Marvelous Mondays Recap

This is the perfect time to join in on Katie’s Marvelous in my Monday series since I’m talking about…you guessed it.  Monday.

We had some business to take care of at the San Juan Capistrano area that day, so while we were there we decided that it would be a great opportunity to re-visit “our” place!  The few fond memories we have there, though not at all to be minimized, include the time when we were thinking of making the Franciscan Gardens our wedding venue.  Then, since we fell in love with the beautiful atmosphere and oh-so-photogenic old school surroundings, we had our engagement pictures taken there as well.  My, how time flies!

Oddly enough, all of downtown SJC seems to close up  shop at exactly 5 p.m.  Huh?!!  Exactly.  So before they shut the doors on us we hurried our way into the Hidden House Coffee as I was super curious to try this place out when we were last there.  Isn’t it so adorable outside?!  It is like some secret garden hidden in the woods.

The decorum inside is quite minimalistic and really different from the outside view.

It was a pretty hot day, so iced coffee it was!  In my opinion, there’s nothing better than iced coffee and iced tea on a warm sunny day…

Greg added his beloved milk and creamer, and I went with soy as usual.  Immediately after Greg sipped sipped on his straw, he scrunched his face and said that he really didn’t like the taste.  I took a huge gulp and knew right away what he didn’t like about it.  It was a very strong brew and in addition, it had very “flowery notes” to it.  Don’t get me wrong!  I actually love strong coffee and wouldn’t have it any other way, so it wasn’t terrible in my opinion.  However, I’ve come to the conclusion that my favorite brew leans to the nuttier and smokier side rather than flowery.

Though I don’t consider myself a coffee connoisseur, I definitely examine it and make sure to give an honest review to my fellow coffee lovers out there.  Because trust me.  I know how disappointing a bad cup of joe can be! Drinking bad coffee feels like the equivalent of a kid getting his balloon taken away and then getting a kick in the shin.  Okay maybe that’s an exaggeration…?  It wasn’t too bad, but definitely not my favorite.

Isn’t this place so cute?  And ahem, I have to say that I’m really pleased with the pictures I took with my point and shoot.  It’s not often that they come out like this.  Thank you sunlight, and thank you camera!

Yay, a normal one! Hahaha.

Yesterday was a super busy and long day for us.  It was filled with so much love and joy throughout our church because it started with a great service, a hula dance from two lovely ladies, two baptisms, a huge feast (obviously), a hospital visitation, and sorting out donation food and clothes filled boxes that we’re sending to the Philippines!

*Phew*  

On my last post I mentioned that Greg’s dad is really talented at building things and that he tore apart and re-did the whole baptism pool.

Isn’t it really nice?

Since we were exhausted (but in a good way), we decided to pay a visit to an organic vegetarian restaurant called Steamed.  It’s located in a somewhat sketchy part of Long Beach.

I ordered their “Tuna” salad, which is vegan, and I was surprisingly delighted by the taste and fresh ingredients!  Although the chickpea “tuna” salad didn’t taste like fish at all, and I wouldn’t want vegan food to smell fishy because I’m a “real” fish lover, the flavors went together perfectly.  I really want to make this at home!  If only I had the recipe.

Greg had their Cal Quesadilla and it was amazing.  He loved it so much that he literally cleaned his plate!  It’s really rare for him to do that, but aside from the fact that it was delicious, I think that the vegetarian aspect of it helped him digest better and feel less full.

Check them Out

I’ve been wanting to give a shout out to many of you out there simply because I feel so blessed to have you in my life, even if they’re very long and cyber distance relationships.  Thank you for inspiring me, supporting me, and allowing me to be a reader of your blogs/sites as well!

Min [Savor the Rainbow]-  Congratulations on her first day of school and God bless her with her studies!  Her love for God, writing, attitude, and fun posts keep me goin’.

Allie [Forgotten Beast]-  I’m so proud of her for aiming to be in a figure competition despite the challenges she may face from being vegan!  Her down to earth attitude is refreshing.

Lauren [Oatmeal with a Fork]-  Her honest and thought provoking comments are always encouraging.  And her perseverance through this time of potential moving and transition is somethin’!  Plus, I love her mouth watering recipes.

Coco [Roost Blog]-  Her beautiful blog, pictures, recipes, and smile say it all!  Her simplistic way of living with her husband while cooking up delicious food to cater to his Crohn’s disease is an amazing feat.

Katie [Katie k Did]-  Katie’s photos are so gorgeous and fun to look at!  Also, her passion for wholesome eating and crossfit are really inspiring.  So many people seem to have adopted more “natural” ways of eating through her blog.  Also, she has her own photo website now.

Fitsugar-  Fun and informative site where you can learn about new health tips as well as connect with other people around the world.

Something Swanky-  She’s a lover of mouth-watering sweet treats, and she’s also a master at making them and doing how-to tutorials!

Jen [Head to Toe]-  Her cuteness overload, sincere character, successful Youtube channel, all while being a super humble God loving gal, is a reminder that we need to use our gifts to the fullest while giving God the praise for those very gifts.  Oh yeah, and she’s a fellow 5 foot Asian.  Woop woop!

Man, I’d love to add more in here but this computer is slowing down like crazy.  I just want all of you out there to know that you make me smile, whether you know it or not! And I want all of us to know that in the end, it’s really  not about what we accomplish in life, but just being ourselves and embracing each other for who we are.  You are LOVED.

Live life to the fullest, y’all.

Love,

Ellie <33

Tagged as: engagement photoshoot Orange County, food, friendships, God's love, healthy eating, love, marriage, relationships, restaurant review, vegan