tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42247964683411763862024-03-12T20:36:15.597-07:00Adventures of a Sugar WomanBlondie with an insatiable appetite for thrill and adventure.Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01390818447264148516noreply@blogger.comBlogger114125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4224796468341176386.post-25224748760402511322015-05-29T09:11:00.002-07:002015-05-29T09:11:57.087-07:00I've Moved! Just next door over to WordPress<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hey gang!<br />
<br />
I've decided to upgrade myself & le blog and have moved it over to WordPress. Everything is the same but way cooler so follow me on over to the contemporary side!<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://thesugarwoman.wordpress.com/">https://thesugarwoman.wordpress.com</a></span></b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Sam xx</div>
Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01390818447264148516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4224796468341176386.post-71843048928264807252015-04-22T06:56:00.001-07:002015-05-15T19:32:01.894-07:00egg<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Brunch (noun/verb): A weekend activity or meal that commences anywhere between 10:30am and 2pm. Tis a time where hungover folk unite from around the city and attempt to regain a grip on their lives via overconsumption of eggs, toast, hollandaise sauce, bloody marys and mimosas.<br />
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Having that been the case last Saturday, Adam and I decided to venture into Brooklyn and scope out notorious breakfast/brunch place, "egg".</div>
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Nestled deep in Williamsburg, this southern style breakfast/brunch/lunch restaurant perfectly captures Brooklyn's quirky vibe while staying genuine to southern cuisine with their hearty grits and biscuits. Egg brings a twist to the table by incorporating fresh, simple, and wholesome flavors into their dishes.<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kUa6v3BS0p4/VTZi0POp9wI/AAAAAAAAIsE/JQodC7S-Nxo/s1600/IMG_0957.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kUa6v3BS0p4/VTZi0POp9wI/AAAAAAAAIsE/JQodC7S-Nxo/s1600/IMG_0957.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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My stomach steered me towards their chorizo & poached eggs topped with jalapeños and was generously accompanied by toast and a biscuit. Adam went straight for the gains with poached eggs, bacon, toast and a hash brown mound.<br />
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The biscuit was crumbly enough to be authentic but solid enough to hold the weight of their homemade fig marmalade. A bite of sweet to follow a bite of spicy from a forkful of chorizo, ketchup and egg topped with a jalapeño sliver perfectly subdued my hanger and left me content and rejuvenated (more or less). Adam, equally content with his lean but plentiful smoked bacon, haystack hash brown and perfectly poached eggs reclined back in his seat and finished the meal off with a satisfied arms-over-head stretch.<br />
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There was quite a line to get in, but it goes by fast given everyone has some place to go and some people to see in the city so don't let it discourage you when you go!<br />
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The restaurant had a perfectly simple design in terms of decor and dish execution & presentation. A humble little nook for a hearty and healing meal all at a great price makes egg a great place to go with your broke college friends for some real simple & delicious cooking.<br />
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Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01390818447264148516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4224796468341176386.post-23224794323747482112015-03-19T12:53:00.000-07:002015-05-15T19:32:42.096-07:00Chinese Cuisine: A Manual For Gweilos<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Calisto MT";">Having grown up in
Southern California, I was raised on the notion that Chinese food meant everything
on Panda Express’ menu: Orange Chicken, Broccoli Beef, and Kung Pao Chicken. While
these sugar-drenched and soy sauce soaked dishes perfectly suited my stringent
eating habits, I was light-years away from eating true Chinese cuisine such as cong
you bing, Peking duck, and xiao long bao. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">This</i>
is the Chinese food history and tradition birthed. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">This</i> is true Chinese cuisine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calisto MT";">I was introduced to
this authentic side of Chinese food 4 years ago when I moved to Hong Kong.
What’s truly disheartening, though, is that most people never get the chance to
visit China. This exquisite style of cooking and these traditional recipes therefore
go untapped and die in their minds under the façade as being Orange Chicken and
Broccoli Beef. However, hope is far from lost. There are some people who have
yearned to obtain a deeper understanding beyond what textbooks and websites can
provide and have moved their lives overseas to experience this fruitful culture
and indulge in this cuisine for themselves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "Calisto MT";">Gweilos </span></u></b><span style="font-family: "Calisto MT";">(guh-why-lows</span><span style="font-family: "Calisto MT"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">)</span><span style="font-family: "Calisto MT";">: Hong Kong slang
for foreigners</span><span style="font-family: "Calisto MT"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calisto MT";">While this term has
been slashed with racial deprecatory, it has healed slowly over time – now to
the point of being playful jargon. I view being a gweilo as an honor in
disguise. It allows me to help pioneer a way for fearful foreigners to take
charge of their curiosity and travel abroad to understand misunderstood
cultures. By traveling and experiencing these cultures myself, I am able to
indulge in history, tradition, and cuisine. I encourage them to slurp up the
broth of xiao long bao alongside new Chinese friends, to joyously press their
fingers into a soft cha siu bao, and experience the unique texture of Phoenix
Claws for the first time. Eating these beloved dishes will give them a glimpse into
how China ticks. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calisto MT";">For the adventurous
and the modest, these are some great starter dishes to help you set foot on
your culinary odyssey.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calisto MT";">Xiao Long Bao (see-ow-long-bow)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calisto MT";">Also known as
Shanghai steamed soup dumplings, these little satchels of broth and pork
filling warm you from the mouth down to the stomach. Their delicately thin
dumpling exterior encompasses a warm stock and floats a morsel of pork and
vegetable filling.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calisto MT";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5Vwd5YD6G9g/VQsnrdXM5_I/AAAAAAAAIn0/5rV5qfnIH0U/s1600/IMG_0653.JPG" width="640" /><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calisto MT";">Cha Siu Bao (cha-shoe-bow)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calisto MT";">Resembling a generous
dollop of whipped cream, these steamed barbeque pork buns are lighter than air
but as filling as pound cake. Their sweet interior is coaxed perfectly by the
fluffy white bun it is nestled in. Filling, but not overwhelmingly so, these are
a perfect way to balance out other oily dishes commonly found in Chinese
cuisine.</span></div>
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<img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8BlKfUcV-I8/VQsn546hNKI/AAAAAAAAIoI/qgruX1q98dg/s1600/IMG_0646.JPG" width="640" /><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calisto MT";">Siu Mai (see-you-my)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calisto MT";">These dumplings are
filled with either pork or seafood and vegetables are wrapped in a distinct,
thin yellow noodle and garnished with crab roe, or sometimes even a diced
carrot. Dabbed in soy sauce, these dumplings bring a salty and acidic taste to
your palette. With no overwhelming seafood taste, they are a great way to wean
onto other seafood dishes you will find in China.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calisto MT";">Steamed Shrimp Rice Noodles<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calisto MT";">Steamed and folded
into rectangular packets, shrimp and chopped herbs are presented to you wrapped
in moist noodles laid one on top of another. These dense and somewhat slippery
