It's Happening!

Philip planned a spontaneous weekend getaway to Solvang so we could have a trip just to ourselves. With everything opening up on the back end of the pandemic, so many plans had already been made for other events, we decided we needed to take some time just for us before summer vacation was over. With no real plan in (Monica's) mind, we drove up and let destiny be our guide. Despite the heat, we made the most of it: we strolled the shops, had great food, and watched Argentina win the Copa America final! On the second day of our trip, we went wine tasting. While the tasting rooms in town offer a great experience, we wanted to get out into the valley for a quieter vibe and views of the mountains. Robert, our Sommelier at McClain Cellars, recommended Roblar Winery, so we took his advice and drove out to the vineyard. We enjoyed a lovely tasting with Chelsea, who ended our flight with a surprise sparkling wine. We took our glasses and walked through the grape vines, reminiscing on our relationship as we went. Little did Monica know, Chelsea had followed closely behind, ready to capture the moment! Philip stopped under an oak tree, got down on one knee, and proposed. Monica's exact words were "yes, finally!" And after that, she was practically speechless (which is no easy feat!) We spent a few more moments in the vineyard before walking back to applause from all of the hostesses who had come out to cheer and celebrate with us. We shared our story and a few more glasses of sparkling wine under the pergolas before returning to town, and took home two bottles of wine to be opened on future special occasions.

Our second trip to Central Valley, setting in motion the tradition that we would visit every two years. This trip, we went wine tasting for the first time together throughout Solvang, San Luis Obispo, Los Olivos, and Edna Valley. We've enjoyed visiting vineyards together ever since!

We accidentally took a whirlwind trip in the middle of the worst storm in California in over 90 years! Despite the rain, we had an incredible (albeit busy!) time. Our first destination was Solvang, where we stocked up on pastries and coffee before getting back on the road to The Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo. We spent two nights in the Mountain Cabin room before packing up and driving up to San Francisco to see Monica's childhood best friend Danielle, and her husband Burak. After a night of wining, dining, and karaoke-ing, the rain cleared just in time for the end of our trip.

Depending on who you ask!

We met up for the first time at The Discovery Science Cube in Santa Ana. (Monica likes to joke that it's because Philip wanted to show off his science knowledge!) We participated in the different exhibits and got to know each other better. The silly activities helped ease both our nerves. After we had completed the museum, neither of us wanted to go home, so we got a late lunch at the mall nearby. We still didn't want to end our date, so we walked around the mall. We still didn't want to leave each other, so we went to a different mall where we could do some shopping and see a movie. We bought Philip some jeans, saw The Man from U.N.C.L.E., and talked for hours in the car. It had gotten so late, but we still wanted to be together, so we went to a 24-hour diner for another meal. All in all, our first date turned into a nearly 13 hour adventure!