Life

Two Weekends Celebrating LOVE

Posted on by Jeanine / 4 Comments

AAAHHHH, LOVE….I had the privilege and pleasure these past couple of weekends of attending two beautiful weddings in two beautiful places…as well as having cherished time with my kids. (Unfortunately I inadvertently deleted many of my pics, so this is what I cobbled together…sometimes I love technology, sometimes I hate it!)

The first weekend was in beautiful Arroyo Grande on the central coast near Pismo Beach to celebrate the union of the Anderson and Duddridge families…or as Austin said in his speech, they’ve created a sort of SUPER-family. We (Kate, the great, & I) picked Austin up at the airport late Thursday and arrived at the tail end of the wedding rehearsal festivities that evening.

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rehearsal dinner old fashioned ice-cream truck…FUN!

I did a home exchange for the weekend and the condo was perfect, with an ocean view. (have I mentioned how much I LOVE doing home exchanges?) Took some time on Friday morning to have breakfast in, and explore, the village of Arroyo Grande…adorable.

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…come on…gotta love a village that has “short street”

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…and I was honored to attend a lovely luncheon in the vineyard at Laeticia winery

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…followed by a sunset celebration on the beach with the soon-to-be Mr. & Mrs.

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The wedding ceremony on Saturday took place under some beautiful old oak trees, with a small platform and gorgeous archway covered in flowers, on a family ranch in Arroyo Grande. The celebration that followed was under a huge tent, where very detail was perfection…food, music, dancing, ambiance, and of course the love of family and friends that surrounded the joyous newlyweds.

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photo cred: Mimi Kahn

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We had one more night before A&K went back to NYC, so, thanks to Mariellen and Peter, took a leisurely Duffy ride around beautiful Newport Bay. It was another fabulous evening on the water…I never get enough of them!

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photo cred: Mariellen

This past weekend marked the union of the Bianchetti and Vossler families. The venue of The Vibiana, a former cathedral in Downtown LA (DTLA for you hipsters) was stunning and elegant. We entered, serenaded by violins, to witness the traditional ceremony, then retreated to the ivy laden outdoor courtyard for drinks as the ceremonial space was converted to a reception area that was breathtaking. Again, not a detail was spared, yummy food, dancing and the love of family and friends surrounding the newlyweds.

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Jerry and I snuck up to the balcony for an overview of the festivities…we got kicked out! Thanks to Jerry for this, and most of the pics from the wedding and reception!

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My feet are still recovering from the endless dancing at both events…enhanced even more for me because I was able to enjoy it with my kids! My heart is bursting as I reminisce the celebration of LOVE, family, friends and new beginnings. Congratulations and best wishes to the two happy couples!

(Dang it…I really had some good pictures..you’ll just have to take my word for it!)

You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails! 

Books and Daily Affirmations

Motivational Monday…Every Morning

Posted on by Jeanine / 0 Comment

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Every morning you have two choices:

Continue to sleep with your dreams

OR

Wake up and chase them!

(thanks to Taylor for finding this one)

You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails! 

 

Adventure/Home & Food/Travel

Foodie Friday…Michelin meal in Copenhagen

Posted on by Jeanine / 2 Comments

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So I usually do some research before traveling to a foreign land…about the places to see and restaurants to go to. I knew our trip to Copenhagen would involve lots of rowing, so needed to plan that one great meal on Saturday night when our races were over to savor a long, well deserved, meal. Okay, I could have tried to get into NOMA, with a price of over $300…but who knew Copenhagen had so many amazing restaurants to choose from? How about a 1 Michelin Star meal in the kitchen somewhere else? AMASS was the answer and it didn’t disappoint. I opted for “Table 153”, a special table with a maximum of 8 guests (you can only reserve 4 though). I love the idea of a shared table with people you don’t know. It makes for great conversation and a sharing of cultures & ideas that you wouldn’t experience at a regular table.

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Amass is in a weird, kind of out of the way, area… but still right next to the canals and city. It’s almost an industrial area. You enter an unassuming corridor and are transported into a space that opens up to high ceilings and dramatic landscape for the senses. A great outdoor space and a sparse modern indoor experience. When we arrived we were given a glass of wine and went out to explore the garden and the sunset.

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Table 153 is right next to the kitchen, which is always such a show in and of itself. The weird thing about having a eight course meal of small plates is that it’s hard to describe how amazing the food is and the menu just looks so out there…so you’ll just have to take my word for it that you should go and experience this awesome restaurant!

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So, here’s the menu….

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..and pics to go along with the menu (photos courtesy of Patricia Gatewood)

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This was my favorite…the mushrooms were amazing!

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that little chip on the bottom of this amazing dessert is made from coffee grounds…so imaginative…they don’t waste anything!

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gotta love a place with a sense of humor…this guy sits on the bar
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…and this is your parting gift!

My mouth is salivating just reliving this meal…and feast for the senses!

You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails! 

Adventure/Travel

Charming, Colorful Copenhagen….and lots of rowing

Posted on by Jeanine / 3 Comments
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beautiful, colorful Nyhavn

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I was fortunate enough to travel with my team to Copenhagen, Denmark for the World Rowing Masters Regatta….and what a spectacular trip it was! Nine races over three days with my team and two international teams…lots of laughs & camaraderie, good food, wandering and making new friends from around the globe ….so incredible!

