I’m too tired to actually write a comprehensive blog.
Tonight, I put together two floor lamps. About to set up my new Vitality toothbrush.
And watching Ugly Betty.
Siiiiiiigh. more studying to do.
It’s been over a month since my last update. RIDICULOUS! I’ve been too lazy or too tired or too distracted…. sigh.
So, working full time + being a student full time = anxious and tired Liz. It’s true. It’s all catching up to me now and I’m seriously going to have to slow it all down, like real slow. Of course, there will always be the occasional exception… but that’s it! I swear! o_O
Here’s the rundown of my life post-Boulder:
- Every few weeks I have a friend who takes me to H Mart for Korean grocery shopping and sometimes dinner
- Frequently been hanging out with Bmore/MD friends, but that has/will change dramatically considering one is no longer homeless in Bmore, one is consumed with full time work and school (like myself) and other future engagements and the last will probably tire of driving into the city
- I’ve been getting to know and hanging out with my fellow arts managers. They are cool and friendly and I like them. I’m just trying to keep up with them because most are NOT full time employees…
- Trying to maintain contact with my college ladies… and so far so good. Coffee, dinners, lunches, parties…. and of course dancing
- My family has been keeping tabs on me… showing me their love and I’m loving them back for it <33333333333
- Few things I want to focus on in more detail: (for the tail end of August)
- Cafe Atlantico: amazing amazing food by jose andres in penn quarter, went for restaurant week, and it was AWESOME. i’ll maybe post pix later to this entry…
- Mothertongues featuring Jenny Lares: Awesome! at the black cat, it was great to see my poetess friend have her time on stage, and receive all this love from her admirers!
- Asia After Dark: @ the Freer, went with my college peeps and they enjoyed! I think I might have had a bit more fun than them, esp considering i had a few more drinks than they did. but really, the boogie bots from ABDC, the dj, the scavenger hunt by pinkline.org, the origami and jewelry…. chyea i LOVED it, plus i got to have some 1 on 1 chats with the ladies, Nita+Min.
- Arts Management: For the first time in my life, I actually love what I’m learning. And by love, I mean I.AM.HAPPY! Are you happy for me? I love what I’m learning, and I’m excited and hopeful for the future. Not just for the future, but for the present. I feel like the experiences I have and the people I meet, all make me a better person. And I hope this trend continues.
- Taming of the Shrew: FREEEEEEEE. I kind of organized a trip with my fellow arts managers, it went from a few people to 12 people. AWESOME. It was fun, I introduced them to Chinatown Express, and then we enjoyed Taming of the Shrew…. nice production! Even better that it was free. All in all, it was a great evening.
- So, back to basics…. this past week I took an impromptu trip to NYC and had good food in Ktown, and good art at the Met, and saw a recent friendly face
- projects up the butt in all my classes! projects AND presentations!!
- i thought i had a handle on work + school, but going out in addition has been kicking my butt, so i need to chill out
- work has recently become stressful b/c of inventory prep and holiday prep… and there’s going to be a change coming up soon… kinda makes me sad, but change can be good right? i hope so.
i’m tired, but happy. i’m good. (but it’d be nice to receive some encouragement and love every now and then ;] <3)
Day One:: 8.07:: 5am Diamond ride to Reagan National. It was a long walk to our gate but finally made it over to our layover in Detroit. Delayed. For almost 2 hours. Also, was shaking and almost fainted at one point. Sometimes, it is not fun to be a girl. FINALLY made it to Denver @ 12:15pm. Finally made it to Denver’s airport and hopped on the bus to Boulder. Net met us at the Broadway/Euclid stop in front of Colorado University. We learned that she took a serious fall the previous day and could not be as active as we had hoped. So, Gina and I dropped off our stuff at the office and walked toward Pearl Street Mall until Net got off work.
