the moon is made of cheese

"come on get happy." - judy garland

today, katrina and i decided to treat ourselves to pedicures at nails by deca on spring street. after sitting down in the plush massage chairs, she so generously passed vogue over to me so i could peruse while being pampered. i stumbled across a truly divine advertisement. get happy. consider it done, vogue. consider. it. done. 

as we sat in the window to let our nails dry, we began discussing the insults previously paid to me by the nail tech (seriously). simply by chance, we happened to glance out the window to see a familiar face walk by deca. 

dead serious. no joke. i am not lying. we looked at each other... and then i bolted. i ran down the stairs to the street to see mike myers crossing the street. i tried to follow him, in true stalker style, but i lost him in the crowd. bummer. nonetheless, it was pretty darn sweet. i returned to deca to join katrina back at the window. can we discuss how crazy it is that we happened to look out the window at the perfect time to see a big-timer walk by? nutty. totally by chance and totally nutty. 

anyhoo, we galavanted through flatiron and gramercy while staring up at the big buildings. we acknowledged how infrequently we look up. so, i made it a goal to appreciate the high-risers of the city while we walked around. 

after returning to home-base, we decided it would be pretty cool to join in on the west side story lottery in an attempt to get tickets for the show tonight. we stood outside the theatre, entered our names and patiently awaited the results. eh, better luck next time, i s'pose. 

what to do? we're all about saving some dinero. so, we took the 1 train downtown to south ferry where we jumped on the staten island ferry. the weather was truly ideal for such an activity, and lady lib really glistened in the spring air. 

mango, sweet mango

i'm one happy cat. this week marks the end of my first year of graduate school! hooray! i plan to spend my summer with my head wedged in a book while soaking up the rays in central park. but don't you fret, i have quite a few productive tasks on the agenda - work and research, naturally. annnnd, i'm anxiously awaiting my departure for prague. did someone say "graduate crime/law/psychology retreat?" indeed, someone did. (oi, nerd alert!)

i have been so sincerely lucky to have two dear friends visit me this week. katrina and libby, both of whom i met through international student volunteers while volunteering in costa rica (summer 2007), traveled from california and dc, respectively, to stay with me in the city. immediately upon reuniting, we were up to our old tricks. while we have spent most of the week laughing at totally ridiculous things, a lot of our giggles were spawned by some internet outrageousness. with that, i'd like to make two recommendations: first, i highly encourage you to visit awkwardfamilyphotos.com to get a glimpse at some of the corkiest family photos you'll ever see. (this one is my personal favorite!) i picked this up from joanna over at cup of jo. second, please visit mylifeisaverage.com, a spin off a similar website, for some truly clever perspectives on real life - where nothing exciting happens and general expectations are met. seriously, so silly!

so libby, katrina, and i decided to indulge in some thai food at pad thai near penn station before libby had to catch her bus back to d.c. i wore totally adorable, yet totally horrible, black flats today. i limped all the way to the restaurant, but oh my... it was worth it. i had the chicken with rice and pineapples. to finish, we split mango (pictured) sticky rice - a thai dessert. mm, indeed, mmm!! :) and obviously, the company was truly divine.

happy thursday!

fleet week

water is hard to come by in the desert. we have so little of it. secretly, many phoenicians are hoping california might fall off and provide a much needed coast to arizona. ;)

 

so, when i was introduced to "fleet week," i responded with many queries. essentially, fleet week is a week full of events (tug of war, demonstrations, etc.) hosted by the u.s. military to commemorate memorial day. this year, thousands of sailors, marines, and coast guardsmen from the navy and marine corps will spend the week in the city. this happens every year and has become a highly celebrated occasion. honestly, upon originally hearing about it, i figured "fleet week" was a nickname developed by young men and women eager to mingle with young service men and women. but, apparently "fleet week" is a title generated by the u.s. government. 

anyhoo, libby and katrina are visiting this week. so, we walked down to the hudson to see the ships after lunch. naturally, there were military men and women walking up and down the street. it was a gorgeous day so the walk was quite pleasant. although i live on the west side, i often forget how close i am to the water. 

as expected, the ships were quite large. 

happy wednesday!

strawberry fields forever

"let me take you down, 'cause i'm going to strawberry fields

nothing is real and nothing to get hung about

strawberry fields forever." 

