September Pixie

The Anniversary Trip 2007 (2nd year)

We’re finally home!

I have so much to tell you all! I have restaurant reviews, sewing projects done, knitting projects started, photos, trip information, and ravelry news! Take advantage of the cuts to read about what intrests you to skip all of the rest.. or click here to read the whole journal entry.

The Trip & 2 Vegan Resturant Reviews

San Franciso, San Jose, Montery Bay, Vista Point, Carmel, & Daly. Yes, we visited all of those places and more. We drove around looking at the coast a lot.. we shopped, we ate, we drove, we relaxed, and above all, we had a blast. We didn’t get to make it to two of our spots we wanted to see, the Winchester Mystery House or the Monteray Aquarium.. but it was a full trip with no disapointments. I didn’t expect the wind off the ocean to be so cold! Imagine, a Michigan girl going all the way to California and feezing her butt off!

Good Karma Cafe – 1.5 Stars

We stopped at Good Karma Cafe because of all the excellent reviews, I was expecting the food to be awesome! It was truly mediocre at best. I ordered Chicken (tofu) Teriyaki while my husband ordered Thai Chicken (tofu) Curry.. and we both got Vegan Eggrolls. Mine was nothing more than tofu marinated in soy sauce and brown rice. Not even any scallions or green onions or anything on top. No sauce. Sergey’s Thai Curry was better as it consisted of potatoes, peas, and carrots… but that was about it. The egg rolls were just carrots wrapped in filo dough… and nearly burned! The food was edible but its NOT a place I would recommend ANYONE going to for good Vegan food. If I wasn’t already Vegan, this place would never make me want to be one. It’s amazing that this place got so many great reviews. I thought it was terrible. Maybe I am a food snob? For $13 that we spent I expected at least Taco Bell quality food.. I should have saved my cash and just went there. The Service was ok but even that wasn’t great. No, I wasn’t impressed.

Millenium – 5 Stars

This place is would make me turn Vegan if I wasn’t already one! If you are in the are and looking for an excellent restaurant with good atmosphere and excellent food — go here!! RUN! Don’t walk!! I had the Lemongrass Stir Fry and Sergey ordered Stuffed Truffled Roulade and for appitizers we ordered some fresh corn and antique tomatoes w/ basil and dessert was Chocolate Almond Midnight and Vanilla & Mango Sorbet. I ordered a Blue Moon cocktail while Sergey had an Izzy’s soda. The food was delicious! We ate every last bite of everything we ordered! The atmosphere is slightly romantic but it isn’t some place that you couldn’t take your (well behaved) child. I can’t even begin to tell you how great the food was.. except that there is no way I would have believed this was a fully Vegan restaurant if I hadn’t read it before. None of that “it tastes just like real meat!” stuff, just awesome food! You MUST add this place to your travel plans if your going through San Francisco!!!
The Sewing Project: The Anniversary Dress

I’ve been reading   but definately my own
Sewing Project #2: Gown Ideas

I think I have mentioned my grandmother was a pretty well known seamstress.. she made tons of wedding dresses, gowns, costumes for dance companies, and tooooooons of side projects.. I am pretty sure I get my sewing compulsion from her. It’s more than a hobby its more like an obsession/addiction. As soon as I finish one project I feel the need to begin another… I am used to this with knitting (most of you knitters know the lust of new yarns and project envy) but this is probably just as strong if not stronger than my knitting pull. I finish one thing and immediately begin saving pictures for project ideas for the next new thing.

Since the Ren Faire is in town.. I can’t very well only own one costume, can I?! No! So I have another gown in the project que. I am dying to make some corsets but I think I really need to get more projects under my belt before taking on one of those.. they have to fit just right or the whole thing is bust. Add me to the billions of people lusting after Arwens gowns in LOTR. I am thinking to attempt this dress… or this one… or this one.. or possible a mixture of a few different patterns for something uniquely my own.. I haven’t really made a decision yet.
Sewing Project #3: The Finished Renaissance Costume! LOTR Eowyn’s Gown

I have had a few people ask me for photographs of the finished gown.. so here it is, in all of its glory. Not the best photographs of me.. but….. here you go anyway

…Click the photograph to view large size..
Ravelry News: I Finally Made It!

Is ravelry as fabulous as people make it sound? Yes, it is. I haven’t gotten to spend much time on it yet, as I have been trying to upload my finished projects and update my “I need to knit that!” list.. but if your already in, friend me I am CherrySprinkle there as well. I am still adding and updating it so my notebook sections are changing quite a bit every day.
Knitting Projects: Macbeth Kidsilk Night Kiri Shawl & Teddy Bear

I bought some addi turbo lace needles and some Rowan KSN in Macbeth while in California.. I stopped in at ImagiKnit and spent some time looking over their yummy yarn selections before deciding on KSN. I had wanted to see the Macbeth color before ordering it since I wasn’t sure it was going to be a color I liked, but to my surprise it was exactly what I was looking for! I’ve decided I am going to knit up the Kiri shawl in it. It is my next project once I finish my Faux-Russian Scarf.

I don’t think I have mentioned that I found this adorable teddy bear knitting pattern at my LYS.. I started knitting it up. I have to finish the paws and sew the eyes on and he will be finished. He’s in a cute little lemon yellow. He’s adorable.. I can’t wait to take pics of him.
Photos From Our Trip

Ocean Winds..

Ocean View..

Twin Peaks (we spent our Anniversary night looking at this..)

View from my airplane window..

Freezing my butt off at the ocean… who knew California was so cold!?

I think thats quite enough for now… but as you can see, I have been busy! If you’d like to see more photographs from our trip, check out my flickr in the few days to come… Oh! and those of you wondering what kind of gift I got for my anniversary… I got this!