G and I walked practically the whole strip and back. We got delicious froyo from C’e Fiore. Both were Acai flavored and mine was with blueberries and chocolate covered sunflower seeds, G’s with blackberries and strawberries. Twas delicious. We did mostly eye shopping, but I think Gina picked up a dress. The afternoon flies by with all the shopping and walking, Net called and we were off to Hapa Sushi for dinner. Now this was interesting. :]
FIRST, midway through dinner, waitress informs us that the guys at the next table would like to buy us a round of sake. HMMMMM. So, we all agree to it and of course the guys get a round as well. I made the poor decision of getting raspberry sake. Sorry G. Before our sake, we each received a small dish. Net had a slice of lime. Mine was a slice of orange. G’s was a maraschino cherry. And what does this mean? Waitress said the guys meant it as a peace offering. I already knew the cherry was singling Gina out. So, after toasting with the sake, the guy who instigated this whole thing waltzes over and chats it up with Gina. I have no idea what they talked about. And despite him being the cutest of his friends, he was also too old. I mean MAN, did I see the wrinkles as he approached our table. So, he made his peace, got her number and they all went on their merry way (they as in the guy and his friends). What a way to kick off the trip. The only one I noticed wasn’t at the table, but was bussing it. The hapa busboy was really cute. We ended up debating his age. Although he had a babyface, he wasn’t THAT young. I saw it when he approached our table to clear the plates. His age showed through when he smiled at us. AND WHAT A CUTE SMILE! hehe. Needless to say, I got Net to approach him and find out his age, so that I could put an end to Gina’s argument that he wasn’t even 21. dun dun dun, he’s 24. Or so he claimed. We left him confused and puzzled. I think that’s the way Net likes to leave’em. ;]
After masks and costumes, we dined on tapas and sangria at the Med. I think we were all exhausted by this point. So, our lovely hostess drove us to meet with her dad and we got the magical key to our wonderful hostel. Also, we had a brief encounter with the boys of the hostel. “We’re making root beer float if you wanna join!” Uhhh…. thanks, but we’ll pass. Nah, they were actually very nice. We passed out shortly thereafter around 11pm.
Day Two:: 8.08:: 6am woke up to see Gina SOUND asleep. I had to bolt upstairs for the bathroom and then got ready with a nice shower. Net met up with us by 8:30am and we were out the door to Boulder County’s Farmer Market. The vendors were REALLY cute. It must be all that organic food. Yes, I was checking out the guys. I could not help it. Boulder is a pretty good looking city. Anyway, the food was beautiful, the people friendly, we got some breakfast in by tasting all sorts of fresh fruit and fresh concoctions of olive oil, cheese, spices, etc. Made a pit stop at the BMOCA (Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art). It was a very small museum, but had a great exhibit going on. Something about pleasures. Nine different artists presenting what made them happy, or gave them pleasure. One had made up a huge ball of brightly and uniquely decorated umbrellas. They also took pictures of the umbrellas being used by people around town. One was decorated with the googly eyes, condoms, spices, butterfly wings, feathers, and much more.
After BMOCA and grabbing some fresh corn and spinach tamales from the vendor, we headed over to Target for some essentials. OH! We also picked up some bread, artichoke dip, salsa, plum tomatoes, and peaches for our picnic at Rocky Mountain. Annette kindly drove us out to Rocky Mountain where the three of us hiked 1/2 mile around Bear Lake. By far, this is the most beautiful lake I have ever seen. Just imagine PERFECT weather- no humidity, maybe 65 degrees, clear blue skies with a few scattered clouds…. too beautiful. Let my hair down the whole afternoon. Then we hiked Glacier Gorge towards Alberta Falls. We were up pretty high and the view was AMAZING. The perfect soundtrack was playing… the rush of cool water, birds chirping, and the absence of cars and crowds. Once we reached our destination, we set up the picnic right next to the falls and feasted on our makeshift Farmer’s Market picnic. Twas wonderful. I’ve only uploaded a FEW of my MANY favorites:
We made a pit stop at a beer brewery and had a few tastings. We gorged on the remaining bread and dip and water, then headed home. Net dropped us off at the hostel and instead of resting, we explored. We discovered the patio that was once a pool, and the rec room that contained plush bean couches, and a huge library of DVDs. We also noted the drying tie-dye t-shirts, random hymns on dry erase boards, memo/message board with Christian events, etc. The kitchen was a mess, but the dining hall had decent games and a piano. We ended up settling with York Peppermint Patty cookies in the Movie Room. We picked Serenity (good movie!) and basically spent our evening lounging/resting. So, we almost at the end of the movie and it’s at a really suspenseful part… Gina FREAKS out… at first I thought it was because of the movie, but actually (and please note that the room was completely dark) the guys we met the night before pops into the room silently. HAHAHA. So, that was a lil freaky, but they did it on purpose, sort of. They ended up watching the last few minutes of the movie with us, and one of ‘em was crying about how his date stood him up. They were good boys. We later learned it’s part hostel, and part housing for a Christian fraternity. The guy was pretty funny actually… showing us how he was gonna bring his date over, cuddle on the plush couches and flip on the (voila!) fireplace. lol. Instead, he ends up with his friend at the hostel and a whole pizza pie. By this point, G is all pumped up and excited to go out. So, Net hits us up with a few suggestions, and we walked off to Pearl Street while our hostess recovered from the day’s activities.
