When The World Is Bewildering..

Golden Gate Bridge.

2012-02-09T11:54:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, Micah and I went to Mill Valley to visit some friends. Mill Valley is North of San Francisco, so our most likely route was over the Golden Gate Bridge. I love the this bridge. It does not matter how many pictures I take of it, I always want to take more, whether I'm crossing it or viewing it from a distance. And believe me, I have no shortage of pictures of this bridge.

It is majestic. It shines. It has this power that takes over me and makes me want to keep snapping pictures to try to capture it's greatness. And yet no picture ever seems to do it justice. No picture ever seems to demonstrate the contrast of such a single, massive structure to the thousands of buildings, large and small, that make up the San Francisco skyline.

I seriously wish I could do this bridge justice (perhaps if I were using a fancy camera and not just my phone). I think it's just one of those things that you have to witness in person. In reality, I don't see the bridge as often as one might think for a person living in SF. But, I guess that just makes it extra spectacular when I do.

the little things.

2012-01-29T14:48:00.000-07:00

This week at work has been pretty hectic. In fact, since the beginning of January it's been all around chaotic and in the midst of all the new work, I'm still finding my rhythm and routine. Sometimes, it feels like I've been at my job way more than just 3 and 1/2 months. Sometimes it feels like I've been there forever. And, then there are times when I ask so many questions in a day one would think I'd never done the type of work in my life. Oh well, I can still blame things on "the learning curve," at least for a little while longer.

A couple little things that have made my week better are:

1. Granola Cups

Foodgawker has done it again and they have ingeniously connected me with a new favorite. These granola cups are great. Like a healthy cupcake in the morning. Lately, starting my day on time has been a challenge. Why, oh why, do I keep pressing the snooze button!?! But, these little bites of wonderful granola and yogurt and fruit are splendid, and seriously helped me get up earlier than normal this past week. I'm not ashamed to admit food can motivate me to do something.

2. Cheese, Crackers, Fruit, and Nut Spread

I don't know if I love anything as simple so much. Chunk of cheese, cut up some apple, toss in some almonds and crackers, and I am a happy person.

Sometimes it's the little things that help make it through a busy week.

It's 2012 and I've been thinking.

2012-01-22T13:10:00.000-07:00

It's two thousand and twelve and I've been thinking a lot about the new year and new decisions and ideas and new experiences I want to have. It's two thousand and twelve and I've been thinking a lot about last year and the accomplishments, challenges, and changes it brought and how those experiences carry with me into this new year. It's two thousand and twelve and I've been thinking a lot about this blog and how it hasn't seemed to really fit into my life and whether I want it to fit into my life and what would need to change in order for it to fit into my life (if I want it to).

You see, lately this blog has felt a lot like a chore and I don't like chores and especially in the last 6 months I've been particularly good at avoiding this chore. I've had moments where I want to just delete the whole thing, to not post bits and pieces of my life for all to see. But something stops me from throwing in the towel. And that something that stops me is the other blogs that I read, the inspiration of their ideas, the power of their thoughts and the vulnerability of their emotions, and the general idea of being connected to other peoples' worlds through even the mundane aspects of life. And to be honest, I really love and hate that connection all at the same time. I hate it because it's not tangible or personable, it's not words spoken between friends. I hate it because in ways it reminds me of the lack of (geographically) close friends I have, and the difficulty of building a new support network. But, I love it because it facilitates "knowing" new friends and staying connected to old friends (and family) when time is short and space is great. I love it because it gives voice to my thoughts and provides a record of my experiences. I love it and I hate it and it is two thousand and twelve and I'm still thinking about how to resolve those two feelings.

So, I'm not going to promise anything. I'm not going to make any grand resolution to blog more. I'm only going to try to be more honest with myself about how I can use this format to stay connected but not feel empty at the same time. It's two thousand and twelve, a new year, and I'm going to keep thinking.

O Christmas Tree

2011-12-18T21:24:00.001-07:00

O Christmas tree! O Christmas tree!

Much pleasure thou can'st give me;

O Christmas tree! O Christmas tree!

Much pleasure thou can'st give me;

How often has the Christmas tree

Afforded me the greatest glee!

O Christmas tree! O Christmas tree!

Much pleasure thou can'st give me.

A present and a cheesecake.

2011-12-11T21:15:00.001-07:00

This year for my birthday, Micah gave me a food processor, something that I've been wanting for a while. I had talked about buying one for over a year, but had always found a reason not too. Good thing I have someone that is willing to indulge me. And, really, sometimes the best presents are presents that you've written off buying for yourself.

Of course with any new kitchen gadget or electronic, it had to be christened with a great recipe. I chose this Spicy Pumpkin Cheesecake. Boy, am I glad I did. It was decadent to say the least. I pretty much followed the recipe to a "t," so I'm not going to repost it here. But, I will be honest and tell you that this cheesecake almost came to a fatal end.

I made a ridiculously tragic mistake when I read the directions and pressed the yummy crust into my springform pan. Because instead of pressing the buttery, nutty, gingery crust into the pan itself, I somehow read that the whole pan needed to be covered in foil (Let's not go into the details of what had to be going on for me to have come to this decision).

Suffice it to say, I didn't read the directions carefully or thoughtfully enough

and I baked that beautiful crust in a foil lined pan.

And, oh the drama that commenced when I realized this fatal mistake of mine. This poor, innocent cheesecake filling almost got poured down the drain because I was up in arms that I had ruined the whole thing. Good thing I had Micah to talk me away from the edge and convince me to just re-make and re-bake a new crust. And you know what, it all worked out.

(Here I am fake smiling for the camera.)

After letting it cool in the refrigerator for 8 hours,

it was ready to be decked out with maple caramel sauce and topped with toasted pecans.

This really was great cheesecake. Very flavorful. Incredibly rich. And super creamy.

I'm not sure whether or not Micah would say it was worth all the trouble,

but it definitely was a worthy recipe to christen my new food processor.

It's a Woodstock Thanksgiving, Part II.

2011-12-11T00:17:00.001-07:00

Seriously, where does the time go? I swear I just got back from thanksgiving break, and yet the plethora of christmas parties would dictate that the holiday season is in full swing. Sometimes the days just blur together and then all of a sudden two weeks have passed and it's hard to believe.

Well, since I already left you (two readers out there) hanging in suspense over the end of my thanksgiving, I suppose I'll finish that up before moving on to anything more recent.

Thanksgiving day started with a 5k run/walk. The whole family participated. It was cold, as evidenced by our facial expressions in the picture below. Micah and I finished in somewhere around 35 minutes, not too shabby for not training beforehand.

We were all pretty hungry when we got back, so it was a good thing that we didn't have to wait long for the snacking to commence. (If you want a full account of our menu for the day, see the post my sister wrote on it).

Our appetizers:

This year was my first vegan thanksgiving and it was darn good. We even veganized my grandmother's sweet potato casserole, which is an all-time holiday favorite of mine.

We also made this pretty and amazing cocktail: The Floating Star

After dinner, came the desserts.

And after desserts, there was thanksgiving dance offs via the kinect. Unfortunately, there is no photographic proof, but trust me when I say there's is nothing more wonderful than watching family members battle it out through mimicking some killer dance moves.

Lastly, I just want to give a shout out to these cupcakes fully decked out in their houndstooth finest for this year's Iron Bowl. We stayed in Woodstock for most of Saturday so we could all watch the game together. It was definitely worth it given that Alabama won and that these cupcakes were fantastic!

It's a Woodstock Thanksgiving, Part I

2011-12-03T12:13:00.001-07:00

This year was the first year for my family to celebrate a holiday at a "kid's house." My sister and brother-in-law hosted in Illinois and we dubbed the occasion "It's a Woodstock Thanksgiving" (sounds like a great title for the next big blockbuster holiday movie).

We started out the festivities with a day in Chicago. We went to lunch at Karyn's on Green. My sister and I split a couple dishes, the BLT sandwich and the sausage and broccoli pizza. In my opinion, the pizza was better than the sandwich, but both were tasty. I also got the Southside cocktail, which was great, sour, but great. I would definitely recommend the restaurant to all those vegan and not.

From Karyn's on Green we headed over to the Willis Tower (formerly Sear's Tower). My sister had 4 free tickets that she had been trying to use for the last 3 years, and we decided to see if they still worked (Spoiler Alert: they did). Thankfully, we didn't have to wait in too much of a line. And, we got this winner of a photo from the lovely employees at the tower.

It was clear skies at the top, which made for great views.

Chicago is a really pretty city, with the lake right there and the river running through it. Whoever was the genius behind, "this looks like a good place to build a city," deserves some major props.

I love how this red building pops.

There are some seriously great views from the top.

We also took the opportunity to take a few family pics.

On the skydeck there are three glass skyboxes that overlook Chicago and if you have a fear of heights they will terrify you to even get close to them.

Micah was the most brave, stepping all the way out for longer than 30 seconds.

You can't tell, but this is Micah.

My sister and I, on the other hand, could only muster up enough courage to step out long enough for a picture to be taken.

As we were leaving, the sun was dropping and light was streaming in.

It was a great visit into Chicago and to the Willis Tower skydeck!
Stay tuned for Part II!

Wine tasting in the fall.

2011-11-21T21:48:00.001-07:00

Who knew that vineyards go through such a beautiful process of changing colors in the fall?
New England, eat your heart out.

Thankfully some friends decided to go to Sonoma a couple weekends ago, so Micah and I tagged along and were able to witness first hand the vineyards in the height of fall colors.

It always amazes me when I go up to Sonoma or Napa just how beautiful and rugged and and so-not-city it really is. And, it is SO close. Oh the reasons I love Northern California!

Nothing Gold Can Stay

Nature's first green is gold

Her hardest hue to hold.

Her early leaf's a flower;

But only so an hour.

The leaf subsides to leaf.

So Eden sank to grief,

So dawn goes down to day.

Nothing gold can stay.

by Robert Frost

Seeing the changing colors makes the changing of seasons more tangible, more believable, more real. Sometimes, being in the city, surrounded by what seems to be a constant shade of green, seasons can all too quickly disappear. It was good for me to see the reds and the golds and the purples, they tell me that the end of the year is near. That colder mornings and darker nights are coming. That the holidays are close and with it more purposeful time spent celebrating with those that we are closest to. These colors tell me of the richness of life and the fleetingness of its moments.

lazy sunday.

2011-10-24T22:18:00.001-06:00

Yesterday was P.E.R.F.E.C.T.I.O.N.

It started with a whole bunch of pumpkin.

Homemade pumpkin spiced coffee.

And pumpkin cinnamon streusel pancakes.

Then it continued with a walk in Golden Gate Park to enjoy the WARM weather.

Followed by my new favorite!

Nutella yogurt dip (yes, dip is in the title, but if you're like me, you just eat it by the spoonful)

Seriously this stuff is incredible. I used the recipe link above, but I simplified/adjusted it a little. You need one small container greek yogurt (I used Fage, which is by far the most superior greek yogurt) and 2 heaping spoonfuls of nutella. Just combine the two in a bowl and ~~grab a spoon~~ serve with some fruit.

I love lazy days.

painting.

2011-10-19T19:12:00.000-06:00

I like to paint. It's not something that I dedicate a lot of time to and it's more accurate to call it doodling with paint instead of painting. But, whatever it is, I enjoy it. And, given that I have a new space to decorate, I thought it appropriate to try to make something myself.

So this past weekend, while Micah was out of town reminiscing the good 'ol college days at his 5-yr reunion, I spent some time nurturing my creative process.

And this is what I came up with, it's a tree if you can't tell (which I wouldn't fault you for). I began by drawing in pencil on the canvas, allowing myself the freedom to erase when needed. Then, I painted over the sketch with black acrylic paint.

Afterwards, I realized I wanted to go a little more bold, so I painted over the whole canvas in red, progressively using lighter shades as I moved towards the center.

Then, I chose to add a few more colors to the mix, mostly different shades of gold. One of the things I love most about painting is the ability to mix paints. I love that adding just a little or a lot of one color to another creates a whole new palette. The color spectrum is truly incredible!

And now this piece has a home in my office. I like how it turned out. It adds a little bit of happy to a very beige room that is in desperate need of more decorating!

Shely's visit.

2011-10-18T21:56:00.001-06:00

Last week went fast and before I knew it, it was over. But, before I launch into posts about my new job and the new life that comes with it, I want to write about my weekend with Shely.

Shely and I went to grad school together and we interned at the same place our second year. She is a fabulous human being! We're both introverts, but when we're together I feel like there are endless things to talk about. Having her here for the weekend was so good for my soul, almost like a calm before the storm (as I started work the day after she left). Unfortunately, Micah didn't feel well all weekend, but it did give Shely and I a chance to have lots of friend time.

This was Shely's first trip to San Francisco, or to California even, so I wanted to make sure we hit all the famous spots. The weekend she was here was Fleet Week, so there were lots of military personnel around the city and loud air shows. The first day she got in we went down to Fisherman's Wharf, a haven for all tourist. The place is filled to the brim with tacky trinket stores, but even that can't take away from the amazing views down by the bay.

One of the ships at Fisherman's Wharf

We visited the sea lions at Pier 39, one of my favorite things to do at the Wharf. Sea lions are so lazy! The one in the picture below looks like he did a belly flop on the wooden deck/pier.

And we couldn't pass up The Buena Vista's amazingly wonderful Irish Coffee.

Later, we went out for sushi, a lighter meal given that we had eaten clam chowder late in the afternoon. Then, we just came home and crashed. Shely had gotten up at 3am Denver time to catch her flight, so I know she was exhausted.

Saturday, we headed off to the Marina. We went to La Boulange for some good french breakfast. Then, being the great host that I am, I ditched Shely for my hair appointment, while she wandered around in some of Union Street's shops. We met back up after I was done and walked down to the Bay.

Where the height of Fleet Week was happening.

Unfortunately, it was super foggy, so much so that you couldn't even see the Golden Gate Bridge.

Someone kindly offered to take our picture.

After a quick glance at the water, we caught a bus up to Haight, where we met up with another friend who went to school with us, Caitlin, for lunch at Kan Zaman. Such a great idea on Caitlin's part, as we got all the food pictured below for $20! Which was more than enough for the three of us.

We also got ice cream and Caitlin and I convinced Shely to get a green polka dot dress that looks so cute on her.

Shely and I then headed back to my apartment to devise a plan for dinner and to check in on Micah.

I love the view from my apartment!

We decided to go out to Mandalay for Burmese food. I didn't get a picture of everything we ordered. But this is the Tea Leaf Salad, which was phenomenal.

Sunday was my last chance to show Shely some sights, so Micah and I reserved a car for a few hours to drive around the city. I wanted her to see the Golden Gate Bridge, so we went there first, but drove through a couple neighborhoods of really nice houses to get there.

