Things that take your breath away

I listen to a bunch of morning shows, and one discussion they had this week was 'Things that take your breath away no matter how many times they happen'. They listed things like being at a start of a baseball game, walking on the beach etc.

Got me thinking on the things that always have an impact on me. The first thing that comes into my mind is the sunset. No matter how many times I look at a sunset, I always become happy at the sight of it and just melt. Something about those clouds and the colors.... amazing.

Another is rather random. I drive on New Hampshire Avenue to school every day, and there is a hill right after I pass under the beltway where you can usually see the Capitol on the horizon. Takes my breath away every time. I think I really like being near important buildings. This happened when I lived in London every time I walked outside. :)

The third that popped into my head was the start of a show. Curtain rising. Anticipation. Amazing.

What moments take your breath away every time? Think of those little things, and life becomes even more amazing.

On writing...

Some people are good at writing, some are not. I have never been blessed with the talent of being able to formulate my thoughts.

I am often afraid that people think I am a lot dumber than I am. I do not speak very intelligently, and I cannot formulate my thoughts well on paper or in speech. Yet they are there, fumbling around in my head. They simply refuse to come out in some manner that is pleasurable to the ears and eyes. Or understandable for the matter.

I have had a blog (well livejournal) since 10th grade of high school. My writing has improved tremendously, as has the purpose of my blog. In this blog I have tried to write even more coherently... but that is quite hard and it doesn't seem to fit together.

That being said... I love stalking other people's blogs. Some know I read them, some have no idea. Lots of random people I find. I love reading about people's lives. I feel their ups and downs with them. Go on their adventures. I don't feel like it is stalking... I care about these random people (and not random in other cases) and I wish them the best. Sometimes I think I should say something just to say that - "I'm thinking of you. You're great."... but that doesn't happen.

I am very envious of everyone out in the bloggasphere that I run into that has their own personal way of writing-their style. They can make the smallest stories into something that I read and feel. So many similar stories happen in my life, and ofter more exciting... but I can't write about them. I can't make them flowery or interesting to read.

Some say this is a skill we can learn. I guess high school and college has not taught it to me yet. I am planning on joining Toastmasters someday (I guess out in Seattle) and work on my skills. Maybe that will help.

Another goal in life: be able to write things that are worth reading. For now... I'll try to stick to pictures and practicing my phrasing.

Incoherent thoughts. Well, whats a blog for if not some rambling at times.... about the blog?

Oscars time

For all that I do not watch many movies in the theatre, I love watching the Oscars. Every year. I love the glamor, I love the recap of the movies. Just something there.

This years oscars is one of my favorites. Hugh Jackman hosted, which means that musical numbers are plentiful. Yes the musicals are back, and have been back.

My only sadness is that Wall-E didn't win the best original script. I think that was incredibly well written. Alas, I am no film-critic.

The Oscars were shorter this year-the speeches shorter, and each presenter did more than one annoucement which also saves time. I also loved the collages of action movies and romantic movies of the year. Also the fact that the actor and actress awards were presented by several of the ones that won in previous years.

Also, is it just me or were the dresses this year much more classy than last year?

If you didn't watch the oscars, I recommend checking out the opening and musicals clips from this years on youtube or something. Well worth it.

DC Restaurant Week

This week was my favorite week in DC food. DC Restaurant week. A week where all those uber-expensive restaurants have set course menus. It is only worth it if you go to the most expensive ones (at least 70$ a meal) where now they are half price. Last August I went three times... and this year was no different.

Bezu, Potomac - Fusion
http://www.bezurestaurant.com/
The first place was Bezus, where I went on Monday with Poly, located in the middle of 'Mansionville' in Potomac on River Road. Its in the middle of a strip mall, and really does not fit in, but is quite fancy when you walk in. Very nice nights of bamboo leaves/etc. The menu was limited -- one of two dishes for each of the courses. For appetizer we both got Vietnamese beef salad. That was my favorite dish. The I had a shrimp dish which was wonderful -- moist shrimp and went very well with the rice. For dessert I had a banana um... roll? It was amazing. And poly got bread pudding which was the most amazing bread pudding I ever had.
Overall: Loved the food, but rather out of the way and not too cozy of a restaurant.


Taberna del Alberdero
http://www.alabardero.com/
First I am embarrassed to admit that I thought this was an Italian restaurant for the longest time... but it is indeed Spanish. Then I am excited to say they have a one and only one other branch which is in... Seattle. =)
This was my favorite of the three restaurants. The atmosphere was wonderful--it is a bustling place with amazing pictures and decorations on the walls. We at at 9pm and the place was still packed and we had to wait.
On a sad note, I was rather sick to the stomach that evening, and I could not eat a lot of the food. The waiters were concerned that I was not finishing everything and I felt like they were afraid of me being a critic as I was nibbling on everything and making inquisitive faces. Too bad I didn't have a notebook with me to look even more conspicuous.
Their RW menu was great -- at least 4 choices for each course. I had a quail soup for appetizer -- delicious and warming. Then mahimahi fish for main course which positively melted in my mouth. The only dissapointing thing was the flan I had for dessert -- it was a little too nutty for my taste... but then I have ordered flan in a rediculous amount of places as it is my favorite dessert.
Overall: Amazing. Go there. Its wonderful. =)

Sam and Harry's
http://www.samandharrys.com/
Last restaurant was Sam and Harry's steak house. I had apparently gone there two years ago, but did not realize this until a couple of hours before getting to the restaurant. It is a very classy steak house. Very much enjoyed the atmosphere and the waiters. Also was surprised that they have a separate 45$ set course menu that adds on some sauces on to the main course meat. In some ways this gives more variety, in others I feel like it cheapens the regular set course menu. I had french onion soup for appetizer, which was delicious, and especially great with the constant supply of warm bread. The main course was a small fillet minion. It was good, very tender on the inside, but not perfect. The outside was a little dry. The dessert was a bread pudding, and there was no choice.
Overall, I liked the steakhouse, but it is not a place I would return... again. I think the steak left something to be desired, and their restaurant week menu was a tad snobby.

Now to cook in for a very long time to make up for this week of extravagance. =)

American 'game food'

I know ranting in blogs is a bit of a cliche, but it happens anyways. I am well aware of the fact that I am a food snob. I love good food. I do not mind paying for it. Going to restaurant week today as a matter a fact and will not blink an eye dishing out 40$ for an amazing meal. That being said, I do not comprehend when people throw out their money when the food quality does not merit the cost.

[photo credit to Burger entry in wikipedia]

I have never quite understood the food that is served at American sport arenas. Granted, I have not attended arenas in other countries, but I know that the US 'game food' leaves me wondering every time I see people buy it.

My fraternity, APO, works concessions at various games at school for fundraising. We serve up food and sell it and get part of the profits. Sometimes its pizza, sometimes its nachos, sometimes its burgers. Really depends. Yesterday it was our joy to cook up burgers. The things have been frozen for great lengths of time, and are grilled up to 160 degrees on a grill that we barely clean between cooking. Even before making a veggie-burger it is only sprayed with oil. That's it. Yet then they are wrapped out and sold for I believe at least 6/7 dollars? How? Why? And people buy them and buy them.

I think the problem with food at games is that there physically is not a single dish that is healthy. Nothing fresh. Nothing unfried. Why does one have to eat fried food while seeing a game? Doesn't that give you less energy to cheer for your team as you feel more lethargic? Yes they are bought because there is little else to buy: I even at a burger because I was really hungry and thats all there was to eat, and felt horrible physically afterwards.

I am not saying that the invention of burgers is horrible: I have had several people prove to me that homemade burgers, or those at speciality burger places can be quite delicious, even if they still leave you feeling rather heavy as a consequence.

To make up for that horrible of a lunch, I came home to my parents making chocolate and cheese fondue. Extreme unhealthyness, but amazing quality and taste. Now that is a meal worth paying for.

Weekend in Paradise

Starting school is never fun, so whats better than a couple of days in the Caribbean? My parents were staying for a week in St.John, Virgin Islands, so I joined then for 4 days last weekend. My first time on a Caribbean island.

I think a picture is worth a thousand words so I'll post a couple here to get a taste of the weekend. It consisted of a lot of snorkeling, especially from our personal "beach", and hiking around the mountains. Oh and lots and lots of run cocktails. I would have an alcoholism problem if I lived there.

Some of the flowers outside of my window. There was also humming birds all around buzzing along with the gentle breaking of the waves.

The spiders made spider-webs across huge distances and sat in the middle of them.

The path for one of our hikes. I was a little freaked out first time I looked up (we were hiking down at that point). It felt like the tree roots were going to attack me.

On top of a beautiful hike. We later went snorkeling about where my feet are. :)

My first snorkeling location. Took a lot of practice before learning to breathe through my mouth and not nose.

Stairs leading from our 'house' to our own personal beach. :)

View from my bedroom. :)

Coral Bay. Biggest town nearby.

I loved the Virgin Islands. Hope to come back. Check out the other islands, or more of St.John. In general, I want to see more of the Caribbean or other islands. Now what will be spring break? Jamaica? Cancun? Hawaii?

Rewind: Switzerland Trip

Considering that I returned from Switzerland less than 2 weeks ago, I feel entitled to make a small post about that trip. :)

The place we skied is Zermatt, which is on the border of Switzerland and Italy. You can actually ski from one to the other. The Swiss side is

This is Matterhorn. The most amazing mountain ever. I got sort of obsessed with taking pictures of it. Very hard climb.

The food in Switzerland was amazing, even on the mountain. Cheese fondue is my favorite.The Alps are amazing.

Apart from skiing, we went to some hot springs. Right on the mountain. Leukerbad. I recommend.

Liechtenstein was a little ways away from our road, and I really wanted to visit a new country during the trip so I made us go on a bit of a detour. That country is only half of a mountain in size...

We spent one day around Germany. Unfortunately, my parents were both sick by then so they had to stay in, and it was a little rainy.

Blogger is a new experiment for me. I have had a livejournal for a very long time--since 10th grade of high school. It has seen me grow up. It has been with me through many ups and downs of life. So naturally it is not a place now that I want most people to visit and see my evolution through the years. I want to start new, start fresh, and really have a place to keep in touch with everyone through my adventures in the world.

Granted, my biggest recent great travels have already passed. I studied abroad in London and travelled Europe last fall. I worked in Providence, RI last summer. I went to Peru at the end of the summer. I went skiing in Switzerland this winter break. Lots of adventures, but I am sure more will come.

I want a place that anyone can read, that will document my life, and where I can go to remember what I was doing, and to remember what I want to do. So this is what I will start this out to be.

So here is to a new beginning. :) A beautiful beginning on a beautiful day of sunshine, warm weather, yet amazingly still a fairly large amount of snow on the ground. May the spring come faster. :)