February was so packed with fun and memorable adventures that I haven't had a chance to write about them as quickly as I would like. With only a week left of this month, I thought it best to start writing now. The beginning of February was highly anticipated because of our 5 year anniversary plans at a tree house cabin. We made plans to read, write, and generally unplug from all the gaming and surfing we've been doing since the start of the year. Ben and I started a story together and have been puzzling over the second chapter. I also hoped to complete another story I started in high school (!). I figured the peace and quiet of a cabin setting would be conducive to our writing escapades; but it also made one want to lounge around or take lazy strolls along the river.





Ben was excited for a different reason—grilling. While I can never completely understand the fervor with which Ben attacked the fresh meat section of a grocery store and scoured Internet sites about master grilling techniques, I was still appreciative of his effort. My modestly stocked grocery basket (ground chicken and garbanzo beans) paled in comparison to Ben's (steaks, bratwurst, burger patties, shiner bock, condiments, etc). I had purchased a Pumpkin Chile Simmer Sauce on sale from Williams-Sonoma a month prior so I was eager to see how it would taste. I opted out of black beans and chosen garbanzo beans because, well, does anyone need a reason to not get garbanzo beans?

The weather was chilly for the few days we stayed so every time Ben got the urge to grill, I would grab a thick blanket from upstairs and settle down at the table. The view and the ambiance that can only come from the woods were excellent at creating the atmosphere for writing.



Valentine's Day and my birthday were just around the corner (but so was work). I had a night shift at ED the day before V-Day so my only plan for the day was to sleep. When I walked into the apartment around 7 am, I found Ben in the kitchen making a scrumptious breakfast of eggs & chives, crispy bacon, and croissants. What a surprise! And the surprise continued on later in the evening when he prepared dinner: tomato basil soup, baked panko chicken, sweet potato fries, and a peach cobbler! We ate really well that day without having to step foot outside the apartment. Simplicity at its finest.

As for my birthday? Celebrations started the day before the actual day. I chose a Korean restaurant called Arirang; after binge-watching We Got Married, I was in the mood for kimchi and beef. The old adage of never shopping when you're hungry should apply when ordering from a menu. I ended up ordering kimchi pancake, fried dumplings, tteokbokki, and beef short ribs. Not to mention all the side dishes we had! Ben was generous enough to indulge my food cravings. (We also stopped by a small cake shop to purchase a birthday cake!)



After quite literally consuming a feast the day before, for my actual birthday, we settled for easy food while we waited to drive to Cirque du Soleil's 'Amaluna.'  I heard of 'Amaluna' coming into town through Living Social. Ben thought it would be a good idea for my birthday celebration as I practically raved about my last Cirque du Soleil viewing of 'Alegria' in Las Vegas. I was very pleased to share this experience with Ben because he's never been to an event like this one. Despite the theater prices of the concession stands, we still purchased a large popcorn and two drinks to munch throughout the show.





I had to postpone dinner plans with my parents since my dad came down with the flu. Hopefully we can find a date in March! Ben and I are presently visiting Ben's family. I brought my laptop along so maybe I'll be able to write a couple more posts later this week. February may be a short month but it has been a full month!