Breakfast and Brunch

Thuy’s & Vu’s Wedding

March 1, 2017 by Mellie Dee 1 Comment

L to R: Scruffy, Me, Amy, Andy, Vu, Thuy, Patricia, Rachel, Maria, Ryan

Last weekend, Scruffy and I drove up to Austin to witness Thuy and Vu tie the knot. It was one of the best weddings I’ve ever been to and it was all planned out by the newlyweds. Props. I cannot wait to see what their future holds. I’m hoping twins since it’s in his genes. hehe It was such a lovely, fun weekend, albeit I was super grouchy and tired.

Hope Outdoor Gallery
1101 Baylor St, Austin, TX 78703
Yelp

On Friday, February 24th, Scruffy and I woke up and bolted out the door. We made stops to Randall’s, McDonald’s, and Walgreens before making our way to the well known graffiti wall. I see so many people take pictures here and even have friends that tag so it’s been on my list of to-do’s.

Hope Outdoor Gallery | Austin, Texas | Artist Spray Paints Graffiti Wall

It was super sunny and the artist was drenched with sweat but he continued on. Dedication right there. I wish I got to see his finish product though and also wished we brought spray paint so we could leave our mark as well.

There was a lot of climbing on slanted, rocky ground and since I forgot to change into my trainers before we started, I only climbed up as much as I could – dang flip flops. Scruffy ventured out a little more and I was able to get some cool shots of him. After he had enough sweating we headed to lunch.

Michi Ramen | Austin, Texas | Sapporo Ramen, Michi Ramen, Green Tea Mochi, Pistachio Mochi

Michi [chashu slices, roasted nori, mayu oil, woodear mushrooms, green onions] | $9.72 ~ Sapporo [chashu slices, bean sprouts, corn/butter, woodear mushrooms, green onions] | $10.75 ~ Green Tea Mochi and Pistachio Mochi | 2 for $3 ~ Add Ons: Ajitama [marinated soft-boiled egg] | $1 ~ Spicy Homemade Chili Oil | $0.50 ~ Mayu Blackened Garlic Oil | $0.50

Michi Ramen
6519 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78752
(512) 386-1908 | Website

Scruffy’s classic Michi Ramen had the perfect flavour while my Sapporo Ramen was a little salty probably due to adding the garlic oil which he opted out of adding. It was also a downer that they didn’t have bean sprouts but only a mixture of veggies. We went right around opening time so to not have something that you know is a staple is unacceptable.

For the mochis: Pistachio just doesn’t do well but the green tea was on point. Other than that the mochis weren’t anything to rave about.

There’s nothing much to say about this place. I thought it’d be the bomb dot com but walked out unsatisfied.

Oskar Blues Brewery
10420 Metric Blvd, Austin, TX 78758
(512) 243-7054 | Website

We decided to check into our hotel so that we can put our bags down before heading to a brewery. The traffic was starting so we found this one close by and it was not a let down.

I loved a select few and he liked practically all of them. The glass in the picture is a smaller glass for $3 which is great if you don’t drink much or want to try more. After a few more beers, Scruffy agreed to use the photo booth they had with me which made my day.

We bid farewell and headed towards Rock Rose Domain area. I dragged him into Paper Source, Francesca’s, Sephora and various other shops bumping into two of the bridesmaids.

Jack and Ginger’s Irish Pub
11500B Rock Rose, Austin, TX 78758
(512) 350-3738 | Website

We came in for a Irish Car Bomb and decided to get the wings as well. They were both equally delicious. I didn’t remember to take a picture of the wings but …

… I was able to snap a picture of this cutie. He’s probably going to hate this picture but I love his little smirk.

Adelbert’s Brewery
2314 Rutland Dr #100, Austin, TX 78758
(512) 662-1462 | Website

We headed to our last brewery, the one he’s been wanting to revisit again. We paid for the special they have that comes with 6 beers, a tour and glass per person. Naked Nun is still my favourite. Mmm …

The two kitties stole the show though. They just adopted them for mice catching purposes but I’m sure the one on the right is planning a getaway.

FryDeez Food Truck | Austin, Texas | Kardiac Arrest Eggroll

Kardiac Arrest Eggroll [steak fajita, bacon, chipotle pork combined with a blend of four cheeses with sweet potato chips] | Large $10

FryDeez
(512) 655-3907 | Yelp

They always have food trucks on site and we were lucky enough to try their giant eggroll. We didn’t know how hungry we were until we scarfed down our food in minutes. Sweet potato chips are 100% better than regular kettle chips places usually serve. All restaurants, take notice.

Rock Rose | Taverna | Austin, Texas | Fritto Misto

Fritto Misto [calamari, shrimp, shallots, zucchini, and carrots, with spicy tomato aioli] | $13.95

Taverna
3120 Palm Way #160, Austin, TX 78758
(512) 356-9384 | Yelp

We had a swift stop at the hotel before heading out to meet with Trisha and her friend, Christy. We ended up back at Rock Rose Domain where Trisha ate dinner and the rest of us drank. Scruffy and I shared the platter of fried goodness but stopped munching on it due to the super oily residue it kept leaving in our mouths and fingers.

After hours and hours of catching up, Trisha gave us some goodies and we bid farewell. Back to the hotel for a good night’s rest.

On Saturday, February 25th, Scruffy and I sleepily made our way downstairs for our complimentary breakfasts. We bumped into Amy and caught up with her while we waited for our food. As we all made our way back to our rooms, we realized Amy was rooming right across from us! #winning Scruffy and I enjoyed our breakfast with a side of Lost. Those are hands down some of the best potatoes we’ve had.

We decided to pick up some liquor and drinks to pregame with.

#2 Meal [cheeseburger, french fries, medium drink]

In-N-Out Burger
12431 N Interstate 35 Frontage Rd, Austin, TX 78753
(800) 786-1000 | Website

And decided to pick up lunch to take back to the hotel so we could watch telly while eating. In-N-Out in Texas is a great big fail. It might be the best over in California but here, it’s always been a miss. The fries were so stale that Scruffy punctured his gums and started bleeding.

Marriot Hotel | Austin, Texas | Thuy's & Vu's Wedding | Patricia, Amy, Mellie Dee, Scruffy, Andy

L to R: Patricia, Amy, Me, Scruffy, Andy

I was so busy pregaming that when I went over to Amy’s room to hang out, I realize everyone else was almost done getting ready. We met up at the hotel lobby for a quick picture and to carpool to the festivities.

Holy Vietnamese Martyrs Catholic Church | Austin, Texas | Thuy's & Vu's Wedding

Thuy & Vu tie the knot!

We waited patiently for the ceremony to start during which I noticed many familiar faces. After an hour later, the two were officially married. Look at them smiles! And her dress is to DIE for. Sigh …

Amy & Patricia

There was a two hour gap until the reception so we all headed to HEB for snacks and drinks, headed back to the hotel where we gathered in the lobby. After awhile, I started falling asleep and Scruffy and I went upstairs for a nap.

New Fortune Chinese Seafood Restaurant | Austin, Texas | Thuy’s & Vu’s Wedding | Reception Dinner

Crab Meat Fish Maw Soup, Scallop Fried Rice, Phoenix Tail Shrimp and Walnut Shrimp, Crispy Honey Chicken, Abalone with Black Mushrooms and Snow Pea Leaves, Wedding Cake, Seasonal Fruit, Black Pepper Steak Cubes, Steam Lobster Tail

New Fortune
10901 N Lamar Blvd #501, Austin, TX 78753
(512) 832-9992 | Yelp

The reception was off the hook. Vu’s dad was the best performer ever, singing and dancing! I see where Vu gets it from now. And the food was on point and perfectly catered to the different ethnicity present. I think the least favourite was the chicken. Cold chicken seems to put non-Asians off.

New Fortune Chinese Seafood Restaurant | Austin, Texas | Thuy's & Vu's Wedding | Mellie Dee

Vu & Thuy! — and Me

Just a picture to show the different garbs they changed into.

New Fortune Chinese Seafood Restaurant | Austin, Texas | Thuy's & Vu's Wedding | Amy, Mellie Dee, Patricia, Andy

Amy, Me, Patricia, Andy, Me!

And of course, it would not be complete without these signature pose pictures.

Punch Bowl Social
11310 Domain Dr, Austin, TX 78758
(512) 368-9070 | Website

When the lights turned on around eleven, it was time to head out. We stopped by at the hotel then headed to the after party. People slowly trickled in and we were able to talk to everyone who was to busy to before due to their wedding duties.

After a while the majority was crashing. We stopped by Whataburger before going back to the hotel.

On Sunday, February 26th, Scruffy and I overslept and missed the breakfast. I ate my leftover Whataburger, packed the rest of our stuff, and headed downstairs to bid Amy and Patricia goodbye while Andy was showering.

Bombay Grill | Richmond, Texas | Chicken Vindaloo, Lamb Roganjosh, Garlic Naan, Saffaron Rice, Raita

Chicken Vindaloo, Lamb Roganjosh, Garlic Naan, Raita, Saffaron Rice

Bombay Grill
1852 FM 359 Rd, Richmond, TX 77406
(832) 595-9400 | Website

We’ve both had Indian food the past couple of weekends but we were still craving it and had decided before the trip began we would come back for lunch. We ordered our usual and scarfed it down before heading back to his place for an episode of Lost. Then it was home for dinner with the family since Sissy and BIL were coming over.

Scruffy & Me

Especially thankful for this kid right here for hanging out with me and my friends, getting me dranks because my ass was too lazy to do so, taking various silly photo booth pictures, and still sticking around even though I was constantly grouchy. Yous a trooper!

2017 Asia Trip | Day 5

January 10, 2017 by Mellie Dee Leave a Comment

Vincent was running late so the parents, Kathy, Sissy and I went to breakfast at Cafe de Coral where I split a meal with Sissy.

We walked around for a short period before meeting up with Vincent to ride the subway towards Lamma Island.

Once we arrived we realized we had just missed the ferry that takes us to Lamma Island. Since we had to wait another hour for the next one we decided to go to Cheung Chau instead.

On the ferry we talked about various things before the majority fell asleep.

Soon enough we were docked.

Hello, Cheung Chau.

There were so many bikes and boats! Everything looked pretty much the same … how does anyone know which one is theirs?

We started walking around and saw a historic building that is being preserved.

And we ran across Love Locks where couples lock in their love and hope it lasts.

This old man was shelling and deveining shrimp before laying them out to dry. He had so much more on the other side of him!

Mum was on the search for jumbo fish balls she had when we was younger.

And when she finally found the regular ones she was ecstatic.

Then she walked to the next stall and saw curried balls and she went crazy.

Sissy, on the other hand, was all up in that egg waffle.

We walked towards a seafood restaurant for lunch by the water.

All their seafood is fresh and won’t be picked until you order.

I won’t ever come back to this restaurant since the food was sub par but happy I got to eat like the people I see on the telly.

As we ate I noticed a police boat. How cute is that?!?!

We walked around and decided it was time to go back to mainland Hong Kong.

A ferry ride later we landed in The Hong Kong Jockey Club where the parents and Kathy bought their tickets on horse races.

Vincent showed us Lan Kwai Fong street, the street of drinking and partying. We have never gotten to witness it firsthand. Hopefully one day!

We rode the subway back, close to home, to have dinner of dumplings at Shanghai Popo.

And a small snack after dinner of fried chicken and sweet potato fries.

And a mango juice type deal. I’m not a lover of mangoes so I thought the flavour was strong and too sweet while everyone else felt the opposite and believed they added water to dilute the juice.

We walked to another mall center to check out a couple more stores. Around this time was when I realized my feet were killing me. I bought a foot cushion thing from Modern House and stuck it in my shoe but it didn’t do much since the blisters had already formed. TMI?

As we headed home, we walked by the pet store and saw little puppies for sale. $1000 give or take. Yikes.

ADOPT. DON’T SHOP!

2016 Colorado Trip

December 28, 2016 by Mellie Dee Leave a Comment

As promised, Colorado trip recap. This trip was only for a weekend, yet I was able to cross off a few things off my list!

Wednesday, December 14th

Since our flight wasn’t until 10 pm, we all went into work and Scruffy came to pick me up afterward. We finished our last minute packing and waited for Rami and Caitlin (who were going with us) to arrive. Then we had dinner with their parents before we headed off to the land of white.

We somehow scored a drink coupon and put it to use. A Bailey’s coffee and whiskey shot for me and a Lagunitas Ale and vodka (?) for him.

We landed and waited an extremely long time for our bags. Apparently, the trolley that carried our luggage broke down. Once we collected all of our bags, we headed outside where the cold, crisp air hit us in the face as we waited for our bus to take us to our car rental place.

After much debate on the car situation, we made our two-hour drive to Keystone. We were literally a minute away from our abode but a wrong turn costs us a two-hour delay due to us getting stuck in the snow. It was a freezing experience but a memory I won’t ever forget.

Thursday, December 15th

Rami and Caitlin went snowboarding while Scruffy and I dug the car out for a little adventure.

We had breakfast at

The Pour House
40 Cove Blvd
Dillon, CO 80435
(970) 368-6416
http://thepourhousecoffee.com

We split the Bagel Sammich [egg, cheddar cheese, sausage] | $6, and each got a Small Latte | $3.50. I forgot what type of lattes we got but we both loved the sandwich which also came with a side of honeydew. Yum!

After our tummies were full, Scruffy drove around as I snapped pictures of the gorgeous landscape. We walked into a gift shop but all they had were clothes. After a long while, we decided it was lunch time and went to

Zuma Roadhouse
91 River Run Rd
Dillon, CO 80435
(970) 262-2202
http://zumaroadhouse.com

Burgers and fries for him. Steak, fries, and potatoes for me. Mmmm … so much leftovers for dinner that night. After lunch, we headed to pick up our skis.

Christy Sports Rentals
23080 West Highway 6
Keystone, CO 80435
(970) 468-5775
http://rental.christysports.com/

They people there were very nice and got us fitted very fast. We then drove back home for nap time. I continued to sleep as Scruffy ran to the grocery store with Rami and Caitlin. When they came back, we watched telly, talked about our adventures, and ate our leftovers and whatever else they bought at the store.

Friday, December 16th

Ski day. Let’s just say, I am a horrible person to be around when I cannot do something. I gave up after a short while due to the ski boots cutting off my circulation. Hopefully, next time, if there is a next time, I can take snowboarding lessons and get fitted correctly.

While Scruffy snowboarded with Rami on top of the mountain, I went home and changed into my comfortable snow boots. I snapped some more pictures while I waited for the bus to meet them back up for a drink. It had been snowing all morning and was so happy to see this puppy in it’s element.

9280′ Tap House
140 Ida Belle Dr.
Keystone, CO 80435
(970) 496-4333

We drank our one and only beers before Rami went back up the mountain for a few more runs while Scruffy and I went on more adventures. We had dinner at

Sauce on the Blue
358 Blue River Parkway
Silverthrone, CO 80498
(970) 468-7488
http://sauceontheblue.com

We used the Bread | free to dip into our appetizer.

Sauteed Mussels [New Zealand green lipped mussels, basil pesto cream, crostini, shaved Parmesan] | $14 was my favourite dish there. I just love me some pesto and Parmesan. Mmm …

Chicken Parmesan [marinara, mozzarella, spaghetti, fresh vegetables] | $16

Chicken Marsala [mushroom Marsala sauce, fettuccine, fresh vegetables] | $19

The pastas weren’t bad. I would choose the chicken Parmesan which tasted better than the Marsala.

We headed back home and hung out a bit before Caitlin headed to bed. Scruffy and Rami set up the Wii in our room to play while I read magazines in bed before calling it a night.

Saturday, December 17th

We woke up to this sight. Inches and inches of snow piled on high.

Scruffy and I took the bus to River Run to do some shopping at various stores. We decided to eat something small and went into

Luigi’s Pasta House
140 Ida Belle Dr.
Keystone, CO 80435
(970) 468-0300

We threw back some beers and shared the Fat Luigi [5 meatballs, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese & marinara – add a sausage link for $2] | $10.

We added the sausage but my advice – skip the sausage and stick to the meatballs. The sausage was sub-par but the meatballs were on point.

When we asked if we could have some bread we were told that was only given during dinner time. They were nice enough to bring some to us though, with no charge. Great service!

We decided to dig the car out again for some more scenery shots and ended up at the

Beef Jerky Outlet
167 Wildernest Rd
Silverthorne, CO 80498
(970) 368-6196
https://summitcounty.beefjerkyoutlet.com/

where we each bought a bag for our dads. If you love beef jerky, this place has so many to choose from.

Later that night, we ordered delivery from

Last Chance Pizza Co.
40 Cove Blvd
Dillon, CO 80435
(970) 513-0900
http://lastchancepizza.com

The food wasn’t spectacular but it hit the spot as we spent the rest of the night playing card games, listening to music, and knocking back a few drinks.

Sunday, December 18th

We ate leftovers for breakfast, packed the rest of our stuff before heading out and took pictures. We made a stop at River Run and the Beef Jerky Outlet so Rami and Caitlin can do some souvenir shopping before ending up at

Sunshine Cafe
250 Summit Pl
Silverthrone, CO 80498
(970) 468-6663
http://locu.com

Scruffy and I split the Chicken Fried Steak [southern favorite served with vegetables, mashed potatoes, and gravy, and a roll] | $9.95, and Soup of the Day: Curry Soup | cup $3.95. We subbed french fries instead of veggies but as you can see from our plate, they probably thought we didn’t want mashed potatoes either and gave us a crap load of fries. I was sad we didn’t get to try the mashed potatoes but it was okay since we were stuffed. Definitely a good place to stop for breakfast/brunch.

We started our drive back to Denver making a stop at

Falling Rock Tap House
1919 Blake St
Denver, CO 80202
(303) 293-8338
http://fallingrocktaphouse.com

for a couple beers since we had time to kill before heading to dinner at

Ted’s Montana Grill
1685 Briargate Pkwy
Colorado Springs, CO 80920
(719) 598-6195
http://tedsmontanagrill.com

Pickled Cucumbers | free tasted a little weird at first but after a while, I couldn’t stop! My favourite were the ends while everyone else chomped on the middle parts.

Karen’s “Flying-D” Bison Chili | cup $5 wasn’t anything to rave about. I think Scruffy’s homemade chili tastes 95% better than that. I could be biased though.

Swiss and Mushroom Bison Burger [swiss, mushroom, sour cream] | $17

Green and Hot Bison Burger [pepper jack, grilled jalapeno, guacamole, chipotle ranch] | $17

Both the burgers were a handful. Literally! There were so many ingredients jammed in there – just like a burger should. If I ever have a chance to come back, I’d want to try the regular burger and see how it holds up.

After dinner we headed to the airport to fly back home in the land of the humid. On the flight back, we watched the movie, Chef, that I downloaded off Netflix and both ordered one drink to end the vacation. We were exhausted once we got back home and all we did was sleep in.

This trip was filled with many fails but those fails make great stories. I cannot wait for our next adventure together – once I save up enough money. Where are we headed, Scruffy?

When San Antonians Visit Houston

September 8, 2016 by Mellie Dee Leave a Comment

Friday, August 12th

Patricia, Amy, and Travis drove down after work from San Antonio to Houston to visit me that weekend. When they arrived, Scruffy and I met them at BJs for a few drinks before heading to our reservations at

Uncle Julio’s
20526 Katy Fwy
Katy, Texas 77450
(832) 464-8930
https://www.unclejulios.com/locations/katy/

Scruffy and I shared a taco plate since we ate previously. The food wasn’t that great but we weren’t really there for the food. We’ve seen a video passed around on Facebook about a dessert so we decided to try it out.

Uncle Julio's | Katy, Texas | Patricia & Chocolate Pinata

Patricia pre-pinata batting

The famous Chocolate Pinata [filled with homemade mini churros, fresh fruit and berries, served with raspberry, chocolate and caramel sauces and house-made whipped cream] | $25.

The best dessert I’ve had in forever. So freaking good. The churros were still crispy even though it was mixed with the fruit inside the pinata. And I never knew I could love tempered chocolate so much.

We said our farewells while they headed to their hotel to check in while Scruffy and I hung out for a little while back at my house before calling it a night.

Saturday, August 13th

I woke up bright and early and made my way to their hotel. I hung out with the girls for a bit before waking up Travis and headed to our $20 Houston Restaurant Week lunch reservations at

The Grove
1611 Lamar Street
Houston, Texas 77010
(713) 337-7321
http://thegrovehouston.com

Once we sat down, we were presented Salted Peanuts | free. They were pretty good and I wish we had more.

FIRST COURSE

I gobbled up the Deviled Eggs [smoked salmon, picked corn & chilies, rooftop dill, pickle juice vinagirette] in seconds. I wish there was more of this as well. I’ve never really been a big fan of deviled eggs since it’s ususally just mayo but this changed my outlook. Deviled eggs do not need to have mayo!

SECOND COURSE

I only ate the inside of the Crispy Chicken Sandwich [Tabasco honey, slaw, pickles, mayonnaise, seasoned fries] and it was delicious. Plus nothing can ever go wrong with fries!

Discovery Green | Houston, Texas | Photoshoot

Top: Patricia, Me, Amy Bottom: Patricia, Travis, Me, Amy

We walked around Discovery Green and took some pictures in front of the colorful buildings.

We were mostly walking around Discovery Green to catch Pokemon as was everyone else in the world. Travis and Patricia were very into it and we ran into this billboard with rules for Discovery Green. Too funny and a little sad.

We ran into this gorgeous piece of art. I’m in love and wish I can have something like this up on my wall one day. Sigh … someone make me one?

We then went to drop off Patricia’s car at Sissy’s to save money since I planned to stay over at the hotel. Afterward we stopped for a coffee break at

Tout Suite
2001 Commerce Street
Houston, Texas 77002
(713) 227-8688
http://toutsuite.co

Trying to be artsy with Amy’s espresso and the macarons Patricia bought for the girls. Since she didn’t get Travis one, I gave mine to him instead.

Tout Suite | Houston, Texas | Mellie Dee & Travis

Me & Travis

Amy got this picture of me while I was taking pictures of the food while Travis ignored the girls being girls talking about random crap.

We planned to go to the brewery but realized it was going to close in a few minutes so I took Amy and Travis back to the hotel so that they could take a nap. Then Patricia and I went to the Galleria since she needed to get another shirt. Someone didn’t pack enough clothes. haha

Me, Amy, Patricia

Along the way plans changed and I went to drop Patricia back off at her car while she drove back to the hotel and I went to go pick up Sammy up before heading to the hotel as well. We all pregame while getting ready before heading to our reservations for dinner at

Arcodoro
5000 Westheimer Road
Houston, Texas 77056
(713) 621-6888
http://arcodoro.com

They had a Houston Restaurant Week menu but we weren’t a big fan of it at all so we all ordered off the menu a la carte.

Bread | free was very dry even with the olive oil. I wasn’t a big fan.

Scruffy and I shared the Carpaccio di Manzo al Tartufo [paper-thin slices of raw beef filet mignon topped with creamy black truffle dressing & micro greens] | $15 which was so freaking good. I wish we ordered more of these and just kept eating it until we were full.

Arcodoro | Houston, Texas | Travis, Amy, Patricia, Mellie Dee, Scruffy

Group Picture: Travis, Amy, Patricia, Me, Scruffy

Mum texted asking for a picture of the group. She’s met everyone but Amy and wanted to see how much the other two has changed since she last saw them.

We also shared the Paella Sardinian Style [Fregula simmered with saffron lobster stock & a medley of scampi, shrimp, mussels, clams, calamari & sea bream fillet] | $42 which wasn’t as great as the one Scruffy and I had at Fernando’s. We were pretty disappointed especially with how much it cost.

Arcodoro | Houston, Texas | Mellie Dee & Scruffy Selfies

Me & Scruffy being sillies

I know he’s not a big fan of pictures so I’m always delighted when he gives in and takes any kind of picture with me.

The fellas wanted to go to a piano bar and since we wanted to stay close by, Scruffy found

Caps Piano Bar
2610 Briar Ridge Drive
Houston, Texas 77057
(713) 784-0024
http://capspianobar.com

Online, it states it’s an older crowd and well … they weren’t lying. The crowd was over the hill and the drinks were very expensive. I asked for water and all they had was bottled water for five dollars. Scruffy didn’t know what to do so he still got it for me and the rest of the night, we made fun of the expensive Ozarka water. I guess it wasn’t too bad since we did receive two bowls of popcorn. Mmm … I love popcorn.

They chugged their drinks and we headed to a place where it was more our age.

Richmond Arms Pub
5920 Richmond Ave
Houston, Texas 77057
(713) 784-7722
http://richmondarmsonline.com

We played trivia and had some random conversations which is pretty much all I ask for when I hang out with my friends. After a while, Patricia ordered a Basket of Chips [aka fries] | $4.50 and Scruffy ordered Fried Mozzarella [6 fried cheese sticks served with marinara] | $7.50 for everyone at the table which was perfect since our dinner wasn’t all the best.

Richmond Arms Pub | Houston, Texas | Mellie Dee & Scruffy Selfies

Me & Scruffy

We headed back to the hotel and hung out a little longer playing Never Have I Ever which sparked a lot of questions. haha Soon after, Scruffy and I headed home. Having Scruffy interact and fit in with my friends makes my heart so happy.

Sunday, August 14th

After a great night’s sleep, I woke up and drove back to Katy to meet the fellas for brunch at Dish Society.

Kickin’ Kombucha Grapefruit | $5.50 and Quinoa Stuffed Avocado [a whole avocado topped with citrus quinoa relish on organic greens] | $9

After sharing our weekend adventure story recaps, we said our goodbyes. They headed back to San Antonio and I headed back to Scruffy’s house where we brewed our own beer.

I always want to move back to San Antonio whenever I hang out with anyone from San Antonio which makes me start debating if I should look for jobs there. Sigh … decisions.

2016 Summer Getaway | Day 4

August 18, 2016 by Mellie Dee Leave a Comment

There was early morning fog as we headed to Grouse Mountain. I wanted to go early so that it wouldn’t be hot and sticky when we climbed but I definitely didn’t take into account the fogginess that could occur.

McDonald’s
2601 Westview Dr
North Vancouver, BC V7M 0A3, Canada
(604) 985-0203

There weren’t many places opened on the way to Grouse Mountain and we actually had to turn around and stop at McDonald’s instead. He gave me a mean look when he couldn’t eat his food so that I could take a picture. hehe

Grouse Mountain
6400 Nancy Greene Way
North Vancouver, BC V7R 4K9, Canada
(604) 980-9311
http://grousemountain.com

We finally arrived but we didn’t end up climbing. Instead, we bought lift tickets. I shall climb a mountain next time so I can cross it off my list. Eeep.

The view from the lift was incredible and the fog surprisingly made it that much more breathtaking.

When we arrived, we walked into this cabin-like place. It reminded me of movies and telly shows where people will come inside for hot cocoa and coffee and warm up before going back out on the slopes. Maybe one day I’ll actually get to experience that.

Grouse Mountain | Vancouver, Canada | Scruffy & Mellie Dee

Scruffy & Me on top of Grouse Mountain

The fog sucked since we couldn’t see past much of anything but it was relaxing to be up there because the view was still as stunning.

We walked around for a bit … mostly because I wanted to get my steps in since we didn’t do the hike.

I like that they share the wilderness instead of taking away their homes. We were lucky to run into some bears. It may seem as if they are caged but in reality, they are living in their own habitat with the forest behind them.

The weather was so nice that there was a yoga session going on. They had mats laid out for anyone to join and I almost did.

Scruffy & Me taking in the last of the mountain air

But we just watched them instead and took in the mountain air before we headed back down. Having him with me up there made everything complete and I didn’t want to leave.

Going back down was a faster ride and once we did, we went back to our AirBnB to change out of our “workout” clothes and headed to lunch.

Meat & Bread
370 Cambie Street
Vancouver, BC V6B 2N4, Canada
(604) 566-9003
http://meatandbread.ca

We split the Porchetta [with salsa verde] | $9 and Sparkling Water | $2. They even added cracklins inside for that crispy texture. Although it is a simple sandwich, it was one of the best I’ve had which says a lot since I’m not a big fan of pork.

We walked into Chinatown for a bit just to see how it was.

And saw a lady using wood and a steamroller to make some kind of art. We didn’t stay the whole time to check out the entire process but I will say that the end products they previously made were pretty.

Scruffy and I had decided to jump around different food places again so our first stop was …

The Pint Public House
455 Abbott Street
Vancouver, BC V6B 1S5, Canada
(604) 684-0258
http://thepint.ca

We both got drinks and thought it was pretty cool that the Grapefruit Mimosa I ordered came with a small bottle of champagne so that you can put in as much or as little as you want. I poured the whole thing in of course.

Pint Poutine [pint fries topped with cheese curds and pint gravy] | $10 to share. It didn’t live up to my expectations or memories of when I first had it in Toronto back in 2006 but at least Scruffy can now say he’s tried Poutine!

Tim Hortons
108 W Pender St
Vancouver, BC V6B 0K4, Canada
(604) 568-9262
http://timhortons.com

I also had great memories of this place back in 2006 so we bought an Eclair, Vanilla Dip Donut, Chocolate Glazed Timbits, Sour Cream Glazed Timbits, Apple Fritters Timbits, and Blueberry Timbits for breakfast the next day. It didn’t live up to expectations as well. Sigh … maybe it’s because it was a day old or maybe because it was just too sweet.

Sushi Itoga
1668 Robson Street
Vancouver, BC V6G 1C7, Canada
(604) 687-2422
http://itoga.com

I thought it was pretty cool that they gave each person their own picture of Matcha Green Tea | free.

And they gave us Miso Soup | free as well. I was so excited for all the free things, especially because we only ordered one dish to share.

The Assorted Sashimi [11pc: tuna, salmon, hamachi, tako] | $18. So legit. I don’t ever want to leave the land of raw fish.

BC Liquor Store
1716 Robson St
Vancouver, BC V6G 2J7, Canada
(604) 660-9031
http://bcliquorstores.com

We stopped by the liquor store to pick up a whiskey made from Canada for Scruffy’s dad. It was crazy busy in there. We then walked back to our AirBnB to put it down before heading to our reservation at …

Guu with Garlic
1698 Robson Street
Vancouver, BC V6G 1C7, Canada
(604) 685-8678
http://guu-izakaya.com/robson

This place gets packed so we had to put our names down while we went to the liquor store and AirBnB.

Sake Bombs. I’m not sure if I have already mentioned this but Seattle and Vancouver are a little more upscale to where they aren’t a fan of sake bombs so we did shots instead and used our beer for chasers.

