Thanksgiving + Friendsgiving + Sleep/Food/Coffee

Places Featured:

Dirty Laundry - 725 N. Hudson, Los Angeles
Green Bliss - 305 N. Harbor, Fullerton
Donut Friend - 5107 York Blvd., Los Angeles
Purple Yoga - 120 W. Wilshire, Fullerton
Echo Park Lake

This year, Thanksgiving was phenomenal. My mom roasted duck with an orange sauce (our family is against turkey), sage stuffing, fried Brussels (my contribution), stuffed mushrooms, and roasted butternut squash. Then Jason made chocolate lava cakes with custard for dessert. I'm still recovering. It was just my mom, aunt, bro, Sophie and I. Usually, we have a lot of people in and out, but it was nice just to kick it with my bro (with limited squabbling over GMOs) and curl up on the couch and watch movies together. In between naps, I made it to yoga with Greg at Purple Yoga - I'm still sore. I also got to do the trails with Nathalie and Green Bliss on a rainy morning with Kels. I was so happy to have catch up time with my friends, especially before my neurotic finals self kicks in.

Every year in Santa Cruz, my friends and brother would have a "Friendsgiving" or "Fakesgiving" before they all headed home for the holiday. I never was able to make it, but this year on Saturday, our friend Molly hosted a SoCal version at her place in Westwood where we feasted on fresh baked breads, exotic salads, and more traditional meals, but an amazing dessert table. What made it even more special for me was getting to spend time with my brother and his friends, who I don't see frequently enough.



[UM ALSO WE WERE AT DINNER WHEN UCLA BEAT U$C!!!! GO BRUINSSSSS!!!!!!!! - BEST NEWS EVER]

After dinner, Paige and I headed to Dirty Laundry in Hollywood for our friend Karly's birthday. (Note: I always have the best time with Paige - I love her). This venue just opened up a few weeks ago and is hella legit. When you pull up, the building is just a random apartment building, neutral and quiet. Then there's the bouncer. You walk down and are totally transported to this brick basement, complete with flickering lights and hot bartenders in suspenders. Suspenders = hawt. Karly looked gorgeous and we had such a good time taking in the scene. If you are going, be sure to reserve a table, especially Friday and Saturday nights.

So Jas and I woke up early on Saturday and took Soph to Donut Friend - well, she waited impatiently in the car for her apple fritter. I got the Smores 34 - a chocolate cake donut with toasted marshmallows, chocolate glaze and graham crumbs. Bobes went all out with a chocolate cake donut, maple glaze, pastry cream, raspberry jam, mint and chocolate curls. Delicious, but Jesus. Then I drove him up to Ventura to meet his friend for his ride up to Santa Cruz. I miss him already but I'll see him in a couple of weeks.

Afterwards, I was feeling a bit meh. So Evan, Jacy and I took the dogs (Sherwyn, Tucker, and Soph) to Elysian and then to Echo Park Lake for an impromptu picnic (80 degrees in December - we have to take advantage).  Then I headed back to the Fig House and pumped out some work before heading to TJ's to pick up groceries for the week. I know - so exciting I had to blog about it.

Overall, I had such a relaxing weekend. I'd like to think that I am grateful and show that gratitude everyday. But sometimes I get a little lazy and forget how lucky I am. But I am. :)

Love love love

Jas Comes Home (at some point) Today!

I haven't seen my brother since he hightailed it off to Santa Cruz in the spring. Although we talk on the phone almost every day, I can't wait to see him in person, have him make me his delicious food, bombard him with hugs and make him go with me to all the movies I've been meaning to see.

I know we will probably get into at least 3-4 squabbles over the state of feminism, what beer we should buy, and my poor taste in men, but those will probably be my favorite moments of the weekend.

Also Bobes, I'm apologizing now, but I borrowed your Bukowski reader and may or may not have earmarked the hell out of it.

LOVE YOUUUUU and CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOUUUUU

Grateful.