- the beatles

yesterday, katrina and i galavanted through central park. we took the subway up to 72nd street and stopped for grays papaya then moseyed over to the strawberry fields memorial for john lennon. so gorgeous. 

we continued our trek through the park to be greeted by a lovely jazz band busting out some serious tunes. so many spectators stood by, many of whom were dancing along. it was difficult not to bop around to the beat! :)

we spent the last hour of our morning lounging on one of the central park lawns. we tested each other's movie quote knowledge, as per our usual antics, and cheered on the frisbee players. 

happy memorial day!

good sam

it's a big place. huge. massive. if you lose something, consider it lost. 

except...

this morning on my way out the door, i plugged my head phones in and scurried to the subway. your vegas was blasting in my ears as i swiped my metro card. i headed towards the uptown platform. as i got to the bottom of the stairs, i looked both ways and proceeded to walk down to the other end. suddenly, i felt a tap on my shoulder. 

nice man (nm): excuse me, you dropped this in front of the camelot.

[the camelot is my apartment building uptown 1 block]

grateful lauren (gl): my cell phone!! oh my gosh! 

nm: yeah, that would have sucked!

gl: oh my gosh! thank you so much! i'm so appreciative!

nm: no problem, i'm going downtown, but figured i could get this to you first. i tried getting your attention but it looked like you had headphones. 

gl: yeah, playing waaaay too loud obviously! is there anything i can do, i'm so grateful!!

nm: nope! just have a good day!

gl: you just made my day! thanks so much!

lucky for me, good sam was on my side today. 

adios, amigos!

so it's the end of the semester, and i've had to say "adios" to some new friends. many of whom will be staying in the city, pursuing a career in the field. however, some are off to new destinations to embark upon new journeys. lindsay has left for west virginia to begin her doctoral degree. so impressed with her!! to celebrate, we meandered over to a lovely little mexican restaurant called dos caminos in soho. naturally, fresh/margs and sangria were ordered to embrace the occasion.

although we were all over the chips and salsa, we couldn't take our eyes off the dogs parked outside the establishment. we sat on the patio, so we were practically sharing a table with the lovely pooches. this was hardly a problem, minus the occasional brooded bark from the larger k-9. however, it should be noted that allowing your dog to tag-along for dinner is quite common-place in the city. health-code violation, anybody? nah.

good luck, graduates! :)

break 'em

thank you , katherine, for reminding us of something so genuine and real. and thank you, megan, for sharing your find with me. :)

no rain, no gain.

a few weeks ago, the city was experiencing some high winds accompanied by heavy showers. for the desert rat in me, it was like a hurricane. stumbling off the subway, i was inclined to open up my umbrella immediately. this would prove to be a huge mistake. my umbrella flipped inside out as soon as it opened. i was able to handle the crisis, but my umbrella was forever weakened. stumbling down the street nursing my broken umbrella and wiping water off my face, i passed a a surplus of broken umbrellas poking out of the trash can. bummer. i maintained my frustrated urge to toss my umbrella inside, for it was the only thing between me and a completely soaked cranium, regardless of it's obvious disability, silver prongs poking out. 

so tonight, i decided to meet the girls for a celebratory drink; amy just got engaged! i stood in the subway for 25 minutes (no joke) waiting for the RW train. finally, a garbled message comes on the speaker: "blah blah blah, no service, blah, blah, blah, RW 4th st, blah..." cool, i'll just walk. as i made my way up the stairs towards the street,  i passed half a dozen people come down the stairs with soaking wet umbrellas in tow. did it start to rain in the 25 minutes i was below ground?? (for the record, channel 4 predicted clear skies for the night.) crap. i had no umbrella; i was wearing flip flops; and, i had enough hairspray in my hair to rip a a new hole through the ozone (hairspray + rain = trouble). 

as i approached the street, i looked out the glass doors from the 42nd street entrance to see the rain had stopped. great! i began walking down the street at a fast pace. i was supposed to meet the girls nearly 30 minutes prior. while maneuvering through a large crowd, i suddenly stumbled - a flat tire, indeed. no, she didn't apologize for nearly causing my head-on collision with the concrete, but that didn't matter. she broke my shoe...

ok, fine. i can handle this. i kept walking. as i passed 40th street, it began to pour. as you can guess, i decided it was time to call it a night. walking around the city is great, but increased exposure to the elements can be quite problematic. plus, desert rats don't do rain. plain and simple.

note to self: buy a new umbrella.

