without wine

It's late. I'm tired. I'm still listening to this guy lecture about all the questions I missed. So i decided to take my cam and shoot things in my makeshift office/living room/lounge. There is no wine in this wine holder. =/

we four each have one of these wine holders. they are from my favorite french professor in high school.

french milk

“I’ve always cherished that thing, of being able to travel between two different cultures. Melting into different universes in different countries makes it more interesting.” - Clémence Poésy

finally found this book

planets?

h&m celestial necklace

packing . plane . paris

I had a 6 hour simulated exam today. 3 hours in the AM, and 3 hours in the PM. I went home afterward to nap for an hour. Woke up, showered, and did this shoot before I have to go back to watch the lecture for the exam...telling me why I got over 50% of the questions wrong. sigh. At least i saw some sun today too.

On a brighter note, I found this necklace in a random Forever 21 bowl of jewelry for $2.99. It's a plane, a luggage tote, and an Eiffel Tower. Three of my favorite things, and it's what keeps me going everyday in this barbri class. Wearing it reminds me of what's at the end of the tunnel.

forever 21 travel necklace, h&m shirtdress, forever 21 shorts, h&m flip flops

vintage french

Grabbed this French inspired Club Monaco dress at the last sale. I can't believe I scored it in my size. I knew exactly where I was going to wear it to the minute i saw it...my dinner with the girls and my french professor. Today was the first day this week that I left the school before 9 pm. The sun was still out! I even managed to grab one of my brothers on their way out of the house for some pics. I look like crap with bags under my eyes and puffy cheeks, so let's showcase the dress more today than me.

I have no idea what the straps on the back are for. They just dangle there, and it's the prettiest thing. Who'd have thought? Just a piece of fabric looped through the back of my dress. heh.

and did i mention...pockets?!?! ..::eeep!::..

club monaco dress spring 2010, aldo blush bag, cathy jean wedges

water heater

I know I'm tooting a water heater, but it's the best $10 investment, seriously. I grabbed this one at Target and it has come in handy every single day. I makes my one cup of Viet coffee in the morning and I'm out the door in 30 seconds. I brought it to school today because we've camped out in Room 14 for the last week, and again, it's proven its worth. Hot water for tea, instant Starbucks/G7 Viet coffee, oatmeal, soup, and of course, ramen!!!

boiling crab

9 lbs crawfish, 9 lbs shrimp, 18 raw oysters, 3 baskets cajun fries, 24 sausages, 6 potatoes, 21 beers.
Bill: $330. Not too shabby.

SHABANG BABY.

What happens when you put Cajun and Viets together? You get the best shabang sauce EVER. Boiling Crab is one of the first pioneers for crawfish houses on the West Coast. They have perfected the sauce, and no other crawfish house here in Little Saigon can imitate it....which is why the lines are over 2 hours long pretty much all the time. We went tonight, supposedly for Chris' birthday, but I think the minute I said Boiling Crab, I got responses of "YES" before I said it was for Chris. hehehhehe. A very eclectic group of friends came from all over [Atlanta, SF, LA] and created a massacre of crawfish, shrimp, oysters, and of course, beer.

Screw you BP, we killed more seafood than you tonight...but we clean up a hell of a lot better. *_*

We sat right in the middle of the restaurant, and the sun set RIGHT where we were sitting. No worries, we just pull out our shades, and keep going. Sorry for all the overexposed shots, but it kind of shows the glare that was beating on my face half the meal!

oh yah, the birthday boy *_*

I forgot to take photos of the outfit again. I totally meant to, but forgot when they called our name to be seated. I took some when i got home. It smells like crawfish. ew.

brit's graduation

Brtini graduated from high school today. The same one her sister Leanne, Kat and I graduated from 10 years ago. Our 10 year reunion just passed. Crazy. I feel so old.

soirée avec gina

Every few months, my two best friends and I have dinner with our favorite professor of all time, Gina Gruwell. She was out high school French professor who took us abroad after our senior year, and she was the one that taught us all how to backpack and travel. She and her husband Rod have been our mentors and inspirations since we met them 14 years ago. It's amazing to me that this year is our 10 year high school reunion, and we still keep in touch with all the people we treasured the most from that time. I'm very blessed to have these relationships still...and cheers to many more years of wining, dining, and traveling!!!!

gorgeous table settings

Me digging into the caprese salad and Kat opens the Prisoner, a group favorite red.

Gina made the most amazing dinner. 2 in thick steaks with mash potatoes and veggies, topped with an insanely delicious peppercorn sauce. [she tweaked the recipe from Morton's but I personally think her reduction is much better than Morton's]. We brought over 5 bottles of wine from our latest trip to Napa, but Gina had a chilled bottle of white waiting when we got there, then opened one of HER favorites called Grey Wolf after we finished off ours, and then topped off the night with a malt scotch whiskey tasting. Goodness, i'm getting drunk just thinking about it...

Oh, and she also made amazing portobello mushrooms for the vegans! i wanted to eat this whole as well.

the original 4, but we've expanded to include the boys as well *_*

I got a new Club Monaco dress that fit this occasion perfectly, but I'll have to do the outfit shoot later. I also forgot to do a group photo! =/ Next time, we are going to go out to a Thai restaurant, my favorite one, so I will have to be sure to take one!