Heyyyy guys!
I’m resurfacing from food and drink coma over here. No words.
Here’s an interesting recap. Boring stuff first! 
Lunch yesterday of leftover fisherman’s stew + whole wheat pita!
Pure bar in the afternoon….
And then the Top Chef barbecue!!!
It was a BLAST. I had Adam’s lens on my camera and was snapping away but unfortunately was having technical difficulties taking pictures of food in the dark. Pardon the awkward shots…I tried!
Kevin and Eli brought some down home cookin’ to Northern California and everything was delicioussss! We had chicken wings, sweet potato fries (the best I’ve EVER had), cornbread, collards, veggies, (ahem) Liar’s Dice and buttermilk tart. Holy, holy fooooood.
Before long, Hardy was individually handing out tots and that’s when the night really got started. You know its a good night when you have tater tots and zinfandel. And outcast. Just saying.
And look who made the journey—BethT!!!!
Craziness.
Before long, Outkast was blasting and then the next thing I know, I’m jumping in the Top Chef van with Eli, Kevin, Rocky, Adam, and Hardy and we are zooming to Cyrus.
Okay, I don’t know if y’all know anything about Cyrus but you don’t just “go to Cyrus”. The place has two Michelin stars and is one of Gourmet’s top 50 restaurants in America. No, you don’t just go to Cyrus. I’ve actually never even been inside before. And I might never get a chance to go back. That’s how insane this place is.
What else is insane? Oh just the fact that Kevin gave me his last bite of foie gras off his plate and it might have been the best thing I’ve ever put in my mouth…or the fact that I was drinking Booker’s bourbon on the rocks??! WHO DOES THAT?? It apparently was an amazing idea.
I’ll also say that I really didn’t eat….I just tried a few bites of whatever was put in front of me (obviously). I had already stuffed myself with pure Southern goodness and we were really just at Cyrus because, well, it’s Cyrus and Eli and Kevin were too busy cooking earlier to eat anything and were starving.
***
Thanks guy for a night I definitely will never forget!! Now I’m trying to gear up for the grand finale tonight…..an exclusive seven course dinner for 14 prepared by Eli and Kevin. The excitement starts at 5:00.
***
I’m off to pull myself together and meet Kelly for the strongest coffee of my life. Then, I might just make it to Target and Trader Joe’s (been saying that for days, thank goodness it’s my day off!) and then go hang out with the big redwoods at armstrong woods. Wheeeewwwwwww!
{ 82 comments… read them below or add one }
You are living the life of a food rock star! You will definitely have lots of stories to tell your grandchildren… ENJOY!!!
WOW!! What an amazing night!!!
You have the most amazing life.
You have an amazing life.
Wow Livin’ the Dream Jenna!! I’m so glad you are having a blast up in NorCal.
I always knew God had great plans for you!
Sounds like you had an awesome time! And don’t worry if pictures don’t come out perfect for now, just keep practising!
Have a great day!
Seven courses!! OMG! I can’t wait to hear about it!
a dream! you are living it!
Fun night – wow! So… I’m going to the Foodbuzz Blogger Festival and I hope to meet you! Are you staying in the city for the weekend?
Came out of lurking just to say how jealous I am!!! I luuuuuuurv Kevin and Eli from Top Chef! Live it up girl!
<3 Bookers
I am exhausted just reading your blog. What a great experience you are having in Cali….I am soooo jealous. Can’t wait to hear about tonight!!
I love the passion you have for not only food, but trying out and enjoying many different kinds of food! I am very jealous of the sweet potato fries!!
So glad that you are just loving life in CA!!
Can I have your life pretty please just for a day? Haha. Enjoy it!
wow, another huge food event on the schedule? Talk about a week of indulging. Everything looks great. LOL tater tots with wine.
Wow!! Words cannot even begin to express how jealous I am of your life right now! Kevin is probably my favorite contestant on Top Chef. All of his food looks fantastic. I can’t wait to hear what they prepare for you. Make sure to take lots of pictures.
I am living vicariously through you!
Whew! Your life reads like a fantasy book!! Hope you get some time with the redwoods to step back and reflect on how lucky you are (and how jealous WE are!!)
Looks amazing! I hope you guys had a DD for the night!
Jenna, can I PLEASE come live with you?!?
what an amazing experience!!! I love Kevin on the show – how cool to meet him and Eli!
What an amazing night! That’s so cool you got to go to Cyrus!
WOW. That is all.
I’m jealous! I LOVE Top Chef. Love the Northeastern sweatshirt too….that’s my alma matter.
You deserve this! Enjoy every minute of it all!
Looking at that delicious BBQ made me full, can’t even imagine what the real deal must’ve been like.
