Let me Get some Hi-Chews and I'm Outtie

Have you ever been to Daiso? It is basically an amazing store full of so much useless $1.50 stuff it's ridiculous. Not everything is $1.50 but most of it is. They have two of my current obsessions - Hi-Chews and Banana Keepers.

These Japanese candies so sooooo good. They are these rectangular chewy candies that are oh so tasty. I just ate seven of them in a row. My personal favorite is the melon flavor.

Now the Banana Keeper must have been the best Christmas gift I gave this year. My friends Jenny and Wincy loved them. They keep your bananas unsquished and will get people staring at you. What more could you want? They did come in green and yellow, which are Ducks colors I might add.

Banana Bread Success

My second project from my new Baking Illustrated: Banana Bread. The hardest part of this recipe was waiting for the bananas to properly ripen. The one time I wanted fruit to hurry and ripen (to the point of black and squishy-ness), it felt like it took weeks. Either way, I love bread and I really love my banana bread. It was a success and it is almost gone. I am one step closer to baking goddess!

That's the Spirit

This is the extent of my Christmas spirit this year.

Love in Code

I have found that women (myself included) often talk about men in code. More specifically, we often give our boyfriend/significant other/lover/sometimes lover/booty call/one night stand nicknames. The nickname usually corresponds with some sort of distinguishing characteristic of the guy. For example, I dated a guy who was very pale. We called him Paley. I dated a guy who liked to hold my hand. (I don't like holding hands.) I called him Handholder. He became a d_bag. Now I call him D_bag (insert name). <-- not very as subtle as the first one.

I have often wondered two things. First, why do we do this? Second, do guys do this?

A friend of my suggested that she thinks she give them nicknames as a way to avoid intimacy. By calling them something else besides their name, she subconsciously avoid getting to close. Another friend had a more practical reason. She's hooked up with a person at work and doesn't want the other people to know so she uses code. Makes sense. I just think nicknames are fun. They just come naturally when I gossip with my girls.

I've tried to ask a couple of guy friends about whether they give women nicknames. Apparently they don't do it that much. However, I suspect that if they do give nicknames, I'm sure they are more on the lewd end. Or they just call the girl "that crazy chick." I hear that a lot.

My Crazy Friday Night

Okay so I lied. But tonight, I baked my first batch of cookies from the new cookbook Marie got me for Christmas. It's called Baking Illustrated and I love it. It's written by the people from America's Test Kitchen. The first recipe I tried was the Peanut Butter Cookies. I also did a batch with chocolate chips as well. They turned out so very good and that's my crazy Friday night!!!

Sooner or later, I will upgrade from Seasoned Rookie to Neophyte.

Here's a picture from my tonight's creations:

Law and Stuff

So, I was browsing one of my favorite blogs TaxProf Blog (don't judge, I like tax) and I came across this post publishing a survey that Lexis did called the State of the Legal Industry. The most interesting highlight that it had was this:

"One fifth (21%) of law school students say that based on the changing
legal marketplace, they regret attending law school."

There are a lot of times where I can say that I really do agree with that statement. Sometimes I wonder whether I have sold myself to the devil by going to law school. Being held down with the massive amount of debt from law school, I often feel really trapped in my employment options. It's like I have to be a lawyer, or at the minimum be something that will pay me a lawyer's salary in order to fulfill my potential. It's not like right after college where you have a choice to "follow your dreams" and be whatever you want. Instead of providing a path of shining light to the promise land, I have emerged from law school completely unsatisfied with life, really poor, in massive debt and just clueless. That was soooooo not worth the 30K per year in tuition I paid.

Contest!!

As some of you might know, my friend Michelle Woo has a great blog. She is the most famous Michelle Woo there is. Even more famous than the realtor Michelle Woo from Bellevue, Washington. She is one the wittiest, trendiest, and hip bloggers I know. She is in the middle of planning her wedding and is holding a contest for a free $100 Visa card.

Check out the contest: http://www.michellewoo.com/2009/12/10/the-ultimate-wedding-stuff-making-party-%E2%80%94-and-another-giveaway/

You won't regret it.

NY Resolutions

I've been thinking about my new year's resolutions early this year. I know it's a little early but since my goals seem to be a bit lofty this year, I'm going to get a head start. Starting . . . NOW. Here goes:

1. Find a job. Finish school. These things kind of go hand in hand so I put them together. If I do not find a traditional lawyer job by my 30th birthday in November, I am really considering leaving the legal field all together. Perhaps it's just not meant to be. But perhaps it is. We shall see in 11 months.

2. Move out of my parents house. As must as I love the parentals, I refuse to be 30 and living in my parents house. That would just be ridiculous. But I must move close enough where Miso can get free doggie daycare services.

3. Sign up for Chinese class. I've been wanting to learn Chinese for the last 5 yrs. This is the year. I will sign up for online class in the Winter semester and learn the Zhongwen. By the end of the year, I will be able to say ni hao ma without Chinese people cringing at my horrible accent.

4. Be pretty this year. I feel like I've been letting myself slide in the girly department. It might be my obsession with fantasy basketball or football but I need to start paying more attention to myself in the looks department. Perhaps some new clothes? A new look? I'm trying to grow out my hair so maybe that will help a little.

I think those are enough resolutions to follow in 2010. I really want to be realistic in my goals so four is all I can really realistically handle. Wish me lucks peoples.

Week 11 picks

Two excuses. First, I forgot that there was a Thursday night game. So I'll just call that one a loss. Second, the games have just started so I'm going to just hammer some picks out . . . as I watch Alex Smith get sacked.

Cleveland at Detroit (-3) -- Detroit
Buffalo at JAX (-8) - JAX
Pittsburgh at KC (-11) - Pittsburgh
Indy at Ravens (-2) -- Ravens
Atlanta at Giants (-7) -- Giants
SF at Green Bay - (-6) -- SF
Seattle at Minnesota (-11) -- Minnesota
Washington at Dallas (-11) -- Dallas
NO at TB (-10) -- NO
Arizona at St. Louis (-8 1/2) -- Arizona
Jets at NE (-10 1/2) -- NE
Cincy at Oakland (- 8 1/2) -- Cincy
SD at Denver (- 6 1/2) -- SD
Philly at Chicago (-3) -- Philly
Titans at Houston (-4) -- Titans

I used to pride myself on being someone who liked order. I got satisfaction in making lists and always having a plan. Everything felt right when it was scheduled. I have learned that perhaps this aspect of my personality is significantly contributing to my current unhappiness. I never liked not knowing where I was going. I never liked being a relationship that was not convenient. I don't like it when I can't seem to adequately plan for things. I have a plan alright. It's just that I can't seem to follow it.

I don't know where I am going and it bothers me. It's like a weight that presses on my chest every waking moment of my day. I wake up in my room, in my parents house and wonder what kind of life am I living. Yes, this is a debbie downer blogpost but it's my blog and you don't have to read it if you don't want to. I am not happy. Everyday I wake up feeling like something is chipping at my soul. I feel so suffocated.

3-12. I guess I'm not a total loser.

2-12 heading into MNF. There is a reason why I'm using fake Natasha money.

Week 10

A friend of mine told me that one of the reasons why I keep losing on my picks is because I pick teams like Niners to win all the time. And to that, I say, ha! The Niners won and they beat the spread so I am 1-0 for Week 10 thus far. Let's hope that my luck keeps going. It is my birthday today and I deserve it!

Jacksonville at Jets (-7)
- Mark Sanchez is still hot and although I love MJD, I think the Jets will win.

