eating in, going out 6.16
Anh hosted a small dinner party and invited me to join. Some home cooking, other than my dad's :)
I brought Steph along so she could make new friends.
Andrew and Van sharing a laugh.
The dinner party. Thanks Anh for hosting. It was delicious. I will have to cook for you one of these days :) All I know is Italian and sushi though, hope that will do.
Met up with party girl Jen for a bit of dancing. Left the club early with a fever. Yeah, maybe I'm just getting too old for this. I think I want more dinners in. Its more relaxing and you get to eat, what more can you ask for.
the big apple 6.14
Went to New York the next morning to spend time with my sis, Kim.
After lunch, she took me to the new Apple Store on 5th ave for a little shopping and to check out the space. Very cool and very busy.
Then met up with some college friends for a mini Wellesley reunion. That was nice, since I missed the one in Boston. After 5 years, we've become doctors, architects, teachers, wives, etc...Craziness...
Me and Kimbo. A big thanks to camera-shy Oanh for letting me crash at her place. I like the new big-screen TV you've gotten.
angelina 6.13
Yes, more eating. After the hot dog, went for a chinese buffet lunch with Jack and his dad and then headed down to Providence, RI to visit my new 10 days old niece, Angelina.
Angelina, the sleepyhead.
My bro, the proud papa.
Her rambunctious sister Elizabeth.
Getting ready for the photo op.
All the ladies.
So little....
Waking up. Hey there...
on the map 6.13
After my morning jaunt into Boston, I headed back to Salem for some good eating. The Texas dog is divine.
The man at the counter gave me a free angus beef weiner. The thing was huge.
And let me go around back to stick a yellow pin in the map for Ho Chi Minh City.
bovine invasion 6.13
One craving down, a few more to go. Next stop, some ice cream at E&B on Newbury.
Hmmmm.. this is new, I don't ever remember a painted cow out front.
What to get, so many choices...
The rice-krispies cone is the best invention ever!
Now this is what gives me a high. Yah, I know its as big as my head...
So as I walk along I see another cow...
and another...Turns out they are all over
Boston for the Cow Parade.
My favorite of all the cows I ran across was the 'Trojan Cow'. I like the headgear.
mmmm scallops 6.12
One of the best things about visting people is that they treat you for lunch and dinners :)
Lunch at Bertucci's with my former co-workers and professor: Kristen, Meredith, Kenny, Doug, Heather, Becca, Michael, and Judy. Yes, I had cravings for scallops, so ordered their 'Scallops & Bacon' pizza. Yummy :)
The cravings did not end at lunch though, so I had more at Sake, an awesome sushi place on Rte. 1. This time it was 'Fried Tempura Scallop Sushi'.
As Jen is gabbing away on her cell..
I'm stuffing my face :) Delish !
don't tell her mom 6.11
Missed my 5-year college reunion to spend time with my niece Lana. I indulged her a bit and let her go on 'The Jumpy Thing'. Don't tell her mother....
We also went to watch "Cars." Terrible movie.... Lana wanted to leave to go on the jumpy thing again, but it was closed by the time the movie was over.
a little soul and chi-chi 6.10
Met up with Chi at the Paradise to cheer on Chris, aka Vudoo Soul, at a music competition. Go Chris !
Then headed out for some food at Pho Pasteur, hey, they changed their name... Le's ??? Weird.
Out with Chi and Thanh for a little dancing. When the club was first described as a place with an italian restaurant on the first floor and a club on the top, I had the feeling I'd been there before and distinctly remembered not liking it... because it was a skeazy place with mirrors everywhere.
Everyone was like nah... that's not it. But as soon as we reach the top floor, what d' ya know, mirrors from top to bottom.... Wonder when Umbria became the happening place to be?
alaskan greeting 6.9
On the way to Boston, we stopped over in Alaska. This is what greets me at their airport:
Ah, dead mounted animals... So begins the recap of my visit in good ole U.S. of A.
arrggghhhhhhh!!!!!!
what bad luck... the morning before I left san fran, my power cord to my laptop short-circuted and I didn't have time to pick up a new one. No battery life left on my computer = no work done on the plane. Thankfully, friends will be sending me a new cord in a few days, just in time for me to teach. Thanks Susie and Yoko!
Then came back to find the internet was not working... are you serious???!!!! When that was finally fixed and I checked my work e-mail, they've apparently moved my desk and I have to go clean it out. Argh!!!
Updates will have to wait. sigh...
i have to pay???
In San Fran right now at an internet cafe and I have to pay for internet connection. $4 an hour, what is this?
It bites, that's what it is. Will be back in HCMC in a couple of days, lots of picts and updates to come. San Fran is nice, but chilly as hell.
busy busy bee
Trying to visit everyone in two weeks is hard when everyone else is working. Basically it leaves only the evenings to see people for some catch-up time. In one state one day, in another state the next, traveling like crazy. I've been on pratically every form of transportation, from planes and trains to buses and walking everywhere. Its tiring, especially NYC, too much walking. I've done more walking in the last two days than my entire time in VN. My 'xe om' driver would come in handy there.
Everyone seems happy to see me, yet disappointed and upset at the same time maybe because I'm only able to spend the day with them, well less than a day really, more like 10 hours....yes, I know I should take a longer vacation... Several people have tried to persuade me to move back...yes, I know most of my friends and family are here in the States..... but I'm not ready to come back yet. If you guys wanna find me a job, maybe then, I'll consider it :) For now, I'm pretty content with where I am.
back in boston
Landed this morning and damn, its cold. My sibs thought it was funny that I went into my boxes, scrounging around for my winter clothes. Pulling on a sweater and a blazer, I realized that all the summer clothes in my luggage is well... useless in this weather. Is this what 60 degrees feels like? I'm freezing my ass off. Its June, where the hell is the summer weather?
As my family laughs at me in their t-shirts and shorts, they comment on how I've become so Vietnamese. Hello? Where was I born? Yes, this girl has gotten used to the blazingly hot, sweaty, heat of saigon's tropical climate.
countdown
12 more hours and I'll be on a plane heading home. Thank goodness. This week has been exhausting...its a actually a good thing that i'll be on a long flight, I'm so gonna pass out and catch up on sleep.
the sound machine
A co-worker sent me this. Its a really fun interactive for those who like playing with sounds. Click on the link to make your own music.
La Pâte à Son
little bo peep
I think I've found your sheep....
they're hanging out at
The Sheep Market
This one didn't quite follow the crowd. Nice :)
This one got all philosopical. The sheep is drawn in real time and this one took like 10 hours. I had it running in the background. Its a sheep for goodness sake.