noodles make them difficult to work with for first-time chopstick users, but
the reward is worth the battle. They are mild on flavor but full of
satisfaction.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calisto MT";">Phoenix Claws<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calisto MT";">Here is when having
an open mind and adventurous spirit come into play. Phoenix Claws, also known
as Chicken Feet, are a customary delicacy. They are slimy in nature and you
must spit out the bones when consuming. Apart from its texture, the dish
possesses robust undertones of aniseed and fennel to give it an unmatched
unique taste. Their texture is widely loved by the Chinese whom value texture
over taste. Consider this a 4 out of 5 ranking on the scale of adventurous
eating.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calisto MT";">For the diner with a
sugar inclination, these street-side treats are worth finishing off a
delectable dim sum meal with.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calisto MT";">Egg Puff Waffles<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calisto MT";">Like a regular
Belgium waffle, but with round bulges instead of square coves. Served by its self
or drenched in condensed milk, peanut butter or chocolate, there is something
to love for everyone with a mild to severe sweet tooth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calisto MT";">Egg Tarts<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calisto MT";">This famous dessert is
known for its flakey pastry shell and sweet egg custard filling. Baked in the
oven, these gems come out of the oven with a heat scorched top and a thick
custard middle. After taking a bite of both shell and filling, an explosion of moderate
sweetness from the egg custard and buttery slivers from the shell melt together
and coax your mouth into a silky delight. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<img border="0" height="632" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WNRzyDNVyEU/VQsos4MrfrI/AAAAAAAAIoY/gMMKqCMQ0YU/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" width="640" /><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calisto MT";">Bubble Tea<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calisto MT";">Originating in Taiwan
but loved throughout Asia, bubble tea helps wash down even the densest of
foods. Its light tea base is originally mixed with milk and poured over ice and
tapioca balls. It is a fun way to indulge on the hottest of summer days and
keep it nostalgic on the coldest of winter nights.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calisto MT";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calisto MT;">Chomp through these dishes & you will be well on your way to understanding Chinese cuisine!</span></div>
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Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01390818447264148516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4224796468341176386.post-8240432879516138652015-01-27T16:36:00.000-08:002015-03-19T13:15:44.422-07:00Stormchasing Juno<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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BOSTON, MA: Monday afternoon students all around the Northeast rejoiced in a harmonious *ding* of an email with the subject "CLASSES CANCELLED DUE TO JUNO BLIZZARD".</div>
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And then the frenzy - Snapchat & shopping - began.</div>
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CVS - Wiped clean of EasyMac and Ramen, but fully stocked on substitutes.....</div>
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3:38PM - Some more interesting than others...</div>
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With every pocket, nook and cranny was stuffed with apocalyptic goods (i.e. Reeses Puffs, Cheetos & "ginger" beer) I waddled home to celebrate with the mates.</div>
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10:32AM - DAY OF THE STORM: We woke up this morning in a bliss of zero <i>immediate</i> responsibilities. The only thing beckoning for our attention was the deserted town, washed in white, begging for us to go and jump.</div>
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That spot was not that deep...<br />
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Aftermath: writhing in pain.<br />
11:03AM: After getting to grips with the terrain, we ran back inside, tightened our boots, grabbed the GoPro & ventured on.<br />
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Long story short, my pants are only so thick and I can only take so much snow in between my toes. So after an hour of frolicking we called it a day...until later anyway. Can't keep a kid at heart down for long!</div>
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Yes, I know I can't technically blame anyone who hasn't been to Hong Kong but I can't help but blame them for never having been to Hong Kong. I know it's expensive to fly all the way out here knowing next to nothing about what it has to offer - because when people hear Hong Kong, they immediately think "China", "Communism" and "Umbrella movement" because they have no idea about the 1324563 other things that make HK a diamond embedded in a lump of coal which makes it my favorite place in the world.</div>
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Take Dragon's Back for instance. This hike goes along the spine of several hills on the south eastern end of the island and gives you a true bird's eye view of the beauty this island has. Beach spots Shek O and Big Wave Bay very deservingly steal the show on this hike.</div>
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Bird's eye view indeed...</div>
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After a 20 minute sprint up the stairs & power walk down a few paths, you get the most rewarding view for all the calories expended. </div>
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The whole shebang takes about an hour and a half to complete - a very fair trade for the mountain of endorphins it releases during & post hike. There's not enough time in a day to truly digest the magnificence you just experience and it's enough to keep you on a high for the rest of your week, guaranteed.<br />
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Once you're on your health & fitness roll post hike, you can venture into Shau Kei Wan and grab some fresh apples & pears from the local farmers' market.<br />
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Or other goodies....whatever floats your boat....<br />
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But when in Asia, we do like the Asians! So the fam and I got dim sum snacks instead. </div>
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Beef balls & siu mai are healthy, right?</div>
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No matter which food group you decide to pursue, you can go back home feeling full in your stomach, sore in your legs, and buzzing with happiness in your head. </div>
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This hike is one of said 1324563 things I love about this place. So if you're looking for even the smallest of reasons to fly out, here it is.</div>
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Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01390818447264148516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4224796468341176386.post-3756515648593226672014-11-04T11:49:00.002-08:002015-03-19T13:20:50.870-07:00Swooning Over Smorgasburg<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Not only is Boston considered the college playground of the nation, creative hub for businesses, and the most picturesque city during every season, but it's also only a short 4 hour drive down to my favorite city on the planet - New York bloody City.</div>
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I'm sure you've seen plenty of sitcoms, movies and TV shows to know that in NY, there really is something for everybody. Street performers for the curious, Central Park for the environmentalists, authentic Italian pizza & Cronuts for the foodies and more. Since I thrive off of local culture and eating food representative of it, I took Lily to one of my favorite weekend events in town - Smorgasburg.<br />
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Located in Brooklyn, this weekend food market is the perfect way to experience the city & the diversity it cultivates. Shop owners from across the city get together to sell their goods and enjoy the mix of hungover locals and wide-eyed tourists while we scarf down their food without a second to spare.<br />
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She had no idea what to expect...<br />
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whereas I was too excited to contain myself.<br />
