Entries Tagged as 'john'

Christmas Dinner at Aunty Gail’s

December 28th, 2010 · No Comments


Cory, Miko, John


Kenji, Hideto and Derek playing the super-old pinball machine


Tickle fight with Tommy


Dallas & Rachelle. I don’t know why I’m so squinty. Wine?


As you can see, the kids were really focused on eating dinner (Tommy & Kenji)


Mitch & Hideto


Cory, Chris, Aunty Laura, Scotty, Krystyn, Hideto. In the front: Danny & Caroline.


Chris won the prize for figuring out how to fold up the chairs.


Aunty Glenna and Uncle BB


Trying to assemble for a family photo.


This always takes a while.


Getting closer…..


Almost there….


Made it! (Photo by Heather)
Back: Jeff, Heather, John, Kyle, Miko, Dallas, Chris, Caroline, Danny, Chris, Aly, Brad, Amanda, Cory.
Middle: Uncle Neil, Kate, Aunty Gail, Kenji, Aunty Peggy, Derek, Aunty Laura, Hideto, Uncle BB, Aunty Glenna.
Front: Doug, Naoko, Tommy, Mitch, Ben, Winnie, Rachelle


Dallas, Hideto, Cory


Kenji


Tommy


Some of the older kids help facilitate the gift exchange.


Derek, Chris, Mitch


Gift exchange in full swing.


Amanda and Brad. Brad got bacon popcorn that we brought.


Danny got Spam in the gift exchange.


Mitch & Chris


Tommy & Kenji


Dallas with his rice. (Photo by Heather)

On Christmas day we always go to Dallas’s Aunty Gail’s house out in Mount Prospect, IL. Every year Aunty Gail makes beef tenderloin, mashed potatoes, corn, green bean casserole and her mom’s lettuce/mayo/crab/pea salad. It never varies. Dessert varies because other people always bring different desserts, but Aunty Gail always makes her signature cookies. Now, I’m not complaining that it doesn’t vary, because it’s not like I’m eating steak and potatoes every night! And dinner always tastes super good.

After dinner all of the adults have a $10 gift exchange. There were a lot of people participating in the gift exchange this year. 25, I think, but it wasn’t very crazy at all. Not compared to some of the other years. We’re going to have to kick it up a notch next year. This year I came out with some votives and Dallas got a big bag of rice. Actually, he got something else and traded for the rice. He always wants that rice gift that Aunty Gail puts in every year.

This year it was amazing to see all the kids in the family. .. and more on the way!

Previous Christmases at Aunty Gail’s:
- 2009
- 2008
- 2007
- 2006
- 2005

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The Most Random Day in November

December 12th, 2010 · No Comments

Unnamed friend with 5-Hour Energy in his vodka drink:

Halle decked out in Northwestern football gear:

Shuffleboard:

About to be attacked by John:

The End.

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Thanksgiving Dinner at Makino’s in Las Vegas

December 1st, 2009 · No Comments


Dallas’s parents and sister :: George, Kathy, Caroline


I think this is the relative from HI who won $30k last year. We made him pay for dinner for everyone.


I know Uncle Neil in the back (from MI) & Great Aunty Mary in the front left is Dallas’s grandmother (Doris)’s sister. The rest? Hawaiian relatives.


In the back left and right are Hawaiian relatives. In the middle is Aunty Gail & Uncle Sonny. In the front are Aunty Glenna & Uncle BB.


Peggy & Neil with their daughter Miko and her fiance John. They got married the next day.


Dallas and I with our friends Molly, Matt, Adam & Sarah. Matt & Adam are brothers.


Hawaiian cousin (?) in front. Cory & Chris in back.


Uncle Neil with some Hawaiian relatives


Aunty Laura & Hawaiian relative. They look alike, huh?


Uncle Sonny in the back. Aunty Glenna & Uncle BB in the front. All from Chicago suburbs.


Aunty Glenna, Chris, Uncle BB, Uncle Sonny, Dallas’s dad George.


Aunty Glenna, Chris, Uncle BB, Uncle Sonny, Dallas’s dad George.


Great Aunty Mary, George, Aunty Laura, Uncle Neil, Aunty Gail


Aunty Gail, Aunty Laura


Dallas with his brother Jordan

For Thanksgiving dinner, about 40 or so of Dallas’s family gathered at Makino. As well, our friends joined us for dinner. Makino’s is a Japanese buffet. We had dinner there a few years ago with all of the family, and this dinner was pretty much the same. Except with more relatives putting us on the spot and making a fuss about our engagement.


The Paparazzi

There are always a ton of people taking photos at this dinner and usually I’m not one of them. These photos are Aunty Gail and Uncle Sunny’s photos. Hopefully they don’t mind if I share them.

After dinner we went out for a while then headed to a club. Dallas’s brother Jordan’s friend is a promoter in Las Vegas and got us into one of the hottest clubs on The Strip, Tryst (located at the Wynn). As VIP guests we didn’t have to stand in line to get in and we didn’t have to pay the $40 cover either. SCORE! The club itself was pretty cool. Dancefloor that opened up to an outdoor pool of water and a waterfall, crazy lights, go go dancers. We drank and danced like crazy until something like 4 a.m. We would never go to a place like this in Chicago and never go dancing here either, but when in Vegas….

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Danny Cooks, John Serves the Wine

September 21st, 2009 · 1 Comment

danny_dinner

john_party

On Friday, Danny called and invited us over to John’s house* for a dinner party. Danny wanted some guinea pigs to test cook on and we’re always game for that. Jess and I had plans to hang out, so we went to the Whistler for a few pre-party cocktails and then headed over to John’s. Danny made truffled deviled eggs, cold corn soup, bacon saffron risotto with chorizo-stuffed dates, sour cream and chive potatoes, and steak. It was all so delicious. And John.. maybe it was the years he spent in San Francisco, so close to wine country, but he’s become quite the wine connoisseur. He poured us bottle after bottle and before we knew it, it was 3 am and there were about a dozen empty bottles on the table. So much fun. I’ll show up any time these guys want to serve us!

* John recently moved back to Chicago from San Francisco. It’s so nice to have him back. I didn’t really see him that much in California, even when I was traveling there often for work. In an awesome turn of luck, his tenants were ready to move out, so he’s right back in his old apartment. Just like the olden days!

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Roundarch Summer Event 2009

August 18th, 2009 · 3 Comments


Eric


Kevin


Matt & John


Marcel & Eric


Rick


Jeremy


Dan & His Date


Don


Frank


Shanks & Eric


Waleed & Marlena


Bekah, Ben, Rudy, Don, Adam


Lynnanne, Aimee, Anjum


Ronald, David, Manvesh, AJ, Waleed


Geoff & Jeff


Roundarchers


Anjum & Marcel


Eric & Garrett


Thomas, Sean, Gary, Jim, Shaun


Ashish & Brian


Roundarchers


Rossanne & Ryan


Jory, Mike, David, Craig


Tony & Juan


Tony, Fadi, Erika


Adam

Last week Roundarch had it’s annual Summer Event, which consists of an all-night party and an all-day meeting with everyone from all of our offices in town to attend. It was great to see everyone that I work with in other offices and the party was so much fun. And the after party. The after after party, I can’t say… I went home at 2 and others were still going out for more! As for the meeting, it was actually pretty entertaining… not like the dry all-staff meetings I was used to at other places I’ve worked. Great event, Roundarch!


Putting


Frank


Client Booth


Client Booth


Teal


Client Booth


Eric


Relaxing (nursing a hangover) in a secret cabana on the Chicago River.

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