Oh, Beautiful Bridge!

Best photo of the trip.

Then we drove past the Palace of the Legion of Honor and headed down to the pacific ocean, so Shely could see it for the first time.

Of course that meant that we had to run out to the water, so she could stick her toes in!

Sadly, then it was time to take her to the airport, but my fingers are crossed that she'll come back! :)

great friends are hard to come by

2011-10-09T22:35:00.003-06:00

But thankfully they do exist.

A real post of this past weekend soon to come, but for now I'm going to go freak out about the fact that tomorrow is my first day of work.

the dreaded DMV.

2011-10-07T00:05:00.000-06:00

Warning: Lots of complaining ahead.

Ok, so my years of escaping the complete misery of the DMV have caught up with me. It's not as though I've had good experiences at DMVs, but they've never consisted of almost four hours of mean people, torturous waiting times, and unhappy customers. This experience is exactly why I had dreaded going and why I had put off going the entire summer.

Perhaps my first mistake was that I did not make an online appointment. In my defense, I tried to make one on Monday, but there wasn't a single opening for the rest of the week. And, given that I am starting a job next week, this one was my last opportunity to make a CA driver's license happen. My plan was to get up early and arrive when it first opened. But, then the weather decided to be uncooperative and pour. And, I didn't really want to arrive to my death at the DMV sopping wet. So, I waited until the rain let up and then went.

I stepped into the non-appointment line and immediately heard the lady manning the desk barking orders at people. And, yes, I do mean barking. I was terrified and I wasn't even near her yet. She was yelling at people for not filling out forms correctly, not moving fast enough, standing too close to her desk, etc., etc. But, let's pause for moment, why is it that at the DMV employers are allowed to wear whatever t-shirt and sweatpants they want to work? That sounds really condescending (and it probably is), but they are government employees and I can't think of other government offices that are allowed to dress so casual to work. I mean, how do you even take your job seriously when you're wearing a t-shirt with an ironed on wolf howling at the moon? When did I transport myself to Gatlinburg? Ok, back to the story, when it's finally my turn to approach scary lady at the desk, I'm trembling. I'm here to get a California license. PASSPORT! Um, Yes, I have it, here it is. FILL THIS OUT, DON'T SKIP ANY. Ok.

G126. It's my number. I filled out the form, extra careful that I didn't skip any questions. Unfortunately, I unwisely chose where to sit down to wait, because there were two teenage boys sitting next to me playing games on their cellphones. Ever heard of silent mode? Fast forward an hour, and I'm still listening to the beeps and high pitch noises of who know's what game. G126. Finally, my number is called.

I got through that phase quickly and pain free, and moved to the picture line. Dead halt.

Another almost hour of my life down the drain and all I have to show for it is a terrible picture where I'm half smiling.

{Getting bored yet, get up and stretch.}

I moved to the written exam area. I thought things were starting to look up. I finished my test, and guess what, got in another line to have it checked. Tick tock, tick tock. Oh, that's just another hour of your life. I approached the desk, I'm in the clear. The guy checks my test. 100%! No wrong answers, take that! He prints out my temporary license and hands it to me to sign. I glance it over and my last name is not hyphenated, it's one word. Hold up! I ask him about it, to which he replies that there is nothing he can do. I'll just have to come back when I get my license in the mail for them to fix it. What?!?! You, at the last minute, mess up my name and you're not going to fix it? My name was printed correctly on all the other paperwork!

Recap: I didn't have an appointment, their was a crazy mean lady manning the intake desk, waited an hour to get called to the first desk, waited 45+ minutes to get my picture taken, took my written test, waited an hour to have my test reviewed, and then had my last name misspelled just when I thought I would finally be freed from the life-sucking, windowless hole that is the DMV.

The guy forces me to sign the piece of paper that has my incorrect last name, so I stop holding up the line. By this point, I almost felt like giving up. But, the thought of having to return to this hell hole gives me the strength to keep fighting.

After waiting, then having someone tell me she can't help me because she's going on break, then some more waiting, then talking to a manager, then some more waiting, and then finally talking to probably the nicest person that works at the DMV, I got the problem solved. I had to take another picture (thankfully I escaped having to wait in the line again). Oh, and I'm going to be receiving not one, but two licenses from the DMV, one with my name spelled correctly and one with it not. How that works I'm not sure. It's a hyphen people, it's not that hard to figure out!

Four hours later and I felt like I was running from that place, I could not get away fast enough!

Some good news. My friend Shely flies in tomorrow! So excited to see her!

making good on a promise to myself.

2011-10-05T17:49:00.000-06:00

I told myself that when I got a job I could buy my first pair of toms.

And today I did.

Portland and some good news.

2011-10-04T10:56:00.000-06:00

Well, I've been gone awhile. I guess that whole "blog 2-3 times a week thing" did not pan out so well for me. I'm back though, and it's fall, and I have some good news to share.

I was in Portland last week. Micah had a business trip and decided to spend some extra time up there with family, so I tagged along. I actually got to enjoy 3 of the 10 days per year that Portland has good weather (I kid, but seriously, I'm not sure I could handle all that drizzly rain). I really did luck out though. While Micah was busy in meetings talking bank strategies, I wandered around the city. It was the perfect weather, sunny and warm, but not too hot.

Micah's younger sister gifted me a late graduation present of a manicure and getting my hair styled. It was fun, and I felt super glamorous when I left the salon. I mean, my hair never looks like this!

I also can't imagine ever spending time to achieve this look on my own, not to mention that I don't own a hair dryer or one of those big round brushes or any styling talent to be able to make this happen again. It was fun while it lasted though.

While I was walking around Portland, I passed by the Timbers Stadium (the city's soccer team). See those pictures they have up? That was a contest that fans participated in.

One of Micah's friends tried out. I think he should have won, he looks very portland-ish (meaning he has some type of crazy facial hair). Don't you think?

Anyway, most of my trip was spent shopping, shopping for clothes to be precise. Or to be even more exact, shopping for work clothes. Because, this girl is FINALLY employed! (hint: this is the good news!) I found out about the job offer while I was in Portland, which made it that much of a better trip. Although I don't feel comfortable splashing all the details of my new employment for the internet to see, I am so excited about this new opportunity. The position is a clinical case manager, which basically boils down to being part case manager and part therapist. I'll be working with adults, which is also a huge positive for me. And, I start in little less than a week.

So, a big thank you goes out to everyone that has commented or emailed or called sending their encouragement about job searching, as well as those that sent their best wishes that I would find a job soon. I really do appreciate it! And, as my days of unemployment will soon come to an end, I'm trying to soak up these last few days of "freedom," while also running tons of errands to get myself ready.

Our last morning in downtown, we went to Voodoo Doughnut, a Portland legend and rightfully so.

The inside decor is pretty awesome.

They have TONS of doughnuts, of all flavors.

Micah got the Maple Bacon Bar. I'm not a huge fan of maple bars, but I had a bite of this one and it was pretty tasty, the sweet and salty combination balanced well.

And I got the Oreo Peanut Butter Doughnut (breakfast of champions, folks).

This thing was huge and extremely rich. Delicious, but too much to finish in one sitting.

After Voodoo, Micah and I headed out to the suburbs to hang out with family, including a cousin's wedding that we went to on Saturday. The whole trip was a ton of fun. I loved getting to see more of Portland and spend some time with family outside of the usual craziness of the holidays. Oh, and I got a job! I could not be happier!!

An LA type of labor day weekend.

2011-09-07T23:44:00.003-06:00

This past weekend Micah and I headed down to Los Angeles for some quality time with family and friends. It was a great break from my normal routine and who says that one can't need a vacation from unemployment. I sure felt like I did, and was so thankful to have time away to relax and enjoy great company.

On Saturday, Micah's family took us to Thai food with a view. Even though it was a little foggy and windy, the restaurant had a great patio, complete with outside heaters which came in handy.

My attempt at a self-portrait group shot, not so shabby if I don't say so myself.

Saturday was also kick-off for the new season of college football. Alabama rocked it out of the park with a high-score win against Kent State. Of course, no one's ever heard of Kent State or their football team, so that was to be expected. Unfortunately, the much anticipated Oregon vs LSU game left us feeling sad and discouraged. However, I have faith that Oregon's team can pull it together and really it was more so their mistakes that cost them the game then LSU playing well.

On Sunday we got the chance to re-connect with some friends that we met in Colorado, and have since also moved back to California. Alicia and I were in the same dual-degree program and I miss her a ton! And, Micah and I of course miss hanging out with Alicia and Alberto. Our first stop was Aroma Coffee & Tea Company. It was a great brunch place. Our second stop was Hollywood. But, before getting on the underground metro we noticed this car's advertisement. It's for the Hollywood Cookie Diet.

If you can't read it well, the tag line says, "Eat a cookie, Skip a meal." Awesome.

We walked around the outside of Grauman's Chinese Theatre scanning all the signatures and handprints of the rich and famous.

Of particular importance was running across the dynamic trio from the Harry Potter series.

Here's another attempt at a self-portrait group photo. It was so great to hang out with A & A. For me, I was able to bemoan my current job status with someone that really understands exactly where I'm at, as she is right there with me.

I was able to see the hollywood sign for the third time in my life!

Later that night, after enjoying dinner at their place, we went down to Universal City Walk, which is right by Universal Studios. It's a pretty lively area.

There's a candy store on the walk called It'Sugar. They had an unbelievable amount of candy and candy paraphernalia. Oddly enough, out of all the candy that was available, we bought a pack of nerds, wild cherry and watermelon flavors.

After walking around for a bit, we ended up at Hard Rock Cafe, where we got drinks, dessert, and some utterly terrible service. The waitress claimed it was her third night on the job, but we were skeptical that she wasn't just bad at her job and didn't want to lose a good tip!

On Monday, Micah and I made these pancakes for his family. They were just as good as I remembered. Everyone loved them. Afterwards we made the short trek over to Downtown Disney, which is an area similar to Universal City Walk as it has stores and restaurants outside of the park. Therefore, not costing any money to enjoy the surroundings.

The big Lego store was awesome! We ended up buying some lego harry potter magnets. Yes, I'm aware of the unhealthy trend that is happening. But, I'm just so sad about the end of the harry potter era!

As we continued walking, we happened upon this gentleman making some minny mouse candy apples (the ears are marshmallows!) I couldn't help but drag Micah inside to get a caramel apple.

We went with the more plain, caramel peanut apple. Can you believe that a minny mouse chocolate dipped apple will cost you $10.00!!! Somebody is making bank on those suckers! Oh the magical world of Disney.

We had a fabulous time in LA. I cannot reiterate enough how great it was to get a little breather, spend time with family and friends, and just be together for a few days. I'm also happy to report that LA weather cooperated the last couple days we were there with some warm weather! (There's an ongoing joke that whenever I come to visit LA I bring bad weather, because it would always be unusually cold or windy or something.) I hope that the curse is broken and I will continue to enjoy good weather when I'm there.

our new apartment, the bedroom.

2011-09-01T10:07:00.000-06:00

We are finally mostly settled into our new apartment. All but a couple random things that are still lingering in the living room have found a space to call their own. And, it already feels like home.

Micah moved back to San Francisco a month before I did, so when I got here our apartment was already picked out. Yes, I had seen pictures. But when we pulled up with all our stuff ready to be unpacked, I was a little anxious to see our new place. I trusted Micah, but this was going to be home for at least the next year, so I wanted to love it. And, I do. But, it took a little nesting first.

The first room to come together was the bedroom. I think this was for two reasons: 1. we had most of the furniture already, 2. I was so excited to have a bedroom large enough to move around in!

As your can tell, our bedroom is mostly black furniture, lots of white and grey, but with accents of red and blue.

One thing we were not crazy about is a tacky, fake wood accordion door that exists to separate an opening between the living room and bedroom. I did not want to wake up staring into my living room (that's why I rented a 1-bedroom, not a studio). But, I also did not want to look at that awful accordion door.

Problem solved. It's like having a red accent wall!

I only wish the chair (which previously found a home in the living room) was a different color. I don't have the slightest clue how to go about reupholstering a chair like that (or any chair for that matter).

Our two nightstands were the only new furniture purchase. And they cost a grand total of $80, bought off craigslist. Oh, to have space for nightstands, what a luxury!

And, that's the bedroom. The only thing I still would like to do is find a purpose for that wood beam (seen in the first & third pictures) that has 4 hanging hooks. I am thinking maybe some type of lanterns. I'm not really a plant person, ~~I kill plants when I have them~~, so that wouldn't work. But, other than that, I think the room came together quite nicely.

surviving unemployment.

2011-08-26T10:12:00.008-06:00

If you can call watching more episodes of Friday Night Lights then I care to admit surviving unemployment, then, people, I am surviving.

Seriously though. Let me tell you, and not that this is really any unknown news, but unemployment is hard and it is draining and I am discouraged. Because every time I re-write my cover letter and email it off to yet another job, I feel a twinge of hope. Like, maybe this is the one. I think to myself this job sounds so much more interesting than all the ones I've applied to before it. But, then coupled with this twinge of hope, are other thoughts. Because even though this is the best job out there, I need to find something wrong with it, so I can be okay when I don't get a second interview or I don't even hear back from the organization at all. This, friends, is self-preservation. And, I'm okay with it. Because it's allowing me to survive unemployment.

As with most of life's challenges, some days are harder than others. And, on those days in particular, it's a good idea to make cheesy jalapeno beer bread,

or chocolate pie.

Because on those hard days, it seems like I'm not just unemployed, but I'm unemployable.

And then the self-esteem mantras have to make an appearance. You have skills. You have relevant work experience. You have two masters. You are employable.

So, in an attempt at more than just survival and to keep myself from talking to Nora like she's my co-worker, I'm making a grand to-do list. And, I'm posting it here for all to see.

1. Get a job.

2. Read more: Books to finish-Trauma Stewardship by Laura Van Dernoot Lipsky, 7th Harry Potter, and Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein. Books to start: Bossypants by Tina Fey and the Hunger Games series.

3. Get outside at least once a day

4. Sew something with stuff I already have

5. Take a class (the Jewish Community Center we joined has lots of free ones)

6. Plan housewarming party

7. Get a CA license

8. Each week send someone a card

9. Keep the apartment clean (You would think someone that spends all day at home could do a little more than their share of this, but motivation in this area is sorely lacking!)

10. Use one of my graduation presents and get a massage

11. Make a food budget (It's so hard to limit, now that we're back in SF)

12. Make 4 more coasters (i.e. getting creative with the ikea catalog, they look like this)

13. Keep up the exercising. Two classes that I've been taking that I really love are cycle sculpt (cycling with the addition of a weight workout) and bollywood dancing (love it!)

