Because She Is My Best Friend

Because...

2013-08-13T11:35:00.001-07:00

I'm feeling weird. If I were really honest, I've been feeling weird. Reading someone's vulnerable words always inspires me to be vulnerable right back; so due to my lack of audience right now, I'll unload it here. I miss NYC...the move to Los Angeles has been the hardest thing I've ever done in my life- and the thing is, it caught me completely by surprise!

Life this past yr (since meeting Mike) has been so weird! I don't think I've ever faced so many transitions all at once. There's the transition of my heart, my physical location, job, church, small group, friends, hotel rooms in multiple states, apartment, apartment, apartment, then I settled in what will be Mike and my first home. Then a new roommate, then she left, a new car, new roads and horrible drivers, and the LA traffic...oh the LA traffic. Then the engagement and planning a wedding in 4 months!

I've never felt so detached from people, places, familiar things, favorite restaurants, feeling mobile, feeling energized. I'm weary and I feel so weird! Yet my heart is so full. There are moments like right now where I can release the anxiety I feel in my heart and feel quieted. In moments when I open my bible I feel comforted. And then there are friends who are so true, steadfast, and loyal. Life to me, is marked by relationships and memories. Without them, it loses its lure and luster and I have come to appreciate the friends who have rallied around me this past year. Christine, there are no words to describe how I love and appreciate you. I would not be here without you and I can't imagine my life without you. Mike, you are the most incredible man I've ever met and to think that God made you for me...my mind cannot comprehend it. I'd be lost without God's grace and guidance but I'd be lonely without the love of friendships both old and new.

Thank you.

BECAUSE... once a piggy, always a....

2013-07-11T17:49:00.004-07:00

I miss NYC so much it's hard to put it into exact words. When I think of my life in my beloved city I almost have to fight back tears. This weekend, Mike and I are returning to my old stomping grounds for the first time as an engaged couple and I'm fighting back tears once again.

Needless to say, I've been lining up good friends and good food, well ok, mostly just good food. I know the Los Angelinos reading this might stone me to death before my flight takes off but....I feel like I've been starving myself for the past 5 months. Starving my taste buds for sure...and now that I'm returning to the food mecca of the world, I, a true New Yorker at heart, am preparing to feast.

to which she replied "XD i'm surprised you're not going to more places. you'll be here til when?"

and for the last hour i can't help but really look forward to seeing my ex-roommate, Linda. We've had some pretty peculiar eating habits. And all I want to do, when I get there this weekend, is to order take out double cooked pork, wonton in red oil, and sauteed bean sprouts from Grand Sichuan, crack open a nice, cold mike's hard lemonade and watch reruns of friends....

I'm swallowing my own saliva right now. NYC, Mike and I are comingggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

BECAUSE i haven't posted in ages....

2013-07-08T16:49:00.002-07:00

been MIA....life's been INSANE. INSANE.

I got engaged! and we're starting to receive gifts! this is all very exciting. This past weekend, good friends of Mike and I came over for dinner and they brought along a BASIL PLANT!

and now, just 2 days later. I'm scowling the internet for basil recipes. Here is a very exciting find:

Basil Mayonnaise

Adapted from Orangette
Makes about 1/2 cup

1/4 cup packed basil leaves
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 medium garlic clove, chopped
Zest of one lemon
1/2 cup mayonnaise

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. time to make sandwiches :D

