going to pawn me! I told him he won't get much.

Getting ready to go out!

Our second day, we went down to the pool for a little while. Then we had lunch at The Yardhouse over by Town Square. When I was going to school in Vegas, we'd always go over to Town Square to go to the movies or for lunch/dinner so it was nice to revisit. While we at lunch we decided to go see the CrazyHorse Paris show at the MGM. I bought the tickets on my phone while we ate. Technology is so awesome sometimes! After lunch we decided to go check out the pawn shop where they film the show Pawn Stars. The line to get in was out the door and almost around the building. Luckily it moved pretty fast. We didn't see anybody from the show but it was still pretty cool. After that we went to the Paris to walk around & check out all the remodeling they did on the front of the hotel. By the time we were walking back to the car it was pretty much time to head back to the MGM and start getting ready for the night.  We ate dinner at Wolfgang Puck's Bar & Grille at the MGM. I had the chicken and he had the meatloaf. My chicken was pretty good & he said his meatloaf was ok but the onion rings were delicious. We had to hurry & eat because our CrazyHorse show started at 7:30 (I think, it might have been 8 & doors opened at 7:30). The show was good. I would recommend it if you don't mind seeing some topless women! My favorite act was when they played 'Toxic' & I think that was his favorite too. The theater is really small & get there right when the doors open so you can at the front of your table. We didn't there early so we were the 2nd ones at our table & I had a woman's head in my view.


After the show he wanted to go dancing which really surprised me because he's always talking about how he hates clubs in Vegas. I definitely wasn't expecting to go to one. First we checked out Tabu at the MGM. I've been there before & it was ok. We didn't stay too long because it was way too small & too crowded. So we went to the City Center to check out what was there. We decided to go to Haze at the Aria. I got in for free (yay for being a girl!) but he had to pay $30 to get in (boo!!). I did not like this club. Too crowded and too many strobe lights, I thought I was going to have a seizure or something. The music was alright, nothing special. I think I am just outgrowing clubs. I love dancing but I don't like being pushed around by how crowded it is. The only club I really like in Vegas is XS but that was 2 years ago when I went there so I don't know how I'd feel about it now.  We didn't stay long at Haze which I felt bad about because he had to pay to get in.

Our last morning in Vegas we went down to the pool one last time before checking out. On our way out of Vegas we stopped to eat at Steak & Shake at the Southpoint Casino. When my family and I go back to Illinois & Michigan we always eat at Steak & Shake so we were all super excited when they opened one in Vegas. It's the closest one to California. After lunch we headed back to Garden Grove.

I had a really good time in Vegas and I think it was something we definitely needed. Tomorrow I'm going to Disneyland with my mom & sisters. Then tomorrow night I'm going to see the All American Rejects over at the OC Fair! I got tickets in the 4th row so I hope to take some good pictures.

Check out my facebook for more Vegas pictures. Is there a way to make like a little mini album on here or like a slideshow??