We reach Pearl Street for the bars, and hit up Oneill’s first for some beers. Then, we walked around in search of a place to drink AND eat. I was starving by this point… around 11pm. So, we get 2 more shots each, quesadillas, and chicken fingers + fries. I’m basically ready to call it a night. Apparently the guys of Boulder are not. Gina, you guy magnet! First she gets hit on at the bar by some VA guys. (WHAT? virginia up in Boulder?) Then we’re approached by air force guys THAT HAVEN’T GRADUATED YET. They ask when we graduated high school…. G says ‘04. Okay, not bad, and then I say ‘02. OMG you’re old! LOL WHAAAAT?!?? Yup, I am too old for Boulder. Turns out these LIL boys were 22. Well, damn. They are chatting it up with me and Gina, and blah blah blah. We end up staying until the bar closes and the guys walk us to our hostel, which is not close to wherever they’re staying. The guys were actually interesting. Both hapas, one was half japanese and…. taiwanese? I can’t remember. The one chattin with me, AJ, was half Indian and half Filipino. I think. Well, anyway, they were nice boys, made us laugh, well, at that point, I think anything made Gina laugh… including shiny sparkly hats…….. We finally sent them on their way, and Gina and I paaaaasssssseeeedddd out…. like 3-4am?
Day Three:: 8.09:: 7am, wake up with a hangover! I get ready anyway and drink some water. Gina, the trooper that she is, wakes up a lil later and gets ready as well. We make it to church on time despite getting lost. St. Thomas Aquinas Church is a very humble but quaint and beautiful Catholic church. I really enjoyed mass. I’ve been having a personal quarrel with myself about my religion/faith, and the homily really spoke to me. I know it may sound weird to some people, but my headache gradually got better throughout mass. To be logical, it was probably a combination of the water I drank, the clear/clean mountain air, the peaceful atmosphere of the church, and just being able to feel at peace sitting inside this church. But to be honest, it was a little more than that for me. I genuinely had a headache when I walked into that church. I walked out with no pain. I also felt energetic and totally relaxed. It’s not exactly something I can relate to in words. ANYWAY, we made our way back to the hostel (without getting lost this time) and got picked up by our lovely hostess. She was re-energized as well after staying in. We grabbed coffee and yummy crepes, then drove up to Nederland (home of the best Chai in all of Colorado and maybe the United States!). The mountains in Nederland are definitely rockier than Boulder. Of course, it was another beautiful day, so we saw LOTS of people rock climbing. I would seriously pee my pants if I was doing what they did. I … cannot…. rock climb. So, we get to Nederland and walk a lil by the lake, take pictures, grab some grub from Kathmandu (Tibetan Restaurant) and sip on some good chai. After Nederland, we made a pit stop in Boulder for the handy GPS, and take an excursion out to Denver.