Denver at Washington (-3 1/2)
- I'm taking Denver for this one. On a podcast this week, Bill Simmons and some other NFL dude were saying that Jason Campbell is posting up career stats this year. That is surprising considering Washinton kind of stinks and Chris Cooley is out for the season. Either way, I'm going with Kyle Orton and the Broncos.

Cincy at Pittsburgh (-7)
- This should be a good game. I am a believer of Cincy but Pittsburgh has been a bit under the radar. Hm, I'll go with Pittsburgh since I find it hard to believe that Cincy will win at Pittsburgh and that the Steelers will allow them to get beat twice in the same season by the same team.

Buffalo at Tenneesee (-7 1/2)
- I'm going with the underdog in Buffalo. They suck but I'm mad at Tenneesee.

Detroit at Minnesota (- 17)
- Wow, 17 pts. Well, it's my birthday and I will make stupid picks if I want to. I say Detroit because I don't think Minnesota can beat this huge spread.

NO at St. Louis (-14)
- I surprised this one isn't more than 14. Esp with the explosiveness of NO. They will give Favre and the Vikings 17 but do the same for NO? I guess not. NO

Atlanta at Carolina (-1 1/2)
- Atlanta. I don't think they are that bad.

TB at Miami (-10)
- I actually watched the Miami game last week and I was quite impressed. Since I am stuck with regular cable, I have to watch what's broadcasted on regular t.v. which can be depressing when there are 5 really good teams and 10 really bad teams. Anyways, last week was a good week for the morning games. The NE and Miami game was one of them. I like Miami and I like Chad Henne. And I like them to win this game with the spread.

KC at Oakland (-1 1/2)
- I wrote the above paragraph before I saw this game. Crap, and since it's an Oakland game, I might have to watch this (unless it is blacked out). Fine, Oakland.

Seattle at Arizona (-8 1/2)
- The Cardinals are so unpredictable and weird. And Kurt Warner dyes his hair. Based on those reasons, I'm going with Seattle.

Philly at San Diego (-1)
- I'm going with SD here. Andy Reid needs to lose some weight. It's for his own good.

Dallas at Green Bay (-3)
- Playing at GB is kind of difficult but the Cowboys looked good last week. At least from what I saw. I'm going with Dallas. And I love Tony Romo. Stop rolling your eyes. I said it. I love Tony Romo.

NE at Indy (-3)
- Oooo, this game should be real good. I'm excited just thinking about it. I'm going to go with NE here because Indy is undefeated and they didn't exactly win very handlely (spelling?) last week. NE is supposedly a lot better than they were in the first three weeks. I think this will be a high scoring game because both defenses aren't very strong.

Baltimore at Cleveland (-11)
- Cleveland still has a team?

It's been a while

Hello. It's been a while since my last post (and emotional breakdown) but I am back sorta.

I am back to say, I made a bomb diggity thai red curry and that I think the Niners should win tonight.

Vegas favors the Niners by 3 1/2 and I agree with them.

Go Niners!

Oh, and Saturday is my birthday!

8-5;

And I'm tired of failing at life.

Week 7

Crap. I totally forgot to do this until this morning. This will be quick.

SD at KC (-5 1/2) - SD
Indy at St. Louis (-14) - Indy
Chicago at Cincy (-1) - Cincy
GB at Cleveland (-9) - GB
Minnesota at Pittsburgh (-6) Pittsburgh
NE at TB (-15 1/2) NE
SF at Houston (-3 1/2) - SF
Jets at Oakland (-6) - Oakland
Buffalo at Carolina (-7) - Carolina
NO at Miami (-6) - NO
Atlanta at Dallas (-5) - Atlanta
Arizona at Giants (-7) - Giants
Philly at Washington (-7) - Philly

Week 6 Picks

Coming to you from LA, here are my picks for Week 6. I need a comeback!

KC at Washington (-6 1/2)
- The Redskins didn't do me any favors last week. But I'll stick with them this week.

Houston at Cincy (-5 1/2)
- Carlson Palmer is playing so much better. Probably the reason why they are 4-1 as well. Going to read Ochocinco's new book? Child please.

Cleveland at Pittsburgh (-14)
- Steelers. This game isn't woth more than nine words.

Baltimore at Minnesota (-3)
- I'm still nursing my broken heart from Week 3. I hate you Brett Favre. Go Ravens!

St. Louis at Jacksonville (- 9 1/2)
- St. Louis, but not because they will win. Only because Jacksonville won't cover the spread.

Giants at N.O. (-3)
- Love Drew Brees. Go Saints!

Carolina at Tampa Bay (-3)
- Carolina is actually favored by the oddsmakers. Perhaps it's because they are playing the Bucs.
I'll go with Carolina. Out of sympathy of course.

Detroit at Green Bay (-14)
- Aaron Rodgers needs a better O'line. But they are playing Detroit. I will go with GB.

Philly at Oakland (- 14)
- Oakland is going to lose but Philly can't make the spread.

Arizona at Seattle (- 3)
- Did you watch Hasselbeck last week? He went crazy. They are so different with him in the lineup. I say Seattle. Plus, they are playing at home.

Buffalo at NY Jets (-9 1/2)
- Jets. Mark Sanchez is hot. I will repeat that line every week.

Titans at NE (- 9 1/2)
- NE. Tom Brady is still dreamy.

Chicago at Atlanta (-3 1/2)
- Chicago.

Denver at San Diego (- 3 1/2)
- SD.

Sadsies. I don't even want to calculate it. First week with a losing record. Maybe I shouldn't quit the lawyer stuff.

Week 5 Picks

It's Friday night and I am home. So I will do my picks for this week's NFL picks. I've found that I'm not very good at picking but maybe I'm just starting to get my groove. I posted 10 wins last week, which is one more than the week before. That's a start right?

On a random note, why don't they have those lower calorie packs for Ho-Hos? They are so good, and not good for you.

Minnesota at St. Louis (-10)
- For reals? Just 10 points? Even it went to 14 I would have chosen the Vikings. God, how I hate Brett Favre. I'm starting to think that he actually enjoys this whole villain role.

Dallas at KC (-8)
- Dallas. Poor Tony Romo. I bet Jessica Simpson put a curse on him after he dumped her. Come to think of it, I've put some nice curses on some of my ex-boyfriends . . . keeeding. maybe.

Washington at Carolina (-4)
- You know, I'm going to go with Washington this week. Why? I just don't know why. Jason Campbell will do something nice this weekend. I can feel it.

Tampa Bay at Philly (-15)
- From the one play that I was able to catch on ESPN, that Joe Johnson kid looks like of good. But apparently that was just for that one drive. And I'm not even sure if that's his name. Philly, Donovan is back this week.

Oakland at Giants (-15)
- Ugh, all these games so far suck. This is a ridiculous game. Garbage. Giants.

Cleveland at Buffalo (-6)
- Ugh, another bad game. I might have to sleep in on Sunday, till 1. For what it's worth, I'm going for Cleveland.

Cincy at Baltimore (-8 1/2)
- Hmmm, now this is more like it. Carson Palmer is looking good right now. In my attempt to break mediocrity, I'm going to go with Cincy. Actually, I'm thinking that Cincy loses the game and Baltimore doesn't cover the spread. So I guess that means I'm going with Cincy.

Steelers at Detroit (10 1/2)
- Going with the Steelers and Ben Maybe/Maybe Not a Rapist. Mendenhall was a beast last week.

Atlanta at SF (-2 1/2)
- This is going to be a good test for my Niners this week. The D was awesome last week with my new love of my life Patrick Willis returning an interception for a touchtown.

