Happy New Year everyone! Bryan and I got back last night from a fantastic Christmas vacation. We kicked it off in Solvang, where we ate and drank ourselves into oblivion at the ranch. Don't believe me? Check out The Breakfast Ride.
After a few days, we drove up the coast to San Francisco and spent an incredibly three days with friends to celebrate the wedding of our great friends, Jon & Alexa. The wedding was on New Year's Eve at the Palace Hotel and truly could not have been a better way for Bryan and I to ring in the New Year. The entire event was simply gorgeous, exuding romance and sophistication around every corner. We rung in the New Year surrounded by wonderful friends, shed happy tears as we bid 2009 adieu, and danced the night away in our ball gowns and tuxedos. Topped off –literally – by the Palace's famed Tiffany glass ceiling, the night was perfect.
On New Year's Day, Bryan and I made our way to his hometown of San Carlos. Bryan's parents awaited our arrival and luckily didn't mind when this slightly-hungover twosome wanted to rest on the couch and swap holiday stories.
Saturday, Bryan's brother and sister-in-law joined us so we could have a belated Bishop family Christmas present exchange and dinner. Homer Simpson air freshener, an adult pair of Transformers underwear and several gourmet foodie gifts later (can you guess who got what?), we started making our Christmas dinner feast.
Everything was made from scratch: French onion soup, wedge salad, three types of raviolis (recipes coming in upcoming posts) and Bryan's dad's famous Filet Mignon with Cabernet sauce. It's hands-down in my top five best filet's EVER. I don't have the recipe yet, but I'll get it and share. It's incredible and better yet, relatively easy to make.
Sufficiently stuffed and ready for our own home, Sunday we made the long drive back to Los Angeles. Of course I came down with a cold the moment we stepped foot into our house, so I'm fighting that off. But cold aside, all in all it was a truly magical Christmas and New Years. We're so thrilled we were able to spend it with friends and family, enjoying every moment. We hope you were able to do the same! Here's to 2010 being a great year!
Here's to 2010!! Cheers Christie!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year to you! I love reading your blogs - you inspired me to make New Year's Eve dinner! And you saved me when I was asked to bring an app for Christmas Eve and had NO time free to make anything- thank goodness for those Trader Joe's frozen apps! I had forgotten about them.
ReplyDeleteBest of everything to you and Bryan in 2010.
Thank you both! Here's to 2010, indeed! G - Congrats on making New Year's dinner! Those TJ's apps are a life-saver; I made them several times during the holiday season to wild acclaim. It was hard not to take credit for them! :)
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