Fun Weekend and with Friends
Posted on October 18, 2021 by Ching under Food and Drink.
It was great catching up with everyone this weekend. Between everyone’s busy schedules and traveling, it’s been difficult to get together. However, the stars magically aligned this weekend and we were able to catch up with our #vacaywithjayjay travel pals.
We started out at Oak & Pie on Saturday night. We all met up for dinner in honor of Reniece’s birthday.
I know I look sloppy compared to my posh pals but I pretty much live in pickleball gear these days. Exhibit A – oversized Chicken N Pickle sweatshirt, which I probably should have gotten in a size small. I got the large one in a Chicken N Pickle auction basket that I won on World Pickleball Day. The large was entirely too big so I exchanged it for a medium, thinking that would fit correctly, but it’s still a tad too big. Unfortunately, there’s no exchanging it now that I’ve worn it.
I like things baggy on me but, looking at this pic, I’m thinking a small or extra small would look so much better on me. Oh, well.
I just love these ladies. I can’t wait to travel with them again. Speaking of travel, they’re all going to Jamaica in December, which we will miss because we are going in January with pickleball peeps.
Reniece and Alicia are too cute. They make me miss my long hair.
Here are some pictures of the food we enjoyed on Saturday night.
These nachos don’t look all that appetizing but they were actually really good. I’m not much of a nacho eater, but I really liked this plate of nachos.
These wings were also quite good. They’re the perfect combination of sweet and spicy. I’m sure the dressing that it came with was good but I didn’t need it.
You can never go wrong with cheese balls.
The calamari was excellent. I’m so glad we went with a group of people don’t have an aversion for seafood. Honestly, every time we’ve gone to Oak & Pie, I’ve wanted to get a plate of the calamari starter but, since Brian doesn’t eat it, and I can’t eat an entire plate by myself, I never can get it without it going to waste. I’m so glad that Marc ordered it to share with everyone.
Brian and I ordered our usual pie baby pizza and some pepperoni rolls for the two of us to split. However, because I gorged myself with all the appetizers that Marc ordered, after a couple of pepperoni rolls, I had no room for any pizza. Brian ate half of it there and took the other half to go. He ate the rest for lunch on Sunday. Safe to say, Brian ate an entire pizza by himself. LOL.
I love the pie baby pizza but I couldn’t help him eat it this time. I guess I didn’t really have to because he was able to consume it all himself quite effortlessly.
Possibly my favorite pepperoni rolls in town. I wish they would also make a cinnamon sugar one like they make at AJ’s in Topeka. It would be so good.
Here are some pics of everyone else’s food.
I think this is the gangster panini.
I didn’t see a Hawaiian pizza on the menu but apparently it’s a thing. I’m determined to get it next time. I love ham (or, in this case, Canadian bacon) and pineapple on a pizza.
When you can’t decide between two pizzas, ordering half and half is always a great idea. Smart move by Cory and April.
I honestly don’t know what all the dishes are called but everything looked delicious.
Reniece shared her strawberry shortcake dessert with everyone. It was amazing!
I would seriously go back for one of the specialty drinks, pepperoni rolls, and the strawberry shortcake dessert. That would be good enough for me.
On Sunday night we got back together with gang for s’mores by the fire at the Short’s. They have created such a great space in the city where they have space for their chickens, a vegetable and herb garden, and the best hangout spot.
They are so smart to buy all that land behind their house. Brian and I are not huge campers because we’re not really rugged people so we joked about just camping in their backyard. LOL.
It was great to catch up with April and Cory because we hadn’t seen them in forever. It’s been entirely too long.
I brought a bottle of my new favorite wine, Langman Estate Winery’s muscat canelli, to share but, besides the glass I poured for Becca, I drank pretty much of all it. It had been a while since we hung out with these guys and I had no idea that people weren’t really drinking anymore. Well, Kirk is still drinking except he wasn’t last night because he’s on antibiotics. Alicia did a dry January that’s somehow extended all the way to October because she found it agreed with her. In a couple of months, she’ll have achieved a completely dry 2021.
I had my first s’mores experience that night which made me realize that, while I like s’mores-flavored things, I really don’t like s’mores all that much. LOL. What I do like are shrimps on the barbie. Kirk had cocktail shrimps that were still slightly frozen so we decided to warm them up in the fire. It worked out great because it gave the shrimps some really good smoky flavor. You didn’t even need the cocktail sauce at that point. Although, we all agreed we wished we had some butter.
It was such a great weekend. Brian and I had a such a wonderful time catching up with our pals. Until next time. GNG.
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Langman Estate Wines
Posted on October 17, 2021 by Ching under Events, Food and Drink.
I took a break from Aqua Zumba and pickleball on Thursday night to attend a special wine tasting event at Chicken N Pickle. Jim Langman from Langman Estates Winery as onsite to provide samples of three of their wines.
The three wines we tried were:
The muscat canelli is excellent. It’s not a sweet wine like a moscato or a riesling but it has a tinge of sweet. It’s perfect for someone like me who is finally graduating into drinking non-sweet wine.
Brian absolutely loved the barbera. I think it’s his new favorite wine. He is so excited that Langman wines are finally available for distribution in Kansas. I think this might be his new go to.
As for the cab, it’s actually top rated. After tasting it, you’ll understand why. It’s rare that I find cabs that I like at this price point and I enjoyed this one immensely. Finally, Brian and I have wines we can both enjoy that’s not $100 per bottle.
It was fun hanging out with wine-loving fellow picklers.
Susan was double fisting the wines that night – on one hand a glass of the barbera and a glass of the cab on the other.
Brian took a selfie with Jim Langman.
I got a picture with him too. I’m definitely a fan. Brian and bought five bottles that night. We should have enough to get us by until our next trip to Groves.
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Lunch at Merle’s Place
Posted on October 17, 2021 by Ching under Food and Drink.
Met Teresa and Jason for lunch at Merle’s place the other day. Teresa suggested Merle’s because it’s close to the Wichita Art Museum and it’s one of her usual lunch spots. Here are some pictures of our food.
I just love these two. I’m so glad we got to have lunch.
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World Pickleball Day Weekend
Posted on October 16, 2021 by Ching under Life.
October 10 is World Pickleball Day so naturally I spent the entire weekend playing pickleball. We started with a fun cookout at Rolling Hills on Saturday night, the eve of World Pickleball Day.
Brian took one for the team and served as our grill-master that night. Here are a few pictures from our cookout that night.
The next day we hung out at Chicken N Pickle to celebrate World Pickleball Day and raise money to build courts for the Boys & Girls Club.
Queen of the APP Tour, Lauren Stratman, happened to be in town.
I introduced Lauren to my friend Erica Lopez. I shared some of the Electrum shirts that Lauren gave me with Erica so I figured the two of them should meet.
The four of us got a group picture together. From left: Erica Lopez, Karen Fox, Lauren Stratman and me.
Patrick Smith was there too.
We had a great time celebrating World Pickleball Day.
Can’t wait to do it all again next year. Until then. GNG.
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Saturdate with the Hubs
Posted on October 15, 2021 by Ching under Food and Drink.
Had a wonderful lunch with Brian on the Il Vicino patio last Saturday.
We started with our usual Caesar salads followed by the Vespa.
We always split a Vespa. Except Brian’s half is minus tomatoes and spinach which I don’t mind having in mine.
It was a nice day for an outdoor lunch and so, to extend our experience, we decided to share a flourless chocolate cake for dessert. It was so nice to have a leisurely lunch with Brian and just enjoy the day. We were in my car that day so we decide to take the long way home and rode around top down. I love days like these. I wish we could have more of them.
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