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On Sundays, during the early weeks of fall, the market is held outside on one of Brooklyn's piers. We strolled and soaked in the sporadic sunshine and took to some people watching & sight seeing.<br />
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A casual walk later and we hit the market, AKA hub of local grub.<br />
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With more mouthwatering vendors than our stomachs could possibly handle, we did a few laps to identify which spots we wanted to hit up and in what order. Long story short we got a little bit of just about everything.<br />
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Lobster rolls<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nffIxquQ5Wk/VFkjtgK0sPI/AAAAAAAAIPA/LdICCLbJ3bg/s1600/IMG_8368.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nffIxquQ5Wk/VFkjtgK0sPI/AAAAAAAAIPA/LdICCLbJ3bg/s1600/IMG_8368.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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Slow cooked BBQ pork buns, bubble tea, hearty chili soup, piping hot Moroccan chai tea, and a few tasters of a modern twist of brownie bars made with spicy Mexican chocolate. After nearly filling ourselves up to the brim, I found the stand tucked away in the corner that I knew no matter how little space I had left, I was filling it with this prized good - THE RAMEN BURGER.<br />
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Absolutely glorious. Look, even the wrapping is cool! AND ECO FRIENDLY! Environmentalists rejoice.<br />
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Now, I'd been waiting for this day for many years so I'd already been a ramen burger aficionado before it had even touched my lips.<br />
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Step one: get perfect grasp on burger.<br />
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Step two: mentally prepare to eat the food of the Asian gods.<br />
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Step three: gorge.<br />
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To my surprise, it was BLAND! My entire world nearly crumbled around me in disappointment that it lacked the diversity of spices that I thoroughly enjoyed as a kid when eating raw ramen; absolutely smothered in the seasoning. Nonetheless, it was an experience I am glad I did not pass up on. It was a sensation for the senses in the respect that you are eating a burger….but made with ramen instead of the regular ol' bun.<br />
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Next time I'm down in the city on Sunday, I'll be sure to get back in the kitchen with the Ramen boys and show them how it's really done ;)<br />
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If you're ever in the city, make sure you leave space in your weekend and in your stomach to stop by Smorgasburg! Check out their website for more info <a href="http://www.smorgasburg.com/">http://www.smorgasburg.com/</a></div>
Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01390818447264148516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4224796468341176386.post-45524263390964553102014-06-15T07:25:00.002-07:002014-06-15T07:31:44.501-07:00Why I'm Done Being Nice & Becoming a B*tch Instead<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It goes without much argument that A) the good guys always finish last because B) girls are hypnotized/magnetized/uncontrollably attracted to (saying it like it is) douchebags. They have such horrible human qualities that, in a girlfriend, would be immediately avoided. But the <i>way </i>in which they demonstrate those qualities is what gets us mesmerized.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Complete and utter confidence.</span></b><br />
This is their money maker. They can shake this better than any girl can twerk. This is something that needs no practice, they just <u>love themselves and have no shame in showing it.</u> They are the magical unicorns of their environment and mystify anyone who glances upon them (to an extreme anyway...).<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">The mystery lying between the lines of an open book.</span></b><br />
You might think you can figure these cocky guys out just by watching them for 10 minutes, but there's much more to the story than that. Oh, yes. They have a <b><i>big</i></b> secret that no one gets to hear, see, or even fathom about because it is so unspeakable. This is their hook to our fish-pout lips. We believe, even if there is no sign of one, that we can journey to the center of their soul and uncover this gem of fragility and humanity. We become obsessed in obtaining it, polishing it, and resurfacing to a crowed of disbelievers. Daddy issues, drug issues, death of someone important - all possible things which made them turn dark. The only black hole in which we are the only one with the flashlight.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Wishy washy.</span></b><br />
I applaud them on their ability to be so hot and so cold in short time spans. How does one jump from so high to so low so quickly? They are masters and I stand before them in awe. They're interested in you one minute and completely forget about you the next. Make you feel like the only gal in the room and with the shift of a glance turn you into a wallflower. <i>Bravo. </i>They've got bipolar disorder <b>on lock, </b>the poor, tortured souls.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Indifference to anything anyone has to say because, well, they just don't care.</span></b><br />
This one's pretty self explanatory. When you are so secure in who you are and love yourself beyond words can describe, why <i>would </i>you care what other people think? Especially when they're living their life to make them happy and therefore only have ears open to things that parallel their opinions. Complete and utter self-bliss.<br />
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So, having establish that I am hopelessly and forever unable to resist my attraction to these kinds of men, I have decided to turn into the female version of them. A <b>b*tch.</b><br />
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I am going to love myself. My quirky freckles. My sexy porcelain white skin. My ability to look good at any angle. <b>My confidence in myself that I am already the best version of the current me.</b> I will do only the things I know will make me an even <i>better</i> version of myself and not give a hoot about others trying to change my ways. Why? Because, just like the douchebag's lenses may be rose tinted, they are the shade of reality in which they love seeing life in. They are in complete bliss with themselves and are voluntarily oblivious to anyone going against their grain. <i>Why? </i>Because at the end of the day, is your life worth living if you're just living it for everyone else? It's not.<br />
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My b*tchysse begins now. If you don't like me, not my problem. If you think I take too many selfies, you should learn how to love every bit of yourself too. So goodbye, too-fragile-self-doubting-trend-following girl and hello to self-confident-self-expressive-fabulous-perfectly-imperfect new me: <b>the b*tch.</b>Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01390818447264148516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4224796468341176386.post-52516660586083028362014-05-05T20:19:00.001-07:002014-05-06T08:47:17.980-07:00Taking Freshman Year in University by Storm<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<li>Invest in good (portable) speakers so you can play your music too loudly and get the people goin'.</li>
<li>Say hey to people in your dorm. You're going to know them all eventually anyway so you may as well start off on the right foot!</li>
<li>Have a 10 minute pity party to cry about missing your friends from home, but only one. Then, be thankful for having them back home but be grateful for all the opportunities you now have to expand your friend group.</li>
<li>Party on the first night with your new friends in your building. It's called bonding.</li>
<li>Do not, I repeat, do not get white girl wasted on your first night. You want to put your best foot forward first..the rest is unveiled to those who've earned to see it later on!</li>
<li>Not everyone is going to want to be your friend. And you know what, that's perfectly fine. Invest in those who show as much interest in you as you do them and time nor energy will be wasted.</li>
<li>Be a suck up and introduce yourself to your professors on the first day. It doesn't matter if you sit in the back left corner in the dark for the whole semester; it's the fact that you respect and value them at least a little bit that will earn you brownie points you might need to cash in in the future.</li>
<li>Pick out the smartest kid in class, swap numbers and stay in touch. He/she will help you one day...you'll see.</li>