New England at Denver (-3)
- Why does Vegas give so much love to the Pats? I'll admit that I was a Bronco doubter. But last week make me a half believer. I don't think the Pats have done that much to make me think they are going to win the game. Denver and I'm doing it begrudgingly because I know some really obnoxious Broncos fans.

Houston at Arizona (-5 1/2)
- I'm going to out there and bet on the Texans. I have no idea who is on that team. The last time I paid attention to them, David Carr was their quarterback and he had long hair. That was a while ago.

Jacksonville at Seattle (-1 1/2)
- Even with Hasselbeck starting, I'm going with Jacksonville and MJD. One of the meanest things I've ever heard one girl say about another was that she had "MJD legs." You know who you are, burrrrrn.

Indy at Tennessee (-4)
- This is the week the Titans get their first win. I can feel it.

Jets at Miami (-2)
- Mark Sanchez is still hot. and Miami is still mediocre. Jets.


Happy Football!

I went 8-5 last week for my NFL picks. That's one less win from last week. I think it was a good idea to not bet real money.

Week 4 Picks

I think I'm starting to like this new experiment. I know most of you don't really care about my views on football but I need to write down my picks or I will forget. So it's more of a recordkeeping process this whole blog-picks thing. Anyways, here are my picks for Weeks 4. I am 9-7 right now.

Oakland at Houston (-9)
- Raiders are playing in Houston. Raiders suck. Even Jeff Garcia thinks you suck. Houston, by more than 10 I'm sure.

Tennessee at Jacksonville (-3)
- What's going on Tennessee? I think this is the week they turn it around. Tennessee it is.

Baltimore at New England (-2)
- One of three games I want to watch tomorrow. I'm going with the home team and because Tom Brady is still so dreamy.

Cincy at Cleveland (-6)
- Cincy. The Browns really suck. In a laughable way. Kiss the baby.

Giants at KC (-8 1/2)
- Giants.

Detroit at Chicago (-10)
- The Lions kind of screwed me last week but I should be happy they broke their losing streak. I don't think it's going to continue even though Jay Cutler is Bears' QB. Chicago.

Tampa Bay at Washington (- 7 1/2)
- The Bucs are such a mess. On the bright said, I'll be cheering for them even though I think the Redskins will win and cover the spread. The Bucs are starting Josh Johnson. He's cute and he's from Oakland. Must cheer for the local boy.

Seattle at Indy (-10)
- Oi. Seattle is pretty banged up. Hasselbeck is still out. I would love this team but they are division rivals to my beloved Niners. I have morals. (at least in the football world). Indy. This was a pretty catch from last week by Reggie Wayne.

NY Jets at NO (-7)
- Another great game. Mark Sanchez is hot. I love Drew Brees. Who should I cheer for? I think I'm going with NO here. I'm not one to chase after every new young hot thing that appears in life. Ha-ha.

Buffalo at Miami (PK)
- Ummm, I had to google what "PK" means. Apparently it means pick'em which either means there's no favorite or there's no point spread. I guess that means that you just have to pick the winner. And I pick Miami because I hate TO and I feel bad for Miami since Chad Pennington is out for the year. Go 'Fins!

Rams at Niners (-9 1/2)
- I don't think I've been that close to tears after a regular season Niners game. I hate Brett Favre even more now. Go away. I will never forgive you for this. We need a whopping this week to make me feel better. Perfect, we're playingn the Rams. Go Niners!

Dallas at Denver (- 3)
- I don't get it. Isn't Denver 3-0? And isn't Romo kind of medicre this year? Aren't the Cowboys playing on the road? Don't get me wrong, I love Tony Romo but I don't get these odds. Maybe it's because Kycle Orton is the Bronco's QB? Interesting. For the hell of it, I will go with Dallas.

San Diego at Pittsburgh (-6 1/2)
- I think this should be a good game as well. I'm going to be cheering for the Steelers on this one. But I don't think they will cover the spread. I see this one coming down to a field goal. So . . . I'll say SD.

Green Bay at Minnasota (-3 1/2)
- As I mention above, I hate Brett Favre. I will bet against him for the rest of the season. I love Aaron Rodgers. Go Packers. This is going to be an awesome game. I can feel it.


On that note, happy Saturday and Go Ducks and Go Bears!

Results

Sadsies, 9-7. Stupid Redskins.

It's Been a While, Hasn't It?

I know. It's been awhile. A lot of things have been happening since my last post which was . . . August 17th? Woah.

A couple of updates:

- I started school. I like it. I am trying to make more friends.

- I went to Washington D.C. again. Saw Anne. Ate a lot of seafood. Saw the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, etc.

- I went to Portland for Marie's wedding. I shall post pics and talk more about that in another post.

- Football season started. Which is my inspiration for this post.

On to my post . . .

I often listen to the B.S. Report while I workout. Sometimes I feel as if I'm in a relationship with Bill Simmons. I spend on average 3 hours listening to him just talk to people. I read his columns. I might even go to his book signing when he comes to San Francisco. Even though he sounds like a guy I used to date (not really a good thing), I find him quite funny and entertaining. He mixes the perfect amount of pop culture and sports to keep me interested.

A couple of his most recent podcasts have gotten me interesting in gambling on NFL games. Ever week in his column, he posts his picks for NFL games with short explanations why. I shall do the same.

I think this is a better alternative for me than fantasy football. I don't like fantasy football for the following reasons. First, I have grown up with football. My father wished I was a boy and to compensate for not getting one, he and I had Daddy Daughter football days. We would sneak McDonalds (mom never brought me there) and watch football. Having grown up with football and loving it, I don't necessarily need that draw of drafting players to get me into watching the games. Second, I think it's kind of dorky to watch games while simultaneously refreshing your browser on your laptop to check your fantasy score. Third, I think it's awkward to cheer for one person on one team and then cheer for another person on the other team. That seems weird to me. It feels as if you are taking away from the whole team aspect of the sport which takes a little something from my fun. I like to cheer all or nothing. It's "go [insert team]" not "go Adrian Peterson because you are on my fantasy team!" In conclusion, I am not a fan of fantasy football. Just don't. Probably never will. Fantasy basketball is another story.

Back to my picks. Here they are. I don't really understand the whole spread thing but I will do my best with the explanation that was given to me. There are favorites and there are underdogs. Apparently the spread is the point difference you need to cover to win. Neophyte. Favorites are bolded.

Tennessee @ NY Jets (-2 1/2)
- I think I'm going to take Tennessee here. Even though I think Mark Sanchez is very hot and the Jets have a very good defense, I'm going to go with my gut and go with the Titans. They are 0-2, supposedly very good and are due for a win.

Jacksonville @ Houston (-4)
- The Jaguars kind of suck. Who is their QB again? Exactly. I'm going with the Texans.

KC @ Philly (-7 1/2)
- Philly. If this game was at KC, I might have changed my mind purely because of the point spread. Donovan is hurt and dogfighting lover isn't starting. On a related note, I don't think I can ever cheer for Michael Vick. Yes he has done his time and all but that doesn't mean I have to like him or cheer for him. As a doglover and dog owner, I can never really forget all the gruesomeness of it all. Everytime I hear or think about dogfighting, it makes me want to throw up. P.S. I think Andy Reid has lost some weight.

Cleveland @ Baltimore (-13 1/2)
- Those are a lot of points. I'm going with the Ravens. I think they are that good.

