group wipe-out at Mav's

Jacob Mullins
www.nbcbayarea.com

Sounds funny, but not really. Lots of broken bones.

http://bayarea.blogs.nytimes.com

Scary! But what a beautiful shot! I wish I was there!

50 ft waves - oh, baby

Mavericks is a world-renowned big wave break located one-half mile off the coast of Half Moon Bay, California.

Since the early 1990s, when the local spot was introduced to the world, Mavericks has become an epicenter of modern big-wave surfing, attracting elite riders to test its limits (and theirs) each time it rears its awe-inspiring head. With waves cresting as high as 50 feet, ridiculously strong currents, dangerous rocks, perilously shallow reefs, and bone-chilling water temperatures, Mavericks is like no other place on Earth.

Each winter, during a waiting period typically set for sometime between November and March – if and when conditions are perfect, and giant swells roll in from far across the Pacific – The Mavericks Surf Contest® is held. On just 24 hours notice, two dozen of the surfing community’s bravest and most skillful souls assemble to confront the thundering mountain of salt water many consider to be the most dangerous wave Mother Nature has ever concocted.

http://www.maverickssurf.com

subway entertainment

Friend 1: Why would I want to join a sorority?
Friend 2: So that you can make friends with normal people!


Legally Blonde

I really wished I had heard more of this conversation, but the subway was just too loud! Ruining my eavesdropping.

I can sit there and scoff at the sorority girl, arguing how pillow-making, make-up, and formal dances make for normal people (do you like my sorority stereotype?) and how in actuality, the normals exist outside of sororities. But honestly, who's to say that I'm normal and they're not? Friend 2 did have a point as she launched into an explanation of Rush week and how the girls you get along best with will pick you to be in their sorority, thus giving you the best chance to make friends. It's just like a job interview... except for sisterhood?

I once went to a sorority event for the free food. I instantly regretted giving into my cheap self. The sushi wasn't even good. Stop talking to me with your fake excitement, sister.

But look at how helpful Elle's sisters were at helping her ace her LSATs!

YOU GUYS.

LOOK AT THE AWESOME NEW PUPPY GADGET IN THE RIGHT PANEL.

Sundance 2010

By now, we are Sundance pro's. We know more than the volunteers who work there. And what's funny is that we're starting to recognize the Sundance regulars - I guess that makes us Sundance regulars too!

Our first picture: Ben Affleck, The Company Men

Although not the best of actors, he was really nice, and skipped over all those guys making money off his autograph to come take this snapshot with us. Unfortunately, in all my haste, I obstructed the flash, and we came out all dark-like. I lightened it up, so hopefully you can see him and his Boston beanie.

Mark Ruffalo and Juliette Lewis, Sympathy for Delicious

(I'm working on getting our picture with Mark and will post when I get it!)

Orlando Bloom, Sympathy for Delicious

Ron Livingston, just watchin' the movie

James Franco, Howl

Other sightings (but no pics with us because of respect for privacy, logistics, or rejection): David Strathairn (rejection in the most smart-ass way... who is he anyway???), Adrian Grenier (respect for privacy as he was just cuddling up with a woman-friend), Juliette Lewis (2 opportunities: respect for private space when she was deep in conversation and logistics because there was a barricade and lots of snow between us), and Rosemary DeWitt (logistics because she was walking quickly away while I was trying to remember her name).

We got to Sympathy for Delicious 5 hours ahead of showtime, earning us waitlist numbers 1-4. We work really hard at Sundance! Definitely harder than at my normal job. :) Such is the nature of my vacations.



In the meantime, we also found time to appreciate the beauty and fun that is Park City, which contains the best snow EVER! What an ideal place to go tubing and become a kid again. And I'm afeard to say, but I find myself liking snowboarding more and more. Eep! Please let me not become a convert.

Staged?

Either way, it was awesome! You guys know how Conan and I are BFFs! I just don't get how Jay is so popular. He not funny.

holidays in short

nyc xmas joys
rockefeller center

guggenheim

Eats during this visit with the sis and R included (in order of appearance): SD26, Grimaldi's, The Doughnut Plant, Carlo's Bakery (of Cake Boss fame), Otofuku (mm... tacoyaki!), Lupa, Popover Cafe, Magnolia Bakery, Levain Bakery, Grammercy Tavern, Bouchon Bakery, Levain Bakery (yes, again -- for the road!)

connor's 100-day red egg and ginger party
xmas eats
yorkshire pudding! made with drippings from prime rib. YUM!
almond cake with lemon curd topping

panamanian holiday



mexican wrestler...scarecrow? these "scarecrows" were found everywhere.
king of pop

Happy New Year!

