El Gaucho – Pellegrini Page

Visiting Seattle in 2022

A recap of our recent visit to Seattle, exactly one year after moving away.

Jessica and I recently returned home from a great trip to Seattle. This was our first visit back to the Seattle area since moving away exactly one year earlier. We chose this week because the kids were on their annual Summer RV trip with Grandma and Grandpa Martin. While the kids explored parks and canyons in Utah, Jessica and I were able to visit several friends and family members. Of course, you’re never able to see everyone in one trip, and if we didn’t see you, I apologize. We’re just thankful for all the hugs, conversations, and quality visits we could have in those few days we were in town.

Getting to Seattle

I have to admit that the trip started off a little rocky. First, our flight was delayed, then we arrived in Seattle and had to sit on the runway for another 20 minutes or so. It was literally 50 degrees colder than what we had just left in Vegas, but worse than that; it was very cloudy and rainy.

We didn’t check a bag at the airport and just had our carryons with us, but at the gate, before boarding the plane, they asked passengers to gate-check their bags due to limited overhead space. We have done this in the past, but we always received our gate-checked bags on the other end at the gate. Maybe that was related to us having a stroller at the time, but either way, we volunteered to gate-check these bags, and it turned into a major mistake.

Instead of picking up our bags at the SeaTac airport gate, our bags were sent to baggage claim. Long story short, it took about an hour and 20 minutes to get our two bags at baggage claim. I was so salty waiting for those bags and swore never to gate-check anything again. Some woman from our flight came to me asking if I knew where the bags were, but I glared at her until she walked away. This was precisely why we didn’t want to check any bags. Even people working at the airport spoke about how much of a joke SeaTac airport can be.

Getting the rental car was also a surprisingly slow process, but eventually, we were on the road heading for Bellevue. Unfortunately, it was raining pretty hard, which is something we haven’t seen in Southern Nevada since last Fall. We stopped for food at Taco Time, which has always been a favorite of ours, then met up with Kallan at the Bellevue house.

A night out in Bellevue with Kallan

I knew my salty mood would disappear as soon as I started seeing people we were there to see. Kallan had just finished a hectic week at work (he joined T-Mobile as a Software Engineer about a year ago), so we all decided to head out to downtown Bellevue for food and drinks. We hung out for quite a while, bouncing around to different places. I couldn’t believe how cold and wet it was! Seattle has had an epically bad Spring in terms of weather, so everyone was hoping for some sun to come out during the trip.

We ended up getting some more quality time with Kallan throughout the trip. He took us on his neighborhood walk and pointed out all the interesting real estate facts about properties in the area. We were both really impressed with how grown up he is and how his career is starting out. I’ve always been very close with Kallan and am so proud of him.

Saturday Night in Seattle

The daytime on Saturday was the only quiet time we had during the trip. Jessica drove by our old Bellevue house, which is the one we first moved into when coming back from San Diego. It was Saturday night, however, that turned into one of the highlights of the trip.

We headed to downtown Seattle, eager to have dinner at our friend Michael’s restaurant, 84 Yesler. But before dinner, we had to stop by and see the new El Gaucho. The old location on 1st and Wall was very special to us, playing a significant role in our lives for many years, so seeing the new one was a must.

As soon as we walked in, we were greeted with big hugs from old friends. We weren’t sure how many of our friends from the old location would still be working at the new one. We hadn’t seen any of these people since before the pandemic, so it was a lovely surprise to see so many familiar faces.

I immediately saw my old buddy Luca, who came over and gave me the biggest hug. He gave me a tour and took me back into the kitchen. I couldn’t believe what an upgrade everything was! Not that there was anything wrong with the old place, but they had clearly done several things to upgrade.

We ended up hanging out for about an hour, just catching up with old friends and telling stories. We shared a bowl of truffle soup, which was delicious, but there wasn’t a whole lot else we could eat. Jessica was able to get together with a couple of our Gaucho friends for lunch once more during the trip, while I was at the office, but this was my only opportunity to connect with Gaucho friends.

Michael and Jessica Pellegrini at El Gaucho, Seattle — Checking out the new Gauch!