Fois Gras is amazing. It sounds intimidating at first (“fat liver,” errr no thanks), but man, it’s the best stuff ever. I experienced it for the first time at this great French restaurant in the meat-packing district of NYC. It, like Cyrus, is a place that you don’t just go to. And if you do get to go, you’re usually breaking the bank for the fine dining experience. Worth every bite and penny though.
High five for the awesome night! Way to honor the glory of food! Can’t wait to read about the grand seven course finale!
Those sweet potato fries knocked me off my seat!! Have a fabulous day, and enjoy tonight!
You are a food rock star, indeed! Live it up, girl!
OK….I left too early! Daaaaaaaang! Shoulda crashed on yer floor
Umm most amazing night ever?! Yes please. So incredible, you are one lucky girl
!!!
Oh my gosh I’m so jealous! That food all looks so good! Glad you had a good night
OMG I’m so jealous!! I LOVE KEVIN AND ELI! Girl your job ROCKS!
LUCKY LUCKY LUCKY LUCKY! *sigh* I’m so happy for you
I am jealous. I want to be the camera (wo)man in your life. I also want to snuggle with kevin. Have a great night tonight!
i heart you. can’t wait to visit and have dance parties
calling you later for recap, part 2 when i’m not rushing into pilates class!!
I am dying at how cool your night was!!!
seriously, you are living a dream life right now!
Thank you so much for letting me live vicarious through you. Can’t wait for tonight’s recap!
Happiness Awaits
i think you mean outkast, not outcast.
You have no idea how jealous I am right now!
omg those sweet potato fries look like the best ones EVER!
so amazing! and so happy i get to live vicariously through your adventures
wow! the pics came out great and all the food looks amazing!
jenna
Your night and the recaps of your time in Cali so far remind me so much of my (almost) year in Florence. Oh the memories! The only things I don’t miss are the drinks that made me decide dating a 40 year old at 20 was a good idea and of course the tight pants.
Happy to hear you are having a blast!
Girl… your life is FABULOUS
Have fun!!!
Have fun tonight – sounds like a great 3 days!
I live vicariously through your blog! It is such a joy to find an avid foodie and read about your philosophy. P.S. Bookers is not so bad! I was introduced to Bookers through my husband. Good bourbon brings out the best of Southern food and good times.
ahh that looks like so much fun!! and so delicious! have so much fun tonight, it sounds amazing!!
living. vicariously. through you.
What a great night! I know everyone has been writing this BUT I LOVE Kevin and Eli!! Eesh, you are one lucky lady!
CYRUS!! So glad you got to experience it
Kevin is by far my fave on Top Chef… you are getting spoiled, I love it! I would have never been able to stop eating those SP fries, that’s for sure!
Just the thought of eating at a restaurant with Michelin stars gives me goose bumps. Enjoy it lady!
SO jealous. Kevin & Eli are my favorites on Top Chef! Lucky gal!
What even goes into a 14 course meal!?? Unbelievable!
OMG!! I think you and Kevin could be a food-loving match made in heaven.
So amazing and so, so jealous!! Everything you write about lately sounds like a once in a lifetime type thing!
I’m so jealous of you!!! I am obsessed with Top Chef – and my husband and I always root on Kevin. Lucky girl!!!
On a side note – I’m happy to see that your letting lose a little and enjoying life. That’s what it’s all about anyways:)
What a fun evening. Moving out to Cali has brought you tons of fun adventures! I’m glad you’re enjoying it all…you deserve it!
May I jump in your shoes for just one day please ? Your new life in Cali looks AWESOME! Loving all of that delish food girly oh my gosh
hmm, southern food is the best! i just had collards and pineapple the other day – surprising combo, but so delicious! and i love sweet potatoes in every form (fires, baked, mashed, etc), what are your thoughts on sweet potato pie?
Can you tell us something bad so I can wake up from this dream I’m having when reading your blog?! It sounds like you are having so much fun… your surroundings are so beautiful!
so exciting! take a million pictures because you will never want to forget any of this!
Looks like you are having sooooooooo much fun!
CA suits you well! 
I love love love your green scarf… where is it from?
amazing!! i wish something like this would have happened to me when i decided to just pick up and move to dc!! haha. lucky lucky girl!
Jenna, Have said before as a fellow moon-child who also recently lost a beloved brother and had a sporty/’rock star’ life of national travel and tons of glamour at your age [and on and on]. I know that moon-children require peace, quiet, and alone time to restore, too. So while all the glamour IS fun, I appreciate that everything comes with a price-tag. Just sayin’. Be good to yourself. Nature and the Transcendentalists have been my salvation–to thine own self be true.
Your life is my foodie heaven!
Oh my god, so jealous! Looks like an awesome time!