Okay, definitely not the most exciting city, but still somewhat interesting. I think my favorite part was stumbling upon Writer’s Square and doing some boutique shopping. I love local shop owners, small business owners, etc. I hope to be one of them someday. Maybe. So, we walked the whole of 16th street mall, and made our way back to good ol’ Boulder with a few pit stops of photoshooting. Felt good to return to Boulder.
After dinner at Sunflower, we wandered around Pearl Street again and had some entertainment from the Zipcode Man! Also, spotted a cute Alaskan guy, and a nice looking Frenchman. Young French man I think. Not too young for Gina though. ;] Anyway, Zipcode man knew where Gina, Alaska guy, and French boy lived just by hearing their zipcodes. How crazy is that? It was pretty cool. We grabbed our last drinks of the night and headed home. It was another good night…. our last night in Boulder. OH! Net and I stopped by this clothing store and bought matching shirts. It’s orange with many keys forming the shape of a heart with this quote: so many keys, so few hearts. Love it, b/c it’s true.
Day Four:: 8.10:: 6:30am We wake up a lil late for our last hike of our trip. Gina and I somehow find our way to Chataqua Park where the Flatirons are located. The whole walk/hike took us an hour and half. We saw the most beautiful and interesting homes with amazing gates and doors. The hike up to the forest below the mountain was…. EXHAUSTING. We were both heaving for air. That was kinda steep… even though it didn’t LOOK like it. Again, the views were beautiful. We enjoyed every last breath of Boulder air we got. After the hike, we finished packing at the hostel, said our goodbyes to the most wonderful hostess EVER, and drank some tea at the Dushanbe Tea House. After our fancy brunch, we walked to Pearl Street ONCE AGAIN, for a last time, did last minute shopping at a very cool vintage shop which I wish we had found earlier, and headed over to the bus station to catch our bus to the Denver Airport. Let me just summarize the ordeal of getting home: 1 hour to airport, 30 minutes of security check where they caught Gina’s utility knife, WAIT WHAT? DC’s TSA didn’t catch it at Reagan airport, but at Denver’s airport they did? GOOD JOB TSA, GLAD TO SEE EVERYONE’S DOING THEIR JOB! SWELL! Anyway, flight is delayed 30 minutes due to radio problems, we almost miss our layover in Minneapolis, then we end up circling SW DC for HALF AN HOUR, 30 MINUTES…. WTF NORTHWEST, W T F?!? Yea, THEN metro has problems… all the while we’re getting sick off of the recylced air of sick children and sneezing adults. lovely. We didn’t get back to my apartment until 2am. Never again, Northwest, never again.
All in all, this was an amazing trip. I had so much fun. It was so relaxing. I am exhausted just from writing and reliving my memories, but I cherish them.
Gina- you are a wonderful travel buddy, thanks chica for all the fun times and good memories… you livened up my entry with many funnay stories.
Annette- I cannot tell you how grateful and thankful Gina and I are for you being our hostess. You really did SO MUCH for us, and please tell your dad we said thank you for the hostel. <333333333333
So, it’s been a few days since I’ve seen this movie and it’s not as fresh in my mind. Only a few things stand out, and here they are.
1. This is not a love story. I love how the narrator starts off with this line. It’s not what you think it is. It looks like a love story but really, it’s like saying ‘fu*k you’ to all the fairy tales, romantic comedies, and misleading K-dramas. Basically, it’s the truth. Well, at least it’s the truth for this writer and a lot of people who can relate to his movie. Boy meets girl. Boy falls in love with girl. Girl makes move on boy. And before you know they’re in a happy non-committed relationship. Then girl dumps boy. The end? Noooo, far from it. That’s just the beginning.
2. Right/Wrong. He was right. She was wrong. She was right. He was wrong. It makes sense once you watch the movie. Love isn’t like Santa Claus. It does exist. It’s just not always with the person you would want/hope it to be with. Bottom line, love hurts. It CAN hurt, and sometimes really does hurt. But both sides overcome it. I believe love can be painful, but all the more for you to know how great love can be.
