miles away and worlds apart

i grew up in a small town in south-eastern virginia. which makes transitioning back into suburban life relatively easy. in fact, most of my trips to smaller towns whether it be wynnewood, PA, or gainesville, FL offer welcome respite from the city. the convenience of target, trader joe's, and affordable, huge grocery stores is undeniable!

so i was a little taken aback when i couldn't answer my uncle's question about whether i felt culture shock visiting great falls after living in new york for the past few years. to be honest, life in northern virginia is far different from any place or kind of life i have lead.

whenever i visit NN, it feels like home and never seems to change dramatically. however, northern virginia is vastly different from the environment i grew up in. in NN, i was among a handful of asian kids (almost all the other vietnamese ppl in my middle/high school were relatives) and the dominant minority was african american. in a good way, i quickly acclimated to "american" life and was quite comfortable in non-ethnic settings. in fact, i got so accustomed to being the only (non-hispanic/black) ethnic minority that i often felt out of place when i was surrounded by a large number of vietnamese folk.

on the otherhand, in NOVA, the ethnic communities are quite strong. so strong in face, that my grandmother got without learning a lick of english in her entire 20 year tenure in the USA. in sum, the expectation to adhere to vietnamese customs, values, and traditions is significantly higher: e.g. pursuing a medical related field (doctor, dentist, optometrist, etc), going to vietnamese establishments (restaurants, churches, etc), dating/marrying someone vietnamese, and etc. . . while i try my best never to judge, i find this way of life so limiting. . . and am grateful to have parents that have supported a more liberal lifestyle.

monday off with the girls

while valentine's weekend was all about quality time with the boy, president's day was focused on playing catch up with my girlfriends.

the day started with a lovely brunch with theng at penelope, a charming little restaurant that felt out of place in murray hill. . but in a good way. i had poached eggs with smoked salmon on a pumpernickel bread with a side of greens. theng had the spinach pie. while neither were mind blowing, the food was good and hearty, the service was friendly and fast, and the atmosphere was cozy. after brunch, we went to see "he's just not that into you". i enjoyed it, but then again, i had absolutely no expectations except to be entertained and to get some eye candy. mission accomplished.

afterwards, i stopped by work to run a couple reports then was off to meet celestial for dinner at our old standby, kura sushi. funny how not seeing her for a few days or a week while she was on vacation in cancun felt like a long time. guess it's just indicative of how close we've become over the past year. . .

wine, fashion and tapas

it's a beautiful thing when you meet someone and thing just click. such was the case thursday afternoon when i happened to stop by a colleague's office to drop something off. bengla and i had previously met on a couple occasions but never had the opportunity to discuss anything outside of work stuffs. what was intended to be a short exchange wound up being a half an hour discussion about work, our backgrounds and etc. wanting to continue our conversation but feeling the need to get back to work, i suggested grabbing drinks one night after work.

instead, bengla suggested attending a launch party for pyndela, a new, young designer of chinese-thai descent. luckily meg was game to check it out rather than eat dinner at my place. so the four of us, including one of bengla's friends, went to the roger smith hotel to see what all the fuss was about. the spring 09 line of mostly dresses, party tops, and retro hats was mostly fun and flirty however sometimes veering into the sleek and elegant. while the designer was clearly still developing in her design aethestic, i was impressed by a couple of standout pieces: an above the knee length number that evoked the flapper spirit and a white flowery, bohemian number that is the perfect summer dress.

after meeting the designer, taking in the clothing, and enjoying the open bar we decided to head to bar jamon. stepping into the small, dark restaurant i was immediately transported back to barcelona. the only thing missing was the communal plates of tapas ready to be devoured! two glasses of cava later, meg and i headed back home, sated by an unexpectedly delightful night.

reassessing values

i read this article during my mini lunch break today.

two hours later another acquaintance of mine was laid off.

i have a hard time feeling sorry for someone who can't afford to hire a personal chauffeur.

restless

i've never been a great sleeper and in fact always thought that sleep was a waste of time. as i got older and perhaps somewhat influenced the boy, i've discovered how delicious and important a good night of sleep can be.

