Sam's 7/11 belated birthday

What better idea for a dirty 30 birthday, than having a Beyonce-themed hotel slumber party with all girls?!?!? Sam's birthday was SO FUN, and I'm really happy that she invited me. We had so many snacks and drinks, and we played games and chatted the night away. In the background we had music going, and the space was perfect. Everyone was super comfy in their jammies! And I laughed so hard that I cried ... a few times. That so rarely happens to me now!

There was some talk of this becoming an annual thing. I hope it happens every year. I am so there!!

E-40 in concert!!!

After an early morning, and long day of drinking while watching the Seahawks beat the Packers (at Ballroom in Fremont), some friends came over to the apartment to play games. We played Fluxx and Asshole, and by the time people left at 9 PM.. OMG Matt and I were so exhausted!

Going to the Superbowl? #IMIN LOL!

We both didn't really feel like going out anymore, but I am SO GLAD that we went to the E-40 concert!!!!!! After seeing big production concerts last year, like Jayonce and Usher, I think that even though E-40 didn't have back up dancers, special effects, or fireworks, his concert was one of my favorites! His stage presence was awesome, and I don't think I've ever known as many songs at a concert as I did tonight! Muscle Cars, IDFWU, and Function were among the highlights of the show but so many of the songs were amazing! By the time we left, I was drenched in sweat from dancing!! And of course, Marshawn Lynch was at the concert!

Resolution for 2015 (yeah, just one)

Like many others, I lose focus on my New Year resolutions by March. Actually, it may happen as soon as February. So this year, I decided to make a more reasonable resolution that will help me in many ways.

For 2015, I plan to go home for lunch at least three times per week.

This means more walks for Forrest, less money spent during the week, and eating healthier (because the food we buy is relatively healthy… or at least healthier than what I buy for lunch at work). Putting that Costco membership to use!

For example:


This also helps me take more breaks from my computer, which on busy days I fail to do. Also, this encourages me to get groceries regularly and will help us eat out less for dinner; this is when we eat the worst, coming home after work to an empty fridge makes for poor takeout food decisions.

Less is more!

SnowGlobe + Tahoe cabin trip!

On Monday morning, Chad, Gary, and Tiana came to pick me up for Tahoe! We did a caravan with Alom and David, and picked up Susan on the way. In Vacaville, we had some surprisingly delicious burgers, and it was a nice break in our morning drive. When we finally got to Tahoe, we picked up our SnowGlobe bracelets at Montbleu. Thank goodness Alex and Nan were already in line and we cut them! We saved ourselves about an hour of wait time by showing up at the right time. :) Getting up the icy hill to the cabin was scary, even with snow chains on. Our van was clearly not equipped to handle icy roads and we spent about 20 minutes trying to make it up the first stretch. We eventually did, but got stuck halfway up the incline. In the end, we walked all of the luggage up to the cabinand left the van in the driveway of the vacant house. And omg, walking up an icy hill in sneaker wedges was a NIGHTMARE. Of course I was carrying the pot of raw meat and had no free hands either. Ugh! After settling in at the cabin, we had a nice hot bowl of bun rieu (courtesy of Susan) and we got ready to go. Tiana brought metallic tattoos for us!!!!

The poor organization of the SnowGlobe event became quite obvious when we showed up at the designated South Tahoe Middle School parking lot, which we had all purchased passes for, and no attendants were around. Also, the parking lot was closed even though we could see that spaces were still available. BOO! We ended up parking on the street and trekked over to the venue. The walk was longer than expected but it got us nice and warm so I didn't mind. Because we showed up later in the night, getting in was a breeze and we were at the bar in no time. We had back to back shots and then saw Skrillex! He was good, and played some good ol' hip hop for us. YES! It was a short night, and we went back to the cabin to drink more. I don't think I realized how much alcohol I was consuming, because it was cold! There were also TONS of Sharks fans. WOOT! And quite a few Seahawks fans as well.

On Tuesday, I woke up with some combination of altitude sickness and a hangover. I got up late, and everyone was already eating breakfast. So I ate that, and made a bagel. Over the course of the three days, I would eat a whole bag of bagels LOL. After breakfast, some people decided to take shrooms, and it was PRETTY HILARIOUS. No one really freaked out but watching them stare at objects as a group discussion was interesting. We found a shelf of VHS tapes in the game room, and watched Home Alone! After people sobered up and got ready, we headed to day 2 of SnowGlobe. The wait was much longer to get in, because we arrived earlier, and the walk to the venue was so icy! The second night was much colder than the first. This was my first time seeing Flux Pavillion, and I was really excited to hear Cracks. I thought Flux Pavillion did a great job. Porter Robinson's set was okay, not too exciting. Everyone was pretty cold so we left before Porter's set ended. When we got back to the cabin, some people stayed up to chat and a few people kept drinking. I decided to take it easy, for fear of another hangover.

