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Our First Thanksgiving in Texas

This year's Thanksgiving was far different than a year ago. Last year, we said goodbye to our friends and family, packed our moving truck to the brim, and headed to Austin, Texas to start our new life together. As we reflect on this past year, we are incredibly thankful and blessed for what God provided us and we are incredibly lucky to have supportive friends and family. We count our blessings every day never take them for granted. This year has been a memorable year. Moving to Texas was the best decision we've made and we are looking forward what's in store for us. I'd like to take this opportunity to list the things I'm most thankful for.  1. We survived the Austin snowstorm A.K.A "Snow-vid." We we're without water for 3 weeks and had to scrape snow from our cars and on the ground to melt it for water to flush the toilet. We also had to get creative in the kitchen as we were limited with food. The community came together and truly showed their southern hospitality by helping each other out.   2. We moved into our newly built home and shared the moment with family. It was 9 months in the making but worth the wait. It was an amazing process to be part of and we will always remember the journey of this house being built from the ground up. 

3. We were able to travel internationally - Zach and I love to travel and we were able to travel to Lisbon, Madrid, and Barcelona.  4. We are thankful for landing our dream careers to "best places to work" 6. We remain grateful for the continued support and unconditional love from our family and friends  We are so fortunate to have all these opportunities and I'm so lucky to have a loving partner who I can share these moments with. While we were not returning to California this Thanksgiving Holiday, we got a chance to explore Dallas more. Our first stop was seeing Zach's friends who recently moved to Texas. They love it here as much as we do. Zach has been friends with them for ages and a God Father to one of their triplets. We stopped by around late afternoon and we got a chance to play with the kids and puppy while having a traditional Thanksgiving feast such as turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, and veggies. The food was delicious and we were incredibly thankful for the feast and hospitality.  

To celebrate thanksgiving, we celebrated with a steak dinner at Wicked Butcher in downtown Fort Worth. I'm not a huge fan of turkey and neither is Zach but we love a nice juicy steak. To start the meal, we received a complimentary procesco and a tuna tartar amuse-bouche boos. Then we ordered the best shrimp cocktail that we ever had then onto our steaks with asparagus and sweet potatoes with marshmallows. The steak was incredibly juicy and the sweet potatoes with marshmallows were a dessert in itself. It was the perfect Thanksgiving meal for us. The next day we went game hunting for retro vintage games. I didn't realize how big the Dallas Metropolitan area was until you drive around it. We were able to check out three of them. 1. Retro Games 2. CGX 3. FX Games After the first game store, we had to eat lunch. I picked Hot Pot because it was a little chili and I was craving Asian food. We went to an all you can eat hot pot in Carrollton called Mana Shabu Shabu. Zach has never been and I was excited to show him how to eat it. First we ordered the broth and picked our protein cuts. They had a variety to chose from from beef, chicken, seafood, vegetarian options for the broth. For the meat they had about 20 to chose from ranging from beef, pork, chicken, and fish. The vegetables, seafood, and sauces were at self serve station where you can grab as many as you like. We had 2 rounds of meat and we were stuffed and off we finish our game hunting the rest of the day.

Our last day at Fort Worth was spent checking out popular local and tourist spots. The first stop was the stockyard which was recommended by Zach's friend. It was certainly a blast from the past where rodeos and meat exchanges took place. There were plenty of steak houses to chose from and plenty of shops to shop at. This spot is a must see. The next spot we checked out was Sundance Square in downtown Fort Worth. It's a shopping district full of shops and restaurants as well as a hub for live performance. The last and final spot we checked out was the water garden just a mile away from the square . It was a quick drive with plenty of parking. It was a cool water feature. Surrounding the fountain was a garden with the main attraction being the water feature. There are steps that lead to the bottom that is as a bit slippery but worth getting down to the bottom. Thanksgiving may be a little different this year but we have each other. I'm so thankful that I have a loving, patient, and adventurous partner with who I can share these moments with.  Read the full article

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Our Thanksgiving Weekend in Texas

Our Thanksgiving Weekend in Texas

 This year’s Thanksgiving was far different than a year ago. Last year, we said goodbye to our friends and family, packed our moving truck to the brim, and headed to Austin, Texas to start our new lives together. As we reflect on this past year, we are incredibly thankful and blessed for what God provided us and thankful for the flowing support from our family and friends. We count our blessings…

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5 must things to do in Waco, TX

