Lime Time

We had a fun, sexy time celebrating Lauren's bday

This Time Last Week...

I was consuming a Red Mill double bacon burger with Roommate and several awesome pals. If time travel becomes possible, I'd like to return to that lovely Sunday and re-experience the miracle that occurred: no hang-over despite drinking a jug of Carlo Rossi sangria. Call the Vatican!

Seattle Weekend events

Friday:

Get into town, Roommate is working, go to birthday dinner for study abroad friend

Have my biannual drink and dance in Belltown with study abroad friends event

Meet up with Roommate at home, and instead of saying hi, tell her, "I'm so drunk" as a greeting

Saturday

Roommate works

Brunch with Neighbs

H&M

Watch "Hairspray" with Roommate

Make dinner with some friends

We suddenly get popular and the apt. is filled with about 15 people

I proceed to get real intoxicated on Carlo Rossi Sangria

Everyone follows my lead

Go to a party at friend's house, and it's actually quite the see-and-be-seen event

Randoms attend party, try to start a dance-a-thon, and I awkwardly decline by telling them I have to get back to the wine

Sunday

We are surprisingly WIDE AWAKE & LOVING LIFE, despite going to be at 3:30am

Roommate and I discuss the epic events of the night before

Trek to Red Mill Burgers with Roommate and friends K, E, and E

Force friends to bear with Roommate and I singing along to the Glee Soundtrack

We realize that everyone born in '86-'88 knows all the words to Paul Simon's "Graceland" album as it was a favorite of every single parent to play on car rides

Everyone waves me goodbye as I drive off into the sunset

Thanks for a wonderful weekend, I miss you already, Capitol Hill friends! And see you soon if I figure out that whole time-travel thing.

Somewhere Out There...

I get to visit Seattle next weekend, and just thinking about it makes me feel all itchy (in a good way) about seeing Roommate. I CAN'T WAIT. Here are some reasons why I'm so amped:

Eliza Thornberry

We were such babies!

This is a pretty perfect depiction of our RoomateLove

Things you find out about someone after living w/them for 3.5 yrs: tucks pants into socks

Patron saint of our abodes. Libations must be made!

Craft time=happy time

And if I was a songwriter, here's what I'd write about our separation:

Thanks for Wolf-Dogging Me This Weekend

Thanks to all who made my weekend in Seattle bomb.com.

Festivities included:

• Multi-hour happy-hour @ Moe with many of my favorite Ladies and Gentlemen.
• The birth of the WolfDog.
• People mingling at Redwood. And eating lots of their peanuts.
• Extreme weather!
• Booze.
• Snuggles with the Roommate.
• Watching Discovery Channel with the Roommates.
• Presse!Soup!Semets!
• Pumpkin ice cream with roommates and friends.
• Neighbs.
• DEEP FRY ACTION: poutine. mozzarella balls. Home-made gravy. Sexy, sexy times.
• Losing at card games. But I lost to excellent people and with a custom-made cocktail!
• Smith!Glo!Roommate!Frenchtoast!

Rating: A+. High degree of urban excellence!

Thanks again. I love you all, and I have missed you so much! See you in December for my 23Run.

LaraBash

Thanks for coming so that I didn't have to get drunk by myself

Here is a link to the facebook album if you just can't get enough of these gems: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/album.php?aid=2070230&id=32402525&ref=mf

Mid-Day Update

Today I had to get a new social security card. I left it in Italia two summers ago and since then haven't had a job that required me to show them my original card. Thus, I haven't motivated myself to get it replaced. However, as my job situation is hopefully changing (ie I may become employed), I figured I should get down to 9th and Lenora to replace it. Let me just say that finding 9th and Lenora is not easy. I had to resort to calling the Roommate and having her google my coordinates for me to determine if I was anywhere near my desired location. I was, thank god. Otherwise I may have had to wander among the Cornish students for all eternity. Shudder.

After the harrowing experience that is the social security office, I needed to feed my soul. So I fed it Top Pot's Raspberry Ring donut. Mmm. Only complaint: no Kate Bourget at the counter. After Top Pot I hauled ass to Myrtle Edwards park for lovely views of the Sound and Olympics. After sitting in the sun amidst the homeless and the lunch-time joggers, I made the trek to Ivar's because Top Pot hadn't given me enough deep fried goodness for one day...yeah.

On the bus ride back I saw hoards of clean-cut O'Dea boys walking around with their gym bags and generally looking thrilled to be done with class and able to enjoy the warm afternoon. I remember those September Friday afternoons in high school so well. Easily the best time of the whole school year.

Anyway, now it's the freakin weekend, and baby I'm about to...go nap in Cal Anderson.