49th & 8th

"you have to be someone." - bob marley

(picture courtesy hayley a.)

i have a sincere appreciation for saxophonists. i'm not sure what it is about this brass instrument that lights me up so, but it is truly a disarming seduction. have you ever seen st. elmo's fire? i must thank my sister for introducing me to the brat pack. without her, i may not have ever stumbled across the rough-around-the-edges billy hicks. he played a saxophone in that movie and it truly fit his character...

anyhoo, i have a sincere appreciation for bob marley as well. his music sparks a feeling of peace and mirth in my soul. so then, what would happen if these genuinely beloved concepts came together? it would most definitely result in a rather handsome duo... 

while walking from my apartment to my favorite neighborhood fivebucks , i crossed paths with a wonderful saxophonist playing "one love" on the corner of 49th street and 8th ave. he was surrounded by an impressive crowd. i stood by while he finished up his tune, which was so adequately followed by a roar of applause.

i recall having recently read an article about bob marley, where he was quoted as saying he was confident his music would live forever... he can certainly send thanks to the saxophonist for the flawless delivery of a delightful ensemble, the mass on the corner for engaging a wonderful performance, and the culture of new york city for hosting the event. they all appreciate the power of music, however diverse it might be. 

a romantic table for 1

so i thought - "what the hey! it's friday." i'll rescue myself from my pathetic lunch consisting of a granola bar and a bottled water and mosey over to the deli. i'll buy a salad! naturally, it was a "create-your-own" sort of deal, so my concoction was truly made just for me. as i sat in the deli and chomped on my mean greens, i thought... "hmm, this is kind of different... eating by myself." for me, eating out is a social thing. i like the idea of gathering up my favorite gal pals, selecting a restaurant to match my mood, and devouring some fine faire among friends... however, i've become accustomed to eating out alone. it's not bad or good - simply different. i'm able to contemplate a variety of things and i'm never caught chewing with my mouth open. 

after tapering down to the bottom of the bowl, i glanced around to see several parties made up of a single guest. surely, many of those around me were also on their lunch breaks, taking time for a quick bite. but do they share my perspective on dining alone? might they prefer a crowd of friends to keep them company, or do they enjoy flying solo? whatever the case might be, it appears as though my nyc neighbors dig themselves some alone time. however, i've come to realize, this is hardly atypical behavior for big city living. 

so then, i can admit - more often than not, i'm by myself, much like the locals. outside of being in class or at work, i go just about everywhere by my lonesome - meals, movies, shopping (excluding dates with friends, obviously). and, this is a-ok. it's been a very foreign, yet liberating, experience - an independence project of sorts. 

perhaps, after the semester is over, i might do something really crazy... like take a day trip outside the city... to explore... all by myself... 

snuggles

"a nickel will get you on the subway, 

but garlic will get you a seat." 

- proverbs

(p.s. not sure who the question mark is indicating, photo via blogfaced.com) 

today was a bit of an off day. i had to adjust my work schedule so i could take care of a school-related appointment later in the afternoon. so then, i had to leave my apartment at 8:00a to make it to work by 8:30a. i had never seen the subway so crammed. i had to wait nearly ten minutes on the platform for the train, so there was no way i was going to wait for the next train and possibly be late to work. i dove into a sea of people confident i would be the last person to squeeze in. oh, no. half a dozen people squeezed in behind me. the doors certainly tried closing multiple times, smashing some poor soul's bag over and over again... because i'm such a fool for stupid movies, i burst out laughing unable to remove this classic movie moment from my head, as the doors continued to crush the precious briefcase... naturally, i was the subject of glares and stares. "it's not that funny," someone said. oh my, indeed it is. ((move. your. bag.))

needless to say, the subway ride from 42nd street to 59th street was uncomfortable and cramped, but humorous nonetheless. to supplement the tale of my subway experience, i've attached a couple of my favorite subway signs. i'm such a sucker for a good pick-me-up. 

(smile, a whitney advertisement)

(optimismmm, by pepsi)

mother land

today, alix leaves to return to phoenix for some much needed t.l.c. she'll spend most of the summer in phoenix, leaving me to fend for myself in this urban jungle. ;)

we've arranged to sublet our apartment to a lovely college student who's interning in the city for the summer. i've never lived with somebody i didn't know before hand, so this is guaranteed to be a great learning experience. 

to celebrate alix's dramatic send-off, alix, jennifer, and i jaunted over to the eatery (yes, again) for some burgers and sangria. (attention euro-trippers: breda + sangria = cherished memories.) we decided why we love the eatery so much. it's a very swank restaurant; the colors capture a feeling of smooth and care-free relaxation. i could have stayed there all night sipping on sangria and discussing totally frivolous things. furthermore, it owns a divine resemblance to a restaurant so dear to alix's heart - my florist cafe in downtown phoenix. while the eatery lacks a big grand piano and a jazzed up pianist, the appeal of vino, good eats, and good service is certainly there. 