I always consider my first few years at El Gaucho to be my glory days. Some of my closest friends to this day are people I met during that time. Luca, who I mentioned above, was there, and so was my friend Leon, who is bringing his wife and son to stay with us in Henderson next week. Michael Don Rico, who was my best man at our wedding, was also there, and it was his restaurant we were off to next.

Dinner at 84 Yesler

84 Yesler is not only the restaurant’s name but also its address. Michael has been a managing partner for several years, but this was our first opportunity to dine there. Before I get into the dining experience, I will just say that it’s always very special to me whenever Michael and I get to spend time together.

Once upon a time, MDR introduced me to the city of Seattle. He was, and probably still is, the most well-known guy in the entire Seattle dining scene. Every door was open, and every bar stayed open late. When we first started hanging out, I wasn’t even old enough to drink, but it didn’t matter when I was with him. We had some of the most epic experiences of my lifetime, and it all comes back instantly whenever we get together.

Outside of my long-standing friendship with Michael, Jessica also has her own. She worked with him at Branzino for several years, right around the time we got married, and they became close. As mentioned, he was the best man at our wedding, so there was no way we were coming to Seattle and not seeing him.

Michael Don Rico, Michael Pellegrini, and Jessica Pellegrini, in Seattle, WA — Visiting with Michael outside 84 Yesler

As luck would have it, the same night we were having dinner at 84 Yesler, so was Michael’s fiance Kirsten, who was there with her Mom and brother in celebration of her Mom’s birthday. Kirsten and I also go way back, more than 20 years, because we became friends while working at El Gaucho. She and Michael plan on getting married in Italy next year, and we will be there once the date is set. I hadn’t seen Kirsten in so long, and it was such an unexpected surprise getting to catch up with her.

There were also two of our old Gaucho friends working at 84 Yesler. Victoria, a wine captain, worked with me at El Gaucho for years and took me under her wing to teach me the restaurant business when I was young. Justin, our server, also worked at El Gaucho for years while Jessica was there. So everything comes back to El Gaucho for us.

Everything about our meal at 84 Yesler was exquisite. The service is top-notch, the food was unbelievable, and the professionalism with how that restaurant is run, both in the front of the house as well as the kitchen, was a sight to see. We have never seen such a calm and well-run kitchen in all our years of restaurant work.

The chef stood there silently, observing each cook in the kitchen meticulously crafting their dishes. The food coming out looked like art on a plate, yet the flavor profiles were so rich. They modified several menu items to become vegetarian for us, and we were simply blown away by each course.

The homemade pasta was especially delicious, and the tomato gnocchi was unlike anything we’d had before. Each piece of gnocchi tasted like tomato soup. The cauliflower steak had the char and grill markings of a beef steak, and the puffs of olive oil beneath our sorbet made me feel like we were in Willy Wonka’s candy factory. I love it when food can be playful and unique. We also love being exposed to new flavor profiles or new ways of presenting classic dishes.

I really can’t speak highly enough about 84 Yesler. This is the place to go if you’re looking for an outstanding dining experience in Seattle.

Fiddle Head Ferns at 84 Yesler, Seattle — First course – Fiddle Head Ferns

Spring Herb Salad at 84 Yesler — Second Course – Spring Herb Salad

Tomato Gnocchi at 84 Yesler, Seattle — Pasta course – Tomato Gnocchi

Pappardelle pasta at 84 Yesler, Seattle — Pasta course – Fine herbs Pappardelle

Cauliflower steak at 84 Yesler, Seattle — Entree course – Cauliflower steak with roaster turnips

Father’s Day

Sunday was Father’s Day, and although I was a little bummed not to be spending the day with our kids, I was very happy to be able to resume our Father’s Day tradition with Jim, Brenda, Kristy, Tito, and Madi, at the car show in Burien. Tito wasn’t able to join us this year at the car show due to work, but we were still able to visit with him later that day.

We have done this car show on Father’s Day for many years, but the pandemic broke the streak, so it was really special for everyone to be able to do it again this year. Going to car shows with Jim and Brenda was a big part of my teenage years, and to this day, there is no one beside them who I’d rather go look at classic cars with.