14. Create/find a mail organizing system that actually works

15. Blog 2-3 times per week.

On a totally unrelated note, is this dress cute or have I been unemployed too long? I feel as though it could have a number of ill-fitting issues.

source

Also, if you have any positive advice, encouragement, or to-do suggestions, feel free to comment or send them my way.

Strawberry and Blackberry Tart

2011-08-04T10:03:00.011-06:00

I have been on a baking/blogging frenzy (I think you can call it that, when an absent blogger posts 4 days in a row). I think unemployment is getting to me, because I've been baking/cooking to take my mind off of it. Not really sure if that is working in my favor, given that time spent on making food and looking at food blogs would probably be better spent looking for a job. But, you gotta give yourself some outlet, right? At least that's my reasoning.

Anyway, onward to the tart. Recipe and inspiration came from here.

First off, buy yourself the following ingredients:

1. Frozen Puff Pastry, 1 sheet, de-thawed

2. Egg, 1

3. Sugar, just enough for sprinkling outer rim

4. Cream Cheese, 4 oz

5. Heavy Cream, 1/4 cup

6. Lemon zest, 1/2 tsp

7. Powdered Sugar, 3 tbsp

8. Berries, whatever combination you want: strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, enough to cover your tart. I used about 1/2 small package of blackberries and about 7 strawberries, sliced.

First thing you want to do is de-thaw your puff pastry, this takes about 40 minutes, according to the directions on the packaging I bought. Once thawed, preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Carefully roll out your puff pastry onto a lightly floured surface, then transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet.

Score the pastry with a knife at about a 1 in thickness, careful not to cut all the way through. Prick the middle section with a fork.

Brush outer edge with beaten egg and sprinkle with granulated sugar.

Bake until puffy and golden brown. The recipe said for 18-22 minutes, but mine only took about 15

While the pastry crust cools, mix up the cream cheese filling.

First, beat the cream cheese (which should be slightly softened) until smooth. Then add 1/4 cream, 2 tbsp powdered sugar, and 1/2 tsp lemon zest. I also added a touch of vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy, and fully combined.

When the crust is fully cooled, scoop the cream cheese filling onto the middle.

and evenly spread it out.

Then top with your berries, in any design that you'd like.

Here's a close up.

And finally, use that last tbsp of powdered sugar to sprinkle over your tart. This step would look prettier if I had a sifter, but fingers or a spoon will do. Serve at room temperature, and refrigerate leftovers.

Update on Farm Fresh: I used up those turnips I picked! I was a little worried that I wouldn't, because turnips don't really sound all the appetizing. But, I found a recipe for Turnip and Potato Fritters that I thought looked pretty good. I wasn't quite sure what to serve them with, so I just made scrambled eggs for a breakfast for dinner type meal. As you can see from the picture, I had a glass of wine to go with it. Wine goes with breakfast, right?

the many sleeping positions of nora the cat.

2011-08-03T11:25:00.003-06:00

Nora's almost as lazy as me these days...

She will pretty much sleep anywhere,

Like with her head perched against my leg,

or her body drooped over the arm of the chair.

But she really does prefer a lovely spot in the sun.

the best pancakes I've ever made.

2011-08-02T14:47:00.007-06:00

Sweet Potato Pancakes with Spiced Pecans and Peach Butter

The best part about this recipe is that, although there are a lot of different components, they can all be prepared ahead of time. That means an amazing, and quite simple, weekend breakfast without all the hassle.

Ok, so there are 3 parts to this recipe: the pancake, the butter, and the pecans.

I started with the butter (halving the recipe was plenty).

Ingredients:

1/2 cup peaches, diced (I still used the full amount of peaches, but if you wanted to stick true to the recipe, just 1/4 cup)--Another adjustment I would make for next time would be to mash them up just a little.

1 stick butter, softened

2 tbsp brown sugar

itty bitty pinch of sea salt

Directions:

Beat butter, sugar, and salt until light, then add peaches and beat until combined.

Scoop butter into individual portions and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Then I did the pecans.

Ingredients:

1 cup pecans, chopped

1/2 tbsp butter

1/2 tbsp honey

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (I might have sprinkled a little too much of this on...)

1/4 tsp sea salt

Directions:

Heat skillet over medium heat and add all the ingredients to pan. Cook until lightly brown and caramelized, about 8 minutes. I stirred pretty consistently because I was worried about the pecans burning. Cool and then store in an airtight container.

Last up the pancake.

(even though now that I'm thinking about it, I started the whole process with baking the sweet potato!)

(Again, the following is the halved recipe which could comfortably serve 4)

Ingredients:

1 small sweet potato, or 1/2 a large one

1 & 1/4 cup, plus 2 tbsp flour

1/2 tsp salt

3 tbsp sugar

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tbsp baking powder

1 & 1/2 cups buttermilk

1 & 1/2 egg (yes, I know, this one was a little hard to portion)

1 tbsp butter, melted

1 tbsp honey

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

Directions:

Prick sweet potato with fork and bake at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes. Let cool.

(this is the point in the story that I stopped for the day and I finished the rest of the batter in the morning, but you could do it all the night before if you wanted.)

Mix together flour, salt, sugar, baking soda, and baking powder in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk, eggs, and melted butter, then add to dry mix. Peel and mash the sweet potato, adding to it the honey, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add to batter and let stand for at least one hour. When you're ready, just prepare pancakes like usual. Heat griddle or skillet (over medium-high heat) and ladle batter in batches. Flip when bubbles begin to form and cook the other side for a bit.

Serve topped with peach butter and spiced pecans.

Seriously, if you can't make these for tomorrow, make 'em this weekend. These pancakes are d.e.l.i.c.i.o.u.s!

Farm Fresh.

2011-08-01T09:39:00.011-06:00

This past Saturday I picked my own produce from the ground!

Micah and I went with some friends to their friends' farm in Petaluma, which is about an hour north of SF. They were having a cookout/campfire. And sometimes it's just a nice change of scenery to get out of the city. Plus, we were told we could pick our own produce, who passes that up?

By the way, this is our newest addition, a kitchen cart.

As I was picking green beans with this other girl, we talked about our simultaneous feelings of connection and disconnection. Seeing the farm. Pulling and picking the produce. Feeling the dirt. I was connected to where my food was coming from. I was connected because I was harvesting it. And, yet, I had done none of the work to get the plants to that point. In fact, in some cases, I did not even know how to pick the produce. Is there a special way to pull green beans off a plant? Am I doing it wrong? I am disconnected from the process of how food is grown.

It was great to be out there on the farm, but it also has caused me to think again about the complexities of food production, both local and not. How do you support smaller entities on a tight budget? How do you encourage the local food movement, while realizing that this might come at a cost to small, "local" farmers in the international market? Farmers that have been forced to produce food not for their own local market, but for the U.S. How do you mobilize for provision laws for farmers, knowing that these also bolster large, factory productions that do damage, socially and environmentally?

Lots and lots of questions...

Wish I had some answers.

On a positive note, Micah and I sure brought home some farm fresh loot. We got green beans, cucumbers, lemon cucumbers, squash, radishes, kale, beet greens, chard, and turnips.

First up on the farm fresh menu was kale chips. Now, I had never made, or even had, kale chips before, but given all the rage around them I thought they'd be a fun experiment. I read a number of different recipes and decided to keep things simple. I washed and dried the kale, then torn it into "chip size" pieces. Put them in a bowl and tossed with olive oil and a sprinkling of sea salt. Spread onto a baking sheet (don't over crowd the chips) and baked for 7 minutes (or until crisp) at 350 degrees.

And, I'm happy to report that I really liked kale chips!

For dinner, I wanted to use some of the squash Micah picked. And when I saw this recipe for Flatbread Pizza with Sausage and Squash, I couldn't pass it up.

We also made a salad to go with it. Unfortunately, I hated the taste of the beet greens. They tasted really salty to me, so we ended up with an abbreviated version of a greek salad. But, oh my word, this garden cucumber was the absolute best. SO crunchy. SO tasty.

I'll keep you posted on whatever else we make this week from our farm fresh produce.

A Chambers & A Peach-Blueberry Cobbler.

2011-07-22T10:47:00.008-06:00

This is my stove. It's a Chambers. Which if you don't know what that is, you're normal. It's basically the oldest stove ever. Do you see all those knobs!?! It's definitely unique. Not many people have the pleasure of lighting their burners and oven every time they want to cook or bake, but I do! I'm not sure if you can tell from the picture, but there are a few features seemingly specific to a Chambers stove. One is that there is a built-in griddle on the left hand side, unfortunately I have not figured out how this works as of yet. And second, in the back on the right hand side there is a well, instead of a burner. This would be nice addition if I actually had the kettle that is designed to fit in the well, but alas that did not come with the apartment. So in sum, both of the special Chambers' features are useless to me. Oh well, at least I have 3 burners.

I've been getting more and more accustomed to my Chambers. And, given that peaches were the most recent farmers market purchase, I decided to make a cobbler. Yum, cobbler! I had also frozen some blueberries from the farmers market a few weeks ago, so I threw them in too.

Peach-Blueberry Cobbler

recipe from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook, 14th edition

Ingredients:

1 cup flour

2 tbsp sugar

1 & 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup butter

5 cups peaches, sliced

1 cup blueberries

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

1 tbsp cornstarch

1 egg

1/4 cup milk

whipped cream or ice cream for topping!

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Combine flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl. Cut in butter, making mixture into course crumbs.

3. In a saucepan, add fruit, 1/3 (or a little more) cup sugar, 1/4 cup water, and cornstarch. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens and is bubbly. Set aside.

4. In a small bowl, stir together egg and milk, then add to flour crumb mixture. Stirring until just moistened (don't over mix). It will be very thick.

5. Transfer fruit to a square baking dish. Using a spoon, drop topping into large mounds on top of filling.

6. Bake for 20-25 minutes (mine took 20 minutes, that's how awesome the Chambers oven is). Let cool and then serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

It All Ends.

2011-07-15T14:27:00.005-06:00

Happy Harry Potter 7.2 Day!

Perhaps you should celebrate with a little butterbeer?

I found this recipe through foodgawker, and I thought the slushy aspect of it was quite refreshing.

It's easy to make and tastes amazing, I didn't make any changes to the original recipe.

We are going to a 9pm show of the movie tonight with some friends. It's probably slightly pathetic how excited I am about seeing it, but I will remain strong in my fan dedication. I'm also a little sad about the series coming to a true end...am I alone in my feelings? Anyone, anyone?

saying goodbye and hello.

2011-07-10T11:52:00.012-06:00

It all seemed to end rather quickly. One minute I am a grad student living in Denver and the next I am an unemployed graduate living in San Francisco. What happened? Where did the last two years go? How did I finish school so quickly? Am I really prepared for life after graduate school?

It feels somewhat strange being back in SF with nothing to do, no schedule to follow, no greater purpose than editing my cover letter over and over again and organizing our apartment life into 850 square feet of space. When I left Denver, I didn't really say goodbye. I focused on the things that had made me slightly bitter about living there: the oblivious/reckless drivers, the lack of good (& cheap) food, and the overabundance of sports bars and the type of people that frequent them. But, Denver was more than that to me. It was the place of our first home. It was a place of re-discovering academia, of learning more about the world around me and how I fit into it. It was the place that we adopted our first pet. And it was the place that I reconnected with old friends and met new ones along the way. Denver may not be my ideal home, but I'm glad I lived there. I'm glad that in many ways it was the right fit for where I was in life (let's not forget cheap rent is a huge plus for poor students and newlyweds) and for that I am thankful. Saying goodbye is not easy, especially when there are so many mixed emotions that are attached to it. One of my professors said that saying goodbye is a mixture of grief and relief, and I like that definition. It fits.

And now I find myself back in San Francisco. I'll admit I was worried about whether it could live up to the expectations that had been building in my head over the last two years I was away. I was (and still very much am) worried about finding a job in a market that has a rather large supply of qualified non-profit professionals. But, I am really happy (minus the no job thing, because that's a whole other post in and of itself).

I'm home. So, hello, golden gate bridge that suspends so gracefully. Hello, eucalyptus trees in the park and cheap nail salons on every corner and food that is flavorful and spicy. Hello, muni with your plethora of interesting people. And, hello, friends and family that I've missed so much. Hello, city that I love. I'm excited to get reacquainted again.

Two Years, Part 2.

2011-07-05T17:32:00.011-06:00

Matanzas Creek Winery

Monday (June 20th), our actual anniversary, Micah and I stopped at one last winery on our way to Sonoma for lunch. I wanted to see some lavender fields, since after doing a little research, I found out that late June is the spice's harvesting season. And, I found a place that is both a winery and lavender producer.

We were still just a little early, the fields weren't quite the vibrant purple color I was imagining in my head. But, it was beautiful. In fact, it was the most beautiful winery I've been to (not that I've been to that many to really make that statement mean much).

There were some bushes that had definitely blossomed more than others.

And, since the winery was located off the beaten path, it wasn't overcrowded in the least. It was peaceful and relaxing. There was even a small painting group that had gathered and set up easels in various spots around the grounds. That should tell you how beautiful the place is, I've never seen people painting at other wineries I've visited.

The layout of the place was spectacular. There was a lounge area right outside the tasting room that beckoned our names.

Upon walking around a little more, we came upon a barn that had impressively detailed doors.

You can't really see the doors that well in the next picture, but here Micah is standing in front of the barn. Oh how I love the instagram app! It's my favorite.

Lastly, have you ever seen a bocce ball court that looked this nice?! I mean really!

After our pit stop, we headed into Sonoma and tried out the girl + the fig. It's a French restaurant and it had good reviews on yelp, but sadly I was not impressed. Our waiter was a bit of pain too, so I won't be making any special plans to go back. We started with a cheese and fruit plate, which was just okay and then spilt a fig salad and a main course, a polenta dish. My wine flight was by far the best part of the meal. And if the wine is more memorable than a restaurant's own food, that's not a good sign.

Oh well, we ended the day on a high note with ice cream from Petaluma Creamery. And once back in SF, I was able to make a glorious first trip back to Trader Joe's. Oh, T.J.'s, I've missed you so. I hear by vow to never live in a place again that does not have a T.J.'s. (Mom, you better start working on getting one in Bham, if you want me to move back!).

Happy 2nd Anniversary Babe! I love you so much!

Two Years (a little late), Part 1.

2011-06-29T16:46:00.011-06:00

Our anniversary was over a week ago. Two years. Lucky for us being back in SF, we were able to sneak away for the weekend to wine country. We went further north this time, a little past Sonoma. However, there were still plenty of wineries to enjoy, and what was even better was that many of them were free! Can't beat that.