alix is most definitely assured a wonderful time at home for the summer, while saving some pennies doing it. of course she has some wonderful activities on the agenda... did someone say rocky point? yes, yes someone did. (ask her, she'll brag on and on about this shrimp cocktail thing...) plus, she's all geared up to hear the president speak at the asu commencement. and this is only in her first week back! nonetheless, alix will be sincerely missed this summer. :(

so then - my summer plans sans my apartmate and partner in key lime crime: 

work, travel, beach, blog, repeat. 

hodgepodge

(it was absolutely inevitable: 

my thoughts are in a hodgepodged mess. 

enjoy.)

"anyone can do any amount of work, provided it isn't the work he is supposed to be doing at that moment." - robert benchley

it's the end of the semester and i'm trying to be on my best behavior - working feverishly to finish all the tasks i have assigned to me - take home exams, essays, etc. however, yesterday, the temptation was far too great. 

with good intentions, alix and i decided we would rendezvous for brunch before heading to starbucks for some serious study time. we settled on the eatery, a wonderful bistro on 9th ave and 53rd street. the place was bustling, patrons on the patio and tables squished together inside. so here's some reality - new yorkers (residents and businesses) choose to take advantage of every drop of space. more times than i can count, i've had to shuffle my body around tables to get to my seat. (my apologies to those of whom i've bumped, jabbed, and smacked). it's usually quite annoying; but, it certainly adds to the coziness that is new york. more than once, i heard the gentlemen next to us comment: "oh my, her french toast smells so good!" (ok, maybe not the "oh my" part...) 

after devouring some lovely faire, we moseyed over to starbucks. we ordered our "usuals" and snuggled up next to the window. 

(window)

naturally, i sat down with cup o' tea in hand, and began my usual process - checked my e-mail, g-chatted with veronica, and discussed a variety of things with alix. it wasn't ten minutes into the execution of our plan that we decided the day was far too lovely to be spending inside. what did we decide to do next? 

ok, so the original argument did involve an element of lovely weather not to be ignored, but we decided any activity involving something other than school would suffice. 

so then, allow me to share some details about the empire 25 movie theatre in times square. it's outrageously over-priced (no student discount! lame.) and seriously resembles disneyland. because one photo could not effectively portray the type of experience one gains after visiting the empire, i'd highly suggest you visit here to get a taste of the view. depending on what theatre your show is in, you'll be taking a ride upon 3-6 different escalators. oh yes, lauren tells no lie. 

after watching matthew mcconaughey act in another average film, we decided to scurry on home to get cracking on the books. school couldn't be placed on the back burner any longer. 

the rest of the day followed as planned - study, nap, eat, repeat. (disclaimer: graduate students reserve the right to behave like children in times of extreme stress and anxiety.)

"new york is a different country. maybe it ought to have a separate government. everybody thinks differently and acts differently."

- henry ford

without further adieu, on to my learning experience for saturday : 

in the summer of 2007, i took a trip to costa rica for a volunteer initiative. like most experiences abroad, it was life-changing. i was lucky enough to meet so many wonderful people with whom i was certain to gain substantial friendships. while working on a community development project in san jeronimo, a small village outside heredia, i met aurore. like me, she was a college student interested in global outreach programs. we became good friends and maintained contact over the next few years. this weekend, she visited new york city. we ate at a wonderful cuban/italian restaurant in the village, candela/candela. it was absolutely amazing. the staff had the windows open causing the spring air to blow through the entire establishment. we spent the evening visiting with great food and great friends. 

historically, it's been said new york is the center of the universe. ok, maybe. however, this statement seemed to ring especially true for me yesterday. since moving to nyc, i've been exposed to a variety of backgrounds and cultures - gaining insight to life outside my own. i've made new friends from around the globe, and caught up with old ones. i've never been to the center of the universe, but nyc seems pretty darn close. 

heels with heart

"i don't know who invented high heels, but all women owe him a lot."