Camaros and Chevelles tend to be our favorites, but as always, we loved walking all around and seeing this year’s variety. One thing we had never seen before was a McClaren. This was a 2014 McClaren MP4, and it was incredible. Living in Vegas, we get spoiled by supercars. Seeing Ferrari’s, Lamborghini’s, and Bentley’s is practically a daily occurrence, but not so with McClaren’s. Those are like another level of supercar, and seeing one parked with the doors wide open was pretty impressive.

After walking around the car show for a bit, we all sat down at a nice little Italian restaurant for lunch. I knew Jim and Brenda would be heading home after that, so it was great to sit down for a meal together. After lunch, Jessica and I headed south to meet Kristy and Madi at their new home in Federal Way. They purchased the home almost the same time we bought our new house last Summer, so we were excited to finally see it in person.

Father's Day car show, 2022 — Visiting the Father’s Day car show in Burien with Jim, Brenda, Kristy, and Madi

As usual, with our visit’s to Kristy’s house, we hung out the entire day. The weather was pretty nice that day, so we hung out in their backyard, playing with the dogs and grilling up all kinds of delicious veggie skewers and Beyond burgers. Tito got home from work in time for dinner, and I honestly couldn’t believe how much of our Vegas Showbiz video catalog he was familiar with.

I know my Mom, Jim and Brenda tend to watch all of our videos, but beyond that, I’m never sure who sees what. I know everyone is busy living their lives, so I don’t expect anyone to watch our stuff, and therefore was blown away when Tito started talking about all the things we’ve done in our videos. It was so cool and humbling to hear someone talking about how much they have enjoyed our content! I really appreciated it.

Getting to spend that afternoon at their new home was really special and exactly why we made the trip. We loved their new home and were thankful for the time spent together that day.

Backyard foundatin — The fountain in Kristy’s backyard – we sat back here all-day

Working in the office

I decided before the trip that I would like to spend some time with my team in the office. Although half of my team is based in Canada, we recently got a new manager who works out of the Bellevue office in Lincoln Square, so I ended up working there Monday through Wednesday. A couple of other team members in the Bellevue area also came into the office, so for a minute there, it felt like the old days.

This was my first time working in an office building in more than two years! It was very quiet, with nowhere near the same number of people you would have seen pre-pandemic. I enjoyed being there, and it was great meeting my teammates in person, but the honest truth is that I work more hours when working from home. The hardest thing about working from home is knowing when to call it a day, but when you physically leave the office at a certain time, chances are your work day is then complete.

While I was working at the office, Jessica was able to meet up with several old friends. She even got to join her old workout group for a couple of classes. After work on Monday, I met up with my friend and old next-door neighbor Jim. We went out for Mexican food, and then he took me to the new home they purchased last November in Snohomish. It was beautiful, and I was so happy to see how things had worked out for them. Jessica, who was already in Snohomish with her friends, was able to pick me up and also see their new place.

On Tuesday, I was able to have lunch in Bellevue with my friend and old neighbor Erik. It was so nice catching up and hearing about the old hood. This was basically the theme for our entire trip; we know we left in a hurry last year so it was important to us to see everyone and catch up after the hectic move was well behind us.

Tuesday night at Julie and Bardi’s house

Tuesday evening was another highlight of the trip. This was our last night in town, and we went out in style! Our good friends Julie and Bardi live in a beautiful home directly on the water in Shoreline. It was the Summer Solstice, and Julie had prepared a delicious meal for us to enjoy out by the water.

Dining on the water in Shoreline — Julie & Bardi’s back porch in Shoreline – views for days!

Bardi broke out some of his fancy whiskey that he had been holding onto, and we had a beautiful evening sitting outside, telling stories, learning about nature’s kingdoms from professor Bardi, and watching the kids play. It’s these types of visits and experiences that we were hoping to have on our trip. Dinner on the water is so quintessentially Seattle, but doing so at your friend’s house is on another level.

Summer Solstice Sunset in Shoreline, Seattle

Friends in Seattle — A great evening with friends!

Wrapping the trip up

Wednesday was the final day of our trip. Once again, I worked at the Bellevue office while Jessica visited with friends. She picked me up from work, and we walked around Bellevue for a bit before heading south to SeaTac.

We ended up having dinner at 13 Coins, which felt very fitting, then returned the car and headed to the plane. Once again, our flight was delayed, but we learned from our previous mistake and did not gate-check our bags.