We drove up on Saturday (the 18th) and made a stop in Point Reyes Station to go to Cowgirl Creamery. We split a cheese plate and it was delicious! I was slightly disappointed though, because I was under the impression (based on their website) that you could watch them making the cheese. And, sadly, there was no cheese making to be seen. But, still a detour worth making.

From there we made our way to Geyserville, CA, which is a small, small town. We tossed our stuff in the hotel room and decided to try out the town's numerous tasting rooms, all nicely located in "downtown." Did I mention they were all free? Wonderful! Our favorite was Meeker. We seriously contemplated joining up for their wine club. We liked almost all the wines we tried. And the tasting room was an old bank, complete with vault and cute, wooden teller windows. We took one of the wines we purchased next door to Catelli's Italian Restaurant and enjoyed a no corkage fee for bringing a locally grown wine. The food was surprisingly wonderful, definitely won best of the trip in my mind.

I was up at the crack of dawn the next morning (for who knows why), so I dragged Micah to the Sonoma County Hot Air Balloon Classic!

This was the first balloon that we saw make it off the ground.

It was impressive. I don't think I've ever been that close to a hot air balloon taking off, at least not that I remember. In fact, I was a little concerned for people that kept getting closer and closer. Parents that would carry their children up to the balloon, close enough for them to touch it. I mean, we are talking about a balloon that is being filled with cold air, then blasted with fire, you want your children that close?

All the balloons had distinct names.

Here's Bob's Cat (I just noticed that you can see the moon in this picture!)

This one is Sushi (it was my favorite)

When it got off the ground, it just kinda turned around

and swam off.

Planet Earth was also a big hit, although by the time it got a chance to get off the ground, it was too windy to do so. Poor Planet Earth.

A couple of my favorite pictures I actually took on my phone. This one

and this one

And to think, all this balloon watching occurred before 9am! We went to breakfast right after and it was by far the worse breakfast I've ever partially consumed in my ENTIRE life. If you're ever in the area, steer clear from Singletree Cafe (I don't even know how it has 3 & 1/2 stars!).

Oh well, at least the day started off right!

Graduation.

2011-06-09T17:23:00.007-06:00

I did it!

Me, Scarlett, and Lauren

I seriously could not have finished school without Micah. He listened to me vent and complain about all sorts of things. He edited paper after paper after paper, many of which were long and boring. He made me coffee when it was going to be a late night and he never complained about the time school sucked away from us being together. He was tirelessly supportive and that is what made finishing school possible.

My in-laws came out for graduation and to help us pack up our apartment. I really appreciated them making the trip, it made not having my parents there a little more bearable (I missed you Mom and Dad!).

Prior to the actual ceremony, I had decided to walk with Korbel (the International Studies School). So, I had a white hood that had red and gold on the back. However, when I got to graduation, both schools had my name and so I decided to walk twice along with the three other dual degree students. I also decided to wear my phi alpha honors society cords (for the social work school).

I'm not sure if this is one of those must-have graduation pictures, but there are all sorts of things that I love about this one. The three of us had a joint graduation bbq/potluck party the next day (of which I took not a single picture).

This is Shely and I, we interned together this past year. I'm going to miss her like crazy!

All the masters level graduates.

Here I am after walking with the social work school. Two diploma holders!

Graduation ceremonies are almost always a guarantee to be boring, and this one was no different. Two hours of listening to names be called out could put anyone to sleep. Except, as I was sitting there in my bulky gown, sweating because it was hot and I was a little nervous about walking across the stage twice without tripping or falling flat on my face, I had a little time to reflect over these last two years. It really is amazing how fast it all went. There were many a times that I thought the required readings, papers, and tests would never end, and yet, here I sit already back in SF and it almost seems like a dream, like it never even happened. Micah and I decided that our next move will not occur after any major life event, as it kind of takes away from the magic of the moment.

I'm so thankful for the opportunity that I received to go back to school. There are things I could complain about, but in all honesty, the University of Denver was a great fit for me, for where I was at, and for helping me to understand more in depth the world around me.

iphone.

2011-04-30T22:23:00.001-06:00

Micah got an iphone for his birthday.

Vail, CO.

2011-03-20T14:24:00.016-06:00

For Spring Break 2011 (most likely my last spring break ever), my sister and brother-in-law stopped by in Colorado for a few days before flying to Vegas for their one year anniversary (remember when they got married last year?) It was great to have them here for a little bit, and we took advantage of the fact that they rented a car and drove up to Vail for a ski adventure. Or perhaps more accurately, a let's-fall-down-a-mountain-together adventure.

We drove up last Sunday morning. After semi-checking in at the hotel, changing clothes, renting ski gear, buying a lift ticket, and riding the gondola up to the kiddy area/bunny slope (which is actually quite near the top of the mountain), it was already mid-afternoon. We tested our mad skiing skills on the mini-slope, but soon enough we just knew we were ready for more adventure (as if falling down while wondering if you'll be able to stop wasn't adventure enough).

Here's a view of the mountain from the bottom where we first got on the gondola. It might not look that steep, but you can't even see the top from this view. And, keep in mind, this was practically my first time, because really sliding down a mountain of ice in North Carolina does not count, even if you are wearing ski gear.

I must say, skiing was fun though. I didn't expect to like it (and don't get me wrong, I'm not going out to buy my own gear and season pass for next year), but it was fun. I think my stomach muscles got the most work out, as I simply couldn't stop laughing at people (including myself) anytime they fell. This probably makes me a bad person, but face planting in the snow is just too hilarious not to laugh.

We made it down the mountain, albeit sightly bruised and exhausted. And when I took off my ski boots, I felt a deep sense of joy, which only increased when food and an adult coffee (read: coffee with baileys, frangelico, and kahlua) was placed in front of me.

After a late lunch, we headed back to the hotel. The view from our room was nice.

M & I spent the rest of the evening teaching the group how to play Settlers of Catan and sipping on some wine. We topped the night off with a late snack at the hotel bar (surprisingly they even had a couple vegan options for my sister).

The next morning we were all pretty sore, so attempting a different snow sport was axed from the list of things to do. I still, a week later, have the remnants of a bruise on the inside of my right knee. We decided to take it easy. We rode into town to visit the one and only brunch place in Vail (how is that even possible in a state that idolizes it's eggs, pancakes, and breakfast burritos?) It was a teeny tiny, little restaurant, but the food was good.

The little town of Lionshead is actually pretty cute.

After a few more pictures in front of the mountain, we headed back to the hotel, and were soon on our way to Denver.

It was a fun trip. I'm glad to have skiing checked off the Colorado to-do list, even better was enjoying the experience with family!

three months.

2011-03-03T08:00:00.001-07:00

Three months from today I will be a grad school graduate, and it could not be here soon enough!

The Super Bowl.

2011-02-08T08:27:00.009-07:00

Can you guess what team I was cheering for?

It's not that I'm really a Packer's fan, it's more so that I'm just not a fan of rapists (in fact, I despise them), therefore cheering for Ben Roethlisberger was NOT an option. I'm so very, very glad that his team lost!

So, in support of the Packers, M and I made some cupcakes, Green Bay cupcakes to be exact.

They were pretty easy, just a little added step of some food coloring, and then I drew & cut out the letter G and we used it when dousing on green sprinkles.

The remnants of which were kinda pretty.

In other Super Bowl news, I would also like to take this opportunity to publicly slam Groupon for winner of the worst, most offensive commercial. If you haven't seen them, you can watch the Tibetan one here. I must have missed the other two that aired, but I was appalled enough at this one. I mean, really. Really, Groupon? More than one million Tibetans have died as a result of Chinese occupation, and you're going to dare make the comment that at least they still no how to make fish curry and at least you got it half price from a coupon! Unbelievable!

Homemade Potstickers.

2011-01-30T21:50:00.004-07:00

Last week I must have been on a new recipe kick (again, all fault is due to Foodgawker...) Anyway, I stumbled across this recipe for potstickers. This was actually the first recipe I found that needed red cabbage and which prompted me to look up another and find the one for cilantro-cabbage slaw.

Even with a few changes (didn't use ground turkey and didn't make a sauce to go with it-who needs to when there's Yoshida sauce around?), it was fantastic. And, it made enough for multiple meals (another plus). In fact, I had this for lunch two days in a row and it tasted great until the bitter end. One complaint is that the recipe makes a ton of filling, so much that we had almost double what was needed. If I were to make it again (which I probably will), I would lessen the filling proportions (perhaps even cut them in half, at least the amount of cabbage).

Shrimp tacos with red cabbage-cilantro slaw.

2011-01-27T09:00:00.011-07:00

Since the beginning of January, I've turned into a budget monster. I've been menu planning and sale searching and coupon clipping, and so far, it's been working. But, I'm not into that "I'm going to buy 50 cans of beans when they go on sale and eat that until I run out." I need flavor and I need variety. So, I've also been trying really hard to stock up on some things, but also buy a lot of fresh produce that can be versatile for different meals. I've also ~~wasted a ton of time~~ researched new recipes on my new favorite: foodgawker.com. It's great because I can use it to search by a particular item (for example: red cabbage), and it brings up all the recipes that use that.

For this week I found a recipe that used half a head of red cabbage, but I needed another recipe for the other half. (I found out later that my local grocery store sells cabbage in halves, but that's neither here nor there.) So, I went perusing for a red cabbage recipe. And, I found this, Vegan Veggie Tacos with Red Cabbage-Cilantro Slaw. But, I knew that I had frozen shrimp to use, so I decided to just use the slaw part.

Enter Shrimp Tacos with Red Cabbage-Cilantro Slaw.

And, it was tasty!

For the shrimp, I heated up some oil in a pan, then added 2 cloves of minced garlic and about 6 slices (chopped up) of jarred jalapeno. I also seasoned with some cumin and chili powder. Then, I tossed in the shrimp.

The slaw was really easy too. I followed the recipe for the most part, except that I added a little more jalapeno juice for some extra heat and I omitted the onion (simply because we didn't have any).

Assembly was real quick. Three shrimp per taco, a sprinkling of cheese, and a heaping portion of slaw. SO good!

my new favorite.

2011-01-26T21:53:00.001-07:00

Food Gawker

be forewarned: you may lose many hours of your life if you click on this link!

5 things I wish people knew about domestic violence.

2011-01-25T08:20:00.005-07:00

1. Domestic violence (DV) is not about anger. It isn't about "losing control." In fact, quite the opposite, an abuser is almost always in control, purposefully (perhaps subconsciously, but still purposefully) acting in ways to belittle their victim. DV is about power and control. It is a perverted and twisted understanding of an intimate relationship, one in which an abuser utilizes a repertoire of tactics (not just physical) to achieve this goal.

2. Along those lines, DV is not just physical abuse. In fact, through the use of threats, constant verbal berating, or economic manipulation, physical violence may never be "needed" by an abuser to get what they want (again, they want power and control).

3. 25 % of all women in the U.S. will at some point in their life experience a domestic violence relationship. 1/4th of the female population is affected by this! 1/4th!! And, it affects women everywhere. It is not contained to a specific age, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic group, religion, sexual orientation, or educational background. And something that impacts 25% of all women is a raging epidemic that needs to be stopped.

4. The age old phrase "It takes two to fight" does not apply to abusive relationships. However, many victims are made to feel as though what goes wrong in the relationship is their fault. They are made to feel that if they just tried harder to ____ (be a good wife, stand up for themselves, be understanding, explain themselves better, etc.), the abuse would not happen. There is nothing a victim can do to stop an abuser from being abusive.

5. If you ask the question, "Why doesn't she just leave him?" to a person informed on the dynamics of DV, be prepared to hear the longest answer of your life or be prepared to receive the stink eye, the deepest of sighs, and to be left standing there alone (DV advocates & counselors aren't perfect, people, and if you had to answer this question for the umpteenth time, this would likely be your response too). Now, for an abbreviated version of an answer to this question, I suggest looking here. It's way more concise than I could ever be.

**If you or someone you know is suffering from an abusive relationship, the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence can be a great a resource. It is never okay for an intimate partner to harm you (no matter what excuse is given to condone the behavior), and there is help out there.

I don't blog about grad school.

2011-01-20T09:53:00.004-07:00

And I'm not sure why this is.

For the past year and a half, I have been back in school. It was odd at first. I felt unproductive (and privileged as anything) as I listened to lectures and had intellectual conversations about how to "fix" the problems infesting our world. I felt overwhelmed by the influx of information that I tried to take in, concerned that I was only actually absorbing a small percentage of what was being tossed at me. I felt sad and I felt angry. I was back in school again and I couldn't process all that was happening.

So, I left school topics off the blog. I didn't talk about the devastation that privatization plans and structural adjustment policies have wrecked across Latin America. I didn't talk about the ineptitude of U.S. drug policies abroad and at home. I didn't talk about family therapy techniques that are often manipulating and condescending and gender stereotyping. I didn't talk about human trafficking and that's it's not just sex trafficking. I didn't talk about the broken refugee system we have and the power imbalance that is apparent based on the sole fact that the U.S. refuses to recognize gender violence as legitimate persecution. I didn't talk about how the local food movement impacts international markets and the foreign growers that have adjusted their product based on what U.S. consumers have demanded. I didn't talk about the trauma of intimate partner violence, the psychological scars that run deep and may not heal over time. I've taken 16 classes so far, I'm in 3 more currently, I'm completing all my clinical hours at an counseling agency, and I haven't talked about any of it.

And, well, that's going to stop.

Grad school and my internship are important pieces of my life right now and I'm not going to leave the hard topics out. So, things might get touchy around here. I'll probably say things that will offend people. But, I fully recognize that I'm a student, which means I'm not an expert. Which means that I don't have all the answers, so I welcome the dialogue.

Disney during the holidays.

2011-01-13T09:44:00.024-07:00

(Yes, I know it's January, but I never got around to posting these.)

Over Thanksgiving, I got the chance to go to Disneyland for the second time. Seeing as though I've only ever been during the holidays, I can't compare it to any other time. But, for some reason, I'm under the impression that it's just a little bit more magical with all the lights and decorations and parades and

fake snow.

Mmm...Mickey Mouse beignets.

Of course we rode the much anticipated teacup ride.

It makes me nauseous every time (all 2 times I've been), but I can't turn it down.

The Dumbo ride was also on the agenda,

although you can't really tell that we're riding it here.

And when the sun goes down, it's time for the holiday parade,

which features a number of familiar disney faces.

And, of course, Santa comes at the end!

But if you think the fun is over once Santa's passed by, you'd be sadly mistaken.

Because, after all that, there's still fireworks, the lighting of the castle,

and fake snow to come.

And, if you think that it doesn't get cold in Southern California,

you'd also be mistaken.

You better have hot chocolate or coffee to warm your freezing hands

(just a heads up, both are terrible at Disney).