  If you ever watched Fixer-Upper with Chip and Joanna Gaines, you know where Waco, Texas is at. If you don’t know where Waco is, it is 1.5 hours northeast of Austin and that's where we went for the day. I’m a huge fan of the show and I’ve been dying to go ever since we moved to Texas. Zach on the other hand was not as thrilled as I was until I told him they had flea markets and video game stores.  It piqued his interest and he agreed to go. I know him well enough now that the key to his heart is through vintage video games and through his stomach. It's a big irony that I work for a game company. I didn't know much about Waco, TX except for the show Fixer-Upper with Chip and Joanna Gaines. After watching the show for so many seasons, I knew I wanted to visit the town. They just seem like the family next door you'd receive an apple pie when you move in the neighborhood.  The drive to Waco from Austin was only about 1.5 hours drive and it was a pleasant scenic drive. We passed by towns we've considered living at like Pflugerville, Round Rock, Georgetown, and Leander and we can't wait to check them out later this year. We left the apartment an hour later than our ambitious goal of leaving at 7:00 AM. We slept in and that was okay since we didn't have to be there at a specific time. Here was our list of places to visit for the day.  - Treasure Flea Market/Games Shops - Brazo Park East  - Mammoth Dig Site  - Dr. Read the full article

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5 must things to do in Waco, TX

5 must things to do in Waco, TX

  If you ever watched Fixer-Upper with Chip and Joanna Gaines, you know where Waco, Texas is at. If you don’t know where Waco is, it is 1.5 hours northeast of Austin and that’s where we went for the day. I’m a huge fan of the show and I’ve been dying to go ever since we moved to Texas. Zach on the other hand was not as thrilled as I was until I told him they had flea markets and video game…

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P2P Lending the Sea of Changes: Why I left LendingClub for Prosper

The world of investing is a fun one and mysterious one. It can be both intimidating and exciting when chasing returns or learning how to grow and maximize your money. There is so much knowledge and advice out of the internet on how to save and invest, the best stocks, etc. that it can exciting but also overwhelm and cause analysis paralysis. One topic that gets talked about in some articles but is buried at the bottom of the list or is commonly skipped is Peer-To-Peer Lending. I think as an alternative investment it can generate great returns. I have used both LendingClub and Prosper for a few years but Prosper a little less. You might be wondering as the title suggests why I left LendingClub. The answer was not based on return averages but moreso on the fact that they ended as of December 27, 2020 the ability to buy more notes. Notes are basically an instrument that LendingClub uses to facilitate loans for consumers who are approved and how investors make money off the interest and principal of the payments. So, the loss of this key attribute to building wealth off additional loans is the key catalyst. Prosper still offers the same key features as LendingClub. However, the interface of LendingClub I personally loved a lot more as it was easy to look at my dashboard of all my loans whether they be active, cancelled, interest rate (ROI), and the key indicators of how your notes in your portfolio are currently performing. The rate of return on both platforms is very similar. Read the full article

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5 reasons why we moved to Austin, Texas

5 reasons why we moved to Austin, Texas

https://www.siliconvalleymap.org/https://www.siliconvalleymap.org/ Early on in our relationship, Zach and I both knew we wanted to leave the Bay Area but we didn’t know where. We were burnt out from the day to day grind of our professional careers that it was time to settle elsewhere so we can enjoy the fruits of our labor.  We started calling out cities that we both visited in the past but…

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A weekend in the Windy City - Chicago, Illinois

Chicago has stolen our hearts with its amazing architecture, food, art, and midwestern charm. While we are still in a pandemic, we were fortunate enough to get away for the weekend and Chicago was a great city to visit. We came with open minds and appetites for good food and Chicago didn't disappoint. Southwest Airlines is our go-to airline flying out of San Jose. They are affordable and took social distancing seriously by leaving the middle seat empty so that there's space between other passengers. It made us feel at ease and appreciated the extra space because there's nothing more nerve-racking when you sit close to complete strangers on a long flight during the pandemic. The 65% capacity is in effect until December 1st and appreciates it. After a 5 1/2 hour flight, we arrived around 3ish which was plenty of time to explore. The weather was perfect at 73 degrees but a little bit humid as expected for late summer. We took public transportation from the airport to our hotel in downtown to save money and it was a great way to see the city. The train station was just outside the airport and it was easy to get to the CTA Orange Line 'L' which went to our downtown hotel and it only cost $2.50. It beats the price for a cab or a ride sharing app anytime. The first thing I wanted to do was see was to check out Cloud Gate Sculpture at Millenium Park which resembles a giant silver bean as Zack likes to refer to. Read the full article

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A weekend in the Windy City - Chicago, Illinois

A weekend in the Windy City – Chicago, Illinois

  Chicago has stolen our hearts with its amazing architecture, food, art, and midwestern charm. While we are still in a pandemic, we were fortunate enough to get away for the weekend and Chicago was a great city to visit. We came with open minds and appetites for good food and Chicago didn’t disappoint.