Recipe: Last Chance Basil Pesto

It's time to gather up all the basil left in your garden, or buy up the last bunches you can find at your local farmers' market. It's your last chance for the summery flavor of pesto.
Of course it is wonderful on pasta. Cut with a splash of mild vinegar, it makes a great salad dressing. Or use it as a sandwich spread. Pesto is also a wonderful accompaniment to grilled meats.
Basil Pesto
Makes about 1 1/2 cups
2/3 cup walnuts or pine nuts, toasted lightly
6 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves (almost a blenderful)
3 garlic cloves, chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (if using immediately)
Blanch the basil briefly (to preserve its color and flavor.) First prepare an ice-bath either in the sink or in a large mixing bowl. Bring about a quart of water to boil, add about a tablespoon of salt. It should taste like sea water. Submerge the basil leaves and immediately remove and drain then plunge into the ice bath. Pat leaves dry.
In a food processor or blender, combine toasted nuts, basil leaves and garlic until well-combined. While machine is running, pour in olive oil in a slow, steady stream, until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
If using immediately, stir in grated cheese. If freezing, spoon into an ice-cube tray for individual portions, or larger containers such as yogurt containers. To defrost, allow to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes, and stir in cheese.

both recipes from the kitchn

BECAUSE I never thought walter filtration can be so impactful!

2013-03-14T10:23:00.001-07:00

If you've been over myself and asked for water, you've probably noticed that I didn't pull a plastic container out of the fridge, instead I went to pour water from something that looks like this:

I purchased mine through anthropologie a year ago but the company who owns/produces them is making one for ONE THE GO! So I jumped on it of course, right now they're still in production stage and the estimated delivery is in May 2013 but I purchased 3 anyway because Father's Day is coming up and Boyfriend day is every day....so anyway check 'em out and BUY YOURS TODAY!

I can't say enough good things about my water filter. It tastes delicious.

See the campaign here:

BECAUSE it's bubble tea...

2013-03-13T14:35:00.002-07:00

known here, however,...as "bobba" and for the life of me cannot get used to. it sounds slightly gross actually. bobba? As much as I'm embracing life/lingo on the west coast there are a few that I'm rejecting from the very core of me.

Here's a list of rejects:
1. "Bobba" shocker...
2. "freeway" it's "highway".... but see point 2. below
3. endless bad drivers and traffic

4. the massive underground garages w/ confusing arrows, signs, tiny spots, and more bad drivers/parkers.

Here are a list of things I'd gladly get on board with..
1. the sun and 80 degree weather
2. not paying for the highway hahahahahha.
3. cupcakes at work- like all the time- at least once a week.

4. seeing my bf every week
5. paying under $20 a month for a gym that's open 24/7 THAT HAS A POOL!

In conclusion....LA life is great and I feel mostly blessed but 80% of complaints reside with car/traffic/driving related issues. Which means I, from the bottom of my heart and the deepest part of my soul, sorely misses life in New York....

Missing Lady Liberty and joy han.

BECAUSE when I stop working, I have wonderful things to look foward to...

2013-03-12T21:51:00.001-07:00

People ask me how I've been liking LA...and to be honest, I've quite liked my cubicle at the client and the downtown office because that's where I've spent about 85+% of the last month and change since I moved here. But here is my light at the end of the tunnel, the next couple of months are looking to be REALLY FUN/EXCITING. Here's what I'm really looking forward to doing:

1. Going to the Kate Spade outlet this weekend. I'll also be hired out as Mike's personal shopper for the day. Post and pics to follow :D

2. Family visits in mid April. IMMA BRING THEM TO CHURCH!!!! and take the twins to the beach! wowowowowowwwwwww post and pics to follow.

3. Watch Mike play in the volleyball tournament. I'm hoping for a free weekend so I can stop at a craft store for supplies bc I wanna make a fan shirt. cheesy or SO SWEET? so sweet...

4. go to prom with Mike. he hasn't asked me yet....but I'm hopeful....

5. go to a Laker's game

6. Go to a USC game!

7. FLY TO SPAIN FOR AUTUMN'S WEDDING! omgeeeeeeeeeeeee i can't even. I CANNOT!

now back to excel so I can get out at a decent hour. sigh

worked every single weekend since I came here, another saturday morning pre-commute and bf surprises me with flowers HEEEHEE! i love you honey bunny #lategram #in<3

~from me to you tired yet anticipating...
L from sunny LA

BECAUSE it takes an hr to get anywhere in LA...