The Castle looks pretty mysterious all lit up and glowing ~~from the smoke and chemical remains of the fireworks~~. But, magical all the same.

rewind: a look at 2010.

2011-01-02T20:11:00.029-07:00

As expected, here's a look back at this past year. It was a year of learning. A year of challenging my perspectives and expanding my knowledge. It was a year that brought me that much closer to pursuing my masters degree. But, more than that it has been a year of letting go of the past and the future in an attempt (many times unsuccessful) to embrace the present.

January brought into my life a special little kitten. Nora is still as energetic as when we first adopted her. She's just as curious, and just as expressive. She makes coming home to an empty house when Micah's still at work worth it. And, she helps me procrastinate when I don't feel like reading or writing papers. She's 11 pounds of cuteness (except when she's scratching the furniture, she's not cute then).

In February I said good-bye to a woman I wish I had gotten to know more. She held an important role as wife, sister, mother, and grandmother, and was much loved by many. Micah's grandmother is well missed.

Nine months after my wedding, my sister got married in March. It was a beautiful celebration that reflected their personalities and their love for one another.

Arizona had me all riled up in April over their attempt to implement SB 1070, a law that would have effectively legalized racial profiling. My blood boils when individuals assume no responsibility for the current status of our immigration system and propose ridiculous measures that would do nothing to repair the damage.

Much of May was a blur due to school demanding all my time. But, the end of May brought the end of my fourth quarter.

June was a month of traveling. Not only did I get to go back to my favorite city on the planet, I celebrated my one-year anniversary and got to see my cousin get married in Minneapolis. I visited my parents in Alabama, while spending time with my dad on his 3rd round of chemo. And, I went to Chicago, admired the architecture and visited my sister and brother-in-law.

July was the continuation of wedding season. I went to one nearby in CO and one in Seattle. Oh, and I LOVED Seattle. Yes, I understand that I went in the summer and the weather is not always as beautiful. But, it was so lively and fun, a perfect mix of bustling city surrounded by outdoorsy beauty.

I tried to revel in the remainder of my last days of my "schools-out-for-the-summer" summer in August. I enjoyed spending time with Micah's parents and his sister. I tried making the most of free time to experiment with sewing and cooking and making things homemade. Yet, by the end of it, I was more than ready to turn in my stay-at-home wife hat for grad student hat again.

September brought a new quarter of classes, new books and notebooks, new pens and new highlighters. I love the newness factor, probably more than the classes themselves. I also began my internship and a slow and steady journey to understanding the complexities of counseling and advocating for people. And, my dad turned 60 and we had a party. It was a surprise and well worth the traveling, planning, and lying to make it such.

By mid-October it finally started to feel like fall. Leaves fell and all things pumpkin clouded my head. I went to my first iron cinema (like a book group that cooks together, but with movies instead). It was amazing and we made enough food to feed double the 5 people that were there.

I began to feel a little more comfortable at my internship in November. I felt as though I was finding some sort of rhythm, even though I still have much to learn. I started my own caseload and it felt good to be "back in action."

I turned 27 in December; I'm at the end of what I consider my mid-twenties, which makes me feel old. I openly embraced my holiday break. I celebrated Christmas 3 times. Unlike last year, I stayed up late enough to usher in the new year (maybe I'm not too old yet).

After Christmas Day Slider.

2010-12-31T08:00:00.001-07:00

3 Christmases: Part 3, Denver.

2010-12-30T17:03:00.000-07:00

The third and final Christmas was in Denver on Christmas day. It definitely wasn't what I wanted in that we weren't around my family. But, due to changing circumstances and ticket prices that were beyond what we could pay, it still turned out great. It was a low key holiday. Low key did not come without a lot of work...

We worked a lot in the kitchen. A Lot! We started Christmas eve eve with a brine and butter toffee.

I decided to try brining a turkey, pioneer woman style. I must admit that it did not turn out that great. It was dry. Probably had more to do with our lack of cooking skills and therefore over cooking it than the brine itself, but who knows. It was my first time cooking a turkey.

The little Christmas tree that could ~~survive the wrath of our cat Nora~~.

After almost a full day of prepping, we started Christmas off the right way, with homemade sticky buns. I would eat these every morning if I could afford the time to make them and the time to work them off.

Nora was quite excited about presents. She got kittens of boxville postcards and cat treats!

I got an anthropologie sweater from my sister and brother-in-law.

Micah got a burr grinder from them.

I found this little gal stuffed in my stocking. She's this year's new ornament.

Since we weren't going to be around family, we invited some friends over for dinner. It was nice to have people to spend part of the day with.

I wanted to spruce the dinner up a bit, so we got some white spider mums and I printed out a menu of all the food we were having. Here's the table setting, complete with the Christmas menu,

and salt and pepper shakers (Christmas present from my parents).

I think the simplistic decor looked nice.

Overall, we had good food,

and GREAT company.

And that concludes the 3 Christmases of 2010.

3 Christmases: Part 2, Birmingham.

2010-12-29T09:12:00.003-07:00

Birmingham was the second stop for Christmas celebrations. I had scheduled to go early to help out my parents when my dad went back into the hospital for the second part of his cancer treatments. Unfortunately, it was postponed yet again, but on the positive side he was feeling much better while I was there. My dad and I went shopping for a christmas tree together on the Tuesday after I flew in. We went to I don't know how many places and walked at least a couple miles in the mall. We eventually found one with my mom, when she joined us later that afternoon. It's a pre-lit one, and amazingly not that difficult to assemble. I think it looked nice.

When I first got to Alabama, it was freezing. And, I mean really cold. For example, here is a picture of one of the fountains at the Summit (an outdoor mall). If you can't tell, it is thickly coated in ice.

Further proof that this fountain was actually in Birmingham. Here's Heather posing in front of it. Too bad it's blurry.

These pictures were taken at our annual Christmas dinner (wish I had taken more). It's a tradition that Heather, MK, and I have kept going strong since we graduated from high school 9 years ago. It first started out with us actually making the food, but a couple years in morphed into us just going out for food. Much easier. This year we went to Flip Burger, a fancy new burger place in Bham. Burgers: I'm sensing a Christmas theme this year. Anyway, the best part was their milkshakes. The four of us (Heather's twin sister joined us this year) split 2: Nutella & Roasted Marshmallow and Yule Cake. Both were delicious, but I think my favorite was the yule cake. Every time this tradition roles around and "survives" another year, I feel so thankful for long-lasting friendships. I'm the type of person that doesn't have tons of friends, but I have a small group of really close friends. I like it better that way. I am grateful for the richness that they bring to my life, for their laughter and encouragement, and simply put their presence.

Changing topics. This is Jav. He's been around for a long time too. 15 years (I think) to be exact.

He's a bit of a grumpy old man.

He pretty much sleeps the day away.

But that's ok. He's old, so he gets to do that.

The night before we left, Micah and I celebrated Christmas with my parents. My mom set up the table all cute and we made tons of food, including my favorite sweet potato dish.

We shared favorite Christmas memories,

and then popped opened some champagne before opening presents.

The next day, before leaving, we went to a new(ish?) Greek restaurant, Do Di Yos. I was actually impressed by the meal (maybe it has something to do with the fact that Denver restaurants are so terrible, they've lowered my expectations.) One thing I did find odd though was that they bring out hummus for you to mash up yourself. Huh? You want me to do your job for you? They claim that this way you can make it as creamy as you like. I can't puree garbanzo beans with a mortar and pestle. And who likes their hummus chunky? Enough people to warrant a do-it-yourself experience? I seriously doubt that. Anyway, here's Micah trying to smooth out our hummus.

Oh, and the pita chips were incredibly OVER peppered. It was way too much!

But my salad and main entree was tasty. It definitely kept me full for the flight back to Denver (which was delayed and lengthened by about 2 hours.) Southwest makes me want to pull out my hair sometimes, but yet they have the best deals and everyone knows I'm a sucker for a low price.

Mom. Dad. I had a great time!

3 Christmases: Part 1, Los Angeles.

2010-12-28T09:17:00.011-07:00

Part one of Christmas was really Thanksgiving in LA, but we did celebrate by decorating the tree, drinking hot chocolate, and opening presents. For some reason, every s.i.n.g.l.e time I visit LA, it is unusually cold. For some unknown reason, it is in the 70s before I come and in the 70s after I go, but while I'm there it is always much cooler, or overcast, or rainy. It's a mystery, but I've concluded that LA just doesn't like me.

I guess I can't really complain, because even bad weather in LA, is nothing compared to other places. I mean, we still went for a beautiful walk on the beach, while spotting dolphins and admiring a perfect sunset.

One thing I unfortunately did not think of doing was taking a picture of all 6 of us. But, at least I got everyone is twos. So, here's Tana and Crystal.

Thanksgiving was bursting with food, and the leftovers were still in abundance when our Christmas celebration came around. Everyone thought it was time for a little something different in our diet, so we got in-n-out. Oh, in-n-out, how I miss you. I'm not even ashamed to admit that I ate in-n-out twice while in LA. Best fast food place ever!

After eating our Christmassy burgers and fries, we gathered round the tree, all lit up and decorated with memories. My mother-in-law loves Christmas decorations. She bargain hunts for them in the off season and takes joy in each piece that has been gifted to her. I loved listening to her share memories that are wrapped up in the different ornaments and figurines and holiday dishes she owns.

We opened presents (me, moreso than anyone else because I had birthday presents as well!). I made a couple of the presents we gave, clutches for my sisters-in-law and a table runner for my mother-in-law. I think they liked them, but I know I had fun making them. Piecing the fabric together and creating something out of nothing (ok, there might have been a few moments when I cursed the day I thought taking up sewing would be a fun/easy hobby). But, I'm glad I did it.

whatchu looking at?

2010-11-13T08:22:00.000-07:00

whiskers.

2010-11-08T20:15:00.002-07:00

Nora's whiskers take up the vast majority of her face.

They are by far the biggest whiskers I have ever seen on a cat.

But, they make her her.

And, I love them (and her).

Broncos vs. Raiders.

2010-11-06T15:01:00.026-06:00

For our 1-yr anniversary, I gave Micah tickets to the Broncos/Raiders NFL game. He's been a Broncos fan since he was little (odd, I know). And, the Raiders drafted a player from Alabama last year, so I thought it'd be fun to see him play.

Our seats were high up in the stadium though. I mean, really high up. There were two rows of seats behind us and that was it! Here we are all smiles, before the game began and before the fan drama went down. Oh, to be innocent again.

They had a number of different pre-game activities, one of which included 4 people parachuting

right onto the field!

They really pulled out all the stops for the Broncos grand entrance. Smoke. Fire. A huge blow-up bronco. Cheerleaders. And a cowgirl riding a horse in front of the players.

And that's pretty much where the fun stopped. I won't go into the whole story, but it included the 4 class-less people sitting behind us yelling expletives at the Raiders and then at us to the point that I did not feel safe. So, we got up and left. I was SO angry. I have lost count of the ridiculous amount of poor encounters with Coloradans, and this was just the icing on the cake. I was literally in tears, walking towards the exit, hoping that by a miracle we could, instead of going home, get to the airport and never turn back. I was THAT ticked off. I know it was a highly emotional response given that one can't expect much from people that are regular football game attendees, but come on!

Our first thought was to just leave the game, because it had been such a bad interaction. But, after being assured by security that they would take care of it, and after talking to guest services and being offered new seats, we decided to give it another try. And, I'm really glad we did. We got seated in the plush club level and this was our new view.

You can definitely tell that I had been crying before this photo was taken,

but there were still smiles to be had.

You could actually see the players quite well from our new seats. See #55 on the Raider's team? That's Rolando McClain, he played for Alabama! And, I was secretly rooting for him. He made some great plays.

And then came half time. It was probably the best part of the entire game. It was some little leaguers vs. a whole slew of mascot characters. I still can't understand why all these mascots were at the game, but it made for a good laugh, mainly because they would just chase after some little kid and plow them over.

The game didn't get any better in the second half (the Broncos loss 14-59), but let me remind you, we had some sweet seats!

The weather was amazing, and I took this picture as a few darker clouds rolled in. A little dramatic, but I like it!

Lastly, here's a shot from one of the bars inside the club level. It had a nice view of downtown in the background.

All in all, I won't be back for a Broncos game. I'll cheer them on from home or a bar, but I'll keep my sanity and lessen the potential for interactions with stupid people.

a birthday surprise.

2010-11-03T21:25:00.027-06:00

So a good, almost month and a half ago, my dad turned 60. It was a big deal. He's been through a whole lot this year, and my mom and my sister and I all wanted to make it a special occasion.

We both (along with Micah and Hsiong) flew to Alabama under the pretense that we were going to a band reunion (yes, laugh all you want, I was that pimply-faced teenager in the band that could give you a million "remember that one time at band camp?"). It wasn't a lie either, because we did attend a pathetic attempt at a reunion. I think there were about 10 people, ok 20 max. But, it was a part of the plan, and it got us in town without suspicion.

Friday was my dad's actual birthday, but the party was planned for Saturday night. I was quite surprised that we were able to pull it off, with all the little white lies and covering things so that he wouldn't know anything was up. I wish I could have seen his face when he opened the door and there inside was a gathering of family and friends that have been faithfully supportive and encouraging over the years. He was quite shocked!

My dad and some family friends.

Kristen, Hsiong, and April

My mom (on the right) and some family friends.

Darn this picture for being blurry, it's so cute!

My younger cousins were eager to help my dad open all his presents.

My dad got an ipad for his birthday. Here he is with the keyboard attachment.

It was also Kristen's birthday!

Me, Heather, and Sarah

My grandmother and my youngest cousin (isn't he adorable?).

Micah and Hsiong. Not quite sure what they're talking about here,

looks like it was concerning.

Micah, Heather, and I

My parents (with one of my cousins ruining the picture in the background!)

I should have gotten some pictures of all the amazing cupcakes Kristen made. I think there were about 5 different kinds. And, they were all a hit at the party. I'm extremely glad that we all got to be home and celebrate together. Dad, if you're reading this, I hope you know how much I love you! You continue to amaze me with your honesty and perseverance.

biscuit cinnamon rolls.

2010-10-06T21:49:00.001-06:00

This past Sunday I woke up and I really wanted cinnamon rolls. The thing is, cinnamon rolls take what seems like forever to make and I wasn't feeling that patient. That, and I didn't have yeast and I didn't want to walk to the grocery store. So I did a quick search on google and came up with this recipe, adapted from here.

Ingredients for dough:

-2 cups all-purpose flour

-2 tbsp sugar

-1 & 1/4 tbsp baking powder

-3/4 tsp kosher salt

-1/4 cup butter

-3/4 cup buttermilk**

Ingredients for topping:

-softened butter (the recipe called for 4 tbsp, which I thought to be a little excessive. just spread a light layer on.)