Even though Thanksgiving can be seen as hallmark holiday, it's always been an important to my family, because it's just about the food and being together. Last year was interesting, I was in London and Becky was with me, which was so fun. But we dragged Leiley to a restaurant in Covent Garden doing Thanksgiving dinner and it was dismal with half-cooked brussel sprouts and this weird stuffing patty. Needless to say, being at home is <3. Cool melodramatic moment, but I want to use today today to remind myself what I'm grateful for. Despite my whining, there is so much that I am grateful for.

1. My family: Yeah. They are legit and that has to be the biggest understatement of the year. They drive me insane, support me even when I'm being an idiot, constantly challenge me, feed me well and make me laugh every day until my ribs hurt. Moving back home with my mom, brother and aunt seemed daunting and it has had it's ups and downs, but certainly more ups than anything else. Being older and just slightly more mature has made me appreciate how much I have when I come home to them every night. I'm grateful for those moments in the morning when my mom and I drink coffee together and laugh at the GOP and her never-ending witty/snarky support. I love my brother and how sweet he is and how he tucks me in at night. I love my Aunt Tray for her zany ways and how she keeps my secrets. I love my dad for his imperviousness to my bitchiness and his generally chill ways. I love my Aunt Mote for being little and packing a punch, and always being proud of me. I'm thankful that we have a new addition to our family, my cousin, Jesspreet's new baby boy! I'm thankful for all my mom's sisters and the opportunity I had this year to reunite with my Aunt Jyoti and Uncle Vic over pancakes in London :-). I'm thankful for the time I got to spend with my inspirational cousin, Aniela, and her children. I am so lucky to have the family that I have, despite my complaining and idiocy. I could not ask for a funnier, more supportive, more intelligent bunch of crazies :-)

2. My friends: Cool this is going to be a long one. Let me start with my London Loves: Maya, Leiley, Elisa, Alexandra, Cailin, and Sam Slama (although she was in Paris - lolz.) Being that far from home was a new one for me, but these group of girls made it the best year of my life, with trips to Ibiza, to France, to Brighton, to ever club in London, to the ER, and to the police station. The bottles of wine we shared, the shopping trips, the nights of gossip, the Skype conference calls... Wandering London and Europe with them were some of the most phenomenal memories I will ever have.

Uh so I'm realizing that there are so many things to be thankful. So I'm going to start listing.
I'm thankful for my roommates from college and their humor. I'm thankful for my SAA loves, Cassi and Alexis, among others who known me too well for their own good. I am thankful for reuniting with some friends this year, including Nathalie and Steph.

I am thankful for my law school mentors and idols: Katie, Rahia, Cristina, Matt and Ian.

I am thankful for my Santa Cruz loves: Rob, Max, Grant, Tawsh, Scott, Emil, Kat, Benny, Leah, among others :-)

I am thankful for Sara, Carrie, Lexi, Lauren, Aimee, Kelsey, Becky and Jacob.

I am thankful for my law school friends, including Aviva and Gillian, who keep me grounded and caffeinated :-)

3. My education: Doing my Masters and then finally receiving it last week(!). My year in London was one of growth, independence, and life-changing moments. I am also thankful to be at Loyola and having the opportunities that I do, the amazing professors and the humor of my classmates.

4. My travels: Every where I've traveled and every person I've met. LOVE.

5. I am also grateful for the most scrumptious meal at Katherine's last night with 21(!) amazing people, delicious food, including a phenom. pumpkin cheesecake, and PUPPIES! Katherine is an wonderful hostess and I know my family always feel so welcomed in her home.

Happy Thanksgiving!

We are doing Thanksgiving Dinner at PJ's in Covent Garden. Not the same as home, pretty legit, esp. because I get to chill with my girls - Becks, Leils and Nini!



THANKSGIVING DAY MENU (Thursday 25th November 2010)
STARTERS
NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER
CREAMY WILD MUSHROOM SOUP


MAIN COURSES
ROAST TURKEY with chestnut and apricot stuffing, roast potatoes, seasonal vegetables and cranberry
PUMPKIN AND RICOTTA CHEESE RAVIOLI with Parmesan cream

DESSERTS
PUMPKIN PIE with creme anglais
BREAD & BUTTER PUDDING with cinnamon ice cream & custard