Arriving home at 1:00 am, our cats Peach and Spencer were so happy to see us. A neighbor had been taking care of them while we were away, and they were all over us the minute we walked in the door. On Friday, Jessica and I drove to St. George, Utah, to meet Grandma Amy and the kids. They had been camping further North, making visits to Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park.

Before heading back home, we hung out and had lunch at a really cool park in St. George. It’s about 2 hours each way, but you end up going through three states because 27 miles of that drive goes through the northeastern corner of Arizona. The canyons in that Arizona portion of the drive make it worth it, and Southern Utah is also very pretty.

Home Sweet Home

It’s great having everyone back home together. Summer is already nearly halfway over, and we haven’t even reached July! We’re looking forward to the 4th of July; then Miss Elise will be turning nine a little more than a week later. Grandma and Grandpa Rudd will be coming for a visit in mid-July, so we’re also looking forward to that.

Thanks for sticking with me on this long-winded post. I wanted to do our trip justice. If we recently saw you in Seattle, all I can say is thank you! We very much enjoyed the trip and look forward to doing it again. Hopefully with the kids next time.

Kids hiking in Mt Charleston, Nevada — On a recent hike with friends in Mt Charleston, Nevada

Pellegrini kids having lunch — Lunch in the backyard

Happy Mother’s Day, 2020

I’ll start this post by saying I’m especially thankful we have Mother’s Day this month because it gives me something specific to write about. We’ve got a consecutive month streak here on the ol’ family blog dating back to July, 2011, and not even the Covid quarantine is going to stop that. I’m sure I would have found something to write about regardless, but having Mother’s Day this month works out nicely.

We’ve been lucking out with really nice weather lately, so we took advantage of it this weekend and made the most out of this ongoing situation. Friday afternoon we took a family trip into Seattle so Jessica could clean out her locker at El Gaucho. I hadn’t been into the city since our Christmas Eve dinner, and this was our last chance to say goodbye to a place that has been so instrumental in our lives. It was fun seeing the kids run around the building, but a bit sad knowing this would be my last time there, at least in its current form factor. We got to see some old friends and catch up, which was an unexpected surprise. On our way out they gave us a candle holder from the cigar lounge as a souvenir.

Afterwards we decided to walk around the city a bit and see what it was like since the world flipped into this alternate reality. On one hand walking up and down the streets of Belltown was like a trip down memory lane, but it’s a far cry from the Seattle I remember. The best analogy I can make is to the movie Back To The Future II, where Marty comes back to 1985 but it’s a different version of 1985 where Biff Tannen is the most powerful man in America and owns that big hotel & casino. It’s technically the same place, but everything is different, and that’s exactly what Seattle felt like.

As we walked down the streets I was reminded of memories that took place in almost every restaurant and bar we passed, but now all those places are boarded up to try and protect themselves from violence and theft. In an attempt to make things look less dystopian, the boards are mostly covered with painted murals, but it’s still a sad sight.

In making our way out of Belltown and into the market, I realized the ratio of crazy versus non-crazy people was way off. Basically all the crazies are still out and about, but almost all of the non-crazies are sheltering at home, so that added to the strange vibe. As we walked through Pike Place Market I was struck by just how many businesses and vendors weren’t open for business on such a gorgeous Friday afternoon. It should have been packed with people, and instead we stuck out as some kind of weird tourist family, even though nothing could be further from the truth.

Later we made our way down to the waterfront and again it’s just so strange that on such a beautiful afternoon, with the mountains out in all directions and not a cloud in the sky, we could have that entire walkway basically to yourselves. Normally we’d be annoyed by all the tourists and the constant hustle & bustle, but now things have flipped drastically. Hopefully it won’t be this way for much longer, especially considering all the progress our state has made in flattening the curve, but in reality no one really knows what to expect. We’re hearing rumours from various sources that schools won’t be reopening in the Fall, which means most likely athletics won’t resume either. We’re still trying to figure out what the new normal will be, but right now all we can do is roll with it and be thankful for the situation we’re in. I often think about the fact that if we hadn’t moved to San Diego after getting married, I probably would have never left El Gaucho because there wouldn’t have been a good enough reason to, but what would that mean for us now? It’s scary to think about, and definitely puts things in perspective.

