I've Been MIA - Forgive Me - I Have Music

I'm on a work binge, so I've holed myself in my cave of a room. Cave may be a harsh term. It's pink and white and smells like Magnolia. And the beast guarding it is my darling little Sophie:

I'll be back to this blog in a bit, but in the meantime, please enjoy my newest music discovery - Herbert Bail Orchestra. Attractive, LA-based, hipster men singing folky songs with enough angst to make me fall in love. I want to marry at least half of them. I saw them last week at Harvard and Stone with Christina, Evan and friends. Me, in a post-finals euphoria:

Things That Are Annoying Me

1. If you have a red light, you do not have the right of way.
2. It is not necessary to swing out left when making a right turn.
3. To the sixty year old man making kissy noises at me - I am not a kitten. I will rip your jugular out.
4. To the man chatting me up before I got my morning latte - I see the wedding ring. Just don't.
5. To my mom and brother - I am not a puppy delivery service. And I'm hungry.
6. To the husky who peed on me at the dog park. Fuck you.
7. To people with read receipts for iMessages - I know you saw it, answer it.
8. To my bra that came undone during a meeting yesterday, thank you for making me infinitely more awkward.
9. To my left headlight that keeps going out. I hate you.
10. To all the boys I've dated/who have professed affection for me, do not do the following.
 - call me and say you're grateful for me on Thanksgiving. Hell no.
 - hit on my best friend. Poor form broskies.
 - text me randomly asking for photos of my puppy. That's weird.

Things I am okay with:
1. That my espresso was only mildly burned today. Thank you groundworks.
2. Sophie's cuteness. Duh.
3. The grandma wearing the studded flats - you go girl.
4. The gorgeous rain and fog.
5. The fact that I ate a family sized pizza and a oversized candy bar yesterday. (Finals will be the death of me).


Okay, I'm done. Back to studying.

Chilling Out

So post-SF, I was in super student mode. I finished a couple of memos, a draft of my law review note, a presentation. I prepared for an interview, did some reconnaissance on summer job ops, and stayed in (gasp!). I relaxed at my mom, enjoyed the rain, recovered from some sniffles with homemade pho and also shrimp curry. Hit up Stories cafe, made pear spiced muffins and watched a lot of Criminal Minds. Last night, tried out Fusion Burger. Huffington Post and EaterLA have both mentioned it. Pretty toned-atmosphere, great service, no alcohol (wtf), and PHENOMENAL burgers. Well-prepared, fresh and so into their House Burger's Thousand Island dressing. Then went to the Hermosillo and tried out Sierra Nevada's Celebration 2012 Fresh Hop IPA and Citra Blue House Pale Ale. The IPA won of the two, although I wouldn't say its my fave IPA. Later, the Ellie, Jacy, Jefferson and I went to the Old Towne Pub to see Ryan's show. Totally random place the middle of Pasadena but legit music and crowd. Couldn't stay long because I had work this morning so took the Metro back (first/last time). Excited to see some shows at Bootleg in the next couple of weeks and drink a few lattes in preparation for finals.

Have a lot of work over the holiday but happy as a clam about it.

 I made truffle ravioli and a kale feta salad 

 Vanilla ice cream with nutella and cookie butter

 polka dots and chai

 Using up some pears

 Pear ginger crumble

 Wine post law review note drafting

 Pear Spice muffins with an oat streusel topping - pear kick #2

 House Burger at Fusion - amazing

 Alley to Old Towne Pub - its like a little secret

The Metro!

xoxo

Weekend in SF

I've been feeling a little up and down for the last couple of weeks. After Halloween, I had a crazy amount of work and then my housemate left for Sierra Leone for the month. I was just feeling a bit overwhelmed and a little uninspired. Enter my cure-all: my besties up in SF. V and I left Friday afternoon with the pup and arrived in SF at 11, after quick pitstops to Target and In n Out.

Max, Grant and Rob were there to meet us at Rob's fancy, beautiful new apartment a couple of blocks from Golden Gate Park (Hellloooo outside lands). We hit Blackthorn Tavern and then a party celebrating a wedding. I'm not sure whose wedding it was, so um yeah.

The next morning, Carrie came over and we did a quick walk in the park and then pick up the posse (plus Will and his lovely gf) and headed to Pasion. Bottomless mimosas. Creed renditions. You know, the normal.