2013-03-01T20:10:00.001-08:00

whether you're driving 12 miles or 40. It'll take you about an hour to get there....Here's why:

highway bleeding...me trying to get on it.

my view every morning

my view every night


came home so late one night there wasnt a single car on the road. Oh Thank Jesus.

why....why?
L

BECAUSE I cheat...and I don't even feel bad about it...

2013-03-01T20:05:00.002-08:00

I made it to day 4...and had dinner. The story began about a week ago.

My manager, accountant by day, health/workout guru by night, told me about a juice cleanse she did which did wonders for her skin and also helped her shed some unwanted lbs at work one day over our excel workbooks. Next thing I knew I was checking out online on Pressed Juicery's website. Come this past Monday, a carton of 6 juices were delivered to my door overnight and thus started 4 days of absolute torture.

The cleanse comes with 6 individual bottles of juices hand picked by me and delivered overnight to my door daily. They are LA based but I believe deliver nationwide via FedEx. There are 3 levels, after a brief questionnaire I landed in 2 (the 5 day one). I'm glad that I "did" it except I really didn't. I mean who was I kidding? If you knew me, you knew this was a bad idea to start...It was especially hard to stay on it when I was working past 10 every night and working in a confined room where everyone else's OT dinner smelled so incredibly mouth watering that my mouth started to, in fact, water.

So I made it to Thursday...then had Thai takeout and watched a movie with my roommates after I got home. I've never felt more hallucinatory than I did this week w/out a solid food diet...

and then this morning I did this...

and honestly I feel great that I cheated...I wish I cheated on Tuesday when I wanted to...Do I feel bad about wasting A LOT of money? sure....but you live and you learn and you give the last day's supply to your boyfriend, whom when I told how much the juice cleanse cost me, put his head in his hands and fake cried.

Mike will have to have my last day's supply HEEHEE.

my stash of empty bottles at work

Conclusion: impulsive buying is stupid and I have no self control.and I need to clean my car.

P.S. The almond milk was bomb.

Sorry but thank you Pressed...it's been an interesting week. I'm glad that's done and I'm celebrating with lunch at an all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ with bf and friends tomorrow!

All juiced out and stuff,
L

BECAUSE I wrapped up my first week here...

2013-02-18T10:42:00.002-08:00

Here's a brain dump after my first week in LA...

1. my client is 16 miles away. The commute's taken me up to 1.5 hrs. I prayed the entire way and still felt a bit of insanity setting in after the 50th minute.
2. my pandora still plays ads for local businesses (ie, ones located on 57th and Lex.)
3. I'm paying more for my car then for rent (and I lived in the east village)
4. I have to dry to drop off/pick up dry cleaning
5. my stomach is still on east coast time although I'm no longer waking up at 4:30. but since I'm eating on west coast time, I'm having about 6 meals a day....not much different from when I was in NYC though. YUM.

6. mike got me a bamboo plant for valentines day for our first valentines day in the same city (I'll devote a whole post about that later) AHEM.

readers, Michael Junior; Michael Junior, my readers

6.5. I love my bamboo so much I named him Michael. I named my car Michael Jr. (Junior for short) my creativity's gone down the drain here....
7. my roommates are angels im in love with every one of them. obviously.
8. i wish i had iphone 5 bc i need audio turn by turn. and will need it for the next 6 months. off to costco this weekend to purchase a gps. so old school
9. trying to find my LA zocdoc. do they have one?
10. completely ignorant about the food scene....i feel grossly incompetent in life right now.
11. need to find LA radio stations since ill be spending my life in my car
12. placing an amazon order for many car accessories bc see pt. 11 above
13. cant wait to buy a red nose and reindeer antlers Christmas 2013 for my car see pt 11
14. oh and completely unrelated but exciting news i found out: AUTUMN SET HER WEDDING DATE! mike and i are starting our flight hunt NOW. AHORA!
15. LA office parking =$40 a day. im robbed. ROBBED. and i'm from NYC. ROBBED.

notice that 90% of my brain dump is car-related. SIGH. stay tuned for more LA brain dump :)

oh and HAPPY President's Day. working day for public accountants. sob.

lots of love from the WEST coast

BECAUSE there's still so much to get to in NYC...