Earlier last week I made a trip to my office for the first time in two months. Upon hearing that we will have the option to remain working from home through October (at least), I decided to go grab a few more things from my desk. I was in the building for about 45 minutes and never saw another person the whole time. There was a box on my desk containing my 5 year anniversary crystal, so I proudly set that up next to my monitors, but who knows when I’ll even see it again? Having that entire beautiful building to myself was very strange – kinda like a tech version of the movie Home Alone. I was walking around drinking sparkling water and having a snack bar, just taking it all in because I know it’s unlikely that something like that will happen again.

Yesterday we spent the entire day outside soaking up all this beautiful weather. Jessica and I spent about 6 hours doing yard work while the kids played. Ava has become quite the skateboarder over the past couple months, and Elise is starting to get into it as well. Enzo still loves riding his BMX racing bike, and it makes me happy watching him because he’s so natural on it. We were all exhausted by the end of the day, but it was nice to sit out on our porch and take in all the fruits of our labor.

Today is Mother’s Day, which means you can count on me making breakfast for Jessica. This year she made a point to ask me not to go big with some fancy crab benedict, so I obliged, but did my best with what I could find around the house. Since the beaches have recently reopened, her request was that we get an early start on the day and spend the morning at the beach in Mukilteo. The kids collected seashells, climbed rocks and logs, and we all walked pretty far along the water. It was exactly what Mom wanted, and once again the weather was on our side.

Obviously we’re hoping for normalcy to return, but in the meantime we’re making the best of it. We’re very much looking forward to getting to spend time with family and friends again, and to getting back to the activities we love. I continue to remain thankful that we’re all healthy, and that our quality of life hasn’t really changed throughout this whole ordeal. Watching the news every night is a sobering reminder of how badly this is affecting so many people, and my heart goes out to them (especially when kids are involved), so when you look at it that way we’re in really good shape.

To all the Mom’s in our lives, we love you and hope to see you soon. I’m glad I got to talk to my Mom and Amy today, as well as exchange messages with Lora, Dana, Aunt Brenda, and Kristy. Family visits will take on a new meaning once they’re able to resume. Happy Mother’s Day to all, and especially to the best Mom our kids could ever hope for.

A family porch pic from the evening of Jessica’ birthday

Also from Jessica’s birthday, just before having cake

Mother’s Day morning in Mukilteo (say that 5 times fast)

Elise looking so pretty and colorful for Mother’s Day

I think Ava loves beaches the most in our family

Anniversaries

For some reason unbeknownst to me, this day, March second, has been a pivotal day in my life on many fronts. I’ve written about it in previous blog posts, and here we are again. Today marks my fifth anniversary at Microsoft, which is something I’m proud of because it’s tough to stick it out at any big tech company on the same team for that long. Additionally, it was 21 years ago today that I started working at El Gaucho, which was my previous career before getting into software engineering. Then above all else, it was 25 years ago today that my dad passed away. I don’t say that out of sadness, but out of love and respect. While I still think of him every day, today is a day to think a little more and pay that much more respect to someone who continues to be an important figure in my life. Years ago this was a sad day for me, but not anymore; now it’s a special day that always causes me to take pause and reflect.

As far as the work stuff goes, I always think of my time at El Gaucho in the same way you hear people talk about their college glory days. In my case it was about as much time as one would spend getting their doctorate, but I always loved it. I’m still close friends with many people I met during that era, and it makes me happy that Jessica is still there. Although we would always be part of the family, I’m glad to continue to be as close to it as we are. I started there as an 18 year old kid with no idea what I was doing, and ended up building a career for myself, while learning a lot of important life lessons along the way. Most importantly, I met my wife during that time and it was a factor in us transitioning to where we are now.

Regarding Microsoft, I continue to be very proud to work there, and can’t believe how much I’ve learned since I started. The work I do today is a far cry from the work I did five years ago, but it continues to be challenging and rewarding. The company has grown significantly during this time, mostly because of Azure, and having an inside look at all of that has been an amazing experience. The tech industry is very competitive and I regularly receive offers to interview with other companies, but I’m thankful for my role at Microsoft and continue to plan on being there for the long-term.

