30 things i love

1. 1. Art and statues of the human form in the fetal position
2. 2. Depressing music
3. 3. Books without words
4. 4. Waking up with the sun in your face in total peace
5. 5. Ivy laying on my feet while I do dishes
6. 6. Stumbling upon a jazz singer singing her heart out
7. 7. The smell of burning wood
8. 8. Catching a fish
9. 9. Cutting onions until you cry
10. 10. Boots
11. 11. Long bubble baths
12. 12. Sharing a bottle of champagne to begin a night
13. 13. Trying hole-in-the-wall restaurants
14. 14. The adrenaline rush that comes with studying all night or being put on an impossible project/work day
15. 15. Random emails that say nothing at all
16. 16. Cooking when I’m stressed out
17. 17. Learning to read other languages when I cant understand what I’m reading
18. 18. The sound watches make when you wind them
19. 19. Lighting matches
20. 20. Face masques that you peel off
21. 21. Rearranging furniture
22. 22. Driving fast and dancing with other cars on the highway, especially on longer trips
23. 23. Surprises
24. 24. Lightly rainy days in the middle of the summer
25. 25. Any kind of word-game
26. 26. Letting other people choose dinner courses at restaurants
27. 27. Listening to languages I don’t understand
28. 28. Watching the smoke patterns that come from incense as it burns down
29. 29. Perching myself on brick walls or couch arms or anything like
30. 30. The way my feet tingle when I get in the shower because they’re always so cold and the water is so warm

aubrie on her wedding night

there is another wedding shower tradition i learned that i couldn't give my complete attention to but i did the most i could with frantic writing between making aubrie's bow bouquet. I figured she would be eternally embarrassed if i brought it out there too so i decided to save it for you and forward it to anyone that might appreciate it.

so... the responses the bride gives while opening her gifts MAY JUST be a preview to what she'll say on your wedding night. and here's what we have:

Hey! You’re trying to trick me!

those are cool!

I know I’m going to unroll one and they’re just going to fall on the ground.

Hang on-I can’t leave the bow on-I’ll get in trouble.

That’s one thing I KNOW I can use.

Oh…a comedy of errors.

a full set! which is good because i constantly drop them.

AWESOMMMMEEE.

People don’t like pink chicken?

Awww……

*awkward giggling*

Is it a puppy?

Its really pretty too!

Gotta lift with my legs not my back!

And artfully wrapped!

Ten times before I get to keep it!

You’re wearing me out here…

Its so perfect for me!

It’s the gift that keeps on giving!

I didn’t know that was hiding back there!

So luxurious!

Spice rack!

I was NOT expecting THAT!

congratulations aubrie, i hope you found that amusing.

is real food the road to happiness?

i'd forgotten my roots. growing up as "atif's daughter" eating in the best restaurants and trying exotic and different dishes--appreciating food in quantity (of love and portion) from my teita and in quality of delicate tastes from my dad's art. i'd let all that go, and i realized this when someone asked... whats really good food to get around here. and i didn't know any more. most of what came to mind were chains...and while decent--they weren't that fantastic.

most people, when they think of eating your way out of sadness think of a table filled with cheetos, doritos, gallons of ice cream and fudge, cookies, take-out, mcdonalds, and anything else processed and unknown to your biology as something that should be taken in. the truth is, if you want to eat your way through sadness... you have to find the real foods. foods that bring life out. that smell of chili and chocolate in "woman on top" that would drift through the streets. unadulterated, raw flavor, and beautiful.

elaine and i ate at a place called noodles in vegas--while no one expects much from a place called noodles... this was the one place where i ordered pork off the waitresses recommendation (where even elaine turned to me right after and reminded me "you don't like pork--you SURE?") and my eyes glittered when i had my first bite. and elaine turned into a 7 year old when she tasted the chicken in her noodle soup that tasted JUST like my mother's chicken did when she would pick it off and elaine and i would sit like birds waiting for her to give us little hot pieces. not pieces of meat covered in fat, or so much sauce you can't taste the flavor of the meat.

so i'm back on a mission, to find all those places that may not look like much (or they might look fantastic from the outside) that truly take pride in each dish they create - and love food. i want to eat at places where the chef LIKES going to work every day to create what he can. let me know of any places i need to be visiting... and if you'd like to come along... JUST TELL ME! but beware...unless the circumstances are dire and the food is too perfect to give up. i wont eat after dark. i find that even the dishes that are worse for you aren't as bad if you eat them earlier rather than later. so splurge a bit and make yourself happy!