<li>Try your best to be the smartest kid in class but by no means beat yourself up over it - especially if it's in a class you have no interest in/talent for/care about. Grades only matter when you can tack on "Dean's List" on your resume.</li>
<li>That being said, now is the time to have FUN! Don't let grades be your everything....let them be your 65%. the rest should be comprised of sleep, social life, and the gym*</li>
<li>*Work. Out. University is stressful and, believe it or not, a hate-sprint on the treadmill after a hard day is what will lift the weight off your shoulders.**</li>
<li>**Don't shove things under the rug. Address them. Otherwise they'll be back to bite you in the bum.</li>
<li>Eat the dining hall food. It may be the worst thing you'll ever eat or the best but either way it'll teach you how to appreciate a ready-made meal.</li>
<li>Eat with different people. Branch out. Don't stick to the same people 100% of the time. Learn to network and form connections. You never know, one day you just might someone techsavvy to hook up your computer and unruly printer or a photographer to help you with a project.</li>
<li>Did I mention networking? Yeah....do lots of that. It'll help you get to the places you want to go.</li>
<li>Try new things. As long as they're not radically outside your belief system and set of values, there's no harm in pushing yourself to new comfort levels. This is how you learn and discover more about yourself after all!</li>
<li>Only care about how you see yourself. Everyone else is secondary because at the end of the day, you're the only one who wants the best for you*</li>
<li>*Except your parents....they'll be there for you as much as they humanly can. Realize that and thank them for it by dropping a line every now and then! They might even throw you a bone by adding some more dollahs in your bank account (great time and patience sacrifice).</li>
<li>But on the other hand, don't talk to your parents 5 times a day. You've moved away from home to start your independent life for a reason.</li>
<li>Budget. Your. Money. Plan for miscellaneous expenses because there are always spontaneous expenditures you're gonna have to make, like going to an Avicii concert or a train ticket to NYC for a weekend adventure with your friends.</li>
<li>Load up your weekends with exciting new things</li>
<li>Pick up an intramural sport. Broomball is highly recommended.</li>
<li>Take as many pictures as your phone can store. Nothing better than reflecting back on even the smallest occasions!</li>
<li>P.S. take photos when you go out but A) don't look at them till the next morning and B) don't be that person who goes out and <i style="font-weight: bold;">only takes pictures. </i>Take them sporadically and sneakily. As awesome as pictures are, life is most enjoyed through seeing it with your own eyes rather than through a screen/camera lens.</li>
<li>Get involved with your school's sports teams, even if you have zero interest it's always a great social scene.</li>
<li>Get involved with <i>anything</i> that sparks your interest. Skeet shooting? Load up and give it your best shot. Ice skating? Glide on out there! Photography club? Snap your heart out. Clubs and events around your city are great ways to make connections with people that you may not normally meet. Plus it gets you out of the dorm and into your college town.</li>
<li>On that note, explore where you live. It's your new home so become a local and shed your tourist skin as soon as possible. Tourists are tacky and unwanted for good reasons.</li>
<li>Be brave. Get out there and get crazy because after all, this is the only year when pretty much anything is acceptable. Real life can be boring (from what I hear) so stay in this fantasy land as long as possible and don't waste a bloody second of it! Because if not now, it's never.</li>
<li>Furthermore, don't wish time to pass by. Enjoy every second, even if it's during a rough patch. I can't pinch myself hard enough to realize that my freshman year is over and I wish I could have slowed time down. It was the most incredible year so far and I wouldn't change anything I did. I went all out and I'm stoked I did. This is the year of memories and the year to start learning and testing yourself. Don't skip a single opportunity handed to you because great things spawn from the most unexpected events. Cliff jump off your edge of fear and land in a current that'll take you to beautiful places you don't even know exist yet!</li>
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And with that I wrap up my first year in uni. Not a single regret. I walk away with crazy stories and a bag full of experiences that have made me proud of who I am today. Can't wait to take on sophomore year by storm! But first, summer is calling.</div>
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Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01390818447264148516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4224796468341176386.post-24374662560425714162014-03-24T10:00:00.003-07:002014-03-25T12:40:56.312-07:00Feeling at Home at the Red Lantern<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Thank goodness for broke foodaholics (like the girls and I) who demand two weeks where over 200 posh restaurants offer discounted suppers and lunches. <span style="text-align: left;">Knowing that our people have done us a favor, we made a reservation at Asian infusion restaurant </span><a href="http://www.redlanternboston.com/" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Red Lantern</a><span style="text-align: left;"> and hit the town for the night.</span></div>
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We were greeted by Buddhist statues and thrown into a time warp back to ancient China.<br />
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As the name suggests, the grand room was decorated with gorgeous red lanterns creating an ornamental glow in the room. We sat down to the song of one another "ooo"-ing and "ahhhh"-ing and immediately grabbed the menus to decide what to order.</div>
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For appetizers, Sarah and Christine settled for the Crab Wontons in a lemongrass broth with watercress.<br />
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Sophia went for the Modern California Roll in which the crab, instead of normally rolled up inside, was stacked on top of the rolls and garnished with greens.<br />
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While I, on the other hand, got brown rice House Spicy Salmon Rolls to which nearly knocked me out of my chair*.<br />
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*No exaggeration.<br />
The brown rice was perfectly glutenous and the sauce simply decidant...but the real show stopper was the salmon.<br />
I had some of the world's best sushi in Japan and knew that I would never eat such exquisite sushi anywhere else.<br />
Little did I know that I would find some equally as tender and all the more urban version of my favorite salmon rolls like the ones I had in <a href="http://thesugarwoman.blogspot.com/2014/01/you-sushi-make-miso-happy-japan.html" target="_blank">Tokyo</a> in my hometown of Boston.<br />
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Perfectly content with ending the meal right there, we sat and basked in our food delight until our entrees came.<br />
I went for the house special Singapore Street Noodles (a huge portion of angel hair thin noodles with pork, shrimp and scallops).<br />
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While Sarah went for the incredibly rich China Town Style Prime Rib (the best "bang for your buck" option on the dine out menu).<br />
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And Soph and Christine went for the Miso Glazed Salmon which was accompanied by roasted Japanese eggplant, grilled bok choy and sake & soy.<br />
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Ending up sharing the dishes family style (except for the salmon dishes which were perfect for one person), we doggie bagged the remainder of my massive noodle dish and moved on to the last course.<br />
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We chose both the Coconut Sorbets topped with fresh tropical fruits and spiced macadamia nuts<br />
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And the apple rangoons drizzled with butterscotch sauce, cinnamon sugar and set atop a little river of butterscotch pudding.<br />
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Our check arrived along with four red velvet fortune cookies and a restaurant review sheet to which we absolutely raved about the food, ambiance, and incredible service!<br />