3. Aesthetics. I love Joseph Gordon-Levitt. The guy from Third Rock from the Sun grew up a lot. Zooey Deschanel has a great voice and did swell on acting like a bit*h. Well, she’s definitely likable but she had no consideration or thought for the feelings of others whenever she did what she wanted to do. Heartless some would say. I can respect her character for being who she was, but I cannot agree with her actions. Alas, I guess you can’t help who you fall in love with. JGL’s character was a cutie, and it was enjoyable to watch his character grow throughout the 500 days.
4. Maybe love is when two people feel the same way about one another equally. Maybe love is when one person loves the other one a little bit more than necessary. Maybe love is…. a big fat mystery! I don’t know. I have no idea what that kind of love is, but I hope one day I get the chance to find out. Until then, I think I’ll stay content with this movie.
The End.
Zoom Zoom Zoom, here we go- – - -
ONE : The Bus :: I’m not a small girl. Why didn’t you sit next to the skinny petite Asian girl across the aisle? She got the skinny tall blond. You HAD to sit in the empty seat next to me. The empty seat that did have my bag in it. You HAD to sit your wide ass next to me and take up both armrests. You damn guy. Thanks Boltbus for the comfy leather seats that still made my butt numb after the 5 hours of 226 miles plus traffic. Sigh. This is the end of my complaint.
TWO : The Taco Truck :: AMAAAAZING! My godsis took me straight into Queens for the wonderful Tostados(?) @ $5 in her ‘hood. Can’t beat FRESH latino food at a cheap price so late at night. Awesome.
Ate that junx up real quick at Jenny’s place. It was great getting to know her sister, Ann, a bit especially after hearing so many great things about her! I was truly touched by their friendship in addition to being loving sisters. From what I saw, Ann is definitely a free spirit, and Jenny is the more grounded one (but still adventurous!). Two very beautiful people kind enough to take me in for the weekend.
THREE : Miles :: My internal alarm clock woke me up at 8am. By 9am we were out the door to Central Park. Me, Jenny, and her friend who is training for the NYC Marathon, ran Central Park for a mile and half and ended up cutting through an ongoing race (consequentially being yelled after but we kept running anyway). After the 2 mile mark, I could not go any farther and insisted they run ahead of me but they were worried I would get lost in Central Park (it’s happened). Anyway, we reach the reservoir and my godsis is revving me up to do 1 mile around the reservoir, motivating me. So, I give it a go and whaddya know, I made it. Albeit, I was heaving and feeling faint by the time we made the circle. I’m proud of myself. First time ever I ran 3 miles in one morning. I’m awesome. I kinda wish I had my camera to take pictures. It was a beautiful morning.
FOUR : Cracker Barrel? :: After taking a shower at Jenny’s ballin office, we headed over to Union Square for the farmer’s market and Friend of Farmer country cafe. The fresh farm bread- drool. Salmon Eggs Benedict- drool. Apple butter- drool. Everything was wonderful and delicious. All the while of enjoying our food, Jenny and her friend, C, were planning a scavenger hunt. Planning one of those is a bit complicated, but it really made me wanna do my own in DC. Anyone be down? We’d chip in $5 for the prize, and party afterwards. How fun would that be?? Sigh, if only.
FIVE : MoMA :: Apple of my heart. This visit to the MoMA was great for 2 reasons. First, after pointing out an artist and exclaiming how much I loved his work, Jenny requested that I tell her which pieces I loved and state the reason why. I LOVE explaining my perception and emotions towards art to people who are genuinely interested and care to know. Not only is my insight shared with another, but I realize how much I value art and relearn what it means to me. Moving from one gallery to the next, floating between Piet Mondrian to Brancusi to Barnett Newman and Rothko…. it was beautiful. The way a great song with great lyrics from a great artist can move a nation to tears, so does a great artist who paints his/her ideas with great colors and great materials. I’m moved by art and the passion that people are able to convey through what they love to do. Second, Song Dong’s installation/conceptual art of “Waste”. Reading about this exhibit in the NYT was one thing, to see it in person was another. From the article I learned about the artist and the struggles his mother grew up with during the Cultural Revolution. Times were difficult and frugality was the theme. The artist and his sibling had to live among his mother’s developed condition of hoarding everything in sight because “you never know when something may be useful”. Can’t let things go to waste… Seeing everything she had saved over the years, I felt reflected our lives and all the ‘waste’ we carry. It was ironic that all this junk was turned into something valuable. What this artist did has become iconic. He has managed to hit many levels of this one theme of waste and bring definition to our lives, to our society. It was absolutely…. bittersweet. His mother passed away this past winter from falling off a ladder trying to save a wounded bird.
