Cupertino Retreat
Alex and I are lucky enough to have not only our primary residence in San Francisco but also a second home in Cupertino, which is really his parents’ property from when he went to school here. We have really enjoyed not only just the privilege of having two homes, but also the joy of both city life and suburb life. Now that we feel comfortable having people over again, Alex suggested that I host Do-Hee and Cassie for a little suburb retreat in Cupertino. So nice! I mean, it’s not quite Joshua Tree, but the goal was for a restful time of reconnecting with one another, and we achieved just that.
First stop, Sushi Heaven. Followed shortly thereafter by boba from Yi Fang.
Puzzle time. Asian noodle soup puzzle from Alex. Please also note my very sad fiddle leaf fig in the background, which did not enjoy its move from Oakland to Cupertino. But it’s since grown three new leaves! No longer a leafless stick!
Do-Hee testing out a virtual macbook for me. I ordered a new one right away to replace mine, which is from 2013. But it’s not supposed to arrive until December. Then I made everyone do arts & crafts as a housewarming project for the house… we are all very different, and it is wonderful.
After a visit to Ranch 99 for supplies, we (or these two) made dinner at home. Steamed egg, japchae, and zucchini pancakes.
Day two! We begin with run club. We’re training for a 10k in December (Do-Hee’s idea). We ran around the neighborhood and then came back for a stretch. Then it was off to Trader Joe’s for lunch and snacks…
…for a picnic lunch at Pichetti Winery.
Cassie immediately befriended these two cats and their kittens. And then the peacocks came over to hang out too.
Truly such a lovely place. The winery is open for tastings but they also let you bring your own food to picnic on their grounds. We purchased a bottle of rose and then gobbled up all our Trader Joe’s food.
Second puzzle… this one is very tricky to do without looking at the box, which is how we do puzzles, haha. It definitely took two days, but we did it!
Fall, y’all. Gourd season! One of these was for dinner, which was kabocha squash curry, and more zucchini pancakes!
Day three! Run club goes to McClellan Ranch, so that our run can end with alpaca friends. A+.
More boba, of course. And we got poke for lunch. Plus, my new hanging planter for my pothos. Still loving my Taiwanese fruits wallpaper!
A couple new touches for the house: I spy those three little paintings we made, now a part of our bookshelf. And Do-Hee and Cassie helped me get one more gallery up on the wall… although I needed to get some picture hanging wire to hang the heavier mirror.
After “checking out” from the house, we headed to Haidilao for hot pot. They’re known for their service. In China, the waits can be 2-3 hours, so you can even get a manicure and a massage while you wait. That’s not a thing here. But they do give you an apron, a plastic bag for your phone, and a lens wipe as soon as you arrive. And they gave me a hair tie since I didn’t have my hair up. Pretty fun. You order on an ipad, and then you can go make your own sauce at the sauce bar.
Yum.
And it’s all topped off with soft serve.
Would do again. Thank you Cupertino home, Alex, and Alex’s parents! It’s such a lovely getaway every time we come down. And thanks Cassie & Do-Hee. So glad we got the chance to hang out for a couple days… something we haven’t done since early 2020.
Anna Wu is a wedding and portrait photographer based in San Francisco. She compulsively documents and blogs all of her daily adventures. Follow her on instagram and view more of her professional work at annawu.com.