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I highly recommend checking out all that <a href="http://www.restaurantweekboston.com/?gclid=CIejgf7Sq70CFUoV7Aod7TsASw" target="_blank">Restaurant Week</a> has to offer and if you're torn as to where to go, Red Lantern comes highly <i>highly </i>recommended! The meal totaled to $33 and was worth every penny. This week is the perfect opportunity to treat yourself, your friends and/or your family to a great dinner for a fraction of the price. Go ahead, you know you want to.<br />
<br />Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01390818447264148516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4224796468341176386.post-79212859809626819992014-03-10T13:13:00.001-07:002014-03-25T12:41:03.236-07:00All Hail In 'N Out Burger<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Besides seeing my amazing family & friends, and visiting the amazing beaches, one of my favorite parts about going back to California is the amazing fast food chain that is In 'N Out Burger.</div>
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Now, to some of you In 'N Out is but a legend, for it only exists on the West Coast. So, this post is dedicated to you (poor) souls.</div>
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First, you go inside and order yourself one of the items on the menu....or if you're a local you order something from the (<i>not so) secret </i>menu. My usual order consists of animal fries, a protein burger and a Neapolitan shake. But for old times sake and the sake of everything classic, I got the double double cheeseburger with fries but kept the twist with my favourite Neapolitan shake (aka a mix of their vanilla, chocolate and strawberry milkshakes).</div>
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After patiently waiting for your food to be ready, you jump at the call of your number and run to grab your buns.</div>
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Due to it's enticing oozing cheese, secret dressing and juicy patties, my burger didn't last long enough to take too many pictures.<br />
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*This should tell you a little something about how incredible the food is because usually I'm able to hold off for a photo opp but...no....never could I ever for my In 'N Out burger.<br />
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My family, being the locals that they are (and used to have heaven a stone's throw away from their house) took more time to eat theirs. Thank goodness they did otherwise this would an even shorter post.<br />
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Next time I go, I'll be sure to beef up this post with photos. But for now, just take my word for it. You've gotta head out West to get your hands on animal fries, a double double and a Neapolitan shake.<br />
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Oh yeah, and the beaches as well. Those are pretty nice too...Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01390818447264148516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4224796468341176386.post-58275914799108664662014-03-03T17:09:00.001-08:002015-03-20T05:43:48.589-07:00B<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">B</span> </span>: <span style="color: #cc0000;">banter</span><br />
Nothing beats a good laugh. Your abs benefit, your brain benefits, and the spirits of you and those around you benefit as well! Banter - rowdiness - is my favorite "b" word because it plays such a big roll in my life.<br />
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I'm currently in California visiting my little cousins and boy am I getting a run for my money. Little kids are <i>constantly </i>being playful and silly and <b>I love it.</b> Us adults can get pretty serious at times and forget what it means to truly have a laugh. The fact that these two little boys find such enjoyment in butt jokes and seeing who can fart the loudest blows me away (couldn't help myself..). As nasty as they may be, I love how they make me laugh. Not saying I have a little boy's humor or anything but just seeing someone experience so much joy from something so stupid is funny in and of itself. We gotta laugh more, play more, and get silly!<br />
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The picture above is from my <a href="http://thesugarwoman.blogspot.com/2013/12/eloise-exploits-newyorkcity.html" target="_blank">NYC trip</a> with the girls over winter holiday. We all went to FAO Schwartz to show Isabel what childhood in the city is like. Eyes widened and Christine and I's memory jogged as we walked through the store. The giant teddy bears, massive candies and whimsiness of the whole store made us giggly with excitement. Nothing feels as fun as reverting back to childhood does sometimes.<br />
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Take some time to do something silly or stupid or reckless because the more laughs you have, the happier a life you'll lead! And that will help you deal with the boring stuff...like Accounting homework....</div>
Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01390818447264148516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4224796468341176386.post-40689798507211840792014-02-28T13:11:00.000-08:002014-03-25T12:41:30.621-07:00A Short List of My Long List<br />
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I've been thinking about life lately...specifically what it is I want to do with it.<br />
In the typical sense - what I want to do once I graduate - but more specifically what I want to accomplish on the side of that.<br />
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We live in a world today where the quality of life is dictated by your job; how much you get paid, where you live, what position you hold, etc and it drives me crazy! Life should be about <b>living </b>not walking through the motions to save up for retirement. Plus, by the time I'm even able to use what I've saved I'll be wicked old and won't be able to go cliff diving for the fear of breaking a hip or some other old-age tragedy... Now is the time to do those reckless activities - despite the dismally low amount of cash I have in my bank account to do them. But they don't say, "When there's a will, there's a way" for nothing. So, knowing that somehow through someone in someway I will make them happen, I've made a short list of my long bucket list for what I want to accomplish before I even start saving for retirement.</div>
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<li>Get <a href="http://travel.cnn.com/explorations/escape/outdoor-adventures/worlds-50-best-dive-sites-895793" target="_blank">scuba certified</a> down unda in Australia</li>
<li>Live and work in a <a href="http://sweden.se/" target="_blank">foreign country</a></li>
<li>Rock climb <i>real </i>rocks at <a href="http://www.details.com/health-fitness/exercise/201211/best-rock-climbing-in-the-world#/slide=8" target="_blank">Indian Creek </a>in Utah</li>
<li>Go to cooking school in France</li>
<li>Participate in the Festival of Color in India</li>
<li>Party it up at <a href="http://www.mardigrasneworleans.com/schedule.html" target="_blank">Mardi Gras </a>in New Orleans</li>
<li>Eat at Heston Blumenthal's <a href="http://www.thefatduck.co.uk/" target="_blank">restaurant</a> in London </li>
<li><a href="http://costaricawaterfalltours.com/the-extreme-adventurer/" target="_blank">Jump off a waterfalls</a> in Costa Rica</li>
<li>Do something to <a href="http://toughmudder.com/" target="_blank">test my athletic abilities</a></li>
<li>Watch a <a href="http://blues.nhl.com/" target="_blank">St. Louis Blues game</a> in Missouri & then meet T.J. Oshie in person</li>
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Short. Sweet. To the point. And good enough for now...</div>
Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01390818447264148516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4224796468341176386.post-45602939223403889092014-02-20T09:41:00.002-08:002015-03-20T05:43:39.921-07:00A<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;"><b>A</b></span> : <span style="color: #cc0000;">adventure</span><br />
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One of the trillions of reasons I love writing / the English language / communication is the sheer amount of different ways to say the same thing. Honestly, who needs 10 different ways to say 'awesome'? Let alone over 100 different adjectives to describe snow...thank you Eskimos. But in all seriousness, having a vast vocabulary has always been something I prized. It can be persuasive when manipulating your employer to give you a raise. It can give sight to someone without vision. And it can be the handiest trinket in your tool box for self-expression and inner growth. Therefore, I'm dedicating this post series to my favorite word(s) for each letter of the English alphabet. And maybe if I get bored, I'll throw in a few Chinese characters that have spoken to me.<br />
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Today's word, however, is simple. A common thread in human lives. It's the thing that makes people tick; the thing that allows us to enrich ourselves in knowledge and clean our windows of perspective. It's <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">adventure</span></b>. You hear so many stories - especially in college - of wild adventures leading to all sorts of outcomes. The Great American Challenge, for instance, lead many to obtain interesting stories of testing their limits. While others find adventure in simply walking around the city and trying a new ice cream parlour. In order to embrace this adventurous spirit, I have become a "yes woman". Yup, it sounds just like what it is. I'm openminded to all sorts of opportunities - even if they seem completely far fetched/reckless/dangerous. But quite frankly, the more far fetched/reckless/dangerous the opportunities are, the more exciting they are. Obviously you have to keep it all in perspective and aligned with your values, but I've learned not to hesitant when testing my boundaries. I've explored northern India and challenged my ability to navigate a completely foreign country. I've gone zip lining in the treetops of Chang Mai, Thailand to get my fix of speed and overcome my fear of minimum security. I've gone cave diving in Ixtapa, Mexico to see how long I could be a mermaid for before my lungs exploded. And you know what, every one of those experiences has made me more daring, comfortable, and confident with myself and my abilities to do anything I set my mind to.<br />
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Long story short, do crazy things. Be a yes person. Hate heights? Go up in a hot air balloon. Never eaten Greek food? Save your pennies, grab a friend and take a spontaneous summer escapade to Athens. Never worn less than 3 layers in the dead of winter? Do an <a href="http://thesugarwoman.blogspot.com/2013/10/mikes-heavenly-pastry-undie-run.html" target="_blank">undie run</a>. Basically <b>say yes to life and whatever it throws at you </b>because if not now, <i>when? </i>You are your experiences. Go add to your box of recklessness and thrills and try new & wild things. After all, the last thing you want to be is the only granny in the old folk's home without any good stories to tell.</div>
Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01390818447264148516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4224796468341176386.post-20856348734702809572014-02-16T20:01:00.003-08:002014-03-25T12:41:51.042-07:00Ah Ya Shibuya // Japan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Wow things have been out of control on my side of the computer screen so I'm so sorry for the delay in this post! But basically, we just got into mischief when we hit up Shibuya - the trendy/young district full of Harijuku inspired sights.<br />
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First thing's first though - put <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp-KfrCInfo&feature=kp" target="_blank">this</a> on....perfect.<br />
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Getting off the train, we flooded out with the masses into the throbbing crowds moving across Shibuya's main intersection.</div>
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Eyes wide and jaws low to the ground, we goggled at pretty much everything we saw. Mindlessly, we wandered through the fluorescent jungle of materialism. </div>
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Shops were inescapable. Stockings, piercing jewelry, and 6+ inch platform heels galore.<br />
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Walking up quite an appetite, we stumbled into this gem of a restaurant.</div>
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Kamukura.<br />
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Basically, you 'vending machine style' order your food.<br />
Yup, you heard me.<br />
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A "vending machine" squats outside the restaurant beaconing passerbys to make a pit stop.<br />
You choose which dish you'd like to eat, pay the machine and - just as you would guess - go inside to eat up your order.<br />
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You hand your order tickets that you received outside to the waiters/chefs and they put them on your respective seat.</div>
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Within minutes, your hot bowl of Japanese delight awaits to bombard your taste buds with uniqueness and food glory.<br />
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The flavors are incredibly simple but all the more delicious. There's something about broth, noodles and a bit of greens & protein that will <i>always </i>be spot on.<br />
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Like any plumped little child, we each tottered our way out of the restaurant with "Domo arigato!"s being thrown around behind us and popped us back out onto Shibuya's streets.<br />
Delighted with everything we saw, bought and ate, we made our way back to the central intersection and made our way home.<br />
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While I would have loved to have explored more temples, this trip to Japan was still fascinating. The people could not have been friendlier and more accommodating. I very much look forward to taking the bullet train over to Kyoto the next time I'm in Japan to get a better sense of the country's rich cultural origins, but until then, Tokyo has absolutely swept me off my feet. Must have been Japanese in another life because I could without a doubt eat sushi and ramen for every meal...let alone channel my inner-self out in the most zen gardens every day.</div>
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<b>Until next time Japan, domo arigato!</b></div>
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There's no other way to start this post off but with a little sushi pun because this was the day we went to the worlds' largest fist market, <i>Tsukiji.</i><br />
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Having woken up with the birds at 6am, we groggily threw on clothes and swam in the pod of people on the subway towards the market.<br />
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Need less I say that we had no expectations going into this, but anything we could've come up with would've been blown out of the water. This market truly is <b>massive! </b>Fish vendors, gift vendors, and best of all sushi vendors galore.<br />
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We bumbled around ooing and aahing at all of the fresh sushi, knick knacks and Japanese culture that surrounded us.<br />
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It wasn't until poppa Shugs started craving his morning coffee that our leisure browsing came to an end. He spotted this charismatic hole-in-the-wall shop so we took a seat to soaked in some caffeine and the hectic environment that surrounded us.<br />
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In between puffs of his cigarette, the 'waiter'/owner artistically poured us each a coffee. He frisbee tossed them onto plates and overhead threw sugar cubes alongside them before placing their steaming goodnesses in front of us.<br />
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...this might be a <i>lliiiiitttlleee bit </i>of an exaggeration but trust me, not by much.<br />
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Reheated, we headed back outside to kill some more time before meeting friends for sushi.<br />
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My pop and I's favorite part of the market I would have to say was the actual fish market. As mum and I were window shopping, I heard my pop yell, "Sam! Fish!" to which I dropped the once interesting tourist shirt to go witness this <u>truly</u> <b>big <i>fish.</i></b><br />
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After drifting into the <i>actual</i> fish market, we walked around with eyes wide and jaws on the floor as we saw the freshest of fresh sea food.<br />
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It goes without saying that pops was so excited he wanted to be part of the action...</div>
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Exhausted like children playing in a beach playground, we headed out in a taxi to meet our friends for Japan's world renowned sushi. Greeted by beautiful Japanese women, we were escorted to our private room to feast on the sea's freshest catches.</div>
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The kids were over-the-moon excited to dig in.<br />
And that's exactly what they did.<br />
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Even a little possessiveness came out at the lunch table.<br />
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Eating until entering a food coma had become a regular thing for us, so we walked it off with a stroll in a traditional Japanese garden.<br />