SIX : Sweet Revenge :: Oh, and how sweet it is. So, there are two stories. The girl who started this business worked a job she did not enjoy and baked all kinds of goodies as a stress relief. Well, she quit her job and opened up her own business. The other story is that this girl hated her boss, who made her life a living hell. She managed to quit her job and start her own business naming it Sweet Revenge… probably to rub in the sweetness of her sweet success. I’m sure both are true. The cupcakes were delicious, the service was great, and the wine pairings were perfect. I enjoyed it and therefore give it 5 stars. *****. Bird of Paradise with Peach Bellini, Red Velvet with Raspberry Bellini, and Pure with Pinot Noir.
SEVEN : Work Up an Appetite :: We stopped by French Connection (too expensive), then walked towards SoHo and found the CUTEST jewelry vendor on Prince and Green. I really wanted to go back on Sunday to pick up a charm necklace, but didn’t have time. Boo. I loved the elephant and pink flower. Sigh. Deb was able to find a really cute leaf charm necklace. I shall go back on my next visit to NYC. We planned on going out that night and I really didn’t have anything appropriate, so we ventured through Forever 21, attempted Zara’s and Free People, finally found an outfit for $40 at H&M. I always buy party clothes when I’m in NYC with Deb! After working up an appetite through walking and shopping, we made it to Shake n’ Shack. The line was ridiculous and I stood in line for over an hour, BUT, the burgers + fries + soda floats were WELL WORTH IT. I will forever love the heart stopping Shake Shack. FOREVER.
EIGHT : Kush + Park :: Literally got ready in 20 minutes and was out the door once again. First stop Kush. I think the dorky guy was flirting with me. He kept trying to teach me dance moves… like ballroom dancing, tango and salsa. o_O haha, it was fun, but kinda weird, and I had my two girls protecting me. After warming up there, we bounced to the Park. Thaaaaaaat was iiiiiinteresting. I learned that the guys there are YOUNG and got no game, or I’ve been in the game so long I can recognize the weak ones a mile away. Oh, you have so much to learn. I also learned I’m tired of these guys who think they’re men but are really boys. I’m going to the clubs to dance and have fun with my girls, not to pick up or hook up. K, thx, bye. Stayed out til 4am and it was a fun night with the ladies.
NINE : The Morning After :: Woke up 6 hours later, went to the neighborhood Catholic Church, and had brunch at a really cute diner. Parted ways with sweet Jenny, and made our way to Brooklyn for Deb’s friend’s stoop sale. Departing the sale on our way to the Smooch coffee cafe, we were escorted by the cute guy on a bike. He was quite talkative, and repeatedly mentioned his attendance at Pratt. Gave us his website sticker (an angry green eel) and left us drooling. We were both happy he stopped to talk to us. HEHE. Grabbed lemonade and iced coffee and said ‘peace out’ to nyc.
All in all it was a beautiful and relaxing weekend in New York City… thanks to these ladies.
BONUS! 19 years of friendship and counting….
BREW AT THE ZOO
http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/misc-events/screen-on-the-green,1044011.html?wpisrc=newsletter
SCREEN ON THE GREEN
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/16/AR2009071601158.html
ASIA AFTER DARK
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/16/AR2009071601051.html
SPY AT NIGHT
http://www.americanart.si.edu/calendar/event/?key=4045&date=2009-08-06
AMERICAN ART MUSEUM
http://www.americanart.si.edu/calendar/event/?key=4042&date=2009-08-20
TAKE FIVE @ SAAM
I wish I could paint.
Really, I love art, but I’m not artist. It’s frustrating that I’m unable to produce the kind of art I wish I could.
I don’t know what you’re expecting, but this is all I have to offer.
This week has been a wonderful adventure and treat for my stomach (& soul).
Tuesday 7/7, I met up with an old friend I knew from church. We hadn’t seen one another for 3 years despite our close proximity in the city. Our reminiscing and updating happened at Bistro du Coin on Connecticut Avenue.
The Mussels in a Pot. This was a large dish that came with Frites. Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture of my delicious Hoegaarden. Sigh, next time. I think I’ll definitely take a trip back here. It was a beautiful day. They opened up the whole front area with the large windows. I forgot to mention TangySweet. We made a stop after dinner, but I neglected to get a picture. So, just imagine scrumptious green tea frozen yogurt topped with chocolate chips, strawberry, and blueberry in the white space below.
Wednesday 7/8, I made plans to watch Transformers with my sister’s friend. Before the movie, we went to Arlington for Pho at Pho 75. This is the best place for Pho EVER! I have never been a big fan of pho…. so this should tell you something. Also, I was treated to Vietnamese Banana Pudding. It was interesting. He got the Corn Pudding…. that was actually really good. Transformers was wonderful mindless entertainment. I quite enjoyed.
Thursday 7/9, A night out in DC with my fave Pikachu. We made our first stop at Ben’s Chili Bowl in the U Street Corridor. It’s a heart attack visualized through unbelievably delicious chili and cheese and half smokes.
After this heart healthy meal, we walked from U and 13th to P and 15th. Pitango’s Gelato was delicious. She got Rhubarb and Banana. I got the Sicilian Almond and Chocolate Noir. We even made a stop at the Scottish Rituals something or other memorial place… took a few jumping pix. 
Twas a good night out in my charming DC.
Friday 7/10, Book Club night with my favorite star. We were going to go to the Sculpture Garden, but it would’ve been too crowded and parking would’ve been difficult. I made a macaroni concoction with broccoli, carrot, cream cheese, shredded cheddar, pepper, and cayenne. There was left over japchae, and I steamed some mandu from Lotte. We completed it with a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon. Our book of the month was the Namesake. GREAT book. I really liked the themes; it was beautifully written.
For dessert there were Lemon, Strawberry, Almond, and Chocolate Macaroons. The pastries were chocolate and mango custard something. DELICIOUS. I already forgot the name of the pastry place, but apparently there’s one in Georgetown. We paired the desserts with Prosecco. MMMM. To top off the night we spontaneously rented the movie, Namesake, from Blockbuster on P street. All I have to say is: I LOVE KAL PENN. 
My stomach (& my soul) is (are) happy.
Tonight was an evening that began with a headache and….
then sprinkles of rain, greetings from a familiar face (J) in a familiar place (Phillips)….
then a crowded lecture, a walk among Rothko and Piet Mondrian, pathway leading to the Music Room….
then platters of crackers, cheese, tapenade, veggies, fruit, and a glass of fruity white wine, paired with some live Jazz (a trio)….
then back to the full lecture of Renoir’s Luncheon of the Boating Party, and stairs winding down to “this is not that Cafe”….
this place full of games where you make your own rules, an artist writes a tic/tac/toe game on the wall for you, knock down dominoes, play a game with Animal Farm inspired pieces set to go out of space, and best game of all is ‘Conondrum!’….
then one last picture with that famous once upon a time $123,000 piece….
then exiting to more rain and a stop by my favorite coffeehouse/bakery, ordering the fave spicy chai and chocolate espresso cookie….
and ended with a smile.
It was my first. Unfortunately not my last.
I’m actually too tired to write and to think deeply as I have for the past few days. I don’t want to think about this too deeply anymore.
And this is all I have left to say:
- I love my family
- I love my friends
- I’m grateful for that friend who gave me advice
- I’m grateful to be there on behalf of my sister
- I’m grateful to that friend who went with me
- I’m grateful to that friend who listened
- I’m grateful for this life healthy life
It was this morning. A loved one’s close friend. If you pray, please think of her two young girls and the family she’s left. If you don’t pray, then you should, as I need to.
good night.
