Signs you are in a fancy restaurant

We don't usually go to fancy restaurants, but when we do, I notice they all signal "we fancy" or maybe..."we care" in similar ways:

1. Large ice cubes

2. Plants that require regular watering



3. Unique lighting or lighting that requires matches and cleaning

4. Cloth napkins

5. Heavy silverware

6. Bottle of sparkling water or still water on table (love!)

Until we meet again - ABQ, NM

With the training winding down, I tried to squeeze some sightseeing on the last two days in ABQ.

I met some friends at the training who were nice enough to take me along their trip to Sandia Peak--one of the number one tourist sites at Albuquerque. Sandia means watermelon in Spanish and the peaks turn a beautiful watermelon color at sunset.  We rode a 15 minute tram up the mountain and were greeted by beautiful skies and mountain peaks. 

My last day, I visited the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center.  I was really moved by the poems displayed throughout the museum, the love and respect for nature, and the resilience of these people who have really endured an unjust history by the Spaniards, Mexicans, and worst of all the Americans. And the injustice continues. 

A couple of my favorite poems: 

Child of beauty

  Are you ready?

Return my healed heart to earth

Bring with you seeds

  Of a new generation

Begin

Only when it is safe

And plant wisely

I will guard these seeds 

  with my life 

--Veronica Riley, Laguna Pueblo

"Grandfather said, 

'At school things are different. There the white man teaches you his way.

He wraps his feelings up in words and puts them with marks on paper for you to see. 

Here we keep our feelings in our hearts. To know them you must live them.'"

-Sun Journey, Zuni Pueblo 

Also, I learned that in Pueblo culture, people don't say good bye, they always say "Until we meet again". I thought that was really beautiful. 

Some images from the museum: 

These patterns are drawn by those yucca leaves that they used as paint brushes! 

A week in Albuquerque, NM

Hello! I'm in Albuquerque, New Mexico this week attending Stat Camp! Stat Camp is an intense, INTENSE, one week 9am-5pm training on different statistical models and methods. I'm taking the structural equation modeling class, and boy, is it a lot of information at once.  Usually at the end of the day, my brain is fried. 

But! I'm really enjoying my time in the evenings visiting Albuquerque and learning about the city through my many Uber drivers and my AirBnb host.  

1) Albuquerque is beautiful - so much history, few high rise buildings, quiet, and beautiful skies. 

2) Look at all these murals!! I walked around the area of U of NM and snapped these pictures. 

3) The food here is delicious - I'm eating green chilies with everything and also ...wow, sopapilla is such an awesome dessert. 

4) People are so kind here- a restaurant owner gave me a free sopapilla because I had said I never tried one before.  I didn't know people still did nice things like that and I was so heartened by it and grateful. 

5) Old Town, Albuquerque is a preserved area of the city that capture ABQ from its past. It is beautiful, yet somewhat saddening at the same time, as I'm seeing lots of Native American gift stores that looked a little run down or I suppose it felt like hyper capitalization of the culture. 

Some pictures from the first few days, two more days to go and I'm very excited for what I have planned for the rest of the week. 

Whole 30 + West Wing (January thoughts I can't let go of)

My January consisted of two things:

 watching lots and lots of West Wing and the Whole 30 Diet!

West Wing

For one thing, I was on bed rest for the first half of January.  So I couldn't really do much but watch tv, read, and putter around the apartment drinking delicious boxed apple juice.  They gave me boxed apple juice at the hospital, and for some reason I found it comforting and delicious and continued to drink it while I was recovering. 

I watched 6 seasons for West Wing! SIX seasons!!!  There are 22 episodes in each season, each episode about 45 minutes long. Netflix became my best friend.  I had only seen Season 1 before, so I was super excited to have the time to watch it nd you know what, it's so nice to just lay in bed and lose yourself in the fake world of an idealistic presidency (or what you'd imagine would be a good presidency) and not feel lazy about it. I enjoyed bed rest.  I still have Season 7 left...and now that I'm out and about, I can't find the time to watch it. 

West Wing reminds you of what could be today's government. It's such a stark contrast that it's sad. I was also momentarily obsessed with the corresponding podcast, the West Wing Weekly. Ah...President Bartlett! I wish you weren't fictional!

Whole 30 Diet

A friend of mine bought me the Whole 30 book for my birthday. She and I, and another friend decided to try this diet ...well more like this philosophy I suppose for 30 days and we figured January was the best month to do this.   Once I was able to walk around and start cooking, I embarked on Whole 30 with a very reluctant and skeptical scientist husband in tow.  He only agreed if I cooked all meals. 

Week One: a lot of bad and bland food, a lot of chopping (Chris is usually the one in the kitchen), over-eating meat, and a lot of less than satisfactory taste buds.  

Chris every morning: "I have no joy in life" 

Week Two:  I discovered Nom Nom Paleo and online recipes that are more flavorful yet whole 30 compliant. And I finally learn how to use my Instant Pot pressure cooker!  Week two foods are much more delicious (I think the Whole 30 book recipes are for White people!) I need more flavor...more umami.  I'm inviting people over to eat dinner at our place because let's get real, eating out is tempting fate. 

Chris quits at the end of Week Two ...enticed by a barista at Starbucks to try the new smoked caramel latte! He also reads two pages of Whole 30 book and refuses to believe in these theories without peer- reviewed articles written by scientists! 

I go it alone...it is difficult, but hey, I made it half way already, I can't give up now. Plus, my friends are counting on me.

Week Three:  I have my go to breakfast down : Spicy Tuna Cakes!  Chris also likes these. I have a few recipes that I love!!  And so far so good. I'm getting a little bored though...and I am gearing up for a difficult weekend with Chinese New Years and several house parties...as well as a good friend visiting from DC.  

I notice I don't snack anymore and I'm happy without sugar in my life.  But I miss Asian food!! 

* The weekend was a shit show. Because of traffic and time constraints, I wasn't able to prepare meals or snacks before I went to my weekend events. I basically found myself starving all weekend and was extremely irritable. Seriously...this diet is too restrictive and I'm exhausted and annoyed come Monday. The weekend was not a weekend. 

Week Four: Home stretch!!  I'm basically furious all week because I'm still mad about the weekend! 

Funny how that was.  In any case, I finish the week- and this time realize I can eat Mediterranean foods that are Whole 30 compliant. This is awesome! I was really missing some strong flavors and getting sick of eating salads or plain burger patties when eating out with friends. 

Post Whole 30 Lessons 

1) I lost 1 inch off my waist, 1.5 inches off my hips! YAY!!!

2) I don't need to snack and I don't miss sugar

3) I NEED Korean food and other Asian foods in my life! They provide me with so much joy and comfort, and I don't think there is anything wrong with feeling that way.

4) I should stay away from gluten--especially pasta and poor quality bread. 

5) Food isn't as life/death/emotional to me as it was before...and for that I'm glad, but also sad. 

6) I'm happier when I eat more cleanly...whole foods, but this is very difficult to do when socializing! 

7) I would not have succeeded if my friends weren't also participating. We traded recipes and sent encouraging messages daily.  

8) I'm glad I tried this, it did change my relationship with food in ways I couldn't have imagined. But not eating soy sauce for 30 days a real challenge for me! I had a hard time accepting that such a small amount of soy sauce mattered. 

Chris and I have adopted some Whole 30 recipes into our regular meal rotations: 

- Pork and Cabbage Soup -so yummy and easy.

- Slow Cooker Kaula Pig -we made some adjustments here, but this is so versatile. 

- Pressure Cooker Crispy Potatoes - I rarely eat potatoes at home, but this recipe is yummy.

- and a new found love for Sweet Potatoes! 

and of course the Spicy Tuna Cakes!

And that was my January! 

Pick me ups

Things that bring me joy these days,  in no particular order. 

Being seaside and eating by candle light at Moonshadows, Malibu. Tip: make sure to ask for outdoor seating

Ten Don - tempura bowls! Why did it take me so long to find you? Also, it makes me happy that a whole cuisine acknowledges a bowl of fried things on rice as a delicious and acceptable meal.

Cards at Paper Source...okay, the whole store of Paper Source. hehe.  I look forward to meandering around Paper Source, it just brings a smile.

Getting messages from old friends---I miss you D.C. and Abt grad friends! 

Pie!!! from Sugar Pie, Honey Buns...cannot get over their pies and adorable name.

Random acts of kindness from a stranger and a huge not so random act of generosity from our amazing landlord, who is letting Chris and I stay in our apartment one more year (Thank you!).