Giants @ Tampa Bay (- 6 1/2)
- As much as I hate Eli Manning (and boy, I do not like him), I think the Giants can win and cover this one. Gosh, I hate Eli Manning.

Washington @ Detroit (- 6 1/2)
- The Skins suck. But not as much as the Lions do. Going with the Redskins. Poor little kitties. Matt Millen is a better TV person than a GM.

Green Bay @ St. Louis (-6 1/2)
- Is it my imagination or do the last four games seem like they are going to suck in terms of watchability? No fun. I'm going with GB here. I love Aaron Rodgers. No other reason. Just Aaron Rodgers. I never said I had a logical reason to like one team over another.

San Fran @ Minnesota (-7)
- Brett Favre needs to go away. For good. I'm sorry, I can't bet against my team. I think they will pull it off. The spread is kind of dicey but I have faith in my gold and red. One of my favorite movie lines ever was in "There's Something About Mary" when Camereon Diaz rejects Brett Favre and says "I'm a Niners fan!"

Atlanta @ Patriots (4 1/2)
- Can't bet against a guy with the last name "Flacco." I just made up this rule. Also, the Pats are suck right now and may suck for the rest of the season. They D sucks and Tom Brady, although still dreamy, doesn't look right. Must be tough, marrying a supermodel and all.

Chicago @ Seattle (- 2 1/2)
- If the Seahawks weren't a division rival, they would be my second favorite team. I am very fond of the Pacific NW and I really think they might have a good team. Too bad Hasselback got dinged. Well not really, he was playing against my team last week (which won, holla!). Either way, I'm going out on a limb and I'm going with the Hawks even though Seneca Wallace is starting.

NO @ Buffalo (-6)
- 93 points in two games? That's just silly. I love Drew Brees and the former (or current) Mr. Kim Kardashian. NO for me.

Miami @ SD (-5)
- I'm going to go with Miami with this one. I think Chad and his Wildcat lovin' friends will pull this one out.

Pittsburgh @ Cincy (3 1/2)
- I can't imagine the Steelers losing two in row. I know they are playing away but I believe in Big Ben (who might or might not be a rapist) and Co. A couple of thoughts on Cincy. What's up with Carson Palmer? Next, I absolutely loved Hard Knocks. I love Chad OchoCinco. He's entertaining. Not TO obnoxious, but truly entertaining. Now Kiss the Baby.

Denver @ Oakland (-2)
- Since I like to live dangerously, I'm going with Oakland. Dangerous, like all of JaMarcus Russell's passes. Dangerous in a bad way.

Indy @ Arizona (-3)
- I never like to bet against Peyton. And tonight will be no different. Indy. Kiss the Baby. Again.

Carolina @ Dallas (-8 1/2)
- I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that Dallas won't be able to make this spread even though I think they might win (by a little). So I guess that means I'm going with Carolina even though they are a mess. Also, Tony Romo needs to call me. I may not be blond or even white. But I am fun. All my friends say so. Just ask them.

Okay, I must rest up for my early game tomorrow morning. Go Niners! I will try to avoid breaking any furniture and scaring my dogs.

Rummy Ng

We got a new dog this weekend. His name is Rummy Ng and he's a basenji/aussi cattle dog/bull terrier mix. He is 1 and we got him from the San Francisco SPCA. He's basically my mom's dog and the nicest dog ever. So mellow. So sweet. So playful. Obviously Miso hates him. Here are some pics:




This next picture is pretty much how Miso feels right now:

Holla

Funny Story.

I haven't made a lot of friends in my LLM program. Actually, I haven't made any friends in my LLM. I don't really know why. I am friendly enough. Maybe it's because I like to sit in the front row. (Look, it's tax. If I don't sit in the front for classes like Timing of Income, I will fall asleep.) Or maybe it's because I have the highest bar number (hence, the newest bar admittee) or maybe because everyone else in my program is middle aged and working. Either way, I have no friends. However, I missed my Tax Research class from last week and I needed some notes in order to do the assignment. So I asked this guy who sat next to me in the last tax research class. He was pretty friendly and sent me the notes.

I ended up sitting next to him in tax research again this week. The first thing he asks me is: "Did you cut your hair?"

Let me stop here for a moment. Throughout my adult life, I have accused of being rather naive when it comes judging whether a guy is hitting on me or not. I just assume no one is hitting on me and a gentleman just wants to make conversation. I had sort of a "friend syndrome." I never wanted to be the girl who thinks that every guy is hitting on her so I just assume if a guy talks to me, he just wants to be friends. After some misunderstandings over the last couple of years, I think I have evolved a little from that. My default is still the "friend syndrome" but I have picked up some signs. Back to the story.

So when a guy a barely know, or even talked to says something about my hair, I get suspicious. Is homeboy really hitting on me? Yes, I think he was. Naive no more. Anyways, I politely say no and thank God that class has started. A couple of minutes later, I see homeboy tear off a piece of paper from his legal pad. He writes something down and the folds it. I'm thinking: "Woah, is homie going to give me his number during class?" That's ballsy. He slips me the piece of paper and I open it. It says: "Sorry to bother you. But you have something stuck between your teeth." I take out lint brush/pocket mirror. I have a huge black bean stuck in the front of my teeth from lunch. Naive no more? Perhaps. Totally moded? Definitely.

While reading my ginormous book Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin I stumbled upon a quote that made me pause and reflect:

"Having hope means that one will not give in to overwhelming anxiety, a defeatist attitude, or depression in the face of difficult challenges or setbacks. Hope is more than the sunny view that everything will turn out all right; it is believing you have the will and the way to accomplish your goals."

That's me on a good day.

Lib Lib Lib

After taking the bar and becoming jobless, I started to go to the library. I have always thought of myself of a bookstore kind of gal. Before this year, the last time I set foot in a library was in high school. And even then, it was just somewhere to study after school or a place to kill time until my parents picked me up after playing tennis. However, in an attempt to save money, I started to go to library to feed my need to read. But what started as an attempt to pinch pennies has evolved into a full blown appreciation for borrowing books and the library itself.

As corny as it may sound, I feel like being a library card holder gives me a bigger attachment to my community. Just by borrowing a book that someone else has read makes me feel more connected to my neighbors. As an added bonus, you don't have to pay for it! How awesome is that? And you can rent DVDs and CDs from the library? Who knew? Well, if you didn't, you know now!

So Me

Sometimes when I have nothing to do (like right now), I like to browse the Craigslist "activities" section. I like this section for two reasons. First, it makes me feel better. Living in SF is great because there are so many things to do. Unfortunately, a lot of these things are not so much fun by yourself. And unfortunately, I seem to be lacking in friends upon my relocation to SF. I have friends but not a lot of everyday friends. So reading this section and seeing how other people seem to be in the same position makes me feel a little less socially stupid. Second, I secretly hope a find a post to reply to. More specifically, I'm looking for a Chinese language exchange partner. I am desperately trying to learn Chinese again and I need someone to speak to me in the right accent. My parents and their Cantonese accented Mandarin is doing no good for me.

Anyways, during my browsing today, I stumbled accros this ad:

"I am pretty, young , smart and intelligence.
I say this not because I'm cocky (well maybe a little bit), but rather, I base this claim on I have two master degrees and what others have told me.

I have heard, amongst other things:
"You're so hot." "Wow, you are so beautiful, I feel pale standing next to you." "You should be model, don't waste your beauty."

I have totally no idea how to use my beauty to make my life easier and better ? Any advice for me ?"


I didn't post that. I swear. But if she really existed, my alter ego Andrea Lee would definately have posted this.

