I wasnt going to write about this, but now that everything seems to be in the clear I feel like saying it. I was in a car accident a few weeks ago...my hand got pretty messed up and I got hit in the nose with the airbags. My hand still hurts, but I think it will be better soon. I ended up getting a pain and suffering settlement from the insurance company, as well as a settlement for my car which was totaled. I still havent figured out what kind of car to get to replace my paid for 2003 honda civic, but im tending towards another 2012 civic right now. I can pretty much pay for it with cash, but my friend says I should get a slightly used one and put some money in the bank. Not quite sure I want to think about all this with Christmas coming up, but I did get all my shopping done!

Its juicy name dropping time, and boy have I got some good ones from NY! First off...dinner at Vitae was one of the best tastings and pairings ive had in a long time. Amazing homemade pastas and unexpectedly good pairings turned me into a dangerously sophisticated hipster of the evening. Now most people that know me know I love to dance, but the people at Swing46 had me under the table...or should I say on top of the table! Some of them seemed like trained swing dancers straight out of the 40's, which were very inspiring. Others were just shaking it...like me! I think I need to start taking lessons. At the end of an evening, theres nothing like a dip in the pool, and thanks to Gift NY its possible! I was a happy girl...plus all my friends are ok after hurricane Sandy.

New York and I had a love affair with Irene last year:





















The media really blew her up! The night before(when these photos were taken), the national guard had closed off the streets and had troops posted everywhere. I was afraid to go to sleep that night...just thinking everything would be demolished when I woke up! Not the case at all. She was surprisingly gentle...I even went out walking around the next morning and felt safe outside.

This year its Sandy. She seems much bigger than Irene was, and is said to cause huge damage and bring in some snow and really cold weather afterwards. We have to remember that its the job of the media to get everyone alert, so we will see what Sandy is really like!

In response to seeing End of Watch the other day, I started doing some research on the Mexican Cartel. I was surprised at how many of them there are... the Gulf Cartel, the Sinaloa Cartel, the Zeta Cartel...and the major purpose of all of them is for smuggling and distributing drugs among other crimes. Since Im in San Diego right now, I was mostly interested in the Tijuana Cartel. I can remember having lots of fun there back when I was stationed here, but now it just seems too dangerous. Although theres a part of me that wants to go see for myself...to infiltrate. Alas, its things like this where "imagination is more important than knowledge".

Im here to talk about bleeps in the universe...weve all felt them. Those times in our lives when strings of unexplained, out of the ordinary coincidences happen that leave us wondering whats going on. Is there some hidden meaning behind this we have to be more aware of? Maybe, and maybe not, but the only thing thats certain is that theres a change in energy thats difficult to determine weather its positive or negative. Call it an unseen force, like the eye of a hurricane or an ocean wave...Im going to ride it into shore until I reach the beach. This morning I drove around my neighborhood listening to the most awesome music on my ipod...getting high on life and just feeling the beautiful fall morning. The leaves are changing and the shadows are longer, and my spirit takes flight with a passion...

Ive been on a mini bakery kick in Seattle, and discovered some places that are definitely worth mentioning! First off...the Macrina Bakery. I tried the ham and cheese brioche that was to die for! Similar to a ham and cheese croissant, but the pastry is more dense. I also had a salt caramel cupcake, which interestingly enough was not in a traditional cupcake liner but what looked like a piece of paper instead. Right away I knew it was no ordinary cupcake, but when I tasted it I was reaffirmed. The cake was moist and not too sweet, and there was a generous amount of caramel frosting that I could definitely taste the salt! The second place I found was the Dahlia Bakery, in the same place as my favorite restaurant in Seattle: Dahlia Lounge! Here they have salads, bread, and lots of sweets! I had the beef Vietnamese buns that were unlike anything else Ive had before. The lemon zest mixed with the beef was really balanced, and I couldnt figure out what the sauce was but it went really well with the bread. The peanut butter cookies were really creative as well...two cookies put together with peanut butter inside. I know what youre thinking...they sound like a belly bomb, but they werent because the cookie itself wasnt very sweet and neither was the peanut butter. Im sure there are many other cool things to try at these two places, but Im afraid Id end up like a house if I continued. Help me out here with some feedback!