Times Square is a crazy place to be on NYE. It pretty much illuminated all of Manhattan. I hear you have to line up pretty darn early too to get a good spot. No bathroom breaks, folks. You should do like Lexi on Grey's Anatomy and wear a diaper.

Instead of the craziness because I'm getting too old for it, I made dinner, BF got awesome 2010 glasses, we watched the 30Rock marathon, rolled into a bar around 11:15pm to meet friends, and rung in the new year.

Conan is the BEST!

He hearts dogs. I heart dogs. That means we're BFFs.

inadequate

After perusing people's blogs, I've begun to feel inadequate about the quality of my pictures. I have a wonderful point and shoot, but people are all showcasing their sharp pictures taken from their fancy SLRs. Alas.

Thus, I have reduced my picture size so that (1) you can't see the nook 'n crannies of my face and (2) so that my pictures don't look so inadequate next to other people's photos.

We were creepy kids in horror films for Halloween.

Good Ol' Office Switcharooo

I'm probably going to be using the word incorrectly, but I can't figure out a better way to describe it. I think people say "coincidence" is the correct replacement, but really, the situation is IRONIC.

Our office is shuffling people around so that we all fit on 2 floors instead of 2.5. I'm moving out of my nice double-office with nice office-mate into a single office, right next to the kitchen. You guessed it. CC's office!!! He'll be moving 1 floor down. YAY.

But let's get back to the point. Gross me out the door! Although CC probably is only in his late 30s or early 40s, I imagine him exuding an old man stench that penetrates even the walls. How am I EVER going to get it clean enough? I need to alcohol wipe all surfaces and antibacterial febreeze everything in sight.

Eeeeewwwww.

creepy coworkers

What is a person supposed to do.

Creepy coworker (CC) is a guy I met when I moved up from the 16th floor to the 17th floor. His office is right next to the kitchen, which is on the opposite side of the building from my office.

It all first started with chit chat and niceties, until I open up too much and talk about how annoyed I am that I am so far from both the kitchen and women's restroom. He tells me about how one of our other coworkers is leaving, whose office is right next to the kitchen and 2 doors down from CC. I was like, well, that's a little too close to the kitchen, too close to noise and smells, and I just moved, so I'm sort of lazy to do it all over again. He says he would ask senior staff. I say, no need, he says he'd do it. *roll eyes* I SAID NO NEED!

Over the next month, he travels with senior staff on client business. When he comes back to the office, he tells me about how one night, they all got drunk, and how he was trying to convince the president that she should move me over to the office near him. The president told him that she has another idea for that space but that she's keeping an eye out for him and me. Huh?

To which I respond, there's nothing to keep an eye out for, especially since I have a bf. AND I don't want to move offices. This statement is apparently lost on him because he tells me the same story a second time when I run into him in the subway, on our way home. That's the other unfortunate thing -- we live along the same train line.

Thus begins my effort to avoid him.

He tells me that I am impressive because my PhD was in engineering. All these other folks, he says, have PhDs in biological sciences, which does not take the same level of thinking. Compliments = disgusting when it comes from CC. He doesn't even know me or my capabilities.

He goes to Rome over a holiday weekend. He says to me that I'm the only person who knows, so don't tell anybody else. He comes back with a gift. I avoid him so as not to receive said gift. He catches me at the kitchen and gives me a bar of white chocolate. You see how he doesn't even know me? I'm a 70% dark chocolate kind of gal. And then he says, "I hope this doesn't overwhelm you."

Another round of chit chat about the weekend. Somehow I think I should try to act normal, so I talk about my weekend and my trip to the Guggenheim. Crap, now he knows that I like going to museums. He likes going to museums. He wants to go to the new Kandinsky exhibit with me. CRAP!

He keeps asking me if I want to go during the weekends, and everytime I turn him down because I'm traveling or "have plans." We have this conversation today.

Me: I'm out of town this weekend.
CC: [glare]
Me: It's a 3-day weekend!
CC: What about next weekend?
Me: I'm traveling for work later this month, but I can't remember when it is, so I'll have to check and get back to you. My sister is also coming, and she wants to see it, so I think I might wait for her.
CC: First, you don't have to be afraid.
Me. Of what?
CC: of me. And second, just tell me if you don't want to go, or tell me when you're free and we can go.