Ears Pierced

Two posts in one night! You are in luck! I didn't do much this weekend. I needed some reprieve from going out and doing stuff. So I stayed home and basically did nothing. But . . . I did get my ears pierced! Finally!

Monkey Week

The last couple of weeks have been a bit crazy.

It started with the arrival of my bff Anne two weeks ago. It was so nice to have her back in the Bay, even if it was only for a couple of weeks. I went with her to do some wedding stuff and catch up on life, and eat. Just as I do with all my close friends, I feel very lucky to have Ms. Anne in my life. I think what makes our friendship special is not only the fact that she can read me like no one else, but the fact that we have managed to remain as tight as we have through the years. We have not attended the same school since the 8th grade. Our colleges were on opposite ends of CA and we have lived on different sides of the country since she moved to Illinois about four years ago. I am amazed because I think it is rare for childhood friends to maintain a level of closeness through high school, college and grown-up life. Face it, keeping up with friends is hard work. But some are just worth it. You know who you are.

Anyways, back to this weekend. I got all reflective and sentimental.

Anne and I went to LA during her trip. She needed a travel buddy to LA so I volunteered. She rented a white PT Cruiser that was screaming for death going up the mountains. We drove down the 101 and ate at one of my top restaurants Cracked Crab. Two type of crab and slipper lobsters in a crab boil. Enuff' said. We spend the rest of the weekend shopping at Cabazon, going to a snazzy bar, cleaning puke and eating a lot. We even got to visit the famous Kogi Truck. It's basically a Korean take on the Mexican taco trucks. Instead of carnitas, they have bulgogi. Carne Asada = short ribs. Oh, and there's a Kim Chee Quesadilla. Here is what we got:


I believe we got beef, spicy pork, and chicken in that order. We also got a Kogi Dog which is basically a hot dog with Kim Chee on top. Yum. Also, we got the chef's special which was a pork belly wrapped in some green thing with Kim Chee on it. That was also very good. I would say that the food lived up to the hype but if I had to wait longer than the hour I did, I would be more "eh." But alas, I didn't so I think it was worth it.

After Anne left, my buddy Ryan (a.k.a. "Monkey") came into town for a few days. I had an itinerary tailor made for Ryan. I gave him a food tour which included stops at Monk's Kettle, Pancho Villa, Stacks, Philz Coffee, and some other places I don't remember. Point being we ate very well and now I must go to the gym everyday to burn everything off. In addition to the food, Ryan and I re-lived our law school days and played beer pong. I was very appropriate and competitive per usual. Check out the dude in the background. Hilarious.


The next day, we hiked up Mt. Tamapais in the North Bay. Awesome Awesome 8 mile hike. The weather was perfect and the view was so pretty. We hiked to Stinson Beach and back. Here are some pretty pictures.



Hopefully my tour will persuade Ryan to move down to SF. I need more friends down here!

Anyways, these past weeks have reminded me that I should be thankful. I really am blessed with great friends. Some people go through life knowing tons of people but not having close relationships with anyone. I am so lucky that I have a great group of people who I can share everything with. Friendship takes work but I know that the ones I have are so worth it. I love you all. Now you can put the tissues away.

Gettin' Tight

I really love that phrase. "Gotta get tight." I cannot take credit for the phrase since I heard it during my 2L summer internship but I love it. It's my lifelong mantra since I feel like I've always had a struggle with weight and body issues. Just like most women, I am and probably will never be satisfied with my weight or the way I look.

Some of this might stem from being made fun as a kid. Since I am Chinese, being 5'7 with some meat automatically makes you big and fat. Being constantly criticized for genes you never asked for or called "Natasha Ng the fattest thing" does not do much for a girl's self esteem. This may have led to my lifelong jealousy of little Asian girls. Oh, how I used to crave to be little and cute.

Fast forward to now, I think I have come to accept most of my physical flaws and limited assets. While my early 20s weight fixes centered around unhealthy dieting and other drastic measures, I have started to just focus on being healthy and exercising consistently. I have set reasonable weight loss goals and learned to balance that third serving of fried chicken with another hour on the treadmill. In the end, I think I am okay with the way I look. I will never be that cute little Asian girl. But I can definitely beat them up.

P.S. To my cute little Asian girlfriends: I would never beat you guys up. Promise.

Happy Birthday Keithers!

Make a Smilebox postcard

Nuthin' Much

I haven't been posting for a while because there just isn't much to talk about. I'll be back to let you know if there has been any amazing happenin's besides school, Miso, being sadsies and working out. Don't hold your breath. This might take a while.

Mother's Day

In honor of my wonderful mother, let me drop a little poem.

Mother's Day

Mom, you mean the world to me and Mi
You cook and clean Miso's poo and pee
I appreciate all that you have done
and how you make everything fun.

Miso and I love you so very much
When we start to make $, we'll buy you lunch
Until then, you'll just have to deal
with my feeble attempts at making a meal

But no worries, I can kind of cook
I swear, that's how it's suppose to look
While you pretend to enjoy the food
just think how much you love me and the furry dude

Happy Mother's Day!

P.S. If someone could translate the poem in Chinese, that would be great.

Xoxo,
Natasha and Miso

Oysters, Running,and Portable Toilets

I must say that I have had a pretty eventful weekend. Here's a partial recap, if you are interested.

Oysters in Marin

It all started on Wednesday when I went to Marin for some picnic and oysters. One of the most awesome days ever. We drove up to Tomales Bay to get some fresh oysters from Hog Island Oyster Co. (the farm, not the bar). Armed with a dozen (plus one extra!) Kumamoto oysters, we settled on a nearby spot and had a picnic of oysters, wino, bread, and japanese food. Here are some pics:



Here's a close up:

Kumamotos, wakame salad, tuna sashimi/sushi


I just like this picture:



My artistic skillz. I think the knife is a good touch




Running and Portable Toilets



The next day, I started my trip down to So Cal for the Ragnar Relay. I had no idea what I was getting into. It's a 24+ hour race covering about 188 miles. Each team gets two vans and 12 runners. It's basically a relay race from Santa Barbara to Dana Point. We started at 10:00 on Friday morning and finished around 3:30 in the afternoon on Saturday.

Even though I only got 2 hours of sleep, slept in a van, and wore the same clothes for almost two days, I had a lot of fun. I would definitely do it again. My only complaint would be the portable toilets. I can't deal with them. I actually fear them. I think it all started with this nightmare I had a while back. I dreamed that I fell into a portable toilet. Ever since then, my heart races when I have to use them. And during this race, I had to use about 4 1/2 of them. The 1/2 is for when I went inside but couldn't pee because the toilet was on a hill and rocked when I was inside.

Anywho, it was an awesome experience. I met some cool people and even got to see Tiffany Amber Thissen (you know, Kelly from Saved by the Bell). She was also running the race.






























I can't complain when I'm running down the 1 and it looks like this:

Cupcakes Part Deux

Today I made another attempt at cupcake baking. The cupcakes from the post below were cute and pretty (I'll at least give myself that). But they were pretty hard and way too dry. I couldn't figure out the problem until Marie informed me that they were suppose to bake for 15 minutes instead of 24. Ooops. That explains why they were hard as a rock.

Oh well, I decided to re-focus and try another recipe. And since I absolutely love dark chocolate, I made dark chocolate cupcakes. I used a recipe found on some Seattle lady's blog and they turned out pretty good. Just the perfect amount of chocolate and very light and fluffy. I am one tiny step closer to domestic goddess-ness.

