Guess what we did today? Escaped!!
Matt and I slipped away from business to entertain our guests in the countryside. Given the heat, we needed to find an indoor activity. Cool drinks sounded good, so we ended up doing some wine tasting!
Our first stop was King Family Vineyards. It was our first time there!
I really wasn’t much in the wine mood, so mom and I shared a tasting. A tiny sip was just enough to get the vibe of each wine. I loved the bourbon-y port!!
Next stop was Pollak Vineyards, just down the road!
We loved many of their wines – Dad bought the Pinot Gris
Our last visit included pulling into Blue Mountain Brewery for a beer flight – again, we shared all of these
The Mandolin is the best!
We rounded up our escape back at the bakery where Allie and Hannah had done a great job selling the goods!! We helped them close down and had a few nibble snacks to tide us to dinner. Best time of day!
Back at home we greeted the glowing Karen for a little wine before we headed out to dinner
I know it seems like all we did all day was drink, but we really just had small sips!! I declined the cocktail hour wine – this heat just makes me thirsty for water!
Tonight we went downtown for dinner and dined at Bang!, an Asian tapas restaurant. We had an incredible meal!!
Water for me
Although I shared a little of Kanz’s Manhattan – delish!
Our dishes were all excellent!
Edamame Ravioli
Seared Tuna with Garlic Aioli
Wild Mushroom Wontons
Chickpea Springrolls
Crab Potstickers
And then it got too dark!!!
We also had Firecracker Shrimp, Chicken Curry, Kale Tortellini, Vegetable Salads and a Kale + Chevre Purse. Everything was incredible!!
But can we talk about the coconut rice?!
It was soooo creamy – I’m sure they just poured on the coconut milk – and topped with toasted coconut. My favorite dish of the night!
I highly recommend Bang! – so much flavor, good prices, delicious choices. What I loved most was that almost every dish came with a little bit vegetable! Julienned carrots, cabbage, bok choy and the like.
[Fun fact: I was recognized at the ladies’ room by a KERF reader from DC! Actually, she recognized Dad first!!]
After dinner we strolled the downtown mall and Karen pulled us into Splendora’s for a coconut treat!
More sharing – mom, dad and I shared an Amaretto Coconut!
Today has felt like a vacation day – so fun yet so relaxing! We’re even more stoked to sleep in tomorrow and make a pancake brunch. My parents are staying until Monday, so we have dinner in planned tomorrow here.
{ 95 comments… read them below or add one }
Fun day! I love Karen’s belt, so colorful!
Wow coconut rice sounds heavenly!
I love Karen’s outfit! That shirt is so cute, and the belt. I think you need to do a Karen Fashion Show Post.
Sounds like a wonderful day! I wanna try that coconut rice!!
I love Karen! Does she have her own blog?!!
That coconut rice sounds amazing!!
I’ve got to know where Karen got that belt. So cute!
Go to http://www.fashionablylauren.com/ for the belt.
Kath, I keep meaning to ask – How’s Karen feeling?
She’s feeling SO much better! Thanks for asking
She looks incredible.
I’m so glad. The photo of you with the mommas is definitely a keeper.
Delicious! And GORGEOUS photos!
Little did I know y’all were out playing without me (and nanner!). I love that photo of the shot glass + your wedding ring.
i love that shot as well! This is random-but I love your ring! Can we get a better shot of it? lol-im looking at rings (ahem and hopefully will get one soon
) and just LOVE yours from the shots I have seen of it at different angles. ok this is random but i just had to ask!
Here are a few close ups of it!! It’s by A Jaffe
http://www.katheats.com/eye-of-the-world
why thank you very much!
I worked at a bagel shop all through high school, and my least favorite part was having to throw away all of the bagels and sweets at day’s end. For some reason, management (I worked at an Einstein Bros.) had really strict rules about donating leftover goods, and we were only able to do so very occasionally. I always wondered if it was a health code issue or something.
How do you all handle inventory at the end of the day?
We are donating them to both the local food bank, our friends, local businesses (surprise drop offs) and freezing for bread pudding. it would break our heart throw them away!
Oh my. I love Karen’s style. She’s become my fashionista idol. Where did she get those shorts, top and belt? I want.
J
The shorts are Talbots, shirt Banana Republic. Go to http://www.fashionablylauren.com/ for the belt. All three of the items are several years old. Hat is Zappos but I’m wearing it only to cover my bald head! Glad to report that the hair is beginning to grow back!
Along with your ensemble, your hat is cute, too; but I’m sure you will be happy to sport a stylish hairdo soon. You will have to showcase your first trip to the parlor…maybe treat yourself to the works that day–you deserve it! You look beautiful.