From the moment we arrived on Tuesday we hit the ground running…taking in the city landmarks and sights from a canal boat cruise and stopping for dinner near the city center.

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adorable, picturesque city center area…lots of shops and restaurants

Wednesday meant practice/swing rows down the course to get a feel for the race and traffic pattern. We had grand plans that we’d be going out to dinner every night…and brought clothes for those nights…but, alas we dined in our rowing clothes (yes, at restaurants) three of the nights.

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first morning walking to the metro to get to the course
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the beautiful sunrise over Lake Bagsvaerd…#whywerow
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The women I won a gold medal with..minus one member…in the very first race of the regatta. If you stick with a sport long enough you end up with medals! They’re awesome!
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fought for third with these amazing women…so much heart and determination to get 3rd place by 3/10th of a second
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another awesome group of ladies from my team that I was honored to cox for.
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Crazy, fun group of women from all over the world that I was lucky enough to cox for in two races. We met on this day, hopped in a boat and raced together. It was so much fun!

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Dinner with my team after the Friday races. My coach, a former Olympian, 3rd from left, won four gold medals!
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walking back from the metro to our apartment…bikes are everywhere and they’re not locked…clean, safe trustworthy place. No wonder they’re the happiest people!

So grateful to have experienced this incredibly beautiful place!  …..to be continued!

You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails! 

Adventure/Books and Daily Affirmations/Travel

Motivational Monday…Autumn

Posted on by Jeanine / 0 Comment

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.…Always remember that life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away!

Fall is my favorite time of year and it arrives this Thursday! It isn’t quite as spectacular here in SoCal, but I found these two pics from my trip up to Carmel and Mendocino a year ago and it brought back some beautiful memories and made me happy!

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You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails! 

Home & Food

Foodie Friday…Salted Caramel Pie

Posted on by Jeanine / 2 Comments

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My sister in law, Ann, who is a fabulous cook and especially good at desserts (along with my brother Tim) brought this amazing pie to Thanksgiving probably 5 or more years ago and I’ve made it many times since. The recipe is from Food and Wine magazine and it’s the perfect combination of sweet and savory! Start to finish takes over 6 hours (with chilling time) so plan accordingly. Enjoy!

Salted Caramel Pie

  • 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 5 ounces)
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar
  • Two 14-ounce cans sweetened condensed milk
  • Fleur de sel
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

Preheat the oven to 350°. In a food processor, pulse the graham cracker crumbs with the melted butter and light brown sugar until the crumbs are moistened. Press the crumbs evenly into a 9-inch glass or metal pie plate. Bake for about 10 minutes, just until lightly browned. Let cool. (I’m really lazy and substituted a ready-made Oreo crust and that extra chocolate was delish!)  Increase the oven temperature to 425°.

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Scrape the condensed milk into a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish and sprinkle with a scant 1/2 teaspoon of fleur de sel. Cover the dish with foil and place it in a roasting pan. Add enough hot water to the pan to reach one-third of the way up the side of the baking dish. Bake, lifting the foil to stir 2 or 3 times, until the condensed milk is golden and thickened, about 2 hours; add more water to the roasting pan as necessary. The consistency of the caramel should be like dulce de leche. Don’t worry if it is lumpy; it will smooth out as it chills.

Scrape the caramel filling into the pie crust, smoothing the top. Spray a sheet of plastic wrap with vegetable oil spray and cover the pie. Refrigerate until the filling is chilled and set, at least 4 hours.

In a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the cream with the confectioners’ sugar until firm. Remove the plastic. Mound the whipped cream on top of the pie and sprinkle with fleur de sel. Cut into wedges and serve.

Bon Appetit!

You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails! 

Adventure/Travel

The Happiest Place on Earth…no, it’s not disneyland

Posted on by Jeanine / 1 Comment
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I’ve always loved this plaque at Disneyland…and it seemed appropriate for this Copenhagen adventure!

When you read this I will already be in The Happiest Place on Earth, Copenhagen. The 4th Annual World Happiness Report uses a number of factors to determine their rankings and I’m looking forward to experiencing and contemplating the reason for their happiness.

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I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Walt Disney used Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen as part of his inspiration for Disneyland…our version of the happiest place on earth. It’s just taken awhile for the rest of the world to catch up with his secret.

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In addition to the storybook charm, cobblestone streets, pretty canals and amazing food that I’m so looking forward to experiencing in this happiest place, I am lucky enough to also be participating in the World Rowing Masters Regatta on Lake Bagsvaerd (try to pronounce that one!) I will be coxing for a composite team made up of members from my club, Newport Aquatic Center, and Long Beach Rowing, as well as two international teams that I’ve never met. Beyond excited for the adventure!

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And if that wasn’t enough, according to the study, one of the happiest groups in Copenhagen are those over the age of 50…so this should be a pretty amazing trip for me! Win-Win!!

I look forward to sharing everything Copenhagen upon my return!

You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails!

Books and Daily Affirmations

Motivational Monday….SMILES are free!

Posted on by Jeanine / 1 Comment

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You can win championships, you can win awards, you can make a lot of money… but the greatest gift you can give is your smile..it’s the same in every language.

I was watching Running Wild with Bear Grylls with Shaquille O’neal and Bear asked him about his life, money & fame and that’s what he said. I’m sure we’ve all heard that and sure it’s easy to say when you’ve had so many accolades, championships and money, but I liked the sentiment. It’s so true…you can make someone’s day with such a small gesture!

You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails!