Saturday 19 October 2013

Apple picking

After battling 90 degree highs the first week of October, I finally celebrated the arrival of fall with R & J and R's family by picking pumpkins and apples! I don't remember the last time I went to a pumpkin patch and I don't think I've ever picked apples, but I'm going to start making it a tradition every fall. After a productive morning shopping and gorging ourselves at Indian buffet (I miss you, Indian donuts), we made our way to the boonies to Homestead Farms. Not too busy, not over the top with monsters/scarecrows/Halloween stuff, it was still rustic and homey and had reasonable prices. I highly recommend it!

Starting off in the fake pumpkin patch
I match the pumpkins :)

We moved on to pose with the farm animals
And take pictures of brightly colored chickens
After some indecision (apple orchard or pumpkin patch??), we  took off for the apple orchard
And started sampling delicious apples! Braeburn, Fuji, and I think my new favorite, Cameo. "I want to DIE in a field of apples"

I made R laugh so hard she got the D
Things got weird
Mmhmm...Braeburn apples
We found a ladder, so we had to have a photo shoot. 
And traipse through the orchards, pretending we were in a Taylor Swift music video (maybe just me)
I love applesssss

Our spoils...over 20 lbs of apples!
 I made R&J carry our haul back

Thanks to R and her family for the fun time, the apples, and the pictures. Click here to see R's blog post about our day. Next time we'll make sure to have enough time to bake PIES!

Monday 14 October 2013

Beijing for break

I recently had the luxury to escape to Beijing for our week long fall break. It was a short trip but I managed to squeeze in some quality family time (including my cousin's wedding), sightseeing, pampering, shopping, and of course, eating. 
 Meeting J "right under Mao"
 Lucky to have bright blue skies for our Forbidden City day. I didn't even alter this photo!
"The Big Stone Slab" - apt translation
 Beihai, a lesser known park but a favorite of mine. It's right behind the Forbidden Palace, so it used to be the Emperor's garden/retreat. 
 J came to Beijing! And we ate Peking Duck, naturally. 
 Yang rou chuar
 Qian Men
 Yes, I asked my bathing attendant to take a picture of me in a red wine bath. Not awkward at all. 

 Look, you have your own chicken stand at Tian Yi! 
 Chinese food court. Sweet and sour pork, eggplant, Szechuan cold noodle, some of my favs. 
San Li Tur
Watching them make my favorite breakfast in the world (I'm aware I have a lot of favs)
 Tada, Chinese breakfast taco!
 Zen park right outside my grandparents' house. 

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I'm a practicing hematologist/oncologist living in sunny Southern California. I take care of sick patients during the day and try to live life to the fullest outside of work!

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