Winter #5

It is getting really cold in Michigan.  I do the same post every year, huh?

I can't believe this is my fifth winter in Michigan.  I think I can spot snow clouds.  Does this make me an official michigander?  

Adam is heading to a conference in Florida this weekend so not sure how I am going to spend my time.   Watch a ton of girly movies?  Also, I have a fear of sleeping alone in a house and it will be my first time in the new house.  I'm scared.  

credenza

we've been looking forever for a credenza/media storage.  we need it to be long enough to fit our tv and turntable.  finding lots of inspiration on pinterest.

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halloween

plans for halloween?  

we don't have any plans (so sad) and this is our first halloween at the new house.  i don't think we will get any trick or treaters this far out of town.  adam wants to dress up as nico and lou reed.

we will see.

Mount Pleasant with my family

Adam teaches a class and one of their assignments is to build a cardboard boat.  This year, Adam decided to participate.

Adam and his students (both Adam and the girl are wearing my shorts- very baggy :( ).

Omigod, watching him race was hilarious.  He didn't do as well as everyone imagined. Also, the boat was shaking so hard.  It was really funny.  Better luck next year.

Detroit Tour with my Family

My family took a redeye from Los Angeles to Detroit, arriving at 5:45am.  I live two and a half hours from the airport, making my departure time 3:15am.  My brother suggested I drive out a little later and they would wait for me at the airport for a few hours.  

First thing we did when I picked them up from the airport was breakfast!  They weren't hungry because of the lag but I heard the best thing for it is to eat your meals in the current time zone.

We drove about ten miles to New Center Eatery (Detroit has traffic!).  When looking for a brunch spot, I saw a yelp review saying that this place was better than Roscoes.  I was sold on the spot.  Anyway, when we placed our order, sister Elena mentioned it was their one year wedding anniversary and my mom's birthday this weekend, the manager gave us a discount (a nice one).  It was pretty awesome.  The fried chicken was moist and tender, and the meal wasn't too heavy.

Next, we walked around downtown Detroit, the first stop being the Gaurdian Building.  It was built in 1928 and completed in 1929 (the year of the market crash). It took a million bricks to built and sister Elena was a really great and informative tour guide.

We walked a block and stumbled on the site of the Coney Wars.  We were all confused because we thought it was set in New York?  We shared a chili dog with all the fixin's (thirty minutes after our fried chicken and waffles) at Lafayette Coney Island.  I think we made the right choice.

We did a museum (a little dull) and a cool coffee shop with eames chairs! ... Then drove to Slows BBQ for a late lunch/early dinner in a area called Corktown.   Slows is a classy BBQ joint.  I read that Slows is responsible for revitalizing this area.  It was really good.  The meat was tender and also not heavy as one would expect.  I wish we could have tried some of their alcohol drinks.  We were all too tired from the early morning.

Next to Slows is Astro Coffee.  I wanted to go to Astros forever.  We are always in the area on Mondays (when they are closed) and we miss it.  The coffeeshop is hip and people are nice there.  I think it surpasses Comet in Ann Arbor as my favorite Michigan coffee place.

So Friday with my family was very eventful and lots of fun.  Come on visitors, come on over.

October

In a few days my brother, sister-in-law and my mom are visiting us for the first time in Michigan.  This is pretty exciting.  Adam and I haven't really explored that much of Michigan even though we have been here for four years.

Can't wait to do some exploring with the family and show them some midwestern stuff.

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summer over

I was trying to think what has happened since my last post in the beginning of august... 

I went back home, Adam went to Vancouver for a conference.. Adam met up with me in California.  We went to Mavis and Jason's wedding (got shit-faced and everyone thought Adam was hilarious. huh?).  Went on a Mock family vacation to Montreal for Randall's 70th (i mean 50th) and school started.

i guess that is an eventful month.

I also started taking ceramics this semester. It is pretty hard.  The good thing is that there is a bit of a commodores (misspell) because most of the class is bad at it.  I've am in the studio about ten extra houses trying to 'center.' Big mistake thinking this class was going to be easy.

I'm also taking printmaking this semester.  I don't like the kids.  They are kind of assholey.  Also, I've been in school so long, all the kids I like are gone.  

im embarassing

So last tuesday, my friend from junior high was in the midwest to visit her boyfriend (in Chicago).  They also stayed a few days in Indiana and decided to take a detour to visit me.