Southwest Airlines is our go-to airline flying out of San Jose. They are affordable and…

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Six Months Down And A Lifetime To Go

  I'm not the type of girl who celebrates monthly-anniversaries or someone who celebrates the first time for everything like the first date or the first kiss but the six month mark calls for a celebration, especially in this pandemic. It seemed like yesterday when Zach and I went on our first date at Baja Cactus in Milpitas. I didn't have any expectations as I've been disappointed in the past putting all my eggs in one basket but I did come with an open mind and an open heart regardless of what happened that night. The conversation flowed like a gentle river flowing downstream with nonstop topics to talk about. As soon as we came across the topic of travel, I knew I wanted to see him again and swap travel stories. At the end of the night, he walked me to my car like a perfect gentleman and wrapped his arms around my body to keep me warm from the cool breeze followed by a goodnight kiss on the lips. It was a nice surprise.  On our second date, we decided to do archery lessons in Newark. We originally planned it on our first date but the time slot didn't work for us so we decided to do it on the second date. It was a brilliant idea since it meant it guaranteed a second date. The archery lessons were great and I discovered I had a knack for shooting a bullseye with an arrow. A few days after our second date, shelter-in-place was issued by the governor of California for a month. Read the full article

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Easy Summer Corn Salad with Tomatoes and Basil Recipe

It's Monday and I hope you had a wonderful weekend. Zach and I decided to play a little 18 hole mini golf over the weekend which turned into 54 holes because we decided to play the other 2 courses until closing. I felt like a rebellious teenager on a date breaking the rules and it was GREAT! I haven't played mini-golf in ages and this golf outing reminded me how much I suck at it but I had a great time. Hitting a ball with a club gently into a hole just doesn't make sense to me. I really wanted to hit the ball as hard as I could but this wasn't the right activity for it. Next time, I'll go to the driving range so I can hit the ball as far as I could. The object of the game was to get the lowest strokes like a hole in one.  The best score that I had was a hole in one and the worst was 15 strokes on a mound-like hole that frustrated the heck out of me. I wanted to give up and throw my club in the air like I just don't care but that wouldn't be sportsmanlike of me to do so. I was quite embarrassed since there was a family behind us waiting but Zach kept encouraging and coaching me until I finally got it in the hole, 15 strokes later. I'm glad Golf Land was open even though the bumper cars, laser tag, and arcade were off-limits, it was great to be out and about during these uncertain times during the summer. Summer days also mean summer vegetables like corn, tomatoes, cucumber, etc. When I was a kid, corn was abundant and I love eating corn on the cob as much as I can.  Read the full article

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Games, Games, and More Games!! The Chase and Thrill

So another day chasing games and another store came up on my radar! This one comes in Salinas, CA called Gamers in Control. At first glance I pulled up to the game store and at first glance I mostly saw modern games and didn't think much as I walked around the store but as I continued looking at the artwork on the walls and wow!! I started to hit the jackpot with a lot of gems or games I was missing on the cheap for about $5 on average so definitely not bad. The games they had range from retro of SNES to modern titles from PS3, Xbox 360 to Switch/PS4/Xbox One. So variety is plentiful even in a small space. It was thrilling to see for sure. Here is what I picked up in this round of game chasin' The store owner was pretty chill and easy to talk to. I would recommend this store if your just getting started but if your a seasoned collector such as myself who has been collecting for many, many years it can be harder to find gems but even sometimes if you look hard enough there are treasures anywhere. I would rate this store 3.5/5 stars as it has a solid amount across many platforms whether just getting started or if you have a open wishlist being able to find some games that might be more common. They did have some rare games but the price is reflected as similar to eBay and second hand market prices. So if your looking for something like Castlevania: Symphony of the Night on Playstation on the cheap you won't find it here but this store has something for everyone. Read the full article