Portobello Mushroom Fries...and people watching at Bouttega Louie.  (also being really good at hovering over people, and grabbing tables! oh the joy :)! and eating pretty desserts.

Best friend meet ups!  Dhaval and Chris ...almost turn into different people when they are together. It's so funny to watch and I'm so happy we got to meet up.

City views from a top, and eavesdropping on how people use outdoor space! 

Food, Food, Food, and FOOD!

I want to try a new food regime, just to experience what my body feels like without certain foods- like sugar, meat, or processed food to name some examples given the news about the negative effect these foods have on us. This would be a 30 day experiment.

Here are some options I'm considering:

1. Chris' food regime:
a. Breakfast: Green smoothie (we are already doing this)
b. Lunch: Tuna vegetable melt.  This includes canned tuna, frozen vegetable medley, melted shredded cheese (I worry about how co-worker friendly this is)
c. Meat salad: Chicken salad, steak salad, salmon salad with low calorie Italian dressing

*No sweets, no fruit, no real seasoning

Pros: low/no sugar, lots of veggies, protein, easy, Chris would readily do this --he developed it after all
Cons: very very boring! Can I eat the same thing everyday for 30 days?! Can I live without fruit?! Am I willing to be ostracized for heating up fish at work?

2. Whole 30 Program
At its core this program tells you to eat foods with few ingredients and with pronounceable ingredients, or no ingredients --- so basically natural and non-processed foods. It's a reset program. There is a serious no-no list though.

*No....sugar, alcohol (this one is easy), grains, legumes, dairy, and no foods that include carrageenan, MSG, or sulfites.

Pros: Ashley will be doing this, they have menus set up for you, it is well-established and written about,  could really be interesting working with different types of ingredients, could have positive long term effect on eating habits/ingredients.
Cons: Time consuming-requires a lot of prep,  could be expensive, I can see myself having melt downs without any grains and dairy or just being frustrated and unprepared. Have to convince Chris - this might be really hard.

3. Korean Temple diet
I don't think there is actually a program out there for people who want to try a temple diet.  I came to this idea on my own after reading this very very interesting article about a Jeong Kwan, a Korean monk and her cooking. I believe she will be featured on Netflix- Chef's Table soon.  I am very excited to watch that.  Basically Korean temple food is simple, vegetarian, and Korean :) If I am honest with myself, I am most intrigued by this diet- I think it has elements of the Whole 30 Program, because Korean monks aren't eating dairy, and they aren't eating a lot of sugar, but its not as rule based and it is something that I think I can easily integrate into my lifestyle for the long term.

* No meat, alcohol, dairy, probably none of those difficult sounding processed ingredients, low sugar.

Pros: Cooking vegetables Korean style (I think with a lot of fermented sauces), learning about Korean culture, cutting out meat, might have a chance at convincing Chris [going with the Korean element], no smelly lunches
Cons: Will have to do a lot of research- no idea what this entails (this could also be very fun), most likely time consuming, no meat---worried I might get tired quickly, or just miss In-n-Out burgers!

So those are the three programs I'm considering for the month of October...I am giving myself a couple of weeks to figure out which one will be the winner!

September thoughts I can't let go of

1. Live Talks LA

Last Thursday I went to a Live Talk LA event with a friend of mine for the first time. The speaker was Daniel Siegel, whom I knew nothing of- but I was intrigued about his topic, mindsight, or the learning of the mind. I was so inspired by listening to someone share his passion with so much emotion and excitement. I walked away totally bought into the idea that "we are all from the same pond of potential, and when you believe that and understand that...how can you not fall in love with everyone".  Of course when I tried to describe these themes to Chris later that night, I just came off as a crazy. (He didn't believe me that Dr. Siegel was a scientist!) In any case, you may find the event here. 

This week Chris and I are going to listen to Lisa Ling!!! Lisa Ling!!! I'm so excited!  Next month, I bought myself a ticket to see Maria Semple.  I loved "Where'd You Go Bernadette", and to get myself psyched, I just finished "This One is Mine".  I didn't enjoy it as much, but I did love its LA setting, and found myself looking up restaurants and iconic locations Ms. Semple wove into her book. I love these talks because they remind me of D.C.- Busboys and Poet talks and Sixth & I Street talks, and being around people who want to learn.

2. Swimming!!

I've taken up swimming this summer and I plan to keep it up until December. I love the rhythmic sounds of breathing I get into once I have swam a few laps. I love how I'm sweating but I don't feel sweaty. I love water.  But mostly, I love how awesome I feel after swimming for a good 30-40 minutes. My mood is lifted and my body thanks me. That's what is keeping me swimming and the feeling I keep coming back to when I'm feeling lazy and thinking about  just heading home instead trekking to the UCLA pool after work. 

 Olympic size pool hidden away behind pine trees.  I am so lucky. It is so beautiful here and worth the uphill walk.

Cheesin~~ Look how happy I am after swimming the other week! I've become obsessed with swimming goals to the extent its getting unhealthy.  Goals for the month- swim 1200m in 30 minutes; and swim 3 times a week. December goal- swim 1600m (1 mile) 3 times a week! 

3. Self-defense classes
I want to get serious about learning self defense.  The world is a crazy and unpredictable place and being prepared is really the only thing anyone can do. These thoughts come from having a long conversation with a group of women, one who is a cop, and urged us all to take a self-defense class, apparently many police departments offer them.  I am lucky that I took the active shooter training before the UCLA active shooter incident earlier this year, I knew what I could do to protect myself and others. It definitely helped me feel in control of my situation. 

4. Babies

Every one of our newly wed friends from last year is either popping out a baby or are pregnant! If not pregnant, talking about getting pregnant. I suppose this is the age, we are thinking about babies! I'm excited about the idea of a baby, but so many things to get in order- student loans, home/apt ownership, school districts?! 

5. Podcasts

The good ones leave you transformed and information or emotions I carry from the podcast seep into my day to day and force me to think differently about life. I love listening to story telling podcasts. And... I am scheduled to be a guest on a podcast this Thursday!! Fingers crossed it goes well, and I'm excited to see the whole process of podcasting before my eyes. 

6. Lemonade's Red Miso Braised Short Rib

What can I say, I can't stop thinking about Lemonade's red miso beef dish that I scarfed down before the Live Talk event last week. So delicious, homey, and comforting. Can't stop thinking about it.  Here's a recipe I found. 

7. Weekend trips and adventures
It's official. I'm addicted to planning trips and seeing new things. There aren't enough weekends in a year for me to do everything, and rest, and sleep, and save money, and blog, and exercise, and see everyone...and work (not employment work (though sometimes I mean that) but working on myself.  Sometimes I think I wait for the weekends because my weekends are too damn exciting. Today is only Monday, yet my Saturday feels light years away. We really cram in our weekends with friends, food, leisure, and activities and so much happens that things that happened yesterday seem unrealistically far away. 

Weekend Dinners

I can't even tell you how great this weekend was, being surrounded by friends with whom you can have easy conversation and delicious food.  I think that simple activity is so emotionally fulfilling and energizing, and when done with the right company, ambiance, and food--it is priceless.

Saturday night the ND crew in LA got together for a late dinner to celebrate Joey's engagement! We went to Little Sister and then to Bottega Louie across the street for some delicious sweet and savory treats and late night coffees and lattes served in tiny espresso cups. It is the first time the 5 of us, and of course, Chris have gotten together in LA, and the conversation was so easy and comfortable, I know we all walked away thinking, why don't we do this more often.  Even though we've all changed so much, I love that we can fall right into conversation and understand immediately where the other is coming from-- after all 10 years of friendship does that right?

We had no problems devouring that delicious pear tart. 

Sunday night we were treated to some savory, luxurious, seriously delicious French food at a restaurant in Industrial District of LA called Church and State.  John and Zhu Dan are friends we met through another friend in LA, though I knew of Zhu Dan and had met her a few times in D.C.  They are pregnant with their first baby but wanted to treat us to dinner to celebrate our wedding.  Even though we have only hung out with this couple a few times in LA, to the extent I was SHOCKED she was pregnant (having not hung out for 8 months), when we get together, we have such easy, funny, and meaningful conversations.  I wasn't able to take photos because I left my phone at home, but I managed to ask Chris to snap a picture of these delicious little escargots soaked in pesto and eaten in delicious little caps of delicate bread.  It was my first encounter with escargots, and it was a good encounter. I'm excited to try more.