He seems to get it, so why doesn't he just stop bothering me? I try to be nice because otherwise it can get really awkward if I say I'd just rather not go with him. I try to be persistent about being busy and about not having time to spend with him because I think that he'll eventually get the hint. Is it better to be direct and deal with the awkward consequences? Is it better to just hash it out with a creepy coworker?

Which is more awkward?

When life hands you a lemon...

My basil plants looked like they were dying so I made pesto! I added some flat leaf Italian parsley, pine nuts, toasted garlic, and olive oil.

The bf made eggplant parmesan with his homegrown eggplants. Eggplants were sliced, dipped in egg and flour, individually pan-fried, and were then layered with pasta sauce and mozzarella. So many layers...

September Sessions

While we had hoped to surf our 20's away in awesome, radical, hard-core fashion, the waves decided to flatten our parade.

Instead, we welcomed the 30's with good ol' 13-year-old games.

3-legged race

chubby bunny

water balloon toss

birthday triplets rejoice!

old names and faces

Do you guys remember LeVar Burton and Reading Rainbow? Apparently, it has been on all this time, but it's finally over. The rights to all the books are too expensive.

Isn't this funny? After being an Olympian, Brian Boitano got made fun of in South Park, and then turned it into a FoodNetwork show.

Hello Upper West Siders, xoxo

Whole Foods just opened up on my block. Literally, ON MY BLOCK. I stumble out my door and there it is.

WHY IT'S AWESOME.

• It's Whole Foods. The Associated Supermarket, which is located on the other corner and which sold me spoiled canned goods, had better watch out.
• They support local farms.
• They have a bulk foods section.
  
• There are escalators for people and for carts. It is amazing. This makes a potential "NOT AWESOME" point of the store being 2 levels moot.
• They have baskets on wheels! And the long handles allow you to tow your basket! This seems like something all NYC grocery stores should have.
• Nice staff who will take 10 minutes to explain how MFC certification works and why it is okay to eat one's favorite yet endangered fish, chilean sea bass.
  

WHY IT'S NOT AWESOME.

• It's grocery shopping in NYC, and there is nothing good about grocery shopping in NYC. It causes me stress. Too many people making me have to shuffle my feet because I have to wait to get anywhere and then there are all sorts of "excuse me's" which more like mean "I'm moving through and you can't stop me." Strategically shopping at off-peak hours is necessary.
• Increased traffic on my block. It looked like there were field trips going on on opening day. Hope that dies down.

And for anybody who wants some cheering up (I knew I liked Conan for a reason):

I Collect Things.

Things from hotels, that is. I have not bought soap in over a year.

I discovered my new favorite flower -- Zinnias! This flower is like a piece of art. Look how awesome! And this whole flower arrangement is awesome. Has all my other favorite things: Calla lilies and orchids!
Anybody know what that fuzzy brain-like flower is off to the left side of the pic?

Week's "Vacation"

I spent this past week in the Bay Area "working remotely." I put this in quotes because it feels like I wasn't working since I excused myself at 3:30 pm PST/6:30 pm EST everyday, but in fact, I was actually working (am not lying, coworkers do not know about this blog).

I was very productive during my vacation.

I went to my friend's baby shower. Discovered that I am no good at baby shower games -- I vastly overestimated her abdominal circumference.

I made a cake for a casual dinner party at my friend's place. This cake has been my best yet aside from the droopy frosting. Some key improvements in my technique (1) bake the entire cake in a single springform pan; do not separate to bake in 2 pans (2) do not be afraid to lop off the entire rounded top of the cake (3) use math; measure thickness of layers (4) PIPE THE FROSTING LAYERS! (5) make enough frosting (6) learn how to actually pipe before piping.

Total dessert count during my stay:

2 slices of my own red velvet cake (which accidentally had 2 sticks of butter instead of 1.5)

2 cupcakes that were made from leftover batter from red velvet cake

1/4 of lopped-off top from red velvet cake

1 slice of lemon cake

1 slice of black forest cake

2 slices of Marie Callendar's apple pie

2 slices of delicious wedding cake (pics below)

0.5 capuccino It's It

1 small Red Mango

O-M-G. Feel disgusting!