We decided to meet at the halfway point in Holland, MI.  About an hour and a half car ride for each of us.  My friend didn't realize that Michigan is east coast time while Illinois and Indiana are in the central time zone.  They were an hour late to meet me.  Which was totally fine.  I just hung out at a coffee shop.

We had lunch at this diner.  I like to make fun of a lot of things cause i'm a bitch or i'm funny (I don't know).  Anyway, I was totally making fun of the midwest.  Then we tried to recruiting my friend to the midwest.

A guy comes to our table. He was in the booth next to us.  I guess he caught a few of my rants and realized we were from LA. He and his wife are owners of Clementine Flower shop in Silverlake.  A really cute shop at the Sunset Junction.   I'm mortified.

Dear Sayaka, please lower your voice while in a public space.  Thank you.

anders holm

obsessed with pastor casey on the mindy project.  here is his wedding from the internets.  

the bridemaids wore the same jcrew dress in wine...

Home

I just got back from a quick trip to Los Angeles. This was a good trip. People wanted to hang out with me! I actually have friends!

I thought Adam would have a great time catching up on reading and TV back in Michigan. He ended up working too much and he missed me. Can you believe it?

Whenever I go home on my own, I don't want to leave.  I even got a little teary-eyed at the airport. I wish home was a little closer (but not too close). :)

creeper

i'm a bit of a creeper.  i like stalking people.  i shouldn't say this here.  

 

when i instagram i put the location thing on.  then i like to click and see who else is an instagramming at the same time.  i did that when we were in line at the show.  i found this photo of us waiting in line.  it is kind of weird knowing you might be in a strangers feed somewhere.  creepy.

Blue Jasmine

i'm a sucker for all things woody allen. i cannot wait for this film.



you know what sucks about living in the middle of the country? the films don't open here and sometimes never come into town. i want to watch before midnight. closest theatre is missouri or something. boo.

brooklyn

we hung out in williamsburg like three/four years ago. we were not impressed.. but the cool kids and all of adams friends live in brooklyn. girls is set in brooklyn. so...brooklyn?

we were waiting in line for Rain (exhibit in the moma/reason i wanted to go to new york). the exhibit opens at 9:30 for members (we became members for this). the museum people told us to come early and line up at 8:30am. there is a cute boy (looks/dresses kind of like adam) and his mom who gets in line with us at the same time. he's lives in brooklyn, really nice and tells us where to go in brooklyn. anyway, me being a creeper that i am found him on instagram.  well instagram is the new facebook, right?

first we took the ikea ferry from manhattan to red hook. its free, easy and you get a good view of the city (statue of liberty/freedom tower, etc).  the ride is fun but made me a little nauseous.

he says we should check out a place called fort defiance in red hook. turns out our new friend works here!

the food and breakfast drinks were delicious! i think it was our favorite brunch of the trip.

we also checked out a few coffee shops/stationary shops/ record shops in the area.  red hook is nice.  not crowded at all and there is an ikea.

anniversary #2

today is adam and my wedding anniversary. our second year. it feels really long because we met seven years ago this year. crazy. where does the time go? anyway, i got really lucky because he is a great guy.

this happened this morning.

s: do you have something to say to me?
a: No (it wasnt a regular no.  it was a sassy and a little defensive no).
s: (my eyes water)
a: oooh, happy anniversary

later on at dinner..

a: did you buy me a present?
s: no. did you?
a: no.
s: you haven't bought me a present since 2007.
a: you buy yourself a present all the time.

its true.

grapefruits

i am eating a grapefruit as i type this.

wanna know something embarrassing? my mom peeled the skin of my grapefruit way into adulthood. maybe i don't like eating fruit because my mom salted my apples (so they don't brown) and skinned my grapefruit.

i'm spoiled if you already didn't know that. 

anyway, my mom is my hero.  happy early mothers day.

image via

all A's

semester is over and i got all A's. yaay!

ps. i want this print..

travel: cleveland

in about a week we will be roadtripping to ohio for the first time (no wait, adam went there a year ago for a conference). it will be my first time in ohio.  adam got tickets to see a show in cleveland. the crystal castles.  dude, i am way too old and unhip to be attending a crystle castles show.  wish me luck.

i think it is five hour drive from mount pleasant... very exciting stuff.

image via pinterest

watch: mindy project

i LOVE this show.  