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It was one of the most peaceful gardens I've walked in.<br />
Silent. Deafening. Majestic. Tranquil. Chaotic nature coaxing our aching bodies and busy minds into a state of self-reflection and serenity.<br />
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Contradictory to the winter season, flowers bloomed from the cherry blossoms trees and splattered the burnt oranges, reds, and vivacious greens with hues of light pink.<br />
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Nothing screams perfection quite like eating the world's best sushi for lunch and walking it off in a traditional Japanese tranquil garden....and the modernity of Shibuya of course - but you'll have to wait until the next post for more on that one ;)
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Getting off our 4 hour flight, we're cranky, excited, and (above all) starving. So we make our way to the hotel via subway to dump our luggage and go scout out a place to eat.</div>
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Thankfully, one of the area's best restaurants is a stone's throw away from our doorstep.<br />
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<img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ec7I77Ouam4/UsMWTpMizKI/AAAAAAAAGmQ/RjqCuZObQmo/s320/IMG_4906.JPG" height="480" width="640" />Sake lines the walls of this bijou little eatery as we head upstairs to be seated.<br />
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The excitement to <strike>get drunk on sake</strike> eat some authentic Japanese food is too much for us to bear so we end up taking the stairs two by two.<br />
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Finally seated and sorted with English menus, we scan, randomly point to and order several dishes.<br />
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This soup (which remains a mystery to us).<br />
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But was mmm-worthy nonetheless.<br />
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A Japanese omelette<br />
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Alongside fried ham and edamame<br />
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And the creepiest but most delicious dish we have ever laid eyes on.<br />
It has shredded fish sprinkled atop a pile of ramen, caramelized veg and a raw egg with a unique twist - <b>the shredded fish is still moving.</b><br />
Completely taken aback, slightly nauseous but so incredibly intrigued by this dish, we dive and find that it is one of the best stir fries ever to touch our tongues.<br />
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Who cares if it's still half-way alive, anyway?<br />
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Full to the brim we waddled out of the restaurant only <i>slightly </i>drunk on sake but decided to make room for some ice cream because <b>why not</b>.<br />
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The next morning, we wake up sometime around 9 to get a head start on exploring the city.</div>
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Cameras at the ready, everything seems picture-worthy.</div>
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Like this 'No smoking' sign that reinforces the Japanese law that smoking anywhere besides the designated smoking areas is illegal.<br />
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This too-bloody-cute water hydrant sign.<br />
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And this soda machine.<br />
<i>Literally everything we see is 10x more unique than anything we've seen before.</i><br />
Especially considering this straight-out-of-France bakery/restaurant right round the corner from the subway station.<br />
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Several large cups of coffee and a bag of bread at the ready, we hit the jam station.<br />
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After several minutes contemplating whether to go for the tartine or omelets, we place our orders.<br />
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<i>Omelets for the win.</i><br />
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Fueled up we make our way to the subway and ride over to Ginza - one of the major shopping areas.<br />
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Where we saw traditional Japanese arts & crafts<br />
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And some less-than traditional snacks..<br />
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Being the shopaholics that we are, we couldn't help but pop into ABC Mart - a huge shoe department store (girl's dream come true).<br />
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After ooing and aahing, my eyes locked with some Puma beauties.<br />
Crazy / funky / far out / what-have-you, these shoes made me know love at first sight is a very real thing.<br />
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Newly equipped with proper walking shoes, we went back out onto the streets to hunt down a shop for afternoon tea.<br />
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Finding one, we sat down, reheated and munched on this hazelnut delight. A bottom layer of cheesecake topped with hazelnut paste 'pasta', that is.<br />
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Making our way back onto the subway to go to the "Lost in Translation" hotel, we make friends with a local Harijuku (girl?).<br />
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Before hitting the bar for some late night cocktails and jazz, we go for a typical Japanese dinner - ramen noodles, hard boiled eggs, pork and rice galore.<br />
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Relaxed, revitalized, and genuinely hyped up on the city we're visiting, we take in the view and let all our worries sink away behind Mt. Fuji.<br />
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<br />Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01390818447264148516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4224796468341176386.post-28575194540657472392014-01-03T18:46:00.000-08:002014-03-25T12:42:19.669-07:00It's "See You Later" // NewYorkCity<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Before going our separate ways, Isabelle and I spent the last day wandering around the city and meeting up with and making new friends.</div>
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On this day, Is also finally managed to score a (classically soft, warm, smile-worthy) pretzel on our way to the subway.<br />
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Pure...<br />
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...happiness.<br />
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Something to note is that we are so spoiled to have everything relatively close by in Boston (except to the Hill which is basically a trek across all of Massachusetts), so walking around the city non-stop everyday was pretty taxing. Not only did it leave us with blisters, but quite the appetite, too. So, a few hours later, we met up with city folk friends and went out for the last dinner.<br />
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I tell you, there is <b>nothing you cannot find in this city. </b><i>Including</i> a restaurant that revolves around meatballs. It's like my childhood on steroids. Nothing beats a good meatball in my book and walking around Greenwich to find this gem of a restaurant called The Meatball Shop was most definitely worth it.<br />
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Markers are provided for you to check/ex/color in whatcha want to eat.<br />
Like I said, <i>childhood on steroids.</i><br />
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So we hunkered down and eagerly await for our meatballs of glory to bless us with their presence. And bless us they did.<br />
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Chicken meatballs with Parmesan Cream sauce<br />
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Mom's classic beef meatball with tomato sauce, chicken meatball with pesto sauce, their special buffalo meatball with mushroom sauce and cooked veg on the side.<br />
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Hell yeah.<br />
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Meatball sandwich,<br />
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meatballs with an egg,<br />
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and thumbs up 'round the table.<br />
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And even a little jealousy...<br />
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<a href="http://www.themeatballshop.com/" target="_blank">This shop</a> is worth a stop in the area. But here's a final summary to sell you:<br />