Aww this looks like SUCH a fun day!! Love when days feel like mini vacations because there’s so much fun packed in, especially when it’s somewhere bit aways from home and the usual scenes. We loved Pollack and Blue Mountain Brewery when we visited last weekend – such fun. After seeing your photos of Bang I wish we had gone, especially since it was practically right outside our door at the South Street Inn! Looks so good
Looks like a great day, but I must admit, I think Karen stole the show! She looks so stylish and happy in your pics…great to see she’s feeling good!
Karen is so dang cute!
Seriously, where did Matt get that t-shirt?
XO S
The Brewing Network
I’m so glad y’all had a fun day!! I’m kinda jealous of your ice cream…. that’s all I wanted to tonight but time ran out
Sadness. I’ll have to get some tomorrow!
Karen is completely adorable! Hope she is feeling well!
I’ve never had tapas but I know I’d love it as I love to sample little bits. Your dinner looks amazing!
What fun you all must have had!!!
I have to recreate that coconut rice stat! It does look absolutely doused in creaminess!
What a fun family weekend
That is a darlin’ pic of Karen above.
Love seeing family get togethers! Haha, it’s funny how Matt always has something to drink in many of his pictures
Guess what Kath!! Ommmmgshhh I was so excited today to find out through Sophia in LA that we have a GH around LA! Well, pretty close to it. Youpiiiii
That coconut rice is drool-worthy! I also had edamame dumplings the other day
Looks like a great day out – love all the photos! But you have to tell me why was your Dad in the ladies?? (Sorry – someone had to say it!)
Ha, it was a unisex onsie so he was just waiting outside!
1) I have that black dress! Reminds me that I need to wear it this season…
2) Karen truly DOES glow. I’m so glad she seems healthy and happy.
3) I totally dreamed I visited your bakery last night. Creepy much? So sorry. But it was vividly real – which I think is a credit to your amazing photography skills!
Karen really is looking great, and is an inspiration to all!
I love King Family Vineyards! I went to a wedding there and it was just gorgeous!!! They closed the wine-tasting though, so we didn’t get to do that.
What a fun day!
Karen is so cute in all the pictures I ever see of her on the blog haha
Is she holding that flower to her shirt because it matches?
Karen looks fantastic! I hope she is feeling as good as she looks!
The Asian tapas sound wonderful…especially the edamamme ravioli. Have fun with your parents and a great day off. Enjoy!
Chickpea Springrolls
The mushroom wontons
The coconut rice! (i have a recipe on my site for coconut rice with veggies…and I then add PB at the end, too….may as well just get all the flavors going while you’re at it..ha)
And the tastings…delish!
You had a wonderful day it seems…love it, Kath!
looks like such a fun day! I want to try those potstickers!
Coconut rice? Must make that!! And man I miss potstickers and all things asian. One of my best friends who is China obsessed and a great cook would feed us great chinese cuisine often… she moved across the country and I miss her/herfood all the time!!
I’ve never tried coconut rice or milk! sounds like it would smelll and taste heavenly!! Love your black dress
I love making coconut rice (simply sub coconut milk for the water). It really does take brown rice to a whole new level.
Coconut rice looks amazing–makes me wonder about a coconut rice pudding…
LOVE the picture of you and your mom and Karen! Like everyone else has said, Karen is positively radiant. As a fellow cancer survivor, I now know that attitude is everything, and she’s clearly got a great one–it really shines through in these pictures!
that tuna looks so delicious! I am glad you got a fun day out!
Aww, that looks like a lot of fun.. And may I just say that all three of you are glowing. Lovely picture of the ladies.
So glad you took some time to escape with the family, Kath…such a beautiful, loving group you are. Great job capturing the warmth among you all. The photo taken of your parents from behind with your Dad’s arm around your mom’s shoulders is so sweet as are the close ups of your adorable Dad and Karen (go, Karen!)
Let your fun continue on Sunday…
You make the Cville dining scene look out of this world! I want to eat at every single restaurant you highlight.
I love the pictures of Karen and just the ladies. Such beautiful strong women
Wow…what a fun time! Nothing better than sharing it with family, too.
Enjoy your day off and make the most of today!
It’s great you are able to step away from the bakery once and a while for fun days, you deserve it! And Karen always looks so happy and yes, glowing as you said! Curious, what setting do you normally shoot in for things like this when your moving around and taking lots of pictures?
