{"id":19590,"date":"2018-09-08T07:43:45","date_gmt":"2018-09-08T12:43:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/brubakers.us\/?p=19590"},"modified":"2018-09-07T22:01:25","modified_gmt":"2018-09-08T03:01:25","slug":"our-anniversary-weekend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brubakers.us\/?p=19590","title":{"rendered":"Our Anniversary Weekend"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/ching\/29031698837\/in\/datetaken\/\"  title=\"Untitled\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/farm2.staticflickr.com\/1775\/29031698837_a6bee14400.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" alt=\"Untitled\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Brian and I started our anniversary celebration this year with manis and pedis at our favorite local salon, Nails and Beyond. <\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/ching\/43251819604\/in\/datetaken\/\"  title=\"Untitled\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/farm1.staticflickr.com\/850\/43251819604_de32aea8cd.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"500\" alt=\"Untitled\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>I picked this one for my toenails because I liked the color. I took a picture because I thought the name was clever. <\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/ching\/43065218965\/in\/datetaken\/\"  title=\"Untitled\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/farm2.staticflickr.com\/1811\/43065218965_659ed122ea.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" alt=\"Untitled\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s sparkly but still kind of neutral, which is my style. I don&#8217;t really get into crazy nail polish colors or designs. I keep it pretty basic most of the time. <\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/ching\/43922133482\/in\/datetaken\/\"  title=\"Untitled\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/farm1.staticflickr.com\/933\/43922133482_f107fa192f.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" alt=\"Untitled\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>This is Brian getting an arm massage from Vanessa. <\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/ching\/29032467297\/in\/datetaken\/\"  title=\"Untitled\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/farm1.staticflickr.com\/934\/29032467297_83b3038116.jpg\" width=\"499\" height=\"500\" alt=\"Untitled\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Here&#8217;s the finished product. I rarely (if at all) get my fingernails painted. We both usually as for the &#8220;buff shiny&#8221; treatment. It&#8217;s $5 more but the natural shine actually lasts a few weeks and you don&#8217;t have to worry about yucky, chipped nail polish. <\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/ching\/30102271188\/in\/datetaken\/\"  title=\"Untitled\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/farm1.staticflickr.com\/933\/30102271188_cfb7dbd367.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" alt=\"Untitled\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>We ended up going to <a href=\"http:\/\/carrabbas.com\"  rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Carrabba&#8217;s<\/a> for dinner after. We were going to just eat at Taco Bell because I had this whole post planned about how you really don&#8217;t have to spend a lot of money or do anything fancy for anniversaries. I was trying to make the point that it doesn&#8217;t really matter where we are as long as we&#8217;re together. Anyway, I got derailed by a &#8220;happy hour all day&#8221; email from Carrabba&#8217;s. Of course, I would rather eat the delicious food at Carrabba&#8217;s any day. But the point is, if all we had money for was Taco Bell, that would be just fine with me too. <\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><BIG>Love is all we need.<\/BIG><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The next night Brian took me to a surprise anniversary dinner at <a href=\"http:\/\/www.sienawichita.com\"  rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Siena Tuscan Steakhouse<\/a>. I figured it out as we were driving there. He said he wanted to go somewhere we&#8217;d never been before. I&#8217;d had lunch at Siena a few times before but never dinner. I guess he forgot that I&#8217;d been there. I told him dinner is different. This was my first dinner experience there. I was really proud of Brian for going out of his comfort zone. <\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/ching\/30117676588\/in\/datetaken\/\"  title=\"Untitled\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/farm1.staticflickr.com\/930\/30117676588_4d6f4de939.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" alt=\"Untitled\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>We started with the bruschetta. It was delicious. I would totally go back just for this. The salmon had the perfect smokiness. I thoroughly enjoyed every bite. <\/p>\n<p>Anyway, here&#8217;s a better picture. <\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/ching\/43267549094\/in\/datetaken\/\"  title=\"Untitled\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/farm2.staticflickr.com\/1771\/43267549094_a830a8d9a2.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" alt=\"Untitled\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>We also both got Caesar salads. <\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/ching\/43081280875\/in\/datetaken\/\"  title=\"Untitled\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/farm1.staticflickr.com\/938\/43081280875_a6d3f7f860.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" alt=\"Untitled\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Guess which one of us had the anchovy and which one didn&#8217;t.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/ching\/43938514942\/in\/datetaken\/\"  title=\"Untitled\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/farm2.staticflickr.com\/1811\/43938514942_ffb8ccdbc7.