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<ul>
<li><b>Da food:</b> the meatballs were delicious. My only complaint is that it's not terribly filling unless you get at least 3 meatballs and maybe even a side. Great if you're looking for a light dinner, though.</li>
<li><b>Da environment:</b> super cozy. Very vintage, homey and (overall) very New York.</li>
<li><b>Da price:</b> $$</li>
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After dinner, we proceeded to my cousin's frat brother's place downtown to kick back and take in the amazing view from his rooftop.<br />
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I'm the kind of person who usually has something to say about everything. I love thinking about the big and the small things in life. So coming to the city, I thought it wouldn't be any different; I'd be able to pop my photos into a post and write away. But that's hardly been the case.<br />
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I've procrastinated writing this post because in a way, I feel like that means the journey really is over. This place captured me like a fish in a net and I was caught so off guard that the only thing I could do was experience it with wide eyes.<br />
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The minute I stepped off the train at Penn, I was swept away. Swept away from the crowds of people, swept away by how fast everything moves and swept away by everything you can <i>do. </i>It was like being drunk and sober all at the same time. Things were ebbing and flowing around me and all I could do was let my mind become overloaded and drink it all in. I was terrified but simultaneously thrilled by it all.<i> </i><br />
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They really don't lie to you when they say everyone in the city is interesting. They all have a story, something that's contributed to their uniqueness and something that they have to contribute to the city to continue making it unique. I was sitting on the subway on my way to the train to Jersey when I looked up and saw a guy sketching me. I couldn't help but blush, but more importantly be inspired by him. He's doing something he loves and <i>actually does it. </i>And as he continued sketching everyone on my subway bench, I scribbled the thoughts that came rushing into my head. My favorite one being:<br />
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<i>"</i><i>The people in this city share such incredibly uniqueness within themselves but simultaneously share such incredible differences. But nonetheless, it's incredible</i><i> how this big world of strangers can feel infinitely smaller with the glance and exchange of a smile. "</i><br />
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New York embraces you like a Venus flytrap. First, it attracts you in with its vibrant colors and intricate shape. But before you know it, it collapses itself around you, completely consuming you, and breaks down all your fears, reservations and insecurities. This process is what draws in so many interesting people - people filled with wonder and admiration for this complex, but spectacular organism - and is the reason why so many great ideas blossom from it.<br />
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Besides a hole in my heart, leaving the city has left us with peculiar smells impregnated in our cloths: the smell of wonder in our beanies, the smell of adventure in our boots, and the smell of excitement deep in our skin. They don't say, "You can take the girl out of the hood, but you can't take the hood out of the girl" for nothing.<br />
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New York, you live up to and surpass every expectation I had about you. You're one cheeky devil and I can't wait to come back again to take on newer and bigger adventures.Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01390818447264148516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4224796468341176386.post-56603436594119023402013-12-30T17:39:00.002-08:002014-03-25T12:42:27.552-07:00Locals Only // NewYorkCity<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
One of the many well known things about this city is its obscene amount of things to do. </div>
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"Bored" is not a word in a New Yorker's vocabulary.</div>
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Adopting this local mindset, we took off in Greenwich Village on the Lower West Side in search of a classic underground Jazz Club.</div>
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Not long after searching did we find Smalls...my idea of a blues heaven.</div>
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And there's only one way of knowing you've gone to the right jazz club....a hipster with a turtleneck sweater and a glass of wine.<br />
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Mission Jazz Club: success.<br />
The next thing on our hit list was hands down to find $1 pizza slice. So with a little more meandering we stumbled upon the perfect place to fuel up.<br />
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With pizza in hand we went over to NYU territory to meet up with one of my old friends from school for drinks and dinner round two.<br />
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We woke up the next day feeling rejuvenated by the crisp air blowing through our window and the momentary rays of sunshine. So - wide awake - we threw on our close and trekked up to the Upper West Side near Columbia U for brunch.</div>
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But not just any brunch...<br />
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A Seinfeld brunch.<br />
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Complete with memorabilia from the show, we sat down and made some cut-throat decisions as to what we were going to order.</div>
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We first decided on bottomless coffee.<br />
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And then on a spinach & feta omelette with sweet potato fries and the renowned NYC reuben sandwich.<br />
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Having hit the spot, we moved on to our next venture in Manhattan: the Natural History Museum.<br />
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Dinos, fossils and Dum Dum, oh my!<br />
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As the museum kicked us out, we popped out onto the street and took a stroll before running into one of my favorite pastries in New York.</div>
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The Black&White cookie.</div>
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But it's not just <i>any cookie. </i>It's more like a fluffy cake artistically painted half white-chocolate-white and dark-chocolate-brown to come together to form the ideal bite of bakery heaven.<br />
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Once Isabelle was introduced to this delicacy, we meet up with another good friend on mine for drinks and the most magnificent piece of food my tongue has ever tasted.<br />
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<b>THE ARTICHOKE PIZZA.</b><br />
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Now, some of you might think that is absolutely, 100%, positively repulsive, but let me assure you you will never have tasted something so beautifully created in your whole life.</div>
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I might be living this pizza up just a bit but I am recalling the experience now and it seems more than accurate.</div>
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Bless you, Jonny, for introducing us to such a mind-blowing meal.</div>
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<i>~Applause~</i><br />
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It was so good that I even risk putting this photo of me up; complete with pizza cheesy goodness on my nose.<br />
Worth looking like a slob?<br />
<b><i>No question about it.</i></b>Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01390818447264148516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4224796468341176386.post-44639347709952797992013-12-28T16:47:00.001-08:002013-12-28T16:47:23.223-08:00Eloise Exploits // NewYorkCity<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Some of my most cherished memories as a kid were of me tucked away in bed with my parents reading bedtime stories to me. </div>
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But not just any stories, <i>the best stories. </i></div>
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We would circulate a few different books but one was always 3 more times than the rest....Eloise.</div>
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I absolutely, positively adooooored her! She was absolutely lovely, lovely, lovely and I very much