2013-02-07T15:45:00.000-08:00

When I think about leaving NYC, I want to just take off my socks, crawl under covers, and sob into my pillow until I pass out from dehydration and/or hysteria. one of MANY reasons why I'd burst into such an embarrassing but uncontrollable and inevitable emotional outburst is due to the fact that I can't leave all the untried restaurants behind. I mean....who has a food scene as vibrant and decadent and authentic as nyc? Let me tell you.

no. where.

not. anywhere.

And here's a spot I'm determined to try before I leave:

images from serious eats

Kiwiana

847 Union Street, Brooklyn NY 11215 (map)
718-230-3682
http://www.kiwiana-nyc.com/

http://www.yelp.com/biz/kiwiana-brooklyn

4.5 stars on yelp! looking promising!!

what are the chances I can get joy on this??

from us to you with all our love,

two best friends and lady liberty

BECAUSE I'm moving across the country in ONE weekend....

2013-02-05T09:40:00.002-08:00

Are you chuckling? BECAUSE it's not a joke. So here's the story because I havn't had time to collect myself enough to eloquently describe to a single person yet what is happening (what my job demanded of me(again))

So iv been away on business since august 1 of LAST YEAR. I've been flying back and forth between NYC and two other states on a sun-fri(not mon-thurs) schedule. In the meantime, I've been requesting a transfer to LA for many many reasons although Mike was a big BIG one. Hi baby.

Then i was told on a monday morning(yesterday) that when I fly home this Fri night to nyc, I'll pack my stuff and be ready to start in our LA office the following monday (thats 7 days) in case I've lost you already. I listed all the reasons why that simply wasn't possible and got the start date pushed to Weds, (10 days away). I then called Mike but he was in a meeting, then my mom bc I was shocked and I still run to my mom when I'm shocked/scared/hurt/and of course hungry. Then i texted Tricia to ask if I can move in about a month and half earlier than expected then I sametimed Asher to book me a one way ticket to LA for monday, 2/11 bc after traveling for 6 months, the airlines still confuse me so much and Asher is the bestest friend ever in travel crisis and i was def having a crisis.

Asher I love you so much. words cant describe my gratitude for all the times you patiently switched my seats to a better spot, checked me in early, and rerouted me during delays and cancellations, often before i even knew of the interruptions to my travel plans. God bless your heart.

Then I texted 2 batches of women who i thought in my shellshocked haze that might want to know that I have about 5 hrs left with them before I move across the country since i have to spend the next 3 days minus 5 hrs packing and forwarding mail and doing laundry and pay my bills...and pray and pray and pray. I've been fasting yesterday and today.....might fast some more.

By the time I left work last night, it sunk in enough for me to have the good sense to status the update on fb so I can alert just about anyone who might be interested to try to get time with people before I go. So that's all I can think of for now...24 hrs after receiving the new assignment, I'm sure i'll be answering a ton during my many meetups this coming weekend. I mean...I'll probably be back in 3 weeks to visit, just for the food alone....na'mean?

holdn onnnn holdn on to this. check it

Psalm 20:1-4

from me to you in richmond, VA and about to leave my beloved lady liberty for now,
one best friend who needs to see Joy soon.

BECAUSE here's what's on my mind...