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" alt=\"Untitled\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Brian got the fettuccine bolognese. It doesn&#8217;t look like much but it was amazing! Next time I&#8217;m here, I&#8217;m totally getting it. <\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/ching\/43938514892\/in\/datetaken\/\"  title=\"Untitled\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/farm2.staticflickr.com\/1817\/43938514892_8f1e95254d.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" alt=\"Untitled\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>I had the grilled salmon, which you can&#8217;t really see too well in this photo. It was also very good but I really liked what Brian had.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/ching\/43268254204\/in\/datetaken\/\"  title=\"Untitled\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/farm2.staticflickr.com\/1835\/43268254204_33f33a9c02.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" alt=\"Untitled\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>We finished with a tiramisu, which they serve in a cute little mason jar and top with an even cuter mini macaron. <\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/ching\/43938514762\/in\/datetaken\/\"  title=\"Untitled\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/farm1.staticflickr.com\/942\/43938514762_fde2105e86.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" alt=\"Untitled\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>It looks even cuter next to Brian. <\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/ching\/42177766990\/in\/datetaken\/\"  title=\"Untitled\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/farm2.staticflickr.com\/1812\/42177766990_07f228f0d5.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" alt=\"Untitled\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The one thing I found out that night that I didn&#8217;t know before is, much like the Ambassador Hotel in Kansas City, this Ambassador Hotel also offers complimentary parking and shuttle service to the shows when you dine with them. I told Brian I would make a mental note for next year. Also, posting it here on the blog in case I forget. <\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/ching\/43938514852\/in\/datetaken\/\"  title=\"Untitled\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/farm2.staticflickr.com\/1831\/43938514852_9857b74cd5.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" alt=\"Untitled\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Traditionally, we always take anniversary selfies. <\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/ching\/42177121650\/in\/datetaken\/\"  title=\"Untitled\"><img src=\"https:\/\/farm2.staticflickr.com\/1778\/42177121650_8e61bc6bd5_c.jpg\" width=\"500\" alt=\"Untitled\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/ching\/42177766290\/in\/datetaken\/\"  title=\"Untitled\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/farm2.staticflickr.com\/1833\/42177766290_b9a42e3d55.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" alt=\"Untitled\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/ching\/43268253264\/in\/datetaken\/\"  title=\"Untitled\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/farm2.staticflickr.com\/1777\/43268253264_ecff2b572d.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" alt=\"Untitled\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The next day, we continued the celebration by watching the <a href=\"https:\/\/mtwichita.org\"  rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Music Theatre Wichita<\/a> production of the Little Mermaid. <\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/ching\/43099929325\/in\/datetaken\/\"  title=\"Untitled\"><img src=\"https:\/\/farm2.staticflickr.com\/1832\/43099929325_f23c6dccf0_c.jpg\" width=\"500\" alt=\"Untitled\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>MTW had several great shows this year but this was the first one that we&#8217;d been able to attend all season. Brian really wanted to see <a href=\"https:\/\/mtwichita.org\/shows_tickets\/past_seasons\/2018#2840\"  rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Pippin<\/a> but we were in Orlando that weekend. <a href=\"https:\/\/mtwichita.org\/shows_tickets\/current_season\/overview\"  rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Next year Chicago falls during ZINCON<\/a>, which I&#8217;m a tad distraught about. I really want to see Chicago but I don&#8217;t want to miss ZINCON either. It&#8217;s quite a tough decision. I guess it will all depend if we end up with season passes. <\/p>\n<p>Anyway, that&#8217;s pretty much our anniversary celebration in a nutshell. It&#8217;s quite low-key just like us. Happy 16th wedding anniversary to the two of us. Until next time!  <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Brian and I started our anniversary celebration this year with manis and pedis at our favorite local salon, Nails and Beyond. I picked this one for my toenails because I liked the color. I took a picture because I thought the name was clever. It&#8217;s sparkly but still kind of neutral, which is my style. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[713,1690],"tags":[116,837],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/brubakers.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19590"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/brubakers.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/brubakers.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brubakers.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brubakers.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=19590"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/brubakers.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19590\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19605,"href":"https:\/\/brubakers.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19590\/revisions\/19605"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/brubakers.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=19590"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brubakers.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=19590"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brubakers.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=19590"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}