 - marilyn monroe

today, i wore kitten heels to work. they were brown and they matched the rest of my outfit to the "t." fab then - i'm wearing cute shoes. and it's friday. oh lauren, what's the story?

naturally, i learned quickly - walking in heels on the steel grates is not a pleasant experience. i was fortunate enough to learn this lesson after moving out here back in august. whenever possible, i avoid the grates. but of course, there are times when they are absolutely impossible to get around. so then, to combat the dangers of "grate walking," i've learned that walking on the sole of your foot, so that the heel doesn't touch the ground, is the most effective strategy. 

great, so i'm on to something. mmhmm, not today. 

as i'm implementing my "grate walking" strategy, forced to walk on the grates, i'm bumped by a mean woman with a silver dolly full of groceries.

mean woman with silver dolly full of groceries (MWWSDFOG): "excuse you, missy." 

shocked-out-of-her-mind-lauren (SOOHML): "pardon me." 

MWWSDFOG: "that's right, pardon you." 

SOOHML: "uhhh..."

oh my. how do i respond? my mind and heart were all a flutter! (un)fortunately, i'm not the type of person to holler out vulgarities. it's simply not my style. i'd like to say my skin has thickened quite a bit since migrating east, but i still struggle. i won't say phoenicians are nicer people, because i have certainly been exposed to my fair share of less-than-friendly desert rats. however, i've realized south-westerners are less quick to anger and seem to take things with a little pep in their step. 

after standing there for a minute or so, wiggling my rear on 59th street, attempting to cut loose from the death trap, MWWSDFOG turned around and smiled. 

oh dear, did MWWSDFOG just toss salt in my severely wounded kitten heel? indeed, she did. after finally breaking away, i looked up to see MWWSDFOG strolling away - groceries in tow. oh dear - what could i do to even the score? 

tackle her? no. i'm wearing heels. and a nice top.

scream: "heeeey! MWWSDFOG! you're lame!" no, there are children around.

throw my purse at her? no, my lunch was inside. 

aha! 

while quickly approaching MWWSDFOG, "life is a highway" by tom cochrane popped onto my ipod and i suddenly had the answer. perhaps MWWSDFOG just needed a little arizona cheer. and perhaps i'll share some of mine...

"gosh! grates and heels are the worst huh!? have a great day!!!"

lucky duck

"difficulties are opportunities to bigger things; they are stepping stones to greater experience. perhaps someday you will be thankful for some temporary failure in a particular direction. when one door closes, another always opens." 

(etched in stone at central park. cool, eh?)

and so i emerge from a not-so-great week. i coped with a variety of struggles this week, certainly all intended to test me. 

naturally, many of my struggles entailed an element of academia. as a graduate student, it's crunch time. however, my biggest lesson this week was hardly a scholarly affair. and perhaps i should argue it was more of a cue, a reminder of sorts. 

a very special individual was lost last week. it was a painful experience. but, i'll admit i've found comfort in the people she left behind. lauren love was so very lucky to have so many individuals that absolutely idolized her. she impacted everybody she came in contact with, and that... is truly exceptional. 

with that in mind, i'd like to thank those who have had a sincere impact on me. 

i tease my family that i will forever be a student; they just laugh. (i'm partly serious, guys.) around this time in the semester, i'm, admittedly, not a friendly person to be around. it helps to compartmentalize my mind. i get tasks accomplished this way. as a result, i'm snippy. regardless of my less-than-friendly attitude around finals, my family still loves me. my dad still calls me to tell me he's thinking of me; my sister still sends photos of baby kate; and my mother, although receiving the grunt of my collegiate anguish, is still my crutch. 

the girls text me every morning to ask how my day is going, call me to wish me 'good luck' on my exams, fb me: "I MISS YOU," listen to me rant about totally trivial things, and send me greeting cards simply... because. 

and so then... a test was administered. in the face of genuine obstacles - school, work, life, and ultimately - the loss of a loved one - could i see past the immediacy of success, failure, and the loss of hope? and simply accept i'm blessed regardless of what the day has brought? 

i sure can.

my experiences this week reminded me of that. i am one lucky duck. 

lauren love

my dedication to lauren love: 

i met lauren love in europe the summer of 2004. we were both asu students wanting to experience the world. we made an immediate connection given that our names were the same and we shared the same birthday. we teased that we were kindred spirits. it was just a few days into the trip that we discovered each other's "alter egos." it was pure shenanigans after that. 