2013-02-01T18:47:00.002-08:00

engagements! is that kind of embarrassing? admitting in on the internet certainly is. but it is. I saw 2 of my friends married in 2012, attended 3 other weddings with Mike since we started dating, and have had about a dozen engagements come up on my newsfeed in the last 3 months alone. no exaggeration. so can you blame me?

this came up on my googlereader and i just had to share. I know I take this for granted...this meaning all the planning that goes into the surprise. I certainly wasn't expecting Mike to ask me to be his girlfriend the day he did or the way he did (see post about the day i wore my nyu tshirt), but it's certainly impressed a bunch of girlfriends from work. Thank you brothers for doing all that you do for us. We are so blessed.

In other news, still no final move date yet....if I announce leaving NYC a week before I fly, please don't hate me. Work isn't being as cooperative or decisive as I'd like... hoping people have a freed up Feb...I might need to get squeezed in last minute before a very hurried departure. and for a lack of a better up-date, here's life lately:

hotel for tax exp asso training in DC

dinner at the museum

date box from Mike

last day activity-I had to run to the table and take a picture of it(I was sitting at the TX/PA table)

bday present from mike.

max brenner. Mike thinks it'd do well in LA, too bad ya'll don't have one. only the best in NYC, just say'n

From us to you with all our love,
Lucy in VA for work and dying to be blogging from LA soon...

BECAUSE I live by all the cool places

2013-01-24T16:09:00.000-08:00

what are the top macaroon places in the city? cuz i think spot is pretty bangn. my favorite is the oreo cookie yum. next time i go though I'm definitely getting. this...

i mean seriously?!?!?!

13 Saint Marks Place, New York, NY 10003 (map)
212-677-5670
spotdessertbar.com

from us to you with all our love,
two best friends and lady liberty

BECAUSE I'm starting a new project....

2013-01-15T15:21:00.000-08:00

I'm in the mood to decorate. I want a grown-up apt in 2013, you-know-what-i'm-sayn? no more dorm crap....time to see all of it go! I'm on the hunt to collect antique gold animal figurines ranging in size from a quarter to the size of a small dog. Mostly inspired by Joy's apt and jane from sea of shoes....

Here is a list of the animals I want:
1. tiger
2. rabbit
3. dragon
4. sheep
5. rat
6. ox
7. snake

wanna know why?? those are the chinese zodiac animals for my family!!!! I can't wait to start hunting! Speaking of which, the year of the dragon is coming to a close. This most CERTAINLY was my year!!! C'mon snakeeeee.

from us to you with all our love,
two best friends and lady liberty.

you get the idea.

BECAUSE we are 100 days old!

2013-01-08T06:09:00.000-08:00

If you're Korean, you know EXACTLY what I'm talking about so let me get a woot woot and if all of that's gone over your head, ask your Korean friends about it or just read on anyway.

In celebration of our 100th day as a dating couple-look, don't roll your eyes, it's a big big big deal in some Asian cultures, and I'm a big fan of celebrating all occasions, we compiled a list of 100 things you didn't know about us. Mike wrote in blue, I in pink.