I didn't post any pictures because they look pretty simple. Just imagine a black cupcake with pink muffin paper things. That's how they look like. Next step: cakes

Happy Birthday Marie!

Make a Smilebox greeting

White Cupcakes

After getting some inspiration from my friend Emily's blog, I decided to make some cupcakes. They looked so pretty on her blog, I couldn't resist. Plus it's spring. So I followed a recipe that Emily uses and created these:



They were pretty good. See, I can be artistic AND a baker. I am another step closer to attaining domestic goddess-ness. Now about finding a job . . . after I eat another one of these.

Love Not Actually

This past week, I watched Love Actually. It was billed the "Ultimate Romantic Comedy." I should have known. I normally wouldn't have cared for a movie like this but some people told me that I would actually like this one. Wrong. I guess I should not be too surprised. But it got me thinking: "What happened to romantic comedy-loving Natasha?" About three/four years ago, I would have LOVED this movie. Somewhere down the line, I have morphed into this jaded, rom-com bashing, cynical HATER. H to the R. HATER.

But I don't just hate on rom-coms. Apparently, I hate on baby showers, bridal showers and all sorts of organized party games. Is this the real me? Have I been romantically screwed over so bad that it is necessary to roll my eyes everytime I see goggly eyes and romantic declarations of love? Nah. Every girl has met a couple of a**holes in their lives and I am no exception. But I think I've been pretty lucky.

So, as of today, I am making a new change in my life. Since I seem to be changing my hair, my lifestyle, my friends, my life direction, I mind as well change this as well. I will now strive to be less jaded. I will cuddle. I will not cringe at the Ultimate Romantic Comedy. I will touch my feelings more often. And when a special boy looks into my eyes, I will actually look back.

Another Reason to buy an Element

This is another reason why my next car will be a Honda Element. Honda just previewed a "Dog Friendly" version of its Element. Not only is the interior easy to wash, this new version will include a cushioned pet bed with safety restraints, spill proof water bowls, a ramp to help those "less agile dogs", and even an integrated pet carrier in the back.

I love it. I want it. Now must work on getting a job to buy Miso his new ride. How can you not spoil this face?

Baseball

It's that time of the year again. Baseball season has begun and I cannot wait. Due to my current unemployment, I can spend my days watching my Giants and drinking beer. Our starting rotation has a lot of promise (we have the most overpaid No. 4 starter in the MLB) and I can't wait to get over .500 this year!

Go Gigantes! Please don't let me down this year.

B/c I love Corn

As most of you know, I love sports. Espn.com is one of my everyday websites. I particularly look forward to reading The Sports Guy's column. I might have given up on reading his book (I guess you have to be a Bostonian to love it.), but I love his Mailbag (comments and questions submitted by his readers). And since I love sports and corny pick up lines, this section of the Mailbag made giggle:

Q: If I had to pick a worst sports pick-up line about someone on the ESPN staff, it would be: "John Hollinger's playoff odds projects you and me in the finals."
-- Matt, Durham, N.C.

SG: Come on, there's no way that beats, "Hi, I'm the Talented Mr. Roto." But you got me thinking, what would be some other terrible ESPN-related pickup lines? Here's my top 10:

1. "Jim Rome isn't the only one who's burning right now."

2. "How'd you like to make my Mount Rushmore of hook-ups?"

3. "Who's up for a Daily Quickie?"

4. "I'm like Mike and Mike -- I can go for four straight hours."

5. "How'd you like to stump the Schwab?"

6. "Pardon the interruption ... around my horn!"

7. (Taken out by my editors.)

8. "How'd you like to sit on my Budweiser Hot Seat?"

9. "When I saw you, I thought we ... COULD ... GO ... ALL ... THE ... WAY!"

10. "Who's now? You and me, that's who."


I especially love Number 8. Here's the full Mailbag.

Where's the Spontaneity?

Being someone who likes to plan and have an itinerary for everything, you wouldn't expect me to ask the question: "Where's the Spontaneity?" But I am. Where is it? I've/We've lost it somewhere.

Remember when you could just pick up the phone and call someone to "chat?" Doesn't happen anymore. Now, I must make "phone dates." Pre-arranged times to catch up and shoot the sh*t. I even feel like the conversation has to have some sort of itinerary in order to maximize my allotted phone time.

When did our lives become so planned and orderly? Oh wait, it's called growing up and getting jobs/knocked up/married. As we grow older, we just become busier and more responsible. That's just the way it is. But some days I can't help but miss the days where a conversation didn't feel rushed or when you would get together and just lounge. I might just have to plan that one of these days.

Happy B Day BFF!

Make a Smilebox greeting

Commitment I Can Never Achieve

Woman Handcuffs Self to Husband

"A woman attempting to reconcile with her estranged husband handcuffed herself to him as he slept and then bit him on his torso and arms as he phoned for help, police said."

She told the police that she wanted to have a conversation with him and restraining him was the only way she could get him to talk to her. So she changed the locks while was sleeping and handcuffed herself to him.

Is that why men think we are clingy?

BART

When I am working, I ride BART downtown. The morning commute has its own culture, set of rules and customs. And some interesting people. This is what I have noticed thus far:

1. If you are plan on standing there as the escalator goes up/down stand to the right. If not, you will get the inevitable "Excussssssse me" as the lady with the suit and tennis shoes pushes past you to catch that phantom train that hasn't even arrived yet.

2. Don't make eye contact while riding the train. I made this mistake during my first forlay into the BART commuter culture during my 2L summer internship. People think you are weird. Just close your eyes or read your book like everyone else.

3. If you don't have you iPod on, you are also weird.

4. There's always that one stragger that fails to realize the concept that you are suppose to line up while waiting for the BART. You know who you are. You pretend like you just got there and try to squeeze your way in when the doors open. You suck. Your suit and tie gives away your defense of ignorance.

5. To the idiots that bum rush the doors to get into the train. People actually need to get off the train. Who knew? Get out of the way. The bus will not magically run away in the next five seconds. For reals.

6. To the idiot that tries to sneak your way on the train but ends up getting stuck in the door. You are stuck in a BART door. Everyone is staring at you and secretly hopes the train goes forward a couple of feet. It doesn't hurt but that's what you get. Idiot.

7. If you catch some of the later trains, let's say about 10:30, you can meet the most interesting people. A couple of weeks ago I saw a lady dressed as the Statute of Liberty. Oh, and a while back, I saw a lady bring her pet rooster/chicken thing on the train. In a paper bag. And she was coo'ing to it. Dinner or a pet. Not sure.

Perhaps when I get a permanent job I can be truly accepted into the BART commuter culture. I think I'm ready. I've got my walking shoes, library books, and iPod. I'm ready to go. Please don't reject me.

What's In Your Five?

What websites do you frequent the most? More specifically, what are the first five websites that you search when you first turn on your computer? I was thinking about this when I turned on my computer this morning. There are just some websites that I just automatically go to start my computer-infused day. Here they are:

1. www.gmail.com - Gotta check my e-mail. Doi.

2. www.espn.com - I was initially surprised but after some thought, it makes total sense. I love ESPN. I watch ESPN SportsCenter almost every day. It's therapeutic in way. Where else can I read The Sports Guy's Mailbag?

3. www.facebook.com - I usually connect to facebook because I got some e-mail alert telling me that someone has friended me/messaged me/written on my wall/commented on my status, etc. If not, facebook is probably number 5 on this list.

4. www.people.com - I need my daily dosage of celebrity gossip. Yes, I am well aware that people.com comes before any kind of grown-up news website. But I'm just that kind of gal.