Premium Garlic Beef Tongue [sliced beef tongue with garlic butter soy sauce] | $8.50 had some chewy pieces at the top but the middle was just right. Tender and juicy. Scruffy wasn’t a big fan but did enjoy those little gems.

Sockeye Salmon Carpaccio [thinly sliced sockeye salmon sashimi with onion & garlic dressing] | $8.80 was just as delicious. Ordering this helps donate money to some charity who builds schools? houses? or something which was pretty cool.

Green Panda Dispensary
1707 Robson Street
Vancouver, BC V6G, Canada
(888) 562-0848
http://greenpandadispensary.com

I saw this across the street and got very excited. I thought it was a cute little sushi place … but I was mistaken. No sushi. Just weed. Sigh … Super cute and clever name for a dispensary though.

Nero Belgian Waffle Bar
1703 Robson Street
Vancouver, BC V6G 1C9, Canada
(778) 712-0694
http://nerobelgianwafflebar.com

This was right next door to Green Panda and since we hadn’t really had desserts, we went in.

Mini Liege Waffles [original, vanilla custard, almond, 2 mini Liege au chocolat] | 5 for $10 hit the spot. It was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. I wish I could get more of the mini Liege au chocolats here in Houston. So freaking good.

Sapporo Japanese Restaurant
1709 Robson Street
Vancouver, BC V6G 1C9, Canada
(604) 684-3444

Volcano Roll [8pcs: deep fried prawn, cucumber, avocado, topped with spicy tuna, green onion, spicy sauce, and sesame seeds] | $9

Hokikai [surf clam] | $2.25

Ama Ebi [sweet raw prawn] | $2.75

Scruffy ate most of the volcano roll and was getting full adding that when we go to our last food place, he won’t eat a lot but will only drink. He can’t hang. Nah, just kidding. It’s because he keeps drinking beer while I stick with water so I could eat more.

Dover Arms
961 Denman Street
Vancouver, BC V6G 2M3, Canada
(604) 683-1929
http://doverarmspub.com

Exhibit A. haha We had to make reservations to the next place so we stopped by here for him to grab a beer. He loved the glass and asked me to take a picture of it. So here it is. Looks like a grenade.

Kingyo
871 Denman Street
Vancouver, BC V6G 2L9, Canada
(604) 608-1677
http://kingyo-izakaya.ca

His, of course.

Stone-Grilled Kobe Beef [stone-grilled marinated Kobe beef with 2 kinds of Kingyo original sauce] | $24 was the BEST thing we ate that day. Oh my goodness gracious.

Look at that Kobe searing on that stone! Marbling perfection. My mouth is watering …

Stone-Grilled Beef Tongue [stone-grilled beef tongue served with Shio koji, red yuzu pepper sauce & green onions] | $ 9.80 is the same concept. And I about died. I’ve only eaten beef tongue in Hong Kong and Taiwan so having it here was like a dream.

Kingyo Japanese Izakaya| Vancouver, Canada | Mellie Dee & Scruffy Silly Faces

Me & Scruffy being silly

We took pictures while we waited for more food. This one’s my favourite.

I couldn’t leave without pigging out on this one last time. I would have gotten the Kobe beef if he was hungry but since he wasn’t and beef tongue was cheaper, I picked that instead. He had fun cooking it for me while I had fun eating it. Win-win.

They gave us Frozen Grapes | free as dessert. The flowers made a super cheap dessert super fancy.

While we were walking to Dover Arms we saw herds of people walking down the street with kids in tow. They were heading to English Bay to view the Honda Celebration of Light fireworks presented by The Walt Disney Company from the USA. While we walked back to Kingyo and after eating at Kingyo, they were still walking, like zombies. The fireworks haven’t even started!

We followed the crowd and watched the fireworks with them. I didn’t understand why they were all so excited to see fireworks and figured that they didn’t get to light fireworks like we do back in the states.

After a long walk back with the rest of the zombies, we reached our AirBnB. We finally opened up the Kinder Egg Surprise we got while we were in Chinatown earlier. He loved the chocolate and we tried playing with the toy that came inside.

That was the only form of coolness we got came from that standing fan. I was sweating so bad the day before and we decided to move it to the middle which was better. I thought everyone pretty much had air conditioning since we had it in Hong Kong but boy was I wrong.

Jumping to different sushi places made my heart smile and I’m thankful that he was willing to do so with me. At the end of the trip he flat out told me he was done with sushi/raw fish for a while. haha