100 Days of Bliss

We are dating, that is wonderful. (hahahhaha falls out of chair laughing)
lucy's in love with Michael.
Michael’s in Love with Lucy
We wanted to come up with nicknames for each other for the longest time but couldn't. Everything we did come up with got vetoed by the other person. He was especially bad at it.
Before we were even dating, we'd pray together on the phone, one of her favorite things to do
We have movie dates over google hangout. She picks a lot of chick flicks. He lets her pick them.
He asked her out on one of the hottest days on top of a hill. He almost passed out from the stress, i mean heat.
We are best friends.
She is dying to go to a USC game
He speaks Chinese fluently
She speaks it better
We have difficult conversations in Chinese. We like the challenge.
She gets hangry
He is the funniest person she knows
We are both very competitive when it comes to sports.
We’re planning a China/Taiwan trip together. Grandma wants to meet Mike
He is tall, one reason Grandma wants to meet him
She only likes foods she’s in the mood for at that very moment.
We went to college on opposite coasts. Him: USC Her: NYU
We met in Texas
We have lots of inside jokes.
She got him into Suits (NYC holllarrr) He got her into Arrested Development (LA)
She fasts one day a week, she gets super irritable. he lays low until sundown
He takes 15 minutes to get ready, I can go upward 1.5 hrs contingent on where I'm going/who I'm seeing.
He is very articulate.
She turns 24 in 10 days! woahhhhh
He had a xanga and was quite the blogger before she ever got into this
Not only do we celebrate the months we’ve been dating, we also celebrate the months since the day we first met
We both love to snowboard
He’s become quite adept at credit card points for travelling
She has a lot of frequent flyer miles and hotel pts but doesn’t know what to do with them
She will consult with her boyfriend on how to leverage those soon ;)
He is resistant to tickling
that is a lie
he is however, a horrible tickler (according to my 9 yr old sister)
He isn’t very picky with food but can definitely enjoy a good meal
She loves good food. Loves it. Really LOVES it.
In particular, we love brunch
She is an amazing cook, he loves to eat her food
We flew first class b/c of a complimentary upgrade from United over Christmas, it was fantastic
She is the most beautiful person he knows
We like to dress up and go out on the town to have a good time
She has the cutest giggle in the whole world
We both drink our coffee black
We both love to play
He likes to sing sweet songs to her
He started to sing to her in the car before they started dating
We had a traditional American Thanksgiving spread
We picked out and decorated a real Christmas tree this year
We love to make traditions
He has cold hands, she likes to warm them up
We are trying to get her to California
She is an excellent planner
We brought in the new year together at a New York themed party in Cali
She loves to skip down the street when she’s happy, he tries to keep up
We want to take dance classes together
We keep in touch with phone, facetime, email, skype, instagram, facebook, foursquare, heytell, letters, packages, gchat, and blogging
aka, she blogs and he is her only reader
He loves sports, all sports, especially volleyball
She loves to swim and run, and used to play field hockey and tennis
He drives stick shift and loves zipping around with her in the passenger seat
his passenger seats heat up and he turns it on for her every time they get in the car and she goes straight to zzzzzzzzzzzz
She has the cutest twin siblings ever, they love her very much, he’s growing on them
We’ve traded things to remind us of each other
We have matching animal beanies, we’ve worn them in public without shame
We love to go on walks together
We love to drink wine and beer
He gets red when he drinks
that is the biggest understatement of 2012 baby....i love my love tomato though
She has her own personal library of Papyrus cards
most of LA including mike has gotten one
One of her favorite burgers is a big mac
We will soon be on a mission to find the best burger in LA
Her eyes hurt when she puts on his glasses
We both love a clean bathroom
but mike’s cleaned his bathroom maybe once in his lifetime....
He shaved his mustache and goatee for her
She is a loyal friend
She has the ability to connect instantly with anyone she meets
He gets out of work before her, even though she is also three hours ahead
We love the beach
He can be fashion challenged at times, she thinks it’s cute
He learned how to wear a bow tie because of her
he still asks her to put it on for him when he does wear it
He likes to play the piano for her, he also needs to practice some more
We are both very much looking forward to the future
NEWS!!!!!!!!! SHE WILL SOON JOIN HIM ON THE WEST COAST working in the same industry group as one of his college roommates
she is absolutely terrified of driving and is probably the worst female asian driveryout there. (that’s saying something(
she is currently looking to buy/lease a car for her LA move and wants something tiny and zippy bc anything bigger than a civic and she won’t be able to park it without hitting another vehicle, a person, a sign, or a lamppost
he sends her gift packages to various hotels in various states bc she has not worked in NYC since last August
She will celebrate her 24th with him in NYC
She thinks his frends are kinda very awesome
she went on a double date at a hiphop studio, learned two choreographies together, and never felt more attracted to her bf (bc he’s the greatest dancer in the whole world)
She’s teaching him how to give gifts
She’s great at giving gifts
He’s teaching her patience
She’s pushing back very hard on learning it
He has not given up on her
She is currently in DC for national training and told our love story to a room full of tax accountants in an ice-breaker activity this morning


from the night he asked me to be his gf

and 100 days later...