My two fave girls and mimosas

We all went back and napped for a few hours and then Carrie, V and I had wine and siracha hot wings at Social Gastropub. Classsyyyy. It took us a bit to get back in our groove, we were pretty dead but soon picked up some steam. After warming up a bit, we walked back to Rob, Eric and Will's place where a party was well underway. Alicia and Conner came up from Felton and I was so happy to see them. The most wonderful and hilarious couple. Conner was really our knight in shining armor. There was really only a bed in the front area so Sophie, Lolly and I held court in the bed the whole night while the party carried on. 

Carrie, Me and Soph recovering during the party

The always stunning Alicia

My lovely friend Tawsh

Paige, Kevin, Tawsh and Soph

After it wound down at 4, about 12 of us piled up in the room for a massive sleepover. Then the pup woke us up at 9 and Grant, Veronica, Max and I headed out with the pup for coffee from The Beanery, baked goods from Arizmendi, and a jaunt through the farmers market.

Then Grant played a few songs for us, before we (plus Rob and Eric) got dim sum for lunch, and Ritual Coffee for the traditional latte and iced americano time.

private concert NBD

Cuddle Time with Uncle Rob

Max and the baby post party

Then V, Soph and I headed back playing Celine Dion and Hanson for the better part of the ride home.

This was exactly what I needed. To be with the people I love, enjoying good food and drink in a gorgeous city. I can't express how grateful I am for these people to be in my life and supporting me, no matter how much of a drama queen I can be. Love forever.

Oh and then I got published.

Keurig K-Cup 18-Pk. Green Mountain Coffee Breakfast Blend Coffee (Google Affiliate Ad)

Four More Years.

I'm generally not political on this blog. But tonight will be an exception.

Thank fucking god.

Sorry I haven't posted in awhile. I'll catch up later. But for now - CELEBRATION!

LOVE OBAMA AND MICHELLE

Life Lately: Halloween Version

So this past week was crazy, but when is life not? :-)

Monday: Indian dinner with bffl Paige at Pradeeps on the westside (not spicy enough) and trivia with the housemates.

Tuesday: Local Natives show at the Satellite with Karly. I love LN - I knew these boys in college and on top of being talented musicians, they are lovely human beings.

Wednesday: Hocus Pocus + Dinner with Lorna and Haley with La Poubelle (amazing, amazing filet mignon, mussels, and gnocchi - great French food.) Plus, Sophie finally met Hudson, Lorna's adorable chocolate lab and they fell in love instantly.

Thursday: Class till late - sleep. But I made a delicious balsamic glazed brussel sprout and butternut squash flatbread and Sophie chewed my socks.

Friday: Christable's birthday at Onyx (Happy Birthday girl! love you!) and drinks with V at Varnish.

Saturday: Intense baking and preparing for the Halloween party - which was amazing - thank you to everyone who came out!

Sunday: major cleaning, reading, breakfast at Home with the housemates and dinner at Red Hill with Evan. Yum -> beignets, porkbelly flatbread and apple galette. Plus, at both restaurants, I can take Sophs and they are absolutely wonderful with her.

Now: SLEEP.

This week: a memo on sexting, a memo on ineffective assistance of counsel, a draft on transgender sex trafficking, 40 textbook solutions, source collection, and cite checking for Annenberg. Good night world.

(I'm doing fun stuff too - Tuesday is the Daughter show with Alexis, Wednesday is Halloween and Friday, I need a girls night out. wooooo. xoxox)

What I've Been Up To

Folk music at Footsies. Baking Chocolate Chip Cookies. Watching Puppies. Hiking. Hipster Wine. New restaurants. First Aid Kit at the Fonda (AMAZING). Homemade Pumpkin Thyme Mac and Cheese via Spoon Fork Bacon. Scary Movies. Argo (go see it - so good - love Ben). Lots of work. Planning for our Halloween Party. Getting over strep throat (gross.) Runs around the Reservoir. New Boots. Work. More Work. Some More Work. Superhumanoids artist in residency at the Echo. Delicious Maple Custard Pie from the Pie Hole. Pumpkin Beers (love Rogue and Dogfish's Punkin). 

Other news:

- Sophie had her last big medical treatment, which was a hernia operation. The doctor called me at 10am and told me the surgery had gone well and to pick her up at 3. I went at 2:30 (of course), and her doctor said at 10:05am she was ready to send Sophie home bc she already had so much energy. <3 baby="baby" bear.="bear." my="my" nbsp="nbsp" span="span">

- Eager to try new recipes: Butternut Squash Skillet. Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Maple-Chai Glaze. 

- After getting sick this past weekend, I'm re-prioritizing my health. Since Sophie got her shots, we'e been doing a lot of hikes, runs and walks. But I want to reintegrate some yoga and eat better. :-)

- School is great. Work is amazing. But I need to be more forward-focused.

xoxo