Suburban Tourism

I was brave today. I took the #41 bus from the downtown bus tunnel to Northgate, where I endured the chitchat of high schoolers for several hours while browsing Forever21 and Target. I don't know why I've never bussed it out to Northgate before. It's surprisingly quick and easy! You'll be happy to know that my bravery paid off: I found a dress for under $20 at Forever21, and at Tarjay I got a pair of heels on sale, lipstick, a black tanktop, and tights.

Post-Grad Life

Since my last post, much has happened for Team Lara.

I moved.
I baccalaureated.
I graduated.
I skinny dipped.

My current roommate, my new roommate, and I all moved in to our new place this past week/weekend. We all have "L" names, and there are two girls and one guy, so naturally all our family members are making Three's Company analogies. The apartment has a great layout, it's totally remodeled inside, and is just steps away from everything I love in Seattle: Molly Moon's, Rancho Bravo, Vita, Victrola, Cal Anderson and Volunteer, Dick's...and the list just goes on and on. We're still getting settled in, but everything is just dandy so far.

My parents and grandpa came up Saturday afternoon to go to Baccalaureate at the cathedral. I'm very glad I went, even thought it was 90 million degrees inside. Heat + graduation robes = bad news bears. That night my family went to La Spiga for din din and we all got a little tipsy off some dandy gin & tonics and red Italian wine. We got a cheese plate, too! Nom nom nom.

Graduation was relaxed, fun, and full of good food. After graduation my parents and I went to a picnic with the families of several good friends, and we spent the day in Volunteer Park. We went out to La Cocina with my aunt, uncle, and cousin that night, and each drank one of their HUGE margaritas. I'm pretty sure we all passed out before 10pm that night from a food and alcohol induced coma.

Monday was spent at Ikea. The family left, and I began organizing all my shiz in the new place.

On Tuesday night there was a birthday party at one friend's place, and then a dance party at the house of L's little sister. L and I went for good times and to say goodbye to our friend G, who has to move back home for the summer :( We went out in style, though, dancing to 90s classics, and then taking an exhilirating drive down to Madison Park in a convertible to go skinny dipping. It was my first time. I wasn't nearly drunk enough. But I had tons of fun, and it felt like the exact thing we all needed to kick off Summer '09.

All in all, it's been a family and friends filled, booze-soaked week, and I'm enjoying being a graduate very much. It's a little weird to wake up every morning and not have anything to do, but I'm learning how to relax, and next week I re-start the great job search!

Sweaty Seattle

There are all these nice quotes about summer like "In summer, the song sings itself" and "The summer night is like a perfection of thought" and "Summer afternoon - summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language". But can we just cut the bullshiz William Carlos Williams, Wallace Stevens, and Henry James?! Because, let's be honest, summer is just fucking sweaty. I'm sitting in my Murphy after a lengthy happy hour with the italian class crew, reading the NYT online, and sweating without exerting any energy. Every few minutes I have to wipe the sweat from my upper lip. It's 87 deg. outside according to weather.com, and at least 10 deg. hotter in my Murphy, and I don't know how I am going to survive summer in the city. I like warm weather as much as the next person (I willingly traveled in Rome in August, for God's sake), but this week has been brutal. The combo of final projects, little sleep, and sweat has taken its toll on this Northwestern child. Bring back the temperate climate, please, weather gods!

Visitors

My friend Kayla visited this weekend. She went to SU for a term and then transfered to UO. I've visited her a few times and she's visited me a few times, so I already knew the friend she brought with her, Angela. I feel like the whole weekend was like Best Food Tour of Seattle. We were eating pretty much non-stop. On Friday night we meandered around the hill and happend upon the Cabiri performance at Cal Anderson, and then we went to Via Tribiunali, my fave restaurant in Seattle. After that we hit Molly Moon's new Cap Hill location (I had the strawberry balsamic) and called it a night. Saturday morning was spent at Pike's sampling food and eating Piroshkies for lunch. That night we met up with our friends from freshman year, Jess and Cara, for dinner at the Elysian. We braved the torrential downpour, and it was worth it. Sometimes the Elysian is so-so, but it was pretty excellent last night. We had a great time together and continued the evening at Barca, where our pal Ivy and her new husband Kevin joined us. Being reunited was very fun, and we all vowed to get together once more before graduation. Today Kayla and Angela and I went to the U district and had lunch at the Cafe on the Ave, thanks to a recommendation from my UW friend, and we tooled around the Ave and campus in the sunshine. Such a yummy weekend!