-brown sugar (I didn't measure, but sprinkle till your hearts content.)

-cinnamon (again, just sprinkle it on)

-you could also add nuts, raisins, etc.

Ingredients for icing:

-cream cheese

-powered sugar

-vanilla extract

**(By the way, you can make buttermilk by adding a tbsp of lemon juice to a little less than 1 cup of milk. I used this method, just adjusting a little bit to make 3/4 cup)

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

-Mix together the dry ingredients and then cut in the butter and mix until crumbly.

-Add in buttermilk and mix together to form the dough.

-Roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 1/4 inch thick.

-Spread on a light layer of butter.

-Sprinkle on your toppings (brown sugar, cinnamon, etc.)

-Roll the dough up lengthwise (i.e., you want the roll to be as long as possible)

-Cut evenly into pieces, about an inch thick.

-Place in a round 8-inch cake pan.

-Bake for 16-18 minutes.

-While the biscuits/rolls are baking, make your icing. I totally winged it here. I just added cream cheese, powered sugar, and a little bit of vanilla extract until I thought it was the right consistency and it tasted good. Really, I don't think you can go wrong with those three ingredients!

-Spread icing on all rolls, or do them individually, whichever you please.

I was impressed with these. They really do taste like biscuit cinnamon rolls and for me, a person that loves both, this was a winning combination. And, they were pretty easy to make and did not take near the time normal cinnamon rolls do. So, this is a perfect recipe for when you have a hankering for them, yet lack the energy to go all out.

morning ritual.

2010-10-03T15:16:00.002-06:00

Sometime this summer Micah and I bought a french press. It can be a testy process, sometimes it's a little on the weak side, sometimes on the strong. But, it does makes good coffee. I mean, really good. Since this little purchase came into my life, it's made my mornings ten times better. And, the improvement isn't just from the caffeine. The addition of the french pressed coffee has allowed for more time in the morning for breakfast, for sitting down at the kitchen table and not just grabbing something as I run out the door. It brings a little calm to my morning. And, I don't mind waking up a tad earlier if it gives me the time to spend a few extra minutes taking in the day with my husband.

it's october again.

2010-10-01T16:11:00.003-06:00

And even though the weather in Denver has yet to really cooperate by cooling off, I'm so excited. I'm excited for falling leaves and sweatshirts and boots and most important pumpkins. Yes, pumpkins. Pumpkins in my pies and in my lattes. October is a glorious thing.

the stanley hotel.

2010-09-12T19:41:00.001-06:00

After getting the chance to spend the day with Crystal when she was in Colorado, it was great to have Micah's parents out to visit us that next weekend.

We took them all around town (made much easier in that they rented a car that was able to get us places quickly). But, we also went up to the mountains, to Estes Park. It too is your typical mountain town with the tacky t-shirt and salt water taffy stores. The scenery though is quite beautiful.

Estes Park is probably most know for the Stanley Hotel.

It is the inspiration for Stephen King's book and the location of the movie The Shining. Which is a horror book/film, and therefore the reason for why I have never read/seen it. However, I could just imagine how scared I would be if I were to.

Just being in the lobby was creepy enough for me.

There's a long history of the hotel, too long to be summarized here. But, if you're interested, you could go here to read up on it.

I know one thing for sure, I would NEVER stay there overnight. There's no doubt in my mind that I would not sleep one bit. And, why on earth would I want to put myself through that torture!

and, a happy alabama football 1st-game-of-the-season day to you!

2010-09-04T15:59:00.004-06:00

blueberry muffins.

2010-09-03T09:46:00.011-06:00

Tuesday I had the hankering for blueberry muffins.

And not just any blueberry muffins, but the perfect blueberry muffins. I got the recipe from here, and it didn't let me down. The only thing I changed is that I did not use lemon zest (only because I didn't have a lemon on hand). I'm sure they're great with the lemon addition as well. I also put too much butter in and then tried to compensate by adding a little bit more of some of the other ingredients. It didn't have any drastically negative affects.

Ingredients:

-5 tbsp unsalted butter, softened (yah, so, I used a whole stick {8 tbsp}...oops)

-1/2 cup sugar

-1 egg

-3/4 cup sour cream or yogurt (I used greek style yogurt, because it's yummy and that's what I had)

-1/2 tsp lemon zest (again, they were great without it)

-1 & 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

-1 & 1/2 tsp baking powder

-1/4 tsp baking soda

-1/4 tsp salt

-3/4 cup blueberries (I used frozen & they worked great...but, I did not defrost them before adding them to the batter)

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 375 degrees & grease muffin tin.

-Beat butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add the egg & beat; then the yogurt (& zest, if you're using it).

-Mix together the dry ingredients & sift into the wet ingredients little by little. {note: the end result will be VERY thick, thick & sticky. I was worried that I had really screwed up, but they turned out great.}

-Fill muffin cups to about 3/4 full. My batter made 12, but I also tweaked some of the ingredient amounts. The recipe is supposed to make 9-10.

-Bake for 20-25 minutes. Mine were done at 20, but I still haven't figured out how altitude affects baking.

-Let cool on a rack for a few minutes and then eat them for dinner. At least, that's what we did Tuesday night. Nutritious, right?

Visit to Manitou Springs, CO.

2010-09-02T14:52:00.020-06:00

A few weeks ago, Micah and I rented a car for the day and drove south to Manitou Springs, outside of Colorado Springs. Even being there just an afternoon, it was apparent to me that it is a different world down there. It might have made me appreciate the fact that I'm living in Denver a little more.

Micah's younger sister Crystal was in town for a conference (don't even get me started on that...suffice it to say, I would most definitely do bodily harm to myself or the speaker if I were forced to attend. That or, I would just walk out).

It was nice spending time with Crystal though. It's strange being thrown into a new family, you know. It most definitely helps that I've felt welcomed with open arms. But, it's still a whole new system that you have to figure out, that and you have to some how meld yourself into it as well. Therefore, it's good to have a little one-on-one time, or in this case one-on-two time, I function better in those situations.

The three of us went to the Garden of the Gods, which is basically a magnificent rock park. Gigantic slabs of rock towering over you and jetting up into the sky. It's a little Land Before Times-esque (the 1st or 2nd, not the 8th or 9th). How many of those did they make?

I saw the kissing camels. I'm pretty sure the excursion could have been counted as a fail, if I hadn't.

We also hung out in Manitou Springs' "downtown;" mountain towns are famous for their western main streets. If I'm not mistaken all of them consist of shops were you can buy bear statues, and salt water taffy (is this perplexing to anyone but me?), and t-shirts that say things like "Mountain Dude" with the logo of Mountain Dew. But, Manitou Springs had something even better to offer, and that was frozen custard. And, it was darn good.

Not quite sure why I'm squinting in this picture. It wasn't sunny out. It was cold though, which is why I'm glad Crystal and I are close enough that I could borrow her jacket!

It's not just about the coffee,

2010-08-24T21:32:00.002-06:00

although sometimes it feels like it is.

When I was in Seattle, I felt little pieces of the place I have longed for this past year. And, although San Francisco is that place in the back of my head, what I want might be broader than SF's 7 miles x 7 miles of gorgeous space. Maybe I should have known going into it, or perhaps I should have been more perceptive over the last 12 months, but Denver will never be good enough because I don't want it to be good enough. That sounds harsh, but like the age old break-up phrase, "It's not you, it's me."

I've gone through phase after phase where I have tried to have a more positive outlook. I look for and acknowledge the things I do love about Denver (the sunshine, the parks, that biscuit place down the street), but there's always a driver, yes, a person driving a car, that near tries to run me off the road (whether I'm biking or walking) and all my anger and resentment floods right back in. He or she makes me want to scream expletives, running to board the next flight out of here. I could rant and rave about the times I've come far too close to losing my precious life at the hands of a man that doesn't seem to understand the most basics of road rules. It seems nothing can make me lose my mind as fast as a Denver driver. But, then again, I know I'd never make it running to the airport. It's so far away, I'd pass out dead in the wasteland before I could get there.

But it's more than the driver that ticks me off. In fact, the driver is more of a scapegoat for me than anything. See, what San Francisco did to me wasn't turn me into a city girl (although it did that too), it turned me into a different person. And, that different person collides against a lot of things here in Denver (hopefully, it's never those drivers, right?). My perspective on social justice and faith and contentious hot-topic issues just don't seem to be able to play out as easily. A conflict of ideologies shouldn't have an affect on whether I like a place, but as shallow as it seems, it does. The coffee, the food, and the take-a-stand pedestrians and cyclists all blanket this place I think of as home. They blanket thoughts and perspectives, and standards and beliefs. And above all, they represent a broader spectrum of livelihoods, cultures, and diversity. A richness that is, in my opinion, severely lacking in cities and towns across the U.S.

San Francisco's not perfect, but it captured my heart. And, it's hard to parcel any of it out to other places. But what's harder is trying to figure out what it is that I'm really missing and hoping in the future I will have it once again. I may not be able to completely put my finger on that something that I feel is missing, but I think I'll know it when I experience it. Until then, I may have to continue my critique of the superficial. "The coffee is just so much better in the Northwest." It's not really fair, especially for Denver friends that I'm sure have had to resist the urge to tape my mouth shut when I can't stop complaining. I just know when some place, or something, or someone's story resonates, it can leave a lasting impression. One that is hard to forget. And, one that is longed for in order to feel that closeness again. To feel known and accepted.

{This post took me 9 days to write! If only the actual quality of writing could have improved in that time}

the giants vs. the rockies...take 2.

2010-08-11T20:50:00.001-06:00

Remember the rockies/giants game last year? Well, I hadn't been to another baseball game since. And given the opportunity to sit in some pretty good seats, I wasn't going to pass up on an evening full of eating junk and hanging out with Micah and his co-workers, and of course, watch the giants beat the rockies (which they did!).

In just the first inning, the giants were up 4-0.

To top off getting a free margarita, the weather deciding to cooperate & not rain, and the giants winning 10-0, I ate cotton candy for the first time in YEARS. And, well, it has not changed. It's as wonderful as I remembered it being (besides that time I ate too much of it on one of my birthdays and puked it all up). Mmm..heaven in blue fluffy form.

homemade vanilla extract.

2010-08-04T09:38:00.013-06:00

I've been on a making-things-from-scratch kick lately. First, it was vanilla extract, then fruit roll-ups (that was a disaster), and pickles, and soon I'm actually going to try my hand at canning. Oh, and I've also been sewing! I'm not sure what about homemade it is that I love, but I do like knowing exactly what goes into what I'm eating or a fuller appreciation of the time spent on what I'm wearing. Maybe it's just reassuring. Then again, maybe I just like the feeling of accomplishment that comes with making something yourself.

Anyway, up first is vanilla extract.

I can't actually testify to whether this stuff is any good or whether it works in baking yet, but it's really easy. Not much to it at all. Just vodka

and vanilla beans.

Ingredients:

1 Liter Vodka

10 Vanilla Beans (which are expensive, so shop around until you find a good price)

Directions:

-Take a shot of vodka (it will taste like rubbing alcohol), to give a little extra room in the bottle.

-Slice open the beans and slide them into the vodka.

-Shake it up and put it in a dark, dry place.

-Every week (for at least 1-2 months), shake it again and put it back.

-When the vodka no longer smells like vodka and smells like vanilla instead, it should be done. (Again, I haven't gotten to this point yet.)

-When it's done, you can strain it through a coffee filter to catch all the little vanilla seeds.

And, voila! Vanilla extract that didn't cost $8 per teeny, tiny little bottle.

Top Pot.

2010-07-31T10:34:00.009-06:00

From what I gathered being in Seattle, Top Pot Doughnuts is an authentic area tradition. And, after going there, I can understand why. As pictured above, I got the chocolate with raspberry glaze and it was by far the best doughnut I've ever tasted. The only thing that could have made it any better, was a small glass of milk to go with it.

Micah got the maple bar, and as you can see, it was huge.

And, to add to the doughnut experience, the cafe atmosphere was pretty cool. It seemed almost sophisticated, which who knew that was even possible when doughnuts are involved.

Have I mentioned I'm ready to go back?

seattle.

2010-07-29T16:14:00.000-06:00

{This here is post no. 9 in the month of july. Wahoo, that's a personal record for me this year.}

Saturday (7.17) was sightseeing day, and a lot was packed into a 24 hour time period. Some how we conned our way into getting a ride into the city from Micah's uncle (who actually grew up there). He took us to a park in the Queen Ann that showed an amazing view.

And, the zoom on my camera isn't too shabby.

Some friends, Jon & Elisa, picked us up and we were off. First stop was brunch. I don't have any pictures, but it was good, greasy breakfast food in humongous portions. I'm sure you can imagine what it looked like.

From there we went to the Fremont neighborhood, shopped around. I bought a watch, a real, big girl watch. Ok, well maybe not too big girl, it does have a picture of a cat on it. But it's not plastic, which is a large improvement since the last time I owned a watch.

We visited the Fremont troll. He hides out under a bridge. He looked lonely and sad, so Micah and I took our picture taken with him.

Jon and Elisa got there's taken too.

From there we got on a boat. Well, a large ferry to be exact.

It's a beautiful and relaxing ride over to Bainbridge Island.

And, Bainbridge is just as cute and seaside village like as it could possibly be. I took a lot of pictures of the boats in the harbor.

For some reason, this lopsided one is my favorite.

And, we actually got a group shot, even if Jon's expression is ridiculously absurd.

There's always a couple photo shoot too, right?

And, then I guess some lady felt sorry for us, so she came and took our picture.

Soon enough everyone was hungry, so we headed back on the ferry to Seattle. We did the touristy thing and had dinner at one of the seafood restaurants on the pier. We had to wait awhile, but we were just in time to watch the sunset.

snoqualmie falls.

2010-07-28T09:57:00.032-06:00

One of the most beautiful places I've been.

After trekking up to Seattle and meeting up with Melissa and Andrew (who were passing through on their summer road trip), Micah and I headed out to his aunt and uncle's house a little outside the city. Micah's uncle played tour guide, taking us to dinner, around some of the area's wineries, and finally to a well-visited little spot called snoqualmie falls.

Just the drive up there was absolutely mesmerizing. The green forests seem enchanted.

When Micah's uncle said he was taking us to see a waterfall, what came to mind were all the pretty (and small) ones I had been to before. I had no idea that this waterfall would be breathtaking. That the power of the water would be visible as it rushed over the rocks' ledge. And yet, there would be a gentleness to it, felt as its mist rose to meet the onlookers.

I can't even accurately describe the beauty and the pictures don't come close to doing it justice.

Nature often seems simplistic, but really, I think it is more detailed than one could recount.