WELL don’t forget us little people miss rockstar
Your truly living life now and it’s great to see someone get that opportunity.
I would LOVE to go to a place with a Michelin star – crazy!!!!
What a fun night!! It’s so much fun for us to read, but that means you are having even more fun. The more time I spent in the blog world, the more I realize how neat it really is. I can’t describe it, but I think it’s great to have such a detailed journal of your life. I wish I’d had something like this back when I lived in Hawaii. Makes me want to get to scanning pictures so I can share some travel pics on my blog from “way back when.”
I can see so many benefits to journaling my food and cooking journey!! It really helps me to keep my food related thoughts straight, continues to inspire me…and how fun that it’s interactive so others can join you on the ride! It’s amazing!!
A side benefit is I finally have a place for all my recipes (when I’m done getting them all in). Neatly archived and easily accessible from anywhere, anytime….this has been a much needed organizational tool. Have a wonderful night tonight. I’ll be at work.
What a fun night!! It’s so much fun for us to read, but that means you are having even more fun. The more time I spent in the blog world, the more I realize how neat it really is. I can’t describe it, but I think it’s great to have such a detailed journal of your life. I wish I’d had something like this back when I lived in Hawaii. Makes me want to get to scanning pictures so I can share some travel pics on my blog from “way back when.”
I can see so many benefits to journaling my food and cooking journey!! It really helps me to keep my food related thoughts straight, continues to inspire me…and how fun that it’s interactive so others can join you on the ride! It’s amazing!!
A side benefit is I finally have a place for all my recipes (when I’m done getting them all in). Neatly archived and easily accessible from anywhere, anytime….this has been a much needed organizational tool. Have a wonderful night tonight. I’ll be at work.
What a fun night!! It’s so much fun for us to read, but that means you are having even more fun. The more time I spent in the blog world, the more I realize how neat it really is. I can’t describe it, but I think it’s great to have such a detailed journal of your life. I wish I’d had something like this back when I lived in Hawaii. Makes me want to get to scanning pictures so I can share some travel pics on my blog from “way back when.”
I can see so many benefits to journaling my food and cooking journey!! It really helps me to keep my food related thoughts straight, continues to inspire me…and how fun that it’s interactive so others can join you on the ride! It’s amazing!!
A side benefit is I finally have a place for all my recipes (when I’m done getting them all in). Neatly archived and easily accessible from anywhere, anytime….this has been a much needed organizational tool. Have a wonderful night tonight. I’ll be at work.
Jenna,
What a fun night!! It’s so much fun for us to read, but that means you are having even more fun. The more time I spent in the blog world, the more I realize how neat it really is. I can’t describe it, but I think it’s great to have such a detailed journal of your life. I wish I’d had something like this back when I lived in Hawaii. Makes me want to get to scanning pictures so I can share some travel pics on my blog from “way back when.”
I can see so many benefits to journaling my food and cooking journey!! It really helps me to keep my food related thoughts straight, continues to inspire me…and how fun that it’s interactive so others can join you on the ride! It’s amazing!!
A side benefit is I finally have a place for all my recipes (when I’m done getting them all in). Neatly archived and easily accessible from anywhere, anytime….this has been a much needed organizational tool. Have a wonderful night tonight. I’ll be at work.
Jenna,
What a fun night!! It’s so much fun for us to read, but that means you are having even more fun. The more time I spent in the blog world, the more I realize how neat it really is. I can’t describe it, but I think it’s great to have such a detailed journal of your life. I wish I’d had something like this back when I lived in Hawaii. Makes me want to get to scanning pictures so I can share some travel pics on my blog from “way back when.”
I can see so many benefits to journaling my food and cooking journey!! It really helps me to keep my food related thoughts straight, continues to inspire me…and how fun that it’s interactive so others can join you on the ride! It’s amazing!!
A side benefit is I finally have a place for all my recipes (when I’m done getting them all in). Neatly archived and easily accessible from anywhere, anytime….this has been a much needed organizational tool. Have a wonderful night tonight. I’ll be at work.
How fun! I was exhausted by the time I got to the end of your blog – what an evening. Have fun tonight. I’m soooooooo jealous.
you living it up!! so jealous of all the fab foods your eating but you deserve it
i think im most jealous of the sweet p fries gaaah
That made me feel stuffed just reading it! How amazingly yum and fun was your night?? Awesome!
Wow! Sounds super fabulous!!! Lucky, lucky you!
I love the tots and Outkast! Love it!
7 Course Dinner!!!!! WOW!!!!
Gah!
Kevin is my favorite Top Chef contestant and I have been rooting for him from the beginning. Feel FREE to pass that along!
What an awesome night! Your life is a foodie’s dream
sweet potato fries!! I WANT!
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