This morning I received an email from Microsoft congratulating me on five years and telling me I could pick a prize. The options were a five-year crystal tower with my name engraved on it, a small cash prize, or I could donate the cash prize to a charity of my choice. I decided to go with the crystal because you see them around on people’s desks looking like a badge of honor. You’re eligible for a new one every five years so it’s cool to be starting my collection now.

While these work anniversaries are great, it’s the one about my dad that I have the hardest time believing. It definitely puts 25 years into perspective because it might as well be a lifetime considering how long ago the whole thing feels. I guess in some ways it was a lifetime. Obviously I wish he could have been around to meet my wife and kids, but I know nothing would make him happier or more appreciative than knowing that he is still very much a part of our lives. The kids definitely know who Grandpa Elmer is because we talk about him regularly. I frequently find myself telling them the same things he used to tell me, and always make sure to attribute him when doing so. Being an older dad, he had a lot of wisdom that he shared with me, and it’s important to me that I regurgitate all that stuff to my own kids.

Again, I don’t want to make this a sad thing because it’s really not. No one lives forever, but it’s the sign of a great person and a great life lived when even all these years later people still regularly talk and think about you. It’s not just me either; my cousin Kenny always tells me he still thinks of ‘Uncle Elmer’ every single day. If you’ve seen the Disney movie ‘Coco’, then you’re probably familiar with ‘Dia de los muertos’ (Day of the dead), and the whole concept of keeping a person’s spirit alive after they’re gone. It was that concept, and the corresponding Mexican artwork, that I settled on when deciding to get my tattoo sleeve in San Diego for my 30th birthday. It was partially about remembering those who are no longer with us, but also a reminder not to take the ones we haven’t lost for granted.

So today, as we mark a quarter century since his passing, I just want to pay respect to a man I continue to idolize. His words and lessons stick with me, and his spirit is very much a part of our family. The children today who bear his last name love him and speak of him regularly. They’ve visited his grave, but more importantly, they’re learning the same life lessons from me that I got from him. Nothing would make him happier.

To end things on a more upbeat note, I want to talk about our upcoming wedding anniversary. On April 3rd Jessica and I will be celebrating 10 years of marriage, and we decided about a year ago that the way we’d like to carry out that celebration was by taking the kids across country to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida! With the kids all between the ages of 5 and 8, we felt like the timing was perfect, so we recently finally broke the news to them. We had considered keeping it a surprise all the way up until the day we were leaving, but ultimately decided to give them about 6 weeks notice. That way we could watch videos of the parks on YouTube and make some plans together as a family.

I have to give Jessica a ton of credit for all the work she has put into planning this vacation for us. It’s practically a part-time job trying to get everything scheduled, but at this point we’re good to go. We decided to go all out because chances are we won’t be going back there again as a family. I’m sure we’ll do Disneyland at some point, but Disney World will probably be a one-time thing. Based on that, we’re staying at one of the Disney hotels, and we got a ‘Cars’ themed suite to stay in. We got the photo package, the meal plan, and plenty of other add-ons. We’ve never done a family vacation like this before and it will be something none of us will ever forget.

We’ll be arriving in Florida on Sunday, April 5th, then doing a park per day starting on Monday. The first day will be Animal Kingdom, the second day is Hollywood Studios, the third day is Magic Kingdom, and the fourth day is Epcot Center, then we’ll be flying home on Friday. We’ll be arriving early each day and having a full morning at the park, then most likely coming back to the hotel in the afternoon for a little rest before heading back to the park for the evening festivities. I’m sure it will be exhausting and crowded, but I have no doubt we’re going to have a great time. I put a video of the kids reacting to the news about our trip on YouTube, which you can see below.

We’re only about a month away now so it will be here before we know it. We’ve still got one final trip to Canada coming up later this month for Ava’s final tournament of the season, and we’re excited to have Grandpa Rick joining us. I may try to write a quick post about that when we get home, but either way you can expect a long post in April after we return from Florida. Bon voyage!

Dad and I on Lora’s wedding day – 9/12/1992

Dad and his mom, whom we all called Gigi

My all-time favorite picture of him from Hawaii – 10/18/1994

Disney World reveal to the kids