I tried to soak in those moments of tranquility as I stood there overlooking the strength and goodness of nature. Even though I know deep down inside I will probably always be a city person, there's something inspiring about being far removed.

We stayed there as the sun set, and the dusk added yet another layer of whimsical attraction.

It got a little cold, so I was glad Micah's uncle came prepared with a blanket.

I'm ready to go back. And lucky for everyone (and by everyone, I mean really rich people), there's a spa/hotel right above the falls and who wouldn't want to relax and wake up to that sight in the morning?

Have you ever sat in the pilot seat of an army blackhawk helicopter?

2010-07-27T09:13:00.000-06:00

It's a pretty cool experience.

One of Micah's best friends from growing up is a pilot for the army, so when we stayed with him and his wife the first few nights we were in Washington, we were privileged to get a little tour of the base. Included in that was an up close experience with a blackhawk.

They are big, really big. And I would not want to fly one. I probably wouldn't even want to be in one when it was in the air. But, they are impressive.

Spending time on the base and with friends that are a part of the army, I can't imagine what it really means to be a military family. The time people spend apart. The restlessness of knowing that you can't settle down in one place for very long. The exploitative nature of the army in that your life belongs to them and (more than) often they could care less about you. It's a rough life, one that I wouldn't wish upon anyone really.

But if I had to be in the army and could choose which base I worked at, I wouldn't mind having this as the backdrop.

Mt. Rainier

emily + chris.

2010-07-24T09:33:00.000-06:00

On 7.11.2010 in a small little town nestled in the mountains of Colorado, I got to see Emily and Chris become newlyweds!

And she looked gorgeous.

You know how sometimes you go to a wedding and the location and ambiance just simply and perfectly reflect the couple? Well, this was one of those times.

And, I just love this picture of them. It's almost like it's just the two of them sharing their own moment, instead of standing in front of a crowd of their family and friends.

Love this one too!

I've known Emily for six years, when we met studying abroad in Spain. And, I'm pretty sure it's safe to say that we both learned a lot during those 5 months. And, I'm so thankful that Emily was there to experience all those changes and questions with me, even more so that our friendship has continued since we left. Emily, you are such a unique and strong person, and a beautiful friend.

The father/daughter dance was quite possibly the cutest one I've ever seen. Emily's dad had been taking dance lessons with her mom and it was just so sweet!

(bad picture, I know, but the only one of the 4 of us).

Congratulations Emily & Chris! I'm so happy for the two of you and I wish you all the happiness as you embark on this new adventure!

chicken, green beans, potatoes, and bell pepper salad.

2010-07-23T08:25:00.000-06:00

Obviously, I'm not quite sure what to call this salad, so I just listed its ingredients. I got the recipe from a Real Simple magazine that I picked up a year ago on my honeymoon, and just recently gave it a try. I thought it was pretty good and also easy to make.

The ingredients:

-small red new potatoes, cut in half. (I used 4 total for the 2 of us...2 potatoes each and it was enough)

-green beans. (I just grabbed a bunch)

-1 yellow bell pepper, sliced lengthwise in strips.

-chicken, shredded. (The recipe says rotisserie chicken, but I just baked 2 chicken breasts with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper and then shredded those).

-3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

-2 tsp dijon mustard

-1 tbsp white wine vinegar

-kosher salt

-black pepper

Directions:

-Cook the potatoes in a steamer basket over simmering water, covered, for about 10 minutes.

-Add the green beans and cook, covered, until both are tender.

-Run under cold water to cool.

-In a bowl, whisk the oil, mustard, vinegar, and 1/4 tsp of both salt & pepper.

-Arrange the chicken, potatoes, green beans, and peppers on plates and drizzle with the dressing.**

Here's a picture of how mine turned out.

**Note: the dressing is pretty strong, so I'd suggest tasting it first to see how much you want drizzled on.

Chicago: the Ice Cream Experience.

2010-07-22T10:13:00.002-06:00

On the last day in Chicago, neighborhood exploring was on my mind. So, after watching the end of the U.S. soccer team win against Algeria, Greek Town was our first stop. We didn't stay too much longer than enough to eat some food, since restaurants are basically the only thing we observed that really made up the neighborhood. Oh well, little did we know the grand experience that was awaiting us in the Wicker Park and Bucktown neighborhoods.

Amidst the expanse of vintage stores and cute cafes, there was a little place called iCream.

By the looks of the inside, it is almost more like a chemistry lab than an ice cream shop. They literally make the ice cream or frozen yogurt or sorbet when you order it! It was intriguing, so we had to give it a shot. Basically how it works is, you pick the type of frozen treat you want, the flavor(s) you want it in, and whatever added candy or fruit you want in it. And then, this guy mixes it up for you.

They use dry ice to make it freeze up quick. Fresh, chemically-enhanced ice cream in 5-10 minutes? Pure brilliance. I mean they've rigged up some crazy chemistry contraption using kitchen aid mixers. It is a sight to see. All they have to do is throw in the ingredients and let it work its magic.

And it goes...

And goes...

And goes some more...

Until Walla! You get ice cream.

Ours was cream soda flavor. And to be honest, I liked it, but it tasted very plain jane vanilla to me. I think it would have been better with some add in, like oreo cookie or some kind of chocolate. But overall, it was a unique and fun ice cream experience. I would definitely suggest going there if you live in Chicago or go visit.

Chicago: the River Architecture Tour.

2010-07-21T09:49:00.000-06:00

Usually, when I visit a different city, I steer away from tours. I like exploring neighborhoods (with the ability to be picky and stay longer where I like, less where I don't). I like seeing the local flavor, window shopping, and eating, and noting quirky aspects that don't necessarily define a place, but enhance it nonetheless. But, my mom suggested this one, which my parents went on with my sister a few years ago, so Micah and I decided to give it a try. It was SO worth the money. Chicago has so many incredible buildings.

On the boat, ready to go.

Corn-on-the-cob buildings.

The Merchandise Mart, all 4 million sq ft of floor space.

{Here it is from the other side.}

Love the two buildings on the sides framing the ones in the middle.

Lots of the buildings on the water are converted warehouses. Recycle, reuse!

This one's my favorite.

Someone's a Blackhawks fan.

The Sears Tower (I know, I know, it's been renamed...)

Still having fun.

Check out the wavy building in the back.

Chicago: the birth place of the Ferris Wheel.

Beautiful.

Chicago: the Bean.

2010-07-20T16:11:00.007-06:00

Micah and I just got back from Seattle yesterday (which I absolutely LOVED), but let's backtrack just a little bit. After Alison's wedding, and the pit stop at the Leinie Lodge, we made it to Chicago. It was an extension of our one-year anniversary celebration. And, my favorite part, besides eating at good restaurants with my sister and brother-in-law, was hands down the river architecture tour that we went on. It was so good that it deserves its own blog post, dedicated to all the amazing buildings that we saw.

But, before the architecture tour, we took a little walk over to the Bean.

It may be a tourist hotspot, but I think it's pretty cool (except for looking at it from some angles made me feel rather dizzy).

Reflection from the outside:

Reflection from the inside:

After taking what was probably an overkill of reflection pictures, both of us were in need of a refreshing beverage and a cool place to sit. So, of course, like all good coffee drinkers, we had already researched the area's best reviewed coffee and well, Intelligentsia was overwhelmingly the favored pick on yelp.

At first I ordered an iced americano, but was quickly informed by the barista that their iced coffee was much better. And, I'm happy to say it was tasty. Although, I must add that my memory is a little foggy, given that Seattle has some of the best coffee and we just got back from there. I mean, it's almost to the point that one need not yelp a place before going to double check! Preposterous, but true. Oh, Seattle, I think you might have stolen a little bit of my heart.

a present.

2010-07-06T10:43:00.013-06:00

I'm going to get a little out of order here (I still have Chicago to wrap up and document all other summer happens, including Emily's wedding!). But, this year, for our first anniversary, Micah gave me a sewing machine. This may seem like an odd present, but I really wanted one and I'm excited to hopefully use it a lot. He also got me a gift certificate to Fancy Tiger, which I've already spent by taking a sewing 101 class. So, what project do you start after you've taken a beginners class, but still are rather clueless? Well, if you're me, you grab a semi-complicated pattern and dive right on in.

And here's the finished product.

It even has a lining on the inside. I'm quite proud.

The button is probably my favorite thing about it!

the leinie lodge.

2010-06-29T14:53:00.019-06:00

After A + A's wedding, Micah and I drove to Chicago with Kristen. We had decided that it would be fun to sneak in a few days of anniversary celebration in a new city. But, before I get ahead of myself and start talking about the amazing river cruise we went on and all the good food we ate, I need to mention Leinenkugel's. When I was in Birmingham, my friend MK introduced me to a beer called sunset wheat made by leinenkugel's. I'm not usually a beer kinda girl (I'd rather have wine), but this beer was pretty delicious and it has not so subtle hints of blueberry. Yes, I'm not ashamed to say I like fruity beers. So, anyway, proud of my recent foray into the beer drinking world, I told Kristen about my new discovery (which of course she already knew about). But, she mentioned that she had passed the Leinenkugel's brewery on her drive from Chicago to Minneapolis (so, of course, we would pass it on the way back). Brilliant! We would just have to stop in for a tour.

We had a little bit of difficulty getting there, but it was well worth the extra travel after happening upon the discovery that the simplest directions to get to the brewery failed to take into account a road that no longer exists. Anyway, we arrived and signed up for a FREE tour and we were given 3 FREE samples.

first round: Classic Amber, Berry Weiss, and Summer Shandy

I highly recommend the berry weiss if you like fruity beers, but do keep in mind that the summer shandy (half beer/half lemonade) is only around in the summer!

After our second sample, the tour embarked.

Leinenkugel's has been around since 1867, which according to their website makes it the 70th oldest brewery in the U.S.

Unfortunately, you can't take photographs inside the brewery, so all I have are the buildings from the outside.

The oldest "building" on site.

Micah paying close attention to what our knowledgeable tour guide was saying.

One impressive factoid we learned was that the huge containers that are used during the fermentation process are so big that in order for a person to drink all of just one's contents, he/she would have to drink a 6-pack a day for 55 years. Micah's response: "challenge accepted."

Once the tour was complete, we headed back into the lodge for our third and final sample. All of us decided to mix it up a bit and try the combination drinks. I had half berry weiss and half honey weiss which was appropriately named "the honey bear."

And here's a picture for the Christmas card this year.

So, go visit Leinenkugel's, the pride of Chippewa Falls, WI.

Alison + Aaron.

2010-06-26T10:42:00.001-06:00

A week ago tomorrow my cousin got married and, in consistent Alison fashion, she looked gorgeous. The wedding was a beautiful reflection of the love they share for each other. Over the years, Alison and I have become closer. We climbed (I'm talking ice picks, helmets, and crampons) Mt. Shasta together, which according to her is a simple hike in the woods. Oh no, it's 14,179 ft tall! As I cultivated my love for San Francisco, Alison was already there to share in my discoveries. And it was around the same time that we both fell in love with the people we ended up marrying. Personality wise, Al and I are really similar. If you know what INFP means, we're both that and will proudly brag about it till the day we die. (: But she is much more laid back than I am, much more go with the flow, and has a much deeper ability to enjoy life regardless of any negative experiences. She's amazing and I love her. And these are just a few pictures from her wedding weekend.

Let's begin with the "Stash n' the Dash" Bachelorette Party...we all wore mustaches and quite honestly, I couldn't believe the amount of complements we got on them.

This is a terrible picture of me, but sadly, I think it's the only one I took of the two of us. I'm wearing the "Grandfather" stash, which apparently means grey caterpillar.

The first stop was to go riding on those 4-person bikes you can rent in a lot of big parks. However, we got there 30 minutes before they were closing and they don't rent bikes out that late. The guy must of felt rather sorry for us, since he allowed us to bike around a little loop close by.

The sexy bride-to-be.

The whole group.

The second stop was burritos and margaritas, and after that just should not be talked about...(:

Saturday, Alison hosted a bridal tea, complete with three different tea tastings. My favorite was the pear green tea. Yum! After which, we did flowers and later headed out to Aaron's family's farm for the rehearsal. In between flowers and the rehearsal, I hung out with my sister and one of my aunts. We were all pretty tired and hungry, so naturally, we hit up their hotel restaurant, ordering coffee and nachos. I'm not going to lie though, it was tasty, and I was rather impressed by the fact that they had fresh jalapenos and not canned ones.

And then came the wedding day.

She's so pretty.

I think it's good luck to spot the oscar meyer truck on your wedding day.

Alison's grandmother.

Alison's mom (my aunt) and aunt.

I just loved the lighting in the bridal suite. The windows were flooded with light, but it didn't overpower the room.

Again, I don't have any photos of the ceremony, since I was a wedding model. But, here's a picture my aunt took of Micah and I afterwards. Happy 1-yr anniversary!

The reception was held at the Bedlam Theatre (shout out to their roasted red pepper dip!). They have a roof top deck with a great view of Minneapolis.

And, although this picture looks like A + A are having a serious conversation, it is the only picture of the two of them that I took. Tragic, I know.

And that is my version of Alison and Aaron's wedding. Congratulations you two!

one - year.

2010-06-20T07:07:00.000-06:00

Time flies. It's the expression we use when birthdays pass, accomplishments are made, and new years sneak up on us. It's an expression that bemoans the fleeting moments of life's days. And, it's an expression that remains eager for more time to come. a warning and a celebration.

A year ago today I married my best friend. It was perfect. A celebration of our love and a promise of a future of shared experiences. While I understand a tad bit more the gravity that's associated with the day, I'm so glad that our wedding was a party. I wanted eating, and dancing, and drinking, and dancing. And, although I can't speak for others, it succeeded and surpassed my expectations. It was joyous and rowdy and I loved it.

In our first year of marriage, there has been what at times seemed like a revolving door of change surrounding us. new city. new people. new school. new job. But there was safety in our relationship. Our worlds changed, but the outside labels of wife and husband and student and Coloradan didn't change who we are. The growth we experienced wasn't because of identities placed on us, but was a compilation of new knowledge and new memories. Life with another person isn't always easy, but life with Micah is never dull! And I don't doubt that he loves me. This anniversary is a celebration, and it is also a reminder that life deserves to be lived to the fullest.

Time flies.

i miss her and her crazy whiskers.

2010-06-11T15:33:00.004-06:00

It's been 8 days since I last saw Nora...

When I left San Francisco, I flew to Alabama to visit my parents. My dad is having his third round of chemo and it's been good to be here with him and my mom. I haven't really talked about his cancer here, since it's something I don't think I have processed fully myself. However, spending time at the hospital, with all its IVs, ice chips, nurses, gloominess, and monotony, has made it feel a bit more realistic. And that helps, not to make it easier, but to make me more honest with my emotions.

well.