Wednesday morning's breakfast was SLIDERS! And more bagels for me. :) We watched movies and hung out at the cabin before heading to day 3 of SnowGlobe. It was cold again, but less icy. And we made it to see Zedd!!!!!!!!! My fave of the week. We snuck sandwiches in, and I think I ate all of them, LOL. The rest of the night was ok, and I went back to the cabin to poo in the meantime. The port-o-potties were not that bad at the festival, but still. Gross! Matt came back to the cabin with me, and I snuck in a power nap before we returned for Flume. Unfortunately, I wasn't a fan of Flume's music, but I did think that the fireworks at the countdown were AMAZING. Like, the best fireworks that I've ever seen. They had a lot of the bursting circle fireworks with multiple colors, which are my faves. Before this, I wasn't sure how I felt about the SnowGlobe experience, but at that moment I was sure I was glad that we went. It was a really nice way to start the new year with Matt, surrounded by friends, and watching the most exhilarating fireworks show! Back at the cabin, it was a calm night. I watched Sandlot with Tiana and Chad, which I'd never seen before.

On Thursday, we packed up the cabin and got the cars ready. By the time I packed my stuff, most of the cleaning was done. Thank goodness for responsible friends! The drive back to Seattle from Tahoe was not as bad as I thought it would be. We finished the Serial podcast, and I was fighting to stay awake because I didn't want to miss a thing! I ended up missing chapter 8, but had to keep going because everyone else wanted to continue. I think Adnan is innocent, but because Jay knew where the car was I feel sure that he was involved. I'm really curious to see what happens with the DNA tests!

Home for the holidays part 2

Friday was another day of catching up and reminiscing. My brother and I had lunch with dad at Doobu, our default spot, and I finally remembered to take photos of and with them! We chatted about life, work, Seattle, and it was great. My dad seems as lively as ever and my brother also seemed to be in a really good mood. I didn't want our lunch to end!

When I got home, I cleaned out my closets and threw away things. I found my photo box and there were some REAL GEMS in there. I also found my journal, which I skimmed through, and was so embarrassed by the way I thought. I was SO DRAMATIC. I threw it away. I'm not necessarily ashamed of who I was before, but I like my adult self so much better now. I don't know if I'll ever regret dumping my journal but I honestly wouldn't want anyone else to ever know my deepest thoughts at my most vulnerable times. In fact, it was almost painful to read about my weak moments.

I brought Saori and Manu over to Alex's briefly before dinner and we all played 1-4-24! I've totally got the hang of the game now and it's so fun! For dinner, I met with Albert and got to try Suzu in the mall. The service was disappointing but the spicy shio ramen was good. Albert is the one person that I thought would never change. We were best friends for so many years that I thought he would be the one that I would return to year after year and find that we could pick up exactly as we left off. Obviously that isn't realistic, but I don't think I was prepared. He says he's finally found direction in life, which is fantastic!! But he also seemed almost defeated to me. In the time that we ate and chatted I probably didn't get a thorough read, but I do truly wish him the best and I feel sad that I haven't made enough of an effort to keep in touch with him since I've moved. I will do better now, for sure.

Saturday morning I had an early brunch at Elite Cafe with Christine, Anna, and Lisa! I remember how fun and goofy and awesome they were in high school... and I'm so glad that they are still all of those things and more. Anna and Lisa are all about the married life and I'm so happy for them, they deserve to have only the best! Christine is more in the same place as me... in a relationship, still living away from "home" and undecided on a future timeline. I'm really looking forward to hanging out with them next trip home, and I would love love love to visit Christine!

I got a manicure after brunch, and they had Chanel polishes (ooh la la!). I didn't know they existed, but I got a gorgeous light olive shade. The chair where I sat to dry my nails was facing the street, and the salon was in Pac Heights, where I grew up! I watched a family supervise young children playing on the sidewalk, while cars tried to park and others tried to drive past. I watched the mail woman and FedEx delivery trucks make their stops. I saw an Asian guy my age, wearing a new era hat, driving a new s4, double parked in front of the fancy barber shop across the street to chat with his friend. It was the perfect place to people watch. And I thought about how lucky I was to grow up there, in a safe yet bustling neighborhood where so much happens. I used to walk down those streets with my parents on the weekend. I used to draw on the sidewalk with chalk in the summers!

I watched the Sharks game at Alex's that evening and we ordered dinner from Palmyra. We talked about growing up, our futures, work, and all kinds of catching up. After the game, we watched Robocroc and Bait. It was clearly bad movie marathon night on the Syfy channel.. and we were hooked! Before I moved away, we used to hang out and watch games and movies all of the time. Totes miss that!

On Sunday, Charles accompanied me to Cindy's wedding, and it was totally a high school reunion. At first, because it was a vineyard in Pleasanton, we weren't sure what to expect. But the venue was gorgeous, almost as gorgeous as the bride! I got to meet baby Addie, and catch up with many friends I haven't seen in a decade. I couldn't ask for a better night. I am so, so happy for Cindy and I loved every second of her celebration. I even caught up with Alan, who was working the photo booth! How wonderful! To top it off, the food was even delicious and the bartenders were awesome. Dancing at the end of the reception was amazing, of course! Derek, Mike, and I did a hand holding twirling routine and tore it up on the dance floor!