5. www.sfgate.com - SFGate is where I go for news, articles about new restaurants or food, my daily crossword puzzle, and everything I need to know about the Yay.

Everyone has a routine. This is my online routine.

xoxo,
n

For the last couple of months whenever I am on the BART on my way back home from work, I feel like crying. The feeling just comes up out of nowhere. I start to feel my eyes water and my body starts to get heavy. Then BAM I feel that wave of insecurity and sadness burst inside. In a manner of seconds, I think about everything that is dragging me down.

Why am I back here in the Bay Area? Why am I back here? It's a problem with association. I associate all my insecurities, all my failed relationships, and all that I have NOT accomplished to the Bay. I feel so lonely here. My BFF is gone and will be gone for another year at least. Everyone I know here is stuck in their own little sphere of existence that I can't seem to break into. I find it ironic that the place that I call "home" is the one place I seem to feel the most lonesome.

Lent 2009

Even though I'm not Catholic, I have participated in the "giving something up" part of Lent for the past 6 or so years. Rather than a religious exercise, I look at giving something up as more of a mental challenge. I think out of the six years, I was only able to go the whole 40 days and 40 nights once. ONCE. Here are some prior things I have given up:

1. Meat (lasted a day)
2. Alcohol (lasted about 2 weeks)
3. Swearing (lasted about 1/2 a day)
4. Chocolate (this one actually stuck)
* I don't remember the last two. I do remember that they were complete failures.*

So this year, I decided to go all out and give up more than one thing. I am going to give up three things: Boys, bacon and sausage. All three are greasy, full of fat and only provide temporary satisfaction. Oh yea, all three will play some part in a drunken Friday night.

The last two will be the most difficult. I faced my first challenge yesterday during Saturday morning breakfast at Howard's End in the Sunset. I wanted an omelet. All but three of their omelets had bacon or sausage in it. So I ended up having to order a veggie omelet because the other two options involved ground beef and ham, both of which I was not feeling for. It is going to be a long road to Easter.

Yo

Yo. Person who commented on my blog but then deleted the comment. What the heck? You are killing me with the suspicion. Is that you bouncy Asian from the gym? If it is, I'm going to cut your ponytail the next time I see you at the gym.

suspicious

1. Boys that listen to Coldplay.
2. Boys that are paler than I.
3. Boys that make you a mix tape. Especially if N'Sync is on there and we are over 25 years old.
4. Boys have little tattoos on their asses.
5. Boys that lack female friends.
6. "Nice, tall" boys that your aunt introduces you to.
7. Boys that are not interested sports. Double take if you are ONLY interested in the following: golf, tennis, bowling, NASCAR (extra eyebrow arch there).
8. Any boy with a nickname that starts with "Fast."
9. Any boy who's idea of romantic music is "Electric Relaxation." Tight song but, "Now I'm gonna pound that putang till it stanks" isn't romance.
10. Boys that cause me to lose my taste for chocolate mousee cups.
11. Boys that are into Japanese anime.
12. Boys that don't like dogs.
13. Boys that don't drink.
14. Any boy with a nickname that starts with "Dirty."
15. Boys who have stuffed animals in their rooms. . . and a matching one in his car.

This list makes me giggle.

what the hell am i doing with my life?

I May Be Going to Hell

Tonight around Mile 3 on my run on the treadmill, I was mean. As the young little Asian chick hops on the treadmill next to me and proceeds to bounce/run with her little ponytail, short shorts and Jordans I thought to myself:

"Listen you little brat, I hate you. You and your bouncy ponytail. I know you won't last 10 minutes on this treadmill. Just you wait until you are 28 and you feel like any moment you boobs might start sagging and you start to wonder whether you need eye cream. Just you wait until you realize that no matter how smart you are, the little Asian chick running with the short shorts next to you will always be cuter and bouncier and will likely not owe over 50K in loans. Bounce now bioch. Keep bouncing."

I know I was being mean but it did give me some more motivation to run that last mile. Hey, I might be going to hell but at least I got something out of it.

La La Land and some O.C. as well

I finally got around to uploading all of my six pictures that I took from my recent trip to So. Cal. You would think that I would take more but I just wasn't in the paparazzi mood this time around. Anyways, here are some pics:



From L to R: Wang, Me (I'm doing my best "round pork bun with bangs and no eyes" impression), Bee, Mish, Des and Chi.

These girls (along with the absent Alice) are probably my closest friends in So. Cal. We went to Irvine together and all were in Pi Phi at the same time. Say what you want about sororities, but I am thankful that my sorority introduced me to these smart, successful, thoughtful ladies who I would do almost anything for. PPL.



This is so Mish. Visit her on www.michellewoo.com. She is the wittiest person I know.



We ate two bags of this stuff. Along with an order of sweet potato fries, fried oysters and fried catfish. I need to stop hanging out with skinny friends with amazing metabolisms. It's quite sad when I can't pull my weight with chicks that are half my size.



It was Desi's birthday and apparently we had the honor of being her first birthday dinner dates. I'm sure she had three more parties after us.

V Day

Single People Awareness Day. Happy Hallmark Day. Whatever you want to call it. It's Valentine's Day. Unfortunately, I am spending my V-day at home, in my bed battling sickness. But having this time gives me a chance to reflect about all that is Valentine's Day.

(thinking . . . still thinking . . . )

Fine. Well I will say a couple things that are flowing through my mind.

I'd like to think that I am not jaded about the whole L thing. I'm really not. I'm more of a realist. I feel that, at this point in my life, I really don't have anything to offer anyone. I can barely get my stuff together. I know I will find someone. I just really don't think it's going to happen anytime soon. People fall in love all the time. I will too. . . later.

When I was in L.A. this past week, my friends and I watched He's Just Not That Into You. I didn't know this, but it was a book? I honestly didn't like the movie all that much. It was okay but I didn't like how it ended. I felt like it wasn't realistic. But then again, it's a romantic comedy. How else is it suppose to end? In the movie, there is this one character that is single and absolutely crazy. She puts herself out there and makes a complete ass of herself in the process. I don't know if I would ever go that route. But there is something to be said about finding someone you like. The most cold hearted ice princess won't be able to deny that feeling. It's that sort of rush you get when that person calls. It drives you crazy. It drives me crazy. It drives me crazy that it drives me crazy. But I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Meet Me At the Altar With With Your White Dress . . .

Throughout most of my adult life, I have been allergic to weddings. Allergic might be an overstatement. Perhaps "have not always enjoyed" is a better term. I have always thought that they were a waste of money and just overdone. Plus the whole afraid of commitment thing. So, when I found out that my bff Anne and my buddy Marie were getting married, I was scared. I was scared that everything would be wedding centric and that it would be suffocating. I even got anxious when I bought Marie a subscription to Modern Bride. The thought that we'd be getting bridal magazines freaked me out.

But . . . it really isn't bad. Maybe it's because I'm growing up or what. Or maybe it's because the word "commitment" doesn't scare me as much. I actually enjoy talking about wedding planning. As long as I am not planning my own, it's fun. I have always enjoyed event planning. I love planning dinners and other fun events. (See, Pumpkin Carving Extravaganza 2006 and 2007). Perhaps it's residual from my sorority days. What sorority girl can resist a themed party? I know I can't. Even my dinner nights were themed. (Mexican, Chinese, Moroccan)

Perhaps this change has to do with the fact that I really do care about the people who are getting married. Not to say that I haven't cared about other people but Marie and Anne mean a lot to me. I want them to be happy and I know that having the wedding they envisioned will make them happy. With that in mind, I don't mind looking at venues, dresses, or other fun wedding stuff. I think I have a special knack for wedding favors. Who knew?