2010-06-10T15:25:00.001-06:00

Well, May came and went. It came and went without a blog post. In fact, I think it's been almost a two month leave of absence for me.

Really, I don't know where to start in updating. It feels like it's been an eternity, but I suppose it's better late than never. So, here's a quick recap to catch you up to speed.

My sister got married, remember that?

She looked beautiful and the happiest I think I've ever seen her. She ran a half-marathon the morning OF the wedding, breaking a personal record, yah, she's competitive like that. Then, she put on a elegant white dress and amazing gold shoes and got married. It was a perfect day, and a wedding that was so fitting to their style and personalities. Classy is the word I would use to describe it. Oh, and I was a wedding model...remember the aqua dress?

Well, I wore it and modeled to my heart's content! The location was gorgeous, decorated with fabric draping and bright red Chinese lanterns. It had plenty of space for all the tables and a nice, big dance floor. And, boy did we dance.

My dad did the ceremony, but I caught one little kiss before it all began.

Kristen, you're awesome. I'm so glad I got to celebrate with you. Here we are being fierce!

I finished my first year of grad school.

Eleanor even got up from her favorite chair to congratulate me.

It makes me overjoyed with happiness that I am half way done with my program. In fact, given that I am getting a dual degree in two years, it's almost like I have one finished, and one more to go. So, in light of that, you can just go ahead and start calling me an MA.

I can't believe Micah and I have been in Denver for a year now. Overall, it seemed to have gone so fast, even if at times I felt it was dragging along.

I went back to THE city.

You read that right. I went back to San Francisco. I pretended I had never left. I ate way too much food and rode the bus like a pro. I reminisced, at times fighting back tears. And, I dreamed. Dreamed of moving back, of being a local again. And, I wasn't alone in it all. Micah was right there with me, eating too much, riding the bus, reminiscing, and dreaming. And, it felt right to be doing all those things with my best friend.

If I recounted all the places we went and all the people we got to see, well, it would look much like an hour by hour itinerary, bouncing from one place to the next. And, it was well worth the delayed fight from denver, the lack of sleep, and the 5+ pounds I gained! Micah and I were worried that after a year of building up the city in our heads, that it might not be able to compete, that it might disappoint. But, it did not. It felt like old times, like this pass year had never come and gone.

Our last morning there, Micah had an all-day work training, so I enjoyed a quiet moment at the Ferry Building all by myself. Being the introvert that I am, it was the perfect ending to an amazing, action-packed long weekend. I grabbed a latte and a caramelized belgian waffle from blue bottle and gazed out at the San Francisco Bay. Perfection.

SB 1070.

2010-04-27T09:00:00.002-06:00

The recent law passed in Arizona that makes it a criminal act under state law to be an illegal immigrant makes me sick. The deep-seeded racisim not only underlies the bill, but champions it as well. It is disconcerting. Not only is it a high cause of concern to individuals that are Latino or of Latino descent, but the bill criminalizes activities of those helping illegal immigrants. I guess this makes being a social worker in Arizona illegal too!!

Racially profiling Latino people (especially in a state where there is a large portion of people with latino heritage) who may or may not be in the US illegally is no answer to an immigration system that is completely broken.

Racial profiling is illegal. You cannot stop a person based on looks, appearance, or race. Who do you think police are going to suspect are in the US illegally? Who are they going to stop and ask for documentation? Some white lady (nevermind that she's from Canada and has overstayed her visa)?

Yeah right! Not to mention, only authoritarian regimes begin with asking people to carry around some form of identification. The nazi regime forced jews to wear the star or david. The Franco dictatorship in Spain forced people to carry around ID papers & if caught without them you were jailed or worse.

What this law does is change the role of state & local police. Their primary goal is no longer protection of civilians, but weeding out illegal immigrants. This is of major concern. Crimes against immigrants are already heavily underreported & this law will only exasperate fear in victims. Is that what we want? To push a population further into invisability?! To deny them the most basic of protection? To even in some ways encourage crime? To make it ok to rape, rob, or beat an illegal immigrant, because the perpetrator knows they cannot go to the police!

From my experience working with Latina immigrants, a law like this is detrimental to fostering healthy relations between marginalized populations & the police. This law is not an answer to the numerous consequences associated with high rates of illegal immigration. It is not even a quick fix, & it will not act as a deterrent. I think the policy ideology of "let's do something just to be doing something" leads us down paths that are harmful to all, mainly because they do not have enough foresight to see their own ramifications.

Happy Birthday Micah!

2010-04-22T21:09:00.004-06:00

I love you so much, so much that sometimes words seem insufficient.

Washington D.C., Part 3.

2010-04-18T11:03:00.000-06:00

Day 4:

After recovering from the bike tour, the next big thing on the agenda was a capitol tour. For almost a month, Micah had emailed and called Michael Bennet's office (one of the colorado state senators) in an effort to secure a tour from one of his staff. Having been for the most part unsuccessful, I didn't really think we'd be able to go. I would just have to rely on my 5th grade experience of the capitol, which is shaky to say the least. However, luck would have it that on day number 3, someone called and set up a time for us to come in the very next day.

So we were off to the capitol, that is after relocating our luggage from the guesthouse to the hotel where all the wedding festivities would soon commence. Security wasn't that bad, and once inside we soon met up with tour guide Matt. Matt worked as an intern and is now employed as a legislative correspondent (or something like that). He explained that his job entails a lot of opening all the public's mail addressed to the senator, which include intelligent Americans screaming through paper that he is the spawn of satan and is singlehandedly tearing down our nation. Like I said, intelligent people. I'd say that's a pretty depressing job. Anyway, you could tell that Matt had conducted the tour before as he was quite informative and kept a good pace.

We saw a replica of Lady Justice, who resides on the top of the capitol building. The replica ushers people into the visitor's center, which is a fairly new addition and houses a few of the state statues (each state gets to place 2 statues in designated areas throughout the capitol).

The first stop was inside the dome of the capitol, which as impressive as it might be from the outside, is even moreso from inside. I can't imagine the time and energy that went into creating it, and the sore necks that perspired as a result.

It is beautiful.

Again, can you imagine the sore necks?

I forget the significance of this chandelier, but I think it has something to do with there being a lot of stories revolving who first brought it there.

Tour guide Matt did mention that it takes about 2 or 3 weeks to clean. Can you imagine having to clean that thing?

The Old Senate Room

Yeah Nancy!

The Old House of Representatives Room

This is supposedly where Abraham Lincoln's desk sat.

The Crypt:

where they were going to re-bury George Washington,

but his family fought to have him stay at Mt. Vernon.

The Center of the Capitol

(where the four quadrants of D.C. begin)

The Old Supreme Court Room

Hallway and one-fourth of Tour guide Matt.

I spotted the Washington Monument from inside the Capitol.

And then we got to go on the special tour due to Micah's status as a Bennet volunteer. It really only consisted of seeing a few extra rooms and a cool hallway. Tour guide Matt mentioned that we might see a Senator, but we had no such luck.

The story goes that lobbyists used to hide behind this stairwell and wait for Senators to come down so that they could talk to them. Isn't that crazy? I guess that was a time when politicians were not all too eager to meet lobbyists' demands.

Last but not least, The Senate Appropriations Committee Room

After the official tour, we were given tickets to see the current Senate and House meeting rooms. First stop-the Senate, which was actually in session, so we got to see a few Senators speak (including John McCain-who was the only one I really recognized). He talked about his opposition to Earmarks, no shocker there! (: Second stop-the House, which was not in session, but impressive to see nonetheless. Oh, the history that happens in those two rooms. The women and men that in those very rooms fight for those that elected them. And, the decisions that are made that we adamantly oppose or victoriously cheer on. It was probably my favorite part of the capitol tour.

And, switching gears, as the tour found an end, we found a new plan. There were wedding favors to be made. Kristen, Hsiong, Micah, my Mom, and I powered through putting together the boxes and then Micah and I started in mixing the vegan chocolate truffles. They were really easy, but may I suggest that you follow the directions carefully for your food processor, because we burned through my sister's and had to go out and buy another (which we almost killed as well)!

Do you see that Smoothie King cup? Why, oh, why do I not get those more often...so good!

The diligent team (minus Micah who was taking the picture).

The finished boxes. Aren't they cute?

For some reason, I did not take any pictures of the actual truffles, but they were really good. And by around 12:30 a.m. the favors were all finished!

p.s. No, I still haven't gotten a cord to get the rest of the pictures off the camera, so this may be it until I can figure that out.

The blog lives on.

2010-04-15T16:05:00.003-06:00

I've got lots to catch up on...like for starters finishing up D.C. Trip/Wedding Extravaganza. But for now, you'll just have to be satisfied with an awesome little video of some of my sister's wedding photos, which are AMAZING! (and yes, she did run a half marathon the day OF her wedding!)

Kristen & Hsiong from Ethanyang photography on Vimeo.

Washington D.C., Part 2.

2010-03-25T17:56:00.044-06:00

Day 3:

Thanks to my friend Emily, who told me about Bike and Roll (a bike tour company in DC), Day 3 was filled with seeing many of the monuments along the National Mall. And, let me just say, biking was the way to do it. The tour was three hours and it really wasn't strenuous at all since there are tons of breaks for picture taking. The guides were knowledgeable and outgoing. I highly recommend them. Also, I found a $5 coupon for them on yelp, which made it even better! In case you don't want to spend the money or in case you'll not be traveling to DC anytime soon, I'll give you the play by play.

We started out at the first Smithsonian building, The Castle.

It took some time getting used to the bike I rode. It was more reactionary than mine, but we soon became fast friends.

We rode along to the Natural History Museum.

Micah has this look of shock, I'm not sure if it's because he was finally coming to grasp that we were really in DC or if he was just excited about natural history.

Here's the group in front the Smithsonian Modern Art Building.

The World War II Japanese Memorial.

The back of the Capital.

The front of the Capital.

The Korean War Memorial.

I wish we had gotten the chance to go back here and see it close up, because it looked really interesting. Because of space limitations, the designer built a wall to reflect images of the soldiers to make it seem as though there are more of them.

The Washington Monument.

(It's so impressive when you're standing right underneath it.)

The Reflecting Pool.

The Lincoln Memorial.

The White House.

(The fountain is green because it was St. Patrick's Day.)

The End. (I guess Micah's waving goodbye?)

After the bike tour, food was once again on our mind and upon yet another recommendation (this time from Melissa), we went to Kramerbooks and Afterwords. It's located off of Dupont Circle, which is definitely an area I would like to spend more time exploring. Although the escalators coming up from the metro were intimidating (by which I mean terrifying). Here's the view.

For lunch (not that you really care), I got this crabcake pasta dish, which was awesome. I pretty much ate as much crab as humanly possible in a 7 day time period. It was grand. And, to finish off, we got the Goober Pie (which Melissa said was a must).

Hmm, hmm, goober pie!

Washington D.C., Part 1.

2010-03-24T09:46:00.038-06:00

Since the Wedding pictures are currently stuck on my camera (the cord to connect to upload them is nowhere to be found), I will begin our journey at the beginning. I suppose chronological order is nothing to snub at, so here it is. Spring Break 2010!

Day 1:

After arriving late to the Baltimore airport, missing the earlier bus that would take us to the metro, and hauling our 4 bags to our bed - breakfast (not to be mistaken with bed & breakfast), the first and really only task of the remainder of our evening was to get food. Based on my sister's recommendation and overwhelmingly positive reviews on yelp, Micah and I found our way to Dukem Ethiopian Restaurant. And, well, it did not disappoint. I'm not a pro when it comes to Ethiopian or Eritrean food, but the mixture of spices were delectable and the spongy pancake-like bread was superb.

Micah got an Ethiopian beer.

And, I got a glass of honey wine, which I obviously was much more excited about.

The restaurant had also won the approval of many a review companies, proudly displaying their "best of" awards on the mantelpiece.

After our meal, we decided to hit up a nearby wine bar, and let's just say the wine was fine, but the dessert needed some more love and attention. Thankfully, we had a waiter that informed us out-of-towners that we should "see the sites" while in DC. Seriously, we would have been lost without that tidbit of insider information.

Day 2:

So, based on the insight of a DC local, the next morning Micah and I fought the time change and made our way downtown to see the sites. Let me just point out right here that DC has an amazing metro system. It was as if I had died and gone to public transportation heaven. It was efficient and timely, oh, the praises I could sing. Micah timed it and I think it took somewhere around 15 minutes from the time we left our guesthouse to the time we arrived downtown. Absolutely, incredible! Once downtown, we were on a hunt for food again.

We walked around, asked a few people, but it was not until ingenious DC local #2 that we happened upon Lincoln's Waffle Shop (I say ingenious, because he was unsure whether they served breakfast, really? It's got waffle in the title). I feel the need to apologize to Eddie's Cafe, since I felt a twinge of pain as though I was cheating on my first breakfast love. It wasn't quite as good, but a greasy spoon nonetheless and we were about the only tourists in the place which always makes a restaurant seem more authentic.

We sat at the bar looking out at the street, which gave us this view of Ford's Theatre, where President Lincoln was shot.

We took a better picture of the view once outside.

We inquired about going on a tour inside, but because of price and time, limited ourselves to posing under the sign.

After which, we walked over to the National Mall, passing by the Old Post Office Pavilion on our way.

I've been to DC a few times before, but the mall area is always impressive.

There's the capital at one end.

And the Washington Monument at the other.

Like I said, it's an impressive sight.

Isn't this one of those obligatory pictures, like when you go to London and photograph yourself in a red telephone booth?

Since there's something like 13 Smithsonian museums and we knew we would at the most only make it to one or two, we decided upon the National Museum of American History. Although, slightly disappointing, it had a few great exhibits and there was a spattering of interesting artifacts to look through.

We started with the President's exhibit, which was informative, interesting, and even interactive! I've decided from here on out presidents should pose like I did in the last picture.

After that, we saw some red shoes

A green puppet

A huge dollhouse

Michelle Obama's Inagural Gown

Then, Micah kissed a buffalo

And I basked in the awe of Julia Child's kitchen

The day was not close to being done when we left, so we went to Georgetown to window shop. After much walking, we attempted three times at going to a happy hour, but for some irrational reason, many DC restaurants only serve happy hour at the bar, which we were only told after we sat down to order. Umm, no, no I do not want to pay $6 for a glass of sangria when someone 5 feet from me is drinking one for $3. Give me a break. We ended up at a thai restaurant and got a few appetizers and then grabbed some hummus and pita from trader joe's before crashing back at the guesthouse.

Soon to follow, the rest of our touristy adventures and the wedding (as soon as I can figure out how to get the pictures off my camera).

coming soon...

2010-03-21T17:45:00.002-06:00

MANY posts on Spring Break 2010!