Home for the holidays part 1

In the years after moving, I've avoided traveling during the holidays... until now... and now I remember why!! Flying home was kind of horrible. The Alaska counter lines to check bags were backed up so much that you couldn't walk through the crowd. Yes, lineS, because after waiting for the kiosks there was another line to give tagged bags to an employee. What! I ended up waiting in a shorter line outside of the airport to have the skycab take my bag. Ugh. Getting through security was expedited so I didn't miss my flight, but I really barely made it. A few hours, a couple crying babies, and lots of turbulence later, I landed at the airport with my ride bailing on me and my checked bag "lost". Wtdh!

Fast forward a few hours, and I'm at the Secret Santa party after a nice long nap, surrounded by wonderful friends and eating delicious food. Oh how things can change in a day! The gift exchange was pretty fun, and David and I were each other's secret santas!! We must be some kind of soul mates! I got the neck pillow that I wanted, and know that I'll make great use of it on the way to Tahoe next week. Alex also gave me a sharks power bank which will also be super helpful for the road trip! Everyone seemed to like their gifts, and I'm so glad I was able to join the party in person this year. Alex's prime rib was good, and Ryan's garlic noodles were super tasty! Nan's deviled eggs with truffle oil and black salt were DIVINE. Too many great dishes to list. Tiana makes the best party favors, she gave us all jars of body scrubs and moonshine... AWESOME!! Canoodling with Bear and Butter made me wish I had brought Forrest. =(

On Sunday, I attended Anna's wedding and it was perfect. I loved that the party was intimate - not too many people but also not too few. The banquet center at Crystal Springs golf course was a great venue and the space worked perfectly. The ceremony was funny and lighthearted because the priest had jokes. And Anna looked so beautiful in her white dress!! I'm so glad that I got to sit next to Anita and chat with her. I feel like neither of us has really changed! The cocktail hour had some delicious fruity punch, which Amy, Regina, and I mixed with vodka LOL. It was such a good idea! The food at dinner was just okay but catching up with people that I haven't seen since college.. was the best. I sat with Amy, Anna, Regina, Kevin, Charles, Isabelle, and Daisy (and their dates). I also got to see Christine, Jane, Lauren, and Kanomi (and her adorbs babies) and it was great to see everyone happy and well. After dinner, I mingled with Andrew and Drew, and we drank some more. It was like a time warp!

On Monday, I worked from home and had lots of time to catch up with my mom. The tow truck that was scheduled for 6 AM never came, and four tow companies later the car finally left at 7 PM. CRAZY! Tuesday was a short work day so I got to have lunch with Dillon, Alex, and Saori. We then decided to play corn hole, and I was "all time qb" LOL ... such a bad idea. I got wasted! Came home for dinner and a nap, then went out to meet Charles, Jon, and Huey's other friends at Vesuvio Cafe for Huey's birthday. We had some drinks and then decided to go to Town Studio karaoke. Memories! Charles and I had lots of fun singing out hearts out and I realized just how much I have been missing karaoke in SF. I LOVE IT!!!! Huey had a rough night, and he stayed over at my mom's and now he is banned. Too much birthday fun.

On Wednesday, Alom joined Saori and myself for lunch at Ramen Yamadaya. I liked it! The broth was really good. After lunch, we picked up the car from the repair shop and it was great to finally have a way to get around again! I had mini dinner at home and then celebrated Christmas Eve with the Huangs for dinner. They are totally like my second family, considering that I spend most holidays with them!! As always, lots of good food, and welcoming Huangs. =) After dinner and gift exchanges, some of us headed over to Gary's to watch The Interview. It was pretty silly, as expected, but there were also a few really funny lines (from Franco of course).

On Christmas day I got a late start, but had a nice breakfast with my mom before meeting the Huangs + Gary at Family Billiards. More memories! They went to a bar after so I walked to Alex's and ate cheesecake. Andy, Alom, and Ryan came back from crabbing and we hung out for a bit before I went home for dinner. Christmas dinner was salmon, green beans, zucchini garlic pasta, and my favorite boiled chicken! So good, and so healthy. My mom's boiled chicken is the best. After dinner we had a talk with my mom about grown up things like the future and her getting older. It was pretty sad and serious but I'm sure she'll live a long time. I headed over to Andy's and hung out with him for the rest of the night. Gabe dropped off the most delicious tamales and stew! And we had already had coffee cake with frothy nespresso (LOL).

Andy gave me a gorgeous jewelry box for Christmas! Then we watched Bridesmaids and freaked out about mold with Alex. Andy is not joining us for SG so I won't see him again until after 2015! Secretly hoping he somehow decides to surprise us in Tahoe...