after a tiring day of work, i was oh so looking forward to an early night. i cleared my schedule, ate an early dinner and relaxed at home. around 9pm, i promptly removed myself from the internet and distractions. i took my herbal supplement and drank a glass of water and went to bed. i tried listening to my heart beat then the sound of my breath rising and falling, hoping that the steady rhythm would soothe me to sleep. unfortunately, sleep alluded me and as i continued to toss and turn i grew increasingly frustrated.

what are your tricks for falling asleep?

the big 3-0

turning 30 has been on my mind as of late. strangely, it is with a sense of excitement and relief that i prepare to embark on this new decade. . . maybe it's because i have gotten to a point in my life where i know my mind and am comfortable with the person i have become.

nonetheless, challenge and new experiences lead to growth and evolution. since i believe in continual self-improvement and cultivation, i have made a few personal resolutions. ranging from the unabashedly superficial (rock a seriously fit body by my 30th birthday) to practical (be more frugal) to the silly (get used to ctrl+T and better at importing music to itunes).

so far so good- i've managed to finally get over the exercise hump and reincorporated strength training back into my routine and cut back on eating out on weekday nights. now, if i can just save up enough money to do some traveling, i'd be all set. . .

tough times

tonight i recalled something mikey said over dinner. judging others does not make any sense because you are making an assessment on one moment in time with no real idea of what motivates that person's actions or the many factors influencing his life. in essence, no knowledge of all the things that weighed in in his thought process.

i try to remember that and find the patience and insight to understand those around me facing difficult situations.

comforting words come easily.

i am sorry for your loss . . . i understand . . . things will get better.

do these words offer any solace? often things get worse before they get better. and sometimes shit happens- death, illness, loss- for no reason at all. there is no one to blame. though war and depression, life goes on.

and so in the end, the answer begins with oneself. it is with the knowledge that we are all immensely resilient in the face of adversity. that we make the choice to continue to live our lives and determine our future by summoning the courage and strength to pick up the pieces and start again. . .

getting outta town

while i love new york, there's something nice about leaving town for a weekend. perhaps the simple change of scene and slower pace. the delightfulness of the get-a-way was intensified after a painfully slow week.

the occasion was the boy's high school buddy, gangsta's, 31 st birthday weekend. we arrived at our destination some time after midnight and had a nightcap and easy conversation before all crashing to sleep. the next morning was an early start and venture over the Eastern Market's breakfast spot, The Market, for breakfast. the boy and i both got the "brick"- a breakfast sandwich who's sum is greater than its parts- a fresh, yeasty roll filled with choice of meat (thick cut bacon, delicious sausage, ham), cheese, egg, and fried potatoes. a cheap, hearty breakfast providing enough calories to fuel a day of manual labor or put you into insta-food coma!

after dropping gangsta's wife home, we toured gangsta's work place and then went shopping in georgetown. for once i showed considerable restraint while the boy had much luck finding new pieces around 5:30, we decided to freshen up and relax a bit before going out for dinner at sakana sushi. it was a wonderful evening filled with many delectable rolls of sushi, glasses of sake, and conversations with new friends. the evening ended as easily as it began, a bit early but feeling just right.

sunday was a later start. the bright spots were incredibly tasty ethiopian food at etete on 9th at u street. the boy and i shared yekwanta firfir, essentially beef jerky mixed with injera and a whole fried fish in addition to sampling gangsta's rare kitfo. the yekwanta firfir was perfectly seasoned, bursting with flavor and leaving me hankering for more meat and less injera. the fish was flash fried and quite fresh. simply prepared and delicious with a squeeze of lemon. i was intrigued with the idea of kitfo as i had only had raw beef in south american and korean cooking. perhaps gangsta's rave reviews had me expecting too much but i felt somewhat disappointed. while certainly a solid and moreover an interesting dish, i felt the beef lost too much flavor being uncooked. all in all though, etete reminded me how good ethiopian food can be!