AV mode, between f/3.5 and 4.5
I had coconut rice at a restaurant last summer and I went crazy over it! The chef then kindly gave me the recipe – he cooked basmati in coconut milk with a pinch of brown sugar, then sprinkled coconut toasted in butter on top. I’ve made it so many times since.
This whole post felt like reading about my life! We did a wine tasting yesterday but I wasn’t much in the mood for wine so shared the tasting sips with my boyfriend. I skipped wine at dinner saying “This weather makes me feel too dehydrated” AND we’re having a GH Cville pancake breakfast to kick off Sunday as well! Great minds think alike
So funny that reader recognized your Dad – though I guess I probably would too, haha.
1. Love the bicep curl with the wine glass.
2. Even more I love your tan line from short socks!
Signs of a true athlete!
You should see my shorts tan!!
Coconut rice?? Oh my word. That sounds heavenly.
And I love your little black dress! Very cute and it looks so comfy for summer.
Came to the comments to comment about how snazzy Karen looks and thought “I bet she was the star of this post!”. Sure enough, lol! And her hat is super cute =)
what a wonderful way to spend the day!
So glad you guys had a such a great and delicious time with your parents! 
Can you PLEASEPLEASEPLEASE open a Great Harvest near Harvard? Preferably in Harvard Square, so I can be a lazy, time-strapped college kid and eat there every day? Because my mouth is ALWAYS watering when I visit your site and we don’t have anything like it.
If you did, I’m pretty sure you’d have a HUGE Harvard fan club, and we’d love you forever
Karen, jumping on the bandwagon to compliment your summery look. And that color (blouse) is TERRIFIC on you!
The picture of your Dad with Matt in the background is a keeper!!
Ahhhhhh there is so much to comment on in this post!!
Awesome you guys got to escape and enjoy the day! Karen is so cute! I love the pic of her and the ice cream, cone, she looks like a kid in ice cream heaven!
So funny your dad got recognized ! Love it!
Coconut Rice looks AMAZING! All the food does, especially the wonton mushroom yummies!
Glad to see a flight in there since Matt was sporting a hop shirt!
Coconut rice??? Oh my I hope that’s in my heaven.
You all looked so healthy and happy, especially Karen! She looks very stylish in the above photos and that belt is super cute (I see from the above comments that I’m not alone in that opinion!).
My friends and I are regulars at Pollak (btw, no “c”!), they are the best!! You should check out their Friday Sunsets concert series, the next one is July 29 (next Friday)
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=203733916345419
Oops – fixed typo!
We’re gonig to the Jefferson Vineyards Americana night that night, but maybe we could join you for the next one?
Holy moly that was fast, haha! Yeah, I’m not even sure I’ll be going Friday since I’m moving the next day and might need to pack, etc… I’ll definitely let you know when the next one is and we can plan something
Have fun at the Jefferson event!
You had an awesome day of food and drink! I love tapas restaurants, but have only had Spanish, never Asian. It looks delicious!
I looove Karen’s outfit! Hope she’s doing well
Wow, fun day with gorgeous pics! Everything looks delicious.
i desperately needed that escape last night!!!
Karen looks fabulous! That magenta looks great on her, and I LOVE the hat.
You weren’t kidding about a glowing Karen! She looks fab!
This is probably random, but my dream trip is to go to Napa with some good friends and go wine tasting!
It sounds like so much fun
Karen is looking really great!
I love Tapas, makes you feel like you have ate a ton when you just had a bite of everything!
I love the pic of you with your mom & Karen – you all look so cute! (Especially love your black dress & Karen’s belt
). By the way, Karen is looking wonderful these days 
what a lovely day you lot had! and well deserved too after a busy week!
We still have yet to visit Blue Mountain Brewery! I’ve heard such great things and every time I see it on your blog I’m reminded Isaac and I need to plan a visit.
Wow, that foods looks so good even though I’m not hungry. It’s just absolutely beautiful!
man, i LOVE bang. food is incredible, and the martinis are fantastic! glad you enjoyed
The coconut rice looks amazing! Looks like a such a fun day!
Your dinner looks delicious! And the drinks don’t look to bad either! Wine, beer, AND cocktails???? My kind of night
What a beautiful day with your family! Your mother and mother-in-law are so fabulous in their summer gear; enjoy them!
OH fun!!! That food looks SO SO good. I want the spring rolls. Now
Karen looks GORGEOUS in that first picture of her! (as she always does) Love that color on her!!
There are so many things that I love about this post!! The wine tasting, the coconut rice and the ice cream. Looks like a wonderfu summer afternoon!
Love your black dress! Where is it from?!?!?
Loehmann’s