Every year on Memorial Day weekend, the community of Vienna celebrates with Viva Vienna!, a 3-day festival of amusement rides, entertainment, food, crafts, and vendors. 100% of proceeds go to charitable, community and humanitarian organizations. Growing up in this community, I have so many fun memories of attending as a child with my family, and then with my friends as a high school teenager! It’s yet another fond memory that I’m really happy I can share with Mio and Dan now that we’re back in my old ‘hood! Mio and I went two days in a row, and she had so much fun!
On Saturday, Dan was teaching a video workshop all day to the local community youth (such a great gesture on his part — so proud of him!), and our friends SunJae, Mie, and their son Kosei were visiting from Maryland so that SunJae (who is also a video editor) could assist Dan with the workshop. So Mie and I decided to take the kids to Viva Vienna! for a few hours of festival fun!
Kosei and Mio riding the merry-go-round together! Mie is pregnant with baby #2 (a girl!), due in September.
Mio going on the merry-go-round a second time. So many ponies, but this time Mio picked the freaky monkey to ride on.
They had free face-painting at the festival.
The kids are happy with their painted faces! Kosei got a spider (“Spiderman!”) and Mio got to be a kitty cat.
Mio and I really enjoyed going to the festival with Mie and Kosei on Saturday, but because Mio had so much fun there and we still wanted to go with Dan as a family (especially since it’s so close!), the three of us went again the following day on Sunday. 🙂 It was actually much more crowded on the second day, probably because the vendors (who weren’t there on Saturday) had set up all their tents down Church Street on Sunday and Monday.
Mio grabbing a hold of Dan’s chicken on a stick!
Mio nomming on the chicken skewer. You have some chicken in your teeth!
She was SO HAPPY. She enjoyed the chicken skewer so much that even when Dan and I requested to take bites in between, she wouldn’t let go of the stick and would just guide it into our mouths, before putting it back into hers. I think she ended up eating most of it!
Mio was fascinated by this “pet cool-down zone” pool they had set up. She loved watching the dogs go in and out of the water, and wouldn’t budge from the spot for about 15 minutes!
We ran into the Lee family by the carousel! Here’s Mio riding with Danny and his mommy Stephanie!
I’ve always wanted to go on the ferris wheel with Mio, but she was never allowed to go on them in California, even with her parents. We were really excited to ride it together!
The view of Viva Vienna! from the ferris wheel.
Mio bravely looking over the edge.
She really enjoyed the ride! The rides she could go on were limited due to her height, but maybe next year she’ll get to go on more!
We met up with newlywed friends Mimi and Sujay, and Xiaolu and her new adorable dog!
Mio was of course very interested in the dog. She kept pointing at its curly tail and eventually was brave enough to pet it.
It got really hot as the day progressed! Cooling down with a frozen drink on the sidewalk.
Waiting for pizza afterwards at Luciano’s! Love this smile.
“Enough pictures! Bring out the food!”
Mio staring at the huge pizza in front of her.
We had a truly memorable couple days at Viva Vienna! Festivals, carnivals, and county fairs are probably one of my favorite things about summer, and I love that now I can experience it with our little family. We’re looking forward to making more fun summer memories in the coming months and years ahead!
Last weekend, our friends Mie and SunJae were visiting from Maryland to show their film Ai Means Love in San Francisco! (Coincidentally, my sister Miwa is in the movie! Click over to the movie site to find out more about the movie.) They brought their adorable 15-month old son Kosei with them, and a whole bunch of us got together to have dinner at De Afghanan Kabob House in Fremont. It was actually my first time trying Afghan food, but I am now a huge fan! I’m already craving me some more of that juicy, tender kabob meat…. It was definitely some of the best meat I have ever had!
I forgot to take photos of the food, but here are some we took with everyone!
Mie and I with our babies!
Mie and Kosei had met once before back in June, when we had visited DC, but they were able to interact a lot more this time! Here are some pictures and video footage of 7-month old Mio with 15-month old Kosei!
Kosei giving Mio a hug. Aww!!!
Mio got so excited, she wouldn't let go of Kosei.
Mio getting some lovin' from Auntie Mie.
We had a great time with you guys!
Thank you so much for making time to have dinner with us despite your busy schedule, Mie and SunJae — we wish you the best in the rest of your film tour, and are looking forward to seeing you all when we visit the DC area during the holidays! 🙂
Mio is getting a lot of love in Virginia from not only family, but a lot of her Mommy’s friends, too! 🙂 Here are some of the wonderful people Mio has had the pleasure of meeting the past few days — she is such a lucky girl! 😀
On Friday, my best friend Debbie came to see Mio.
The bestest with Mio. They're matching in plaid! Mio is already learning from my fashionable best friend!
Debbie brought Georgetown Cupcakes! I finally got to try them, and they were amazing.
Our family friend had a baby in February, so we had a playdate with their daughter Junna-chan on Saturday.
Here is Mio with Junna-chan. Mio slept through much of the playdate...
Mio’s aunt Hyo (Dan’s sister) came down to visit from New York for the weekend, too!
Mio finally got to meet Auntie Hyo!
My brother's girlfriend Elisa also came to see Mio!
My friend Stephanie came to meet Mio on Monday evening!
Mio with Auntie Stephanie... sucking on her arm. Way to make a first impression.
Thank you for visiting, Steph!
Today, Mio and I took the Metro to visit our friends Lan and Mie and their adorable sons! I forgot my camera so I couldn’t take many photos, but here are a couple that I took on my phone.
Mie with 10-month old Kosei. Super cute!!!
Lan holding Mio. Thank you for a fun afternoon together!
Mio is so lucky to be showered with so much love while we’re back East. We still have a little over a week left in Virginia, but we’ve already had so much fun making great memories with everyone here.