Challenge?

I love it when tennis players challenge line calls. It adds so much more to the game. First, I like how unlike football challenges, you find out the result right then and there. Second, I like how the ball tracker thing is so clear with the calls. There isn't much wiggle room. It's either in and out. Touches the line or not. Lastly and my favorite part is the crowd's reaction when they show the ball on the monitor. I LOVE how the crowd goes: "oooooooooo" when the ball is slowly in the air and then the "ahhhhhhhhh" when it bounces. It's my favorite part... "oooooooooooooo" "ahhhhhhhhhh" (cheer!)

I take that back

I think what scares me more is the fact that there is another Natasha Ng who is admitted to practice law in California. I thought I was the only Natasha Ng lawyer. Sadsies.

I don't know what scares me most. Either the fact that my name comes up when I search the Calbar website or the fact that it says: "This person is active and may practice law."

Ragnar Relay Race

My buddy Keith got me to commit to running the Ragnar Relay Race in April. I started out super excited because I have never run a race like this. It's a 177 mile relay race from Santa Barbara to Dana Point. Luckily I don't have to run 177 miles. I only have to run three legs, each leg being about 5 miles or so because each team will have 12 runners. However, I just realized that there is a good chance that I will have to run in the middle of the night. I have no idea when this thing starts at but with 177 miles I think we're going to be running for a while. That makes me nervous. Luckily Keithers tells me that there are a lot of good runners on my team and maybe they can pick up my slow ass.

Either way, I am excited. If you are on the route and want to cheer me on, here's the info on the race:

http://www.ragnarrelay.com/losangeles/coursemaps/

My team name is: Ask Me About My B.R.

Paley's Place

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of eating at Paley's Place in Portland, Oregon. I'm on a little vacation up here and the biggest highlight (besides seeing my old friends) is trying out this restaurant. What started out as a joke ended up being one of the best meals I have had.

The restaurant design and atmosphere was awesome. Paley's Place is my idea of the perfect restaurant in terms of the look and feel. First, the restaurant isn't all that big. When I made my original reservation for 10, they told me that was the maximum they could accomodate at the location. According to their website, it can only seat about 50 people. Second, the atmoshphere was not stuffy and the tables weren't that close together. That means you can have a conversation without shouting over people and that you don't feel so rushed with your meal.

I ended ordering the Lamb Shank braised in a red wine sauce. I would rank the lamb at Paley's in the top 3 lamb dishes I have ever had. Perhaps behind the old Clementine but not by much. For dessert, I shared the the penna cotta with quince and a warm chocolate puddy cake that was steamed baked and some sort of cream. It was delicious. The really enjoyed the consistency of the chocolate cake. It had enough structure to hold but was also mushy and soft enough to melt in your mouth. I loved them both but I think I was most impressed by the chocolate cake.

The service was wonderful and very attentive. They were very attentive and I was impressed by the server's preparation and attention to Marie's dietary restriction.

In the end, I was so very much satisfied. Maybe it's because I'm growing up but nothing makes me more happy than eating a 2 1/2 hour meal with great food, friends, and conversation.

p.s. I miss Miso

XOXO

Food

I love food. You know this. My body know this. I got some personal training lessons at my gym and I specifically cut of the personal trainer when we started talking about dieting. I said: "I will deny myself nothing." So, following that blurb. Here are some places I went this weekend:

On New Year's Day, I had no idea where to take my parents for lunch. Not knowing what was open, I went on Opentable.com and typed in a table for three fro 12:00 to see what came up. I randomly selected Sam's Chowder House and basically chose it based on this picture:


Beautiful isn't it? Well, apparently, they have really good chowder and seafood as well. So we went there. The view and atmosphere was perfect. We (even the dog!) sat outside on the patio where it wasn't too hot, too cold, too windy or too sunny. Perfect day. We had the chowder to start out with. I have to say that the chowder was pretty good. It wasn't as thick as I am used to but still very very good. After chowder, we all shared an order of fried calamari (a little bland but fried well), the salmon burger and the lobster roll. The lobster roll was rated one of the best sandwiches in America. I think it's a little overrated. The bun was probably better than the lobster that was in side. The lobster was a little cold and just didn't stick out. Blah. Esp for 20 bucks. Blah. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the Salmon Burger. Now that was good. It wasn't in the normal tight burger patty form. It was a little mushier but definitely packing in flavor. Along with the perfectly toasted bun, it was definitely worth the 14.95.

In the end, I think I give this place a 3.5 with an additional .5 stars (for the view) out of 5. It was so pretty and mellow, it totally added to the experience.

Here's the link if you are interested: http://www.samschowderhouse.com/



Last night was date night with Anne and we went to Dosa on Fillmore. I've been wanting to try Dosa for ages. Dosa on Valencia is the original location and that place is always packed, even on the weekday night. And they don't take reservations. However, Dosa on Fillmore had an open reservation last night at 8:15 so I snagged it.

First of all, the Dosa on Fillmore is a bit different from the one on Valencia. The one of Fillmore is much bigger and it is a lot more trendier in terms of atmosphere and interior design. The design was very crisp and clean and the scene was pretty young. I dig.

When we got there, we ended up having to wait for a little more than 1/2 hour for out table. A little annoying but we ended up with a big table. I didn't mind sitting next to the fire extinguisher either. Anne and I decided to try the four course tasting menu for $39 per person. I think that price is fair since you will likely end up spending that amount if you order separately. Anywho, we ended getting the following (each person got to select a dish):

Starters:
Mung Sprouts (very good, very different)
Cochin Calamari (spicy and very good)

Mini Dosa: (Our dosa was huge. I wonder what the regular dosas look like)
Chutney Masala Dosa (yummy and huge)
Paneer and Peas Dosa (I loved this dish. But it might just be because paneer is my favorite)

Curry:
Mango Jumbo Prawns (yummy. However, I wish they would take off the tails. I am lazy)
Tamil Lamb Curry (my favorite of the night. The lamb was perfectly cooked. Not too dry and the curry was spicy)

Dessert:
Rasmalai (I really really loved this dessert. The cheese patty had this wonderful consistency that was chewly yet soft. It was even better slathered with the cream.)
Indian Ice Cream (Cream flavored and went well with the Rasmalai)

I really really enjoyed my time at Dosa. Our table was perfect and the service was great. The food was excellent and lived up to its hype. I would definately go there again. No hesitatation. I give this place a 4.5 out of 5. The .5 because we had to wait for our table.

I love food.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year people! I was looking at my list of "Things to Do in 2008" and I am sorta satisfied.

1. Pass the Bar.
2. Get a job.
3. Run the Eugene Marathon
4. Go to NY.
5. Exercise at least 4 times a week
6. Save Money
7. Find stability and balance.


So let's see. I did #1 (yay). Not quite there on #2 (boo). Ummm. didn't do #3 (boo) or #4 (b00) and at some points this year did #5 (yay?). Definitely did not do #6 (b00) and for most of the year did NOT do #7 (b00). Let's see. That means I am about 1 out of 7. Okay, maybe I'm not so satisfied anymore. But I tried. Here is this years list of Things to Do.

1. Get a job.
2. Save money.
3. Run the Napa or Big Sur Marathon
4. Be more positive.
5. Visit a city I have never been before.
6. Read a new book every two weeks.
7. Have more patience.
8. Teach Miso a new trick.

See, I'm just a simple girl who wants simple things.