100. you are my rock. thank you for dating me. I feel like a lucky girl. I’m grateful for your love. Happy 100 days Michael.

BECAUSE...2012 has gone like the wind. Like a fast wind. Pshooooo

2012-12-31T21:26:00.000-08:00

It has been one of the most challenging and rewarding years - you've been good to me and you will be sorely missed

In 2012 I...

-Finished all parts of the CPA exam

my last, my retake

the day i took it

-Got a new roommate

-Stopped borrowing money and started paying it off. #dieNYUdie

-Bought my first big screen TV. Bought my first TV period

-Took up snowboarding
- Said yes to this guy

-Went to the world discipleship summit in San Antonio, TX and spent a weekend with 18,000+ disciples

-Transitioned and embraced a new ministry at church

-Took a wine tasting class

-Developed a caffeine addiction that I've yet to shake but am toying with the idea of seeking some professional help

-Redecorated my east village studio

-Racked up some major frequent flyer miles and free nights at the Marriott

-Bought my first real Christmas tree and determined to continue this tradition forward in every home I will own

But there were also a few tearful goodbyes in 2012:

-My cherry red Miu Miu wallet and everything that was in it (so traumatizing)

-My long long long hair (it's growing back one day, one centimetre at a time)

-Our beta fish, Bathsheba, more affectionally known as Baba

-Many many pairs of shoes, see *shop my closet*

-The girl I owe everything to...my roommate from Junior year, the girl who introduced me to Jesus, studied the bible with me and put me in the water on May. 11, 2010, moved to Spain to be with her fiance *eye rolling* kidding. I couldn't be more thrilled for you. Alan is a LUCKY man.

In 2013 I hope to...

-Fly to another state/country to go snowboarding

-Learn to use my SLR that I bought two years ago as a graduation gift to myself. The dial's never left "auto"

-Stop letting things go bad in my fridge before I get to it. Almond milk and peaches you are TRICKY! I've got the ripening avocados w/out spoiling them down to a science though in case you were wondering

-Learn more about wine. I hear Spanish wine is up and coming.

-Baptize someone

-Finish reading the Bible from start to finish

-Learn to budget, Linda does-puts me to shame.

Thank you 2012, you were good to me for so many reasons...

2013, let's do it!

From us to you with all our love,

two best friends ringing in another new year in our beloved city

BECAUSE I'm searching for the perfect burger...

2012-12-23T13:59:00.000-08:00

and I have to say that my favorite...all time...is the 5 napkin burger at 5 napkin in nyc....yes i've had in-and-out and shake shack and i have to say, i'm prejudiced to the shake shack over in-and-out but 5 napkin takes the medal.

shown here w/ sweet potato fries. that gruyere cheese.......

oh that and the big mac at mcdonalds....I probably lost all credibility with that comment but oh well. I LOVE IT. and i will not be ashamed of my true love.

which comes to my next pt....I need to find the perfect burger in LA. I'll be there for a 5th trip this year in 2 days (yes I'm flying on xmas day....) and I plan to eat to my heart's content. Here's whats on my radar:

1..Comme Ça
8479 Melrose Avenue, West Hollywood CA 90069
2. The Oinkster
2005 Colorado Boulevard, Eagle Rock CA 90041
3. Hawkins House of Burgers
11603 Slater Street, Los Angeles, CA 90059
4. Lazy Ox Canteen
241 S. San Pedro Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012

wish me luck! will report back!

from us to you with all our love,
two best friends and lady liberty

BECAUSE I love figs...