it's really good.  i even got adam to start watching with me. that's big.

image via

where gifts go to die...

i'm not sure how it started but every christmas, we get sister caroline stupid gifts. usually the infomercial variety.

i saw this thing on gilt or fab and thought perfect! it is so silly.. i don't know if anyone would actually buy/use this. i would have bought it but $80 seems a little steep to spend on a gag gift that is heading into the junk drawer.

is this a joke?

adam does own this.  i know, what dummy buys that (this dummy did).  he used it for a few oversea trips but it has since been retired.

girls hbo

are you watching girls? i watched the pilot episode last year and didn't think too much about it. i bought the first season on dvd anyway and started watching it with adam. he didn't like it very much so i have been watching it on my own.

anyway, i just finished the first season. it is pretty good. 

this is one of my favorite episodes. it is called "Welcome to Bushwick aka the Crackcident." 

so good.

old

within the last few days, i got called mam, lady, and "you remind me of my mom."

i thought asians were supposed to be young forever?  i am feeling very old this week (better start using night cream).

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bridesmaid

i'm going to be a bridesmaid!

i'm totally too fat and old for this.  but anyway.. so excited!  i better put down these buttercups and get myself to the gym.

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FYI

HOW TO WALK ON ICE

happy pi/pie day!

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I want to go to there: Tulum

Is it wrong that everytime I come home from a vacation, I am already dreaming about where I want to go next?

I want to go to Tulum.  Will someone take me?  Thanks!

image via sousstyle

bananas foster

I will write about our trip soon... unless you follow me on instagram (I went pretty crazy).  I even annoyed myself with my photos (sorry).  I think of it as a journal taking/making.. so I am reminded of my time there.

The food in New Orleans is soooo good.  But you know if it tastes good, it is probably bad for you.  I am really bad at eating healthy and really good at choosing the wrong thing.  My new obsesssion of this trip was 1. fried oysters (so good) and 2. bananas foster.  Have you ever had bananas foster?

I dunno exactly what it is.  I think you cook a sauce with bananas.  I got a french toast version and a cheesecake version.  Anyway, I cannot wait to bake a bananas foster cheesecake for our next dinner guests.

image via pinterest

spring break

it is pretty cold in michigan at the moment.  i think this is the most brutal of winters we have experienced.  Is this my third winter?  How time flies.  I'm old!

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we are heading out to new orleans next week.  super excited.  a mini reunion with adam's family.  

watch out instagram.  lots of cocktail photos coming up.

trouble

when something bad happens,  i put it away in the back of my brain and try to forget it.  if i have a traumatic experience that i can put away and forgot for over a decade. not a good coping mechanism.

adam on the other hand, will think, think, think about a situation.  he is really down because of me. i feel awful.  i hope he feels better soon. :(

instax photos from our trip to belize

my husband

is the cats pajamas

the bees knees

a supportive and most awesome person.  but you already knew that.  i dunno how i got so lucky.

girls

are you watching girls?

i watched the pilot episode when it first came out.  i wanted to watch some episodes on the plane but thought maybe it wasn't appropriate for plane viewing.  i picked up the first season on dvd.  adam doesn't like it.

image via

sayaka and adam

okay, we aren't fucked up but both pretty weird.

from

babies

is it just me or is everyone having babies?

my friend sachiko, yuuki and toshiro had babies last year, early next year my friend linda, allison, and naomi (our coordinator) are having kiddos.  i'm starting to loose count?

anyway, i want to send them gifts, something unique and cool... like Adam and I :) I don't know what to get... help.

cute striped onesie from jcrew is a contender.

is that guy famous?

we had brunch at madame matisse a few days. in walks a dude i think is garrett hedlund but i'm not sure.  we made eye contact (only because i was staring at him like a weirdo, do i know him?). he has a conversation with the waitress.  pays for his food and leaves (in a different state license plate rental- a highlander or some sort of car).

after he leaves, the waitress says, "is he famous? he comes in here all the time.  his name is garrett hedlund."

i tell the waitress, "he is not really famous but kirsten dunst is his girlfriend."  he's also currently in on the road.  he looks like a regular dude, i'm sure he doesn't get noticed at all.

he was in that gwyneth paltrow country movie..

resolutions

1. drink black coffee
2. be nice
3. eat less cookies/chocolate/cake
4. get rid of clutter

image via pinterest