"ladies man" meets "helen." 

i think what was so attractive about lauren love was her spirit. everybody in the program naturally gravatated to her. she was so likable. and she was so real. 

venice - july 4th. 

i think of europe often. we were just kids. we danced to ridiculous music in germany and we ate gelato everyday in italy. i refer back to these experiences and often brag to people how amazing the entire trip was. but, i most frequently recall the relationships i established. becoming best friends with 30 different people in one summer was certainly life-changing; we watched each other grow through our experiences.

bumping into each other after our return to the states would gently warm me with memories of our time together. we shared something truly remarkable in europe that summer. 

and lauren was a part of it. she changed our lives forever. 

and for that, we're all eternally grateful. 

i bumped into lauren at a party about a year after our tirade through europe.  i had heard through the grapevine she was battling some health problems, but she brushed it off, insisted she was just fine. she gave me a huge hug before we parted ways.   

i fear nothing i could say would fully encompass 

the person lauren love was.

she was beautiful. genuine. and true.

we're with you, love. forever. 

cherry blossom festival

"my heart was rapt away by the wild cherry blossoms. 

will it return to my body when they scatter?" - anonymous

for our "sunday funday" activities, rachael suggested a wonderful little place in brooklyn for brunch - cheryl's global soul. christina and hayley met us there; it may have been the perfect rendezvous point for new friends to get to know each other. to accompany my pancake and coffee selection, i had a mimosa. :) the atmosphere was totally divine. plus, we met cheryl - a beautiful young entrepreneur and the eatery's founder. after, we picked up amy near prospect park and headed for the cherry blossom festival at the brooklyn botanic garden. indeed, it was raining, but that hardly dampered our spirits. the cherry blossoms were gorgeous and the authentic japanese culture made the experience truly unique. as per our usual outings, the activities and food were splendid and the company even better. 

10 things

i'm an avid reader of iheartkiwi, a lovely blog out of phoenix, az. so, i swiped one of her recent blogs - "10 things that make me happy," who she snagged from rockstar diaries. simply put, you make a list of 10 things that make you happy right now. basically, i think it's a fantastic idea, so i'm partaking.  what i've picked up about the "10 things" exercise is that they're ongoing and ever-changing. 10 things that make me happy this month might very well be different from 10 things that make me happy next month. so then, i shall participate in this wonderful little activity once a month. i encourage you to try it. it proved to be a very therapeutic exercise for me. 

enjoy. 

10 things that make me terribly happy: 

1. pictures of baby kate sent to my cell phone every morning. {thank you, sister.}

2. home-made, no sugar added peach tea. {thank you, mama meyer.}

3. key lime pie bought in bulk.  {thank you, alix.}

4. writing. about anything. 

5. engine #54 - 8th ave. & 45th st. 

6. "laurie loo! how are you??" - my dad 

7. ctp.

8. bob marley.

9. ozzie, my neighbor's dog. 

10. pineapple mojitos. 

ace apple honey

date night with the girls is always a special occasion. rachael and i tossed around the idea of spending the evening galavanting among the nyc watering holes, but we ultimately changed our minds. the weather was simply not fit for such activities. so, alix, rachael and i decided to scurry over to five napkin burger and devour some sandwiches and beer (pause for icky face by mama meyer). 

i love four peaks brewery in tempe. they have big tables, amazing brew, and an authentic "bar" feel. best of all, they serve ace pear cider. basically, it's juice with a dash of alcohol. i've been told i'm "such a girl for ordering such a girl drink." unfortunately, i've been unable to find a place that serves it. 

last night, i stumbled across something fabulous at five napkin burger. after i ordered my bbq chicken sandwich (totally amazing!), i spotted "ace apple honey." hmm, could it be as sweet as the lovely concoction at four peaks? 

lauren: "i'd like to try the ace apple honey cider."

server: "oh, an apple martini?"

lauren: "no, actually, it's like the ace apple honey beer..." 

server: "oh, the cider... that has like... 3% alcohol in it? it's like... on the cider list?"

lauren: "oh yes, that's the one..." 

indeed, the server pointed out what a girl i am. 

and yes, yes. it was as lovely as the lovely concoction at four peaks. 

after a truly amazing dinner, rachael and i skipped over (mm, not really) to times square for a movie. we saw "obsessed." the woman in this movie is truly psychotic. by the time we exited the theatre, i decided she was definitely diagnosable as a borderline personality. 

the reality... who watches movies and diagnoses bizarre personality types? 

i do. thank you, john jay. 

anyhoo, the entire night was utterly amazing. did i mention i love date night with the girls!? :)

some things to celebrate this week: 

• 22 days until the semester is over. amen. 
  
• i'm going to prague in july for clp. 
• arguably the coolest of all, sister and brother bought their tickets for their august visit. shenanigans have officially been placed on the agenda. 
  

have a beautiful weekend!