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Breakfast Greek Egg Muffins

Breakfast has always been my favorite meal of the day as it always starts my day right with food in my stomach to fuel my brain. These breakfast egg muffins are quick and easy to prep on the weekends and weekday friendly for the busy mornings. Just heat, eat and get your day started. Weekday mornings tend to be a slow start these days since working from home due to COVID19. While working from home may sound enticing it can be challenging to get up early to cook breakfast. I believe you work more hours when you're at home because there aren't a lot of distractions and there is no clear time of stopping as pings can be sporadic throughout the day and night. Before COVID19, I've always stopped by at a coffee shop on the way to work to grab a cup of coffee and a breakfast item but these days, it's a walk from the bedroom to the kitchen in my pajamas. I've grown accustomed to just rolling out of bed, drink coffee, and start my day by firing up my laptop and sit on my desk next to my bed or out in the patio just to get a sense that I am outside my tiny condo. These breakfast egg muffins make bringing breakfast possible during the week. The possibilities are endless to whatever ingredients your heart or taste buds desire. You can add as many vegetables or meat you like, and don't forget the endless possibilities of adding your favorite cheese. They are easy to make ahead and are ready in 20 minutes to store in the fridge or in the freezer. Read the full article

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Friday Finds: A Day in Suinsun City Chasin’ Games

  So another day of game chasing was in my welcome to the start of another weekend after a long week at the office. It was sunny outside so I was ready to tackle the day. The destination today was in Suisun City near Fairfield, CA. I didn’t think I would find any games in Suisun City. I didn't think any retro games would be around that area as game stores on retro are becoming harder to find even in the Bay Area. The current state of the economy has created even more challenges in finding businesses that carry retro games as stores have closed during the pandemic or have gone online until further notice. I was out with my best friend Jeff and he told me about a new game store he found on Yelp! He had just moved to the area and knew I was looking for games as always. So, I said let's go and I was quite surprised from the very start. At the beginning of getting out of the car I was caught by the eye catching logo on the front of the store. It presented a vibe of both nostalgia and intrigue from the letter writing of the store to the various retro posters and memorabilia of the era. The overall selection of games was also quite impressive but also music records, cassettes, and vinyl records were present to give the store a diverse amount of products to buy. So enter Retroactive Records & Games!! The staff was fantastic and very friendly. Read the full article

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5 Reasons to try Axe Throwing

 Axe throwing has been gaining popularity and they’ve been popping up everywhere in the Bay Area so of course Zach and I had to try. To me, it’s the ultimate bonding experience because throwing a very sharp weapon in the air at a bullseye with your love by your side truly signifies trust. It's quite fun but kind of dangerous at the same time. We have been wanting to go axe throwing for a while and found a place called Bad Axe Throwing in Daly City which is about an hour north of San Jose or about 15 minutes south from San Francisco. I tried to make reservations ahead of time just in case it was busy but they require at least 4 participants minimum but they have walk-in hours from 1:30 - 3:30 so it all worked out. We were prepared to wait in case all 8 lanes were occupied. When we arrived at the facility we saw the sign but we got a little confused where the entrance was because it led to Kung Fu Silver Dragon Kung Fu as you enter and Bad Axe Throwing was nowhere in sight. A very nice lady from the Kung Fu studio redirected us to go inside and walk down the long hallway to get to the Bad Axe Throwing entrance. It was confusing because the Kung Fu studio occupied the front space and the Axe Throwing place was in the back.  When we finally entered the Bad Axe Throwing space, we were greeted by a nice gentleman who asked us to sign the waiver by scanning the QR code on our phone. Read the full article

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5 Reasons to try Axe Throwing

5 Reasons to try Axe Throwing

  Axe throwing has been gaining popularity and they’ve been popping up everywhere in the Bay Area so of course Zach and I had to try. To me, it’s the ultimate bonding experience because throwing a very sharp weapon in the air at a bullseye with your love by your side truly signifies trust. It’s quite fun but kind of dangerous at the same time.

We have been wanting to go axe…

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Creamy Chicken Mushrooms with Sun-dried Tomatoes and Spinach

  Chicken in a creamy mushroom sauce with sun-dried tomatoes and spinach topped with crispy bacon has all the feels of comfort. I love this dish with pasta, rice, cauliflower rice, and mashed potatoes.  It's even good with a base of broccoli because it's just that good and it's a great way to get your vegetable servings for the day. Lately, I’ve been tinkering on the idea of going keto but I'm not quite there yet. I'm very non-committal to any diet because I love food too much to deprive myself of all the delicious food the world offers especially carbs. Just thinking about carbs out of my diet makes me sad because I love rice, bread, cake, cupcakes, mash potatoes, and fries.  However, I like the idea of fueling the body with fat instead of carbs for energy and research shows that this diet has its health benefits such as improving brain and heart health, reducing the risk of cancer, improving skin, and supports weight loss. A diet that can improve your health rather than a quick weight loss fad diet is A-ok with me. This dish is Keto friendly with its 17 grams of carbohydrates and 17 grams of fat per serving. I can certainly get used to this kind of food.  Why I love this dish: creamy  smoky meaty  comforting low carb/keto-friendly super easy          Read the full article