Oktoberfest at Reston Town Center.

We spent Sunday afternoon at Oktoberfest in Reston Town Center! Dan’s new office building is right in Reston Town Center, so it was a nice opportunity to go see the area he works in and also enjoy the good eats/drinks and carnival rides that the festival had to offer! It was pretty cold and misty, but we still had a great time! 😀

Oktoberfest at Reston Town Center

 

Mio looking extremely happy.
We were cracking up at how big Mio was smiling when she got there, with her hands folded in her lap. It looks almost like she’s a villain (think Dr. Burns from The Simpsons)!

 

Dan enjoying his beer.
What is Oktoberfest without a cup of overpriced (but apparently delicious) beer?

 

Steamed mussels from McCormick & Schmicks table
Delicious steamed mussels from McCormick & Schmick’s

 

Miwa and I sharing mussels.
My sister and I don’t like nor drink beer, so our main focus was the food!

 

Chicken kabob meal from Midtown Kabob
Amazing chicken kabobs from Midtown Kabob

 

...complete with samosa, also yummy!
…complete with samosa, also yummy!

 

Enjoying the meal while Mio looks on.
Enjoying the meal while Mio looks on.

 

The first chicken.
Peruvian chicken from Pollo Peru. So. Effing. Good.

 

Mio reaching for some...
Mio reaching for some while we chow down.

 

Biting down!
She grabbed a french fry!

 

Mio’s learned how to do “cheers!” and clink her cup against another person’s, but she’s so into it that she’ll do it with every type of food she happens to share with you, and multiple times (as in every five seconds). So when she and I both had Peruvian french fries in hand, she insisted on toasting and bumping them together… over and over. Here it is on video!

 

We just couldn't get enough of that chicken!
We just couldn’t get enough of that chicken, so we went and got a second plate to share!

 

Looking quite fashionable that day!
Mio kept whipping her head back and forth to look at all the people passing by. She was so curious about everything that was going on around her.

 

Daddy's girl.
A Daddy’s girl moment.

 

Enjoying the view from Auntie Miwa's shoulders.
Enjoying the view from Auntie Miwa’s shoulders.

 

Buying tickets for the carnival rides.
Buying tickets for the carnival rides.

 

Train station!
There was a train ride that we could all ride together.

 

Riding the train together!
Our little family on the train.

 

All of us riding the train!
Mio kept saying “ppo ppo” (Japanese equivalent of “choo choo,” the sound of a train puffing out smoke) while riding.

 

Mio looking out from the train.
After the ride was done, she was eager for more carnival fun!

 

Mio kept saying "ba~ ba~" when she saw the banana.
Mio kept saying “ba~ ba~” when she saw the Jamaican banana.

 

Funnel cakes and elephant ears
A carnival isn’t complete without funnel cake! So of course, we had to get one.

 

Before taking flight.
Miwa and Dan wanted to go on one of the scarier/intense rides. Here they are before taking flight.

 

Mio watching through the fence.
Mio was really scared for them! When the ride lifted up into the air and started flying around, she started screaming and clung onto my legs. Poor girl was scared for her Daddy and auntie…

 

Flying in the air!
Dan and Miwa flying in the air! It looked terrifying, but they seemed to enjoy it.

 

As a finale, we took Mio on the carousel. She doesn’t really understand the difference between horses and cows yet, so she kept mooing and making cow noises while waiting in line and riding on the carousel. I corrected her the first couple times, but it was pretty cute so I just let her moo the whole ride through.

 

Mio riding on the carousel.
Mio getting on the carousel.

 

Looking very intense!
She had a very grave expression on her face the entire time.

 

Clenching her teeth!
Clenching her teeth! Mio’s been on carousels and merry-go-rounds a few times before, but she seemed more uptight this time – maybe because it was cold?

 

Of course, when the ride ended, she started getting upset and wanted to go on again...
Of course, when the ride ended, she started getting upset and wanted to go on again… (On a separate note, isn’t the heart-shaped elbow patch on her jacket adorable? My mom got this jacket for her.)

 

Like with the Marin County Fair, there were a lot of rides Mio couldn’t go on because she wasn’t 36 inches tall, so that was kind of a bummer. Maybe in a year or two, she’ll get to enjoy more of the rides! 🙂