I like zee Bazeball

A large group of us ladies went to the Mariners game last night. It was a warm, sunny evening, and we ate our hotdogs, drank our beer, and danced to "Louie Louie" like true Americans. We got to participate in several Waves, eat Dippin Dots, and make friends with a family from England, whose adorable young children were trying to figure out the sport of baseball. Unfortunetly, we were not able to provide them with any assistance. We also learned that Major Leaguers have hearts, too: Beltran's favorite movie is Love Actually. Awww. After 2.5 hours, the Mariners won--woo! It was one of the first warm nights we've had, so it was fun to be at a game and run around the city afterward. I can feel summer on its way...

Springing

Rarely do I experience spontaneous, carefree, warm spring days in Seattle. But today I did. I got up at 8, had a leisurely breakfast, went to Copymart to buy course packets, worked for a few hours, and then napped for the first time in weeks. When I fell asleep it was sunny but not that warm, but upon waking from my slumbers it was at least 60 deg. and gorgeous! So I pulled on a hoodie and walked to Twice Told to browse and play with cats. Going to bookstores is one of my favorite past times, but I hardly ever do it in Seattle. I had no plan to go to bookstoring when I woke up this morning; the plan just unfolded and who am I to say no to such an enjoyable outing?! After Twice Told I walked along Broadway and had fro-yo at CrazyBerry, and then I stopped in at QFC to buy yellow peppers, toilet paper, salmon, toothpaste, pasta, English muffins, and, on a whim, red tulips! Buying flowers is another thing I always want to do, but never actually do. At QFC I ran into Garrett, and then on my way home I saw everyone and their mother walking through campus. Some Bro-Freshmen skateboarding on Upper Mall were dressed in Pooh and Tigger Halloween costumes and made my stroll home more enjoyable (and more surreal). Then I made a delicious dinner, watched TV, and took a shower--and it was still light and sunny outside!! Days like today are why I love Seattle and college.

Seattle Nights

You know it's going to be a good night when you and your pals start at Hot Mama's and end at Maharajah.

The beginning of spring quarter is going quite well, if I do say so myself! Happy hour tonight, happy hour tomorrow night, lots of time at work, pretty awesome classes, and LOTS of denial in regards to the future and the state of the economy! Woohoo!

Tonight was a "welcome back to the west coast" kind of night (more on east coast adventures later), and I'm pretty stoked to be back in my home turf. It's all well and good to plan for the future on the east coast, but my heart will always be in these rainy, small, polite cities of the Pac N-Dub. It's home.

I'm looking forward to a great last term in this wonderful city with even more wonderful friends. Cheers!

Nice Stuff from Late January-Early February

I've been busy the last few weeks, and here are the activities I want to give a shout-out to:

The Siena study abroad photography show
Getting funding for Italian Club
Italian conversation group
Housewarming parties
Meeting with Signore Giuseppe
Shopping
MLK weekend
Meeting Rick Steves for the 2nd time
Happy hours (and hours, and hours)
Hanging out in Chardin and making a dinosaur-land scene
Watching one of my best friends kick ass in a rowing competition
Learning to make Panini on my Foreman Grill
Cleaning my room
Making Elephant Ears using tortillas
Going to the Frye
THE INAGURATION/drinking champagne at 9am on a Tuesday and then giving a presentation on Indian politics at 10am
Celebrating Kelsey's 22nd birthday by dressing up as a jungle creature
Brunches
Dinners
Reuninting with Kat
Getting 8 hours of sleep
A couple of great new YouTube videos
Drinking an entire bottle of red wine while watching "The Dutchess"
Doing Crossword puzzles
Compleating my "25 things" survey on Facebook

Yes, all in all, it's been a good few weeks! Jan and Feb are so gray and gloomy that it's easy to forget all the fun things that happen at the start of the quarter. Yay for the start of the quarter, boo for the middle of the quarter, and I hope the end comes soon!

Mmm yummy!

Last week I had happy hour with some pals at a new place on 10th (across from Aveda in the building that they've been renovating for like, EONS). It's called Oddfellow's Cafe. It was an old Oddfellow's Hall, hence the name. The food's great ($6 mac and cheese!!!), they have interesting beer choices, and a really relaxed--without being too casual--atmosphere. Our waiter was very nice and a fellow Oregonian, and he told us that they just opened during the snowstorm, but weather aside, they have been doing good buisness. The place reminds me of a less pretentious Presse. That's not to diss on Presse, because God knows I love my frites, but at Oddfellow's I don't have to experience the shame of mispronouncing some dish and having it turn out to be a simple tomato salad. So that's a plus. It's a really interesting mix of high end food and like, Broadway Grill late-night happy hour fare. I left very happy! A+!