2012-12-18T11:29:00.000-08:00

I love figs...figs are expensive in the city and extremely seasonal. I've been eyeing the union square market stands for months in the summer for the figs to come out. And I never thought I'd drop this *news* first in a fig post...but there is a chance (I'm praying for it at least) that I'll be relocating soon to a place where figs are aplenty.

img from seriouseats

so when i saw this post in one of my favorite food blogs, I thought I'd share with the rest of you fig lovers out there.

ten things to do with figs!!!

And now I'm craving a fig and prosciutto open-face sandwich...they seem to pair those two a lot....and what complimentary flavors, sweet and oh so savory mmm

from us to you with all our love,
two best friends and lady liberty

BECAUSE “New York, I Love You XOXOX.”....

2012-12-17T07:35:00.002-08:00

WHO IS GOSSIP GIRL!!!!!!! I'm dying to know. I didn't know this was the SERIES finale. oh man!

img from hollywood life

another show setting in nyc over...im still mourning the end of SATC - sigh I can't get enough of you new york...

too bad I'll be missing it. must check on hulu later. I'll be working late again. def way past 9pm. In other words, I'll also be missing jp and ashley h's wedding on abc. on bummer.

I know what I'll be doing during break in 3 days!!!

from us to you with all our love,
two best friends and lady liberty

BECAUSE xmas is just around the corner Part II - for your girl

2012-12-17T07:29:00.003-08:00


1.

1. headphones in rose gold 2. diamond ring 3. some more of that gorgeous herkimer diamond 4. snake ring

from us to you with all our love,
two best friends and lady liberty

BECAUSE xmas is just around the corner Part I - for Mama

2012-12-17T06:56:00.000-08:00

so buy buy away!!! Idk how far you're through your shopping list but I have my work cut out for me, I need to try out luvocracy soon. my invite waits in my inbox!!!


2.

1. bento kit 2.booties 3. print from minted 4. lid holder 5. more lid guard 6. sippy cup
from us to you with all our love,
two best friends and lady liberty

BECAUSE they did it again...

2012-12-17T06:49:00.004-08:00

see?

I'm getting such a kick out of this...

from us to you with all our love,
three best friends who love to text!!!

BECAUSE Mike'll be back again...

2012-12-16T13:45:00.000-08:00

and then I'll take him here

from us to you with all our love,
two best friends and one of them missing her bf...

BECAUSE I believe in second chances...

2012-12-15T14:41:00.000-08:00

I think their cupcake is crap....when it comes to cupcakes, sex and the city got it all wrong. I mean c'mon....of all the bakeries in nyc....magnolia's has the best cupcakes? PUH-LEEZ!

clearly it's billy's... try the banana nut. and buy a bottle of milk from a bodega nearby. you'll need it.

anywayyyy. but check this out


red velvet cheesecake at magnolias....

guess i'll be making a visit to their west village location in the next 7 days. ahem.

from us to you with all our love,
two best friends and lady liberty

BECAUSE Psalm 34:17-18

2012-12-14T11:26:00.001-08:00

It's hard to put into words the way my stomach feels. It's twisting so hard I feel nauseous. There is nothing to throw up though, I'm fasting today.

I found out through fb newsfeed. Everyone on fb is posting about praying....Then I googled it. Then I called Mike then mom. I want to pull those twins out of school right now and home school them myself. But what good will that do? My first thought was "when will we just outlaw guns?" but what good will that do? A huge part of me, like 98% is furious. I just want justice. I want them to be punished. The world is so broken it makes me so angry my jaw is hurting....I know God is hurting with me.

This is so nonsensical... so cruel. It's a week before Christmas. I'm seeing stockings with names on it and piles of presents under the tree. If I were a mom, I'd be on my way to pick up my kids right now. I'm trying to pray to God for some kind of comfort but I feel completely shaken. Can we please at least leave children out of this?

photo credit: kara may

What else is there to say?

I'll be praying the rest of today for all the families and children...

I'm leaving work early. I'm not working today. I feel drained.

"for the Lord God is a sun and shield..."
"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted"

Everyone is praying Lord....