Chicago

Im back from Chicago, and there was just so much going on there that I had to write about it in order to keep track of everything for next year! First of all, we were in the midst of Oktoberfest so one could hear German polka bands playing in random bars and restaurants along the streets. Im normally not a beer drinker, but all the festivities were enough to convert me. The second thing causing a stir along the streets was the Ryder cup people dressed in American flags and painted faces. Its enough to think the world has gone mad! Personally, I think its the influence of the harvest moon, which can also be deducted that since the Chicago winters are so oppressive everyone tries to get out and do as much as they can before the weather starts to freeze. Me, Ill be avoiding it entirely...aside from the fact that I have to go back for the holidays!

Moonlight Festival

Last night I went to the Moonlight Festival in Seattle, which I guess is a Chinese celebration for kids where they eat moon pies. Unfortunately, I wasnt able to find any moon pies, but it was really a blast! I guess the first presentation was a dragon dance (which I missed). I arrived just as the keiko drummers were playing. What an exciting team! After that the Massive Monkees break dance crew took the stage...those guys (and one girl) are amazing! I guess the recently won the world championships recently, which was quite evident to see. The part that really stole the show was when they brought kids out from the audience to learn some  moves. It was a total kick in the pants when they had a "battle"...all the kids and audience volunteers showing their stuff one at a time to see whos the best! I think some of the older kids must have been doing it for a while, because they were doing some very acrobatic still that must have taken years of training. I think Ive found a new form of dance that Im a fan of now!

Im going to Dallas for the first time a week from now, and have been doing some research on good restaurants and whats fun to do there. So far its Texas BBQ, Kuby's, and Home | The Sixth Floor Museum. I found these three on the travel channel, which ive kind of been into lately. I also plan on checking out Main | Texas Ballet Theater while im there. This huge state seems like a whole different world to me, whith all kinds of things I never knew existed! If any of you have been to Dallas and know of some good spots please let me know...

Happy Birthday!

Nearly a week has past and im still celebrating my birthday! If I have anything to do with it, Ill celebrate all year:-) The number of people sending my good wishes was awesomely overwelming...even people I thought forgot about me or I havent hear from in a while. I truely felt the love! Im going to make a point to try and remember more birthdays, as I know how good it feels to be remembered.

Ive been having strange dreams lately, and last night I was able to remember one. I was competing in the olympics in gymnastics and running. During my presentation, there was nobody in the audience and  only one judge that was reading a book. I asked for a re do after everyone arrived...that was all I remember. Thinking about it some more, ive come to the conclusion that i dont need anyone to watch me to be successful. True glory comes from within!

Seems like everyone I know is either running a marathon or doing a triathalon right now, so I decided to give myself a little fitness test and see how far I can run. I made it to three miles then started cramping...maybe Ill try again tomorrow if Im not too sore. Isnt it funny the way things like that are epidemic? Surrounding yourself with successful people can always be a good thing I guess, but its the modest ones that are hard to crack. Usually the people that dont brag or talk about themselves are the most successful, as they have no reason to compensate for their lack. As much as id like to be a person like that, I have to lift myself up every once in a while. In my mind Im very happy with myself though...sometimes its the little things I draw on the most! A favorite song, a smile from a stranger, even a short text from a good friend. With this in mind, I do my best to give others these small pleasures that really mean a lot sometimes!

Here I am in San Diego, and its bringing back lots of great memories! I was first stationed here on a destroyer tender coming out of boot camp and fireman school. I had a surrogate mother whom Ive searched the world over for...she took over where my own mother left off teaching me things my mother probably never would have. She was a life insurance agent with access to the military bases here and I would sometimes go around with her during the day. At night we turned into pool hustlers going around to some of the coolest bars and clubs around. Ive been back to where she used to live and the neighborhood has completely changed! Soon after arriving at my new ship I had a fainting incident that required them to take me off the boat and transfer me to work for the comptroller of the base so I could get tested to make sure I was fit for duty. I lost touch with my friend after that, but found a new friend in the charismatic civilian I worked for. I went to her place for thanksgiving and was welcomed into her family even though I was the only white girl there. I tried chitlins for the first time...dont think I want to do that again;-) In the office is where I developed my interest in computers, as I was working on the LAN systems and teaching new software to the accountants. Dont think Ive ever lost my curiosity, as I later went on the school for that once I was out of the military. It wasnt a hard decision for me, as I had become an independent thinker and I knew I could go farther in the world without the bureaucracy I experienced on the ships. I can remember one instance where I was going around to different offices and shops trying to figure out what it was I wanted to pursue in the technical feilds, only to be told to go on break when nobody would show me the ropes of what goes on. Even though I aced the dlab(defense language aptitude battery), I decided that going to school on my own in the civilian sector was the answer. In my last duty station on the base as a parking attendant, I found that a lot of the military's smartest(the nuclear engineers) were faking illness and injury in order to get out because of the harsh conditions they had to endure. My life has taken a completely different path now, and looking back I wouldnt change a thing!

For those of you that have been to COI Restaurant, theres another 2 michelin star restaurant in the mission called S A I S O N - Reservations thats way easier to get into and is just as good if not better! I had a 20 course tasting menu that was amazing...uni shipped from japan, live scallop, popcorn ice cream, and as a gift from the chef(you guessed it), fois gras! Yes folks, it may be banned from california, but that hasnt banned Joshua Skenes from giving us the silkiest, richest, most spectacular fois gras Ive had in a long time! This kind of reminds me of prohibition, no? So Saison is actually in the Mission, and after dinner I went for a walk to see what all the craze was about. I didnt see any gang bangers, but I did see a lot of hipsters, cool restaurants, and weird little shops. One has taxidermy, fossils, and curiosities that I may have to go see during the daytime! Im having such a fantastic time in San Francisco, but tomorrow I leave for San Diego which Im truely excited about. I actually lived there a spell while I was in the Navy, so itll be fun to visit some old haunts. In the meantime, I have one more day to enjoy San Francisco and I intend to take it in to the fullest!

San Francisco has been a whirlwind, and union square is definitely where all the action is! Last night I saw fireworks for my window on the back, and a couple nights ago there was a salsa band right in the square with a huge crowd of dancers. I discovered I really like http://www.hubertkeller.com/ restaurants after visiting Fleur De Li's and burger bar! I first went into burger bar wanting to try the foie gras burger, but was disappointed to find out that its been banned from California. Its a controversial subject on weather or not the treatment of ducks is humane or not, but foie gras is just so good! I was surprisingly not disappointed in the food though...they have a fabulously creative menu for this more casual dining place, but the fine dining at fluer de lis was just out of sight! I also visited one of my favorite chef's Michael Mina restaurant...Bourbon steak. I was meeting a new girlfriend from Seattle here, and she loved it! Tonight Im going to the mission, which Ive heard quite a lot about lately. Lots of natives here say its one of their favorite neighborhoods, but it also has an edge to it as supposedly several gangs are in the area. It should be exciting, and Im always ready to explore more of San Francisco!

Last night was a great 4th of july in seattle! I brought a bottle of wine to my girlfriends and we watched fireworks on the roof. She had another girlfriend over with a family of puppies that we so cute! It wasnt too wild and uneventful but nice. We chatted it up the whole time, then walked up to the store together to get hot dogs. She lives in capitol hill, so we were right in the middle of all the action. Somebody walking by outside threw an m80 right near our window and I nearly jumped out of my britches! After a while I had to get back to Donk at home but girl talk is so needed sometimes!

Today's my last day in dc, and I didnt get to visit all of my favorite places but I did get to go to the Kennedy center yesterday to see the musical Memphis. It was a total kick in the pants, and the singing was out of sight! I also went to dinner in Georgetown, and did one of my favorite walks along the canal there. In the summer, the murky water with the sun reflecting off of it is one of the most dreamy sites there is, and I even saw some ducklings swimming along. One thing I missed that I really enjoy is a visit to blues alley. It reminds me of days gone past with famous jazz acts down in a brick basement. Almost like a scene out of the musical! This summer Ill be going to Memphis for real though...visiting family. Maybe I can convince everyone to go to Beale street and hear some music...

Im in DC and its hotter than a tailspin tornado out here! Im fixin' to go fry me up an egg on the sidewalk;-) Actually its kind of nice, and reminds me of my time living in Tampa Florida durning the summers. Im going crazy with all the ballet schools closed, so Im going to try a pilates studio I found on yelp (love writing reviews on that site)! With all the politics normally going on around here, I really havent heard much. Must be the summer slowdown...and I dont beleive bank of america is going under. With the recent Moodys rating drop for the major banks, I think it would not be in the best interest for powerful people and busineses. Goldman Sacs was one thing, but that took us all by suprise.  As for Greece...I dont think I would go there until everything has cleared up. Its just as beautiful in my imagination! Bring me to South Beach and Ill be just as happy sitting at the pool at the Delano. Sounds great for a fall getaway, doesnt it?

Ok...Im never going to claim knowledge of politics, but I am a good listener. Heres what Ive been hearing:

"Its going to come out that Mitt Romney is actually dyslexic, and his name is really Tim"

"Obama the panhandler is back in new york blocking traffic and Life again in New York"

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I didnt actually hear the president speak yesterday, but I take it it didnt go over so well with folks. I also saw a woman walking around Newark airport with an anti Obama tshirt the other day. Ill stick my neck out to play devils advocate and say I liked the way he supported gay marriage. I saw an image the other day with a hacidic Jew that said, "he doesnt eat pork, but doesnt try to ban others from eating it".  I like things that promote freedom:-)

So I ended up with two tickets yesterday to go see the new york city ballet do a midsummer night's dream. I know...you can stop cheering now;-) Anyways...I invited three different people to go with me and nobody could actually make it so I decided to go by myself. Now I dont know if Im just an arts nerd or what, but I really enjoyed it! Ended up giving an usher the extra ticket to give to somebody else that wanted to go, and it turned out to be a lovely young lady. Although I didnt have the nerve to make myself known to her, I did end up meeting a tall dark and handsome ballet enthusiast that invited me to the lecture before the show, and we gushed over all the stars cast in the show. It was so wonderful to have someone interested in my ballet background thats actually quite familiar with the scene! After the show it was quite hard finding a cab, so I agreed to share one with an elderly gentleman and another beautiful young lady that seemed very sweet and friendly. We all held hands as he told us how he was a Jewish Holocaust survivor from Berlin. When she got out of the cab she told him to be good, but fear was the last thing on my mind as this guy was just so charming and open! For the rest of the ride he explained how he belongs to an organization that sends people to keep older Jewish folks company, and how he tells them to just send over the beautiful young ladies...a man of my own heart! So they go to the ballet together and I steal him away from her for a moment, and as I was leaving he asked me for a kiss and I gave him one. This man had truly won me over in such a short time as being a beautiful human being that doesnt let his age stand in the way of having a good time! After freshening up I went to Mesa grill with a girlfriend from out of town and we talked for hours about girl stuff. What a wonderful day! Were doing it again tonight with another girlfriend as well...lord help any flys on the wall!

Fixing the worlds problems...on another level! so Ive decided to solve some problems I see in the world on a more accessable level for me...in my interpersonal relationships! For instance, if I feel like the goverment is not listening to the people, I try to listen more to others that I see on a day to day basis. I beleive that somewhere in the world it will have a positive butterfly effect. If Im a better friend to others, in some roundabout way Im preventing war. Although we are pretty small entities in the world, we do still have great power to plant seeds of truth and compassion. The more I can functions as a productive member in society, family, and friends...I can make the world a better place for everyone!

So Im taking Donk to "all my kitties" today, which is a cool bed and breakfast for cats! They should be putting up photos of him on their blog, so keep an eye out for this celebrity kitty;-) I took him yesterday for a shot, and he wasnt too thrilled about that but I think he will be pretty happy about hanging out with other cats there. Im on my way to new york today! Definately excited, as its one of the coolest cities around. Going there with new insight to be proactive with my own success...the opportunities are endless and my confidence level is sky high today. Im going to seize the day like theres no tomorrow!

The Seattle days are getting longer now, and after being here a while Im reminded of what its like living here. Social circles are harder to get into unless you already know somebody, and I have an advantage after being here a while now. I guess thats what keeps me here, along with the sheer beauty of it. Yesterday I found out through the grapevine that my frienamy that looks after my cat while Im gone actually "hates" him, so its time to find other arrangements since he doesnt travel well on planes. Shes changed so much over the years, and now I have no idea why I still hang on to her. Its bittersweet I guess, as the hardest thing in the world seems to be letting go of a long term friendship. Ill block the negativity from my head as I watch the morning bloom from my balcony...there are two big cruise ships in the bay and its the most gorgeous morning Ive witnessed in a while now. Its a new day!

Hats off to people who can make fun out of awkward situations! Just today I was goofing off with the cvs self check out guy after some minor problems. He ended up telling the next person in line that mine was available "if shed hurry up". I left there giggling! The real star of the show would be Howard Stern on America's Got Talent though. After some beefcake guys got up on stage and pretty much did an exotic dance, the crowd was booing and some of the audience members really looked offended. Howard got up there and started dancing with them with a complete straight face the whole time, and the whole house was histerical! Im definately taking note...laughter really can save the world!

I think we've all experience personal prejudices, and its not always for race or religion. Sometimes we deal with it without ever realizing it...we start to expect to be treated differently by the way we look, dress, or even the way we do things. Here's the positive point I was getting at: I feel a sense of personal power by giving people what they dont expect! When I have a normal conversation with a grimy bum on the street, or not even flinching at the most obvious person in the room! One of the hardest things for me to do is treat a famous person normally. I really have to work at not "fanning out" and regarding their personal space. Keeping a nonjudgmental attitude is starting to become my autopilot, but its a delicate balance we have to make as our judgement is one of our best defense mechanisms. Because of my own unpleasant experiences, Im careful not to ask too many personal questions with people Im just meeting and let them offer me things they want me to know. This is a little gift and I try to treat it as such by not passing judgement or having a negative attitude towards them. Im not perfect, but every time someone trusts in me I feel like the world is right despite a sea of wrongs...

So theres a NATO summit in Chicago next week, and Im reminded of wto in Seattle. What a crazy time...its seemed like the whole city was in riots! Buses were tipped over and set on fire, and riot police were everywhere shooting rubber bullets and tear gas into the crowds. For some insane reason, my friends and I were out walking around to have a look. I was minutes from being fired on by a line of gun pointing riot police after breaking through the crowd to see what all the fuss was about! Thank goodness I can run pretty fast when put in a sticky situation like that. Afterwards online Christmas cards with photos from the mayhem were circulated for months...people were able to laugh about it at last:-) My thoughts and prayers are for Chicago next week...wishing them a peaceful and productive event...

Counterintuitiveness: the part of our thoughts that betray us when were overly cautious or project a prior experience onto a new one. Its natural to have this, but acting on it is another story. Sometimes we may feel like were entering into a dangerous situation, or someone means us wrong. Its up to us to keep these feelings to ourselves until its proven. Like red flags...we take note of things happening and being said until we get enough evidence to get the heck out of dodge! These situations are often very exciting for me, as theres a suspense and tension in the air im trying not to let onto. My adrenaline in pumping overtime and Im trying to keep calm on the surface. Making it through this with another person is often a bonding experience...leaving you feeling closer to them than if you had met under normal circumstances. Although the original thoughts may have been bad, theres a real relief that they werent true! Today I had someone flub up with this and pretty much tell me off after I had asked an otherwise innocent question. Thankfully I had the wisdom to comfort this person and let them know I understand and have been there before! The apology was much appreciated:-)

We are all super heros!

I went to see The Avengers last night, and now Im all inspired to help others find their super powers and get everyone together to do something great and make the world a better place! Some people are literally doing this: Real Life Superheroes in the news - YouTube Its tempting to create my own masked avenger costume and join them, but I think my persona would be a little too complicated with wings and mind reading abilities and things like that Im still working on. What would your super hero be like? Other people work for companies where helping the world be a better place is just as important as profits and margin...invisible super heroes working behind the scenes without fancy costumes and the like. As for me, fighting my own demons sometimes seems hard enough...blasting the proverbial bad guys that always seem to put a wedge in things. Its sometimes hard to remember that there are others out there who need a little more help, and make me think that keeping myself strong and powerful enough to reach out and help them if I can is the important thing...

Our habits are like a modern day whitchcraft...like a spell over us, the more we practice something it becomes a part of us. My thoughts on similar planes: osmosis, cancer, or even minimalist music! A conclusion would be that its not just the big descisions in life that change us, but also the minute ones we do every day that really make us who we are. Being in control of these things can make or break us. They say the Beatles being great musicians is no accident...they spent countless times playing and performing together before they became a sensation and thier fame was inevitable! If theres something you really love in life, stick with it and you will eventually personify it.

New York is the perfect place to practice a zen lifestyle...ie: doing things efficiently and peacefully. In the midst of all the chaos, its easier to find the tranquility of things. Like feeling the eye of the hurricane...while everything around you is spiraling out of control its a bigger contrast to your own serenity and mindfulness. In order to stay focused you must find your own zone and be acutely aware of it at all times...your own life's rhythm! Pounce when the universe allows you an opening, and rest when the universe provides, you trust and respect each other in a harmony that is only yours...

You missed a spot...

I wasnt going to mention this, but thought I would since I might actually do it. Ive been getting lots of requests from people to come over here and clean or do odd jobs. What I really would like is a ride to and from the airport, so I chose somebody that says he just got his liscence and is a future prospect for that. I think I do a pretty good job doing my own cleaning, but there are a few domestic jobs Im tempted to let go of. I think I will probably start training on friday, and well see how it goes. Maybe I can eventually open my own cleaning business;-) Just kidding...it is pretty funny though, considering the amount of requests Ive gotten!

Read beteen the lines...

Everyones an angel if you look for it inside them! Thought my accountant was pulling some shananigans when he emailed my my tax forms to sign and send over. By the time he sent me the correct password to open the protected documents he said, "oops, its too late to efile now. Ill send you a hard copy". He forgot to mention that what he was really sending my was records to prove my income for the new place in seattle! Not a day too soon,  May 1st was supposed to be my move in date. One more trip to kinko's;-) Also getting a much needed hair trim today...happy Cinko de Mayo everyone!

"always make your work be personal"-Francis Ford Coppola

Went to Coppola's last night...coolest place ever! They were playing Velvet Underground, and the food was extraordinary! Even though Im mostly tallking about myself and my own experiences, Im vowing to strive to make my blog entries useful to others. Since I havent had many comments since Ive started it, Ill just have to make a guess at things. Cheers to my readers!

Lost in Translation

Just shot with a super hip Japanese guy that played techno music and had lots of Betty boop and lady gaga stuff! We went up on the roof and it was beautiful outside. I introduced him to some latex websites...he really liked it. His English wasn't that great, so I helped him with some mail forms. His girlfriend likes Betsy Johnson and she had lots of bags and shoes around. I shot in my pair that I brought with me! His directions sounded just like the guy from Last in Translation. Hes going back to Japan in January, so hopefully Ill have a contact if I ever end up going there. I remember my ballet teacher from Tokyo used to tell us to go model in japan if we wanted to make some money...they love American girls! She was such a label junkie...everything was Gucci and Prada. Once she even asked me about dancing for money...I would have helped her but she was married and didn't think her husband would approve. It was because of her I think that I got my college scholarship. She wrote me a letter of recommendation that said I could do anything I set my mind to! I loved her, but she never gave me the lead parts in her ballets. Maybe because I was so stubborn about doing things her way. I was still faithful with the teachings of my original Russian teacher from Estonia, who's parents we both killed during the revolution. I was under full scholarship in both places, but in the former I was teaching little girls in the first level. That was a lot of fun but I'm not sure how good I was at it!

Exhale...

Contrary to my franticness in yesterdays entry, I think things are going to work out fine:-) Saw one of the pnb dancers in class yesterday...I think gay boys are super cool but I dont know if they feel the same way about me. Theres a lot of snobery in ballet and hopefully Ive learned something from that too! Going to see the nyc ballet perform next week and Im pretty excited about that. Ive only seen them live one other time and that was the b cast of nutcracker so it wasnt that great. Think I can finally relax a little about the tax stuff now, although theres still some things for me to do at least I know what they are now!

Sometimes you can do nothing but hope, pray, and hope everything works out ok. I talked to my accountant and he never filed my taxes, even though I spent two days preparing everything! Dont you hate it when you have to babysit people youre paying to do something? I guess somewhere or somehow I deserved it, but Im not sure how. If I dont end up getting the new place, Ill end up figuring something out. Even if I have to put things in storage until I can get the taxes figured out...thats my only way of proving income! I just have to concentrate on the good things...like how nice my appartment here in new york is, and how happy I am to be here:-) The rest is history...

So Im pressed today, but isnt that what diamonds are made of? Ive got to get my model release mailed in for my hustler shoot, and get my tax records over to the hopefully new appartment all before packing and leaving for new york! I think Im going to use the force;-) The new place is so nice! If it all goes well Ill come back to seattle to move...if not Ill stay in new york before going to san francisco. I like leaving choices up in the air...that way I know Im making the right ones. Wish me luck!

Going to look at a new appartment today that seems perfect! They just finished remodeling it, plus Ive lived there before and never had any problems. Theres more parking available, air conditioning for the summer, and a fireplace for the winter. Theres also a small pool and a comunal hot tub that im excited about having available. Maybe I can even throw a party this summer! A small housewarming will definately be in order. Ill have a month to move, so Im trying to decide on weather to do it myself or hire movers. If anyone has had a good experience with a moving company id appreciate your comments! Wish me luck...

Do people who are tested more often have a stronger moral character than others? Seems like it to me, although this goes against the laws of influence. There are so many things that can make up a personality!

Yesterday was playing catch up on household chores, and today is looking at appartments. Im leaving my place in pioneer square...too much construction! Itll be kind of sad though, as Ive been in there since 2003. Upward and onward!

Im back in Seattle, and I just had to go out for little bit with my friends last night even though I was jet lagged. It was good to see everyone, and nice to come home to everyone I missed. I guess there were some of the best djs around spinning last night...my girlfriend knows all those guys and of course was making a lot of introductions. I was glad to be able to introduce some others I knew as well. Its not often that I get in a big group environment like that, so its really nice when it happens. Im more in my element with the one on one type thing though, so I was pulling people outside so we could hear ourselves talk! The weather is beautiful here now:-)

Thank you Chicago...

Although the weather couldnt quite make up its mind, I will definately cherish the memories I made here! Dont think I mentioned RIA in the Waldorf hotel, which is a definate dazzler! The menu was very creative with a molecular gastronomy flare, and the service was second to none. In fact, our waiter was a classically trained singer and his melodic explainations were just beautiful! Perfectly spoken french to rival any native, I wanted to try everything he told us about. Im pretty sure we did too;-) Its my last day here, and Im going to make the most of it!

This post is a recount of the magical teachers in my life that believed in me past the point I actually believed in myself at the time. Its now a source of strength I can call on...a gift that will keep on giving for the rest of my life. Somehow they had an ability to reach into my future and transcend time. With this supreme inspiration, I have it in my heart to give back to the ones I really believe in and to tell them how special they really are. I thought that this mentoring would stop as I got older, but as long as I remain teachable I know theyll find me somehow. My goal is to make them proud, and to give back as much as I can!

Sitting at Frontera grill yesterday, I explained,"Mesa Grill is one of my favorite restaurants in new york thats close to my appartment. Well, I look up not two seconds later and see Bobby Flay sitting at the table next to me! I think I may finally be getting good at controling my "fanning out" response. Its been particularly hard for me because Im also so fond of expressing my emotions. Anyways, the food at Frontera Grill was way more traditional and accessable than its sister restaurant Topolobampo(the fine dining version). Although both were outstandingly done, I would probably choose the former again because im so sophmoric with mexican food. In fact, yesterday was my first time eating a tamale! Its probably also time for me to get back to my rosetta stone too...

Meat you at 8...

My girlfriend never made it, but I finally went to Gibsons! The food was awesome, but from what I hear from the locals its not the best steak house in Chicago. I guess Ill just have to try all of them:-) I also found out why they call it the Viagra triangle...lots of older distinguished gentlemen! I slipped out of there and found lots of great clothing stores I didnt know were in the area: Scoop NYC, Intermix, Agent Provocateur! I hope I have time to do some shopping while Im here.  Normally I plan my stays long enough to do everything, but it doesnt look like it this time. Once I got home, my friend said her agent got her a club appearance last night and wanted me to join her, but I had special things going on this morning and needed my beauty rest. More on that to come!

Ahh...

Making my own coffee in the morning...what a cherished pleasure! Im still reeling from my trip to austin, but now here i am in my own appartment in Chicago where I can do my own laundry and make my own meals if i want. Im happy to be back on a more normal schedule again, but I do have some fun things planned! Ive been avoiding the cold winters here, but this year ive heard there really hasnt been one. It just goes to show the more i try to plan things the more i find that go with the flow is the best policy. My girlfriend from seattle is here, and i think were going out to dinner tonight!

My new favorite place: Austin!

On my second day in Austin, I took a nice drive out in the hill country and saw all the beautiful wildflowers. The terrain was different than anyplace Ive seen, and its true what they say: Everythings bigger in Texas! Some of the houses out on the hills were some of the most massive and exquisite Ive seen. Finally I got to the oasis plaza on lake Travis, which was built by Beau Theriot. Hes originally from new orleans, and is clearly a master of the retail business. One of the stores had very unique furniture and knick knacks made of cowhide, moose antlers, and other exotic things. I had some great mexican appetizers and drinks at the gorgeous restaurant overlooking lake travis! After that I headed to hudsons on the Bend for an exquisite fine dining experience. They had herb and vegitable gardens on the premises, and the menu had such items as elk, alligator, and frogs legs! I opted for the trout, which was fantastic! I also had the 2009 Fanciscan Estate chardonnay which Ill have to remember for future reference as my wine knowledge is not quite as up to par as I would like. After getting back to Austin, I found a great outdoor concert in a little venue with a homemade wooden stage. People werent really dancing much here so I went on to the Elephant Room which had some amazing jazz! Henry Brun and the Latin Players are truly on point! I can hardly wait to revisit this beautiful charming city...rich with live music and the arts. I will leave a little piece of my heart there...

Dreams are coming true!

Ive finally created a blog, which ive been wanting for quite some time now. Twitter is fun, but I wanted a place where i can really write! Its going to take some practice, but Im up for the challenge.

So here I am in Austin. Its my first time ever in Texas, and this place has a real charm that makes me think I want to come back and explore it further. A dear friend gave me the heads up, and its definately true they want to shake hands all the time...I bought a lifewater at the gas station and I got a handshake for that:-) Woot! Anyways, Ive got a few more days here and I heard theres a nude beach!