The Weekend of Dates

In normal weekly fashion, Ryan received his usual gift from me:

Over the past year and a half, I have learned that gifts do not actually have to be things. Rather they can be experiences, dates, events, activities, etc. So since my mentality in gift giving has changed and the pressure of gift giving has been alleviated a bit (mostly in part thanks to groupon), I planned a little date night Friday evening to Serra Bowl. A hidden spot in the heart of Daly City which gives the exact vibe of The Big Lebowski's movie setting. Perfect and just what I was hoping for.

nutrients via Chipotle pre-bowl

lacing up the bowling shoes

frienemies...

let's do this!

I've been bowling most of my life courtesy of my mother who apparently was a stellar bowler in high school. Anywho, I am generally not bad once I have a few beers to ease my sports-like and ubber competitive mind. Ryan won the first game. See exhibit A of how he flippin' bowled a strike on the first try. Can you say beginner's luck?







He also won the second game which put me to silence. We opted for one more round as we had a few drops of beer left in the ole' pitcher. I finally got my groove back and successfully dominated him. Pay no attention to the rumors that he let me win. Men are so typical.

Whi vs Bal

I let him win obvi

the champ

Saturday night we had dinner plans with Jules & Stan. They are my our favorite couple in the city. Their warmth and generosity is unmatched, and their energy and story-telling abilities are unlike anything I have ever seen. Jules is basically an SF native, full of wisdom & knowledge and Stan hales from Scotland, full of wise-tales & humor. They make a great match!

We headed over to their hood around 6:30 for a pre-dinner drink. Their building in Mission is fabulous and their decorating skills are contemporary meets modern art. Love it. Jules & I popped the champagne to celebrate her latest closing (real estate) and Stan introduced Ryan to tequila aged in bourbon barrels. Folks, I might actually be able to stomach tequila after all these years post tasting this gem.

Just a block away, we swayed down to Universal Cafe, an organic joint with an ever-changing menu daily. The atmosphere was cozy and the food beyond delicious. We shared french fries seasoned to perfection as well as flatbread topped with cherry tomatoes, bacon, and fresh mozzarella. For the main course, I dined on the filet mignon (shocking I know given my love of all things steak) paired with potatoes au gratin and lightly covered with thinly sliced mushrooms. Ryan enjoyed the lamb so much that he asked how inappropriate it would be to lick his plate clean. **Happy to report he did NOT do that. We rounded out the meal by splitting the cobbler meets ice cream heaven amongst the four of us. So amazing.

Not quite ready for the night to end, we stopped in the sushi place across from their house for one last nightcap. The boys talked man stuff like golf, motor-cross, biking, and Vegas. Jules & I discussed all things girly including movies (particularly our desire to see Bridesmaids), swingers, our relationship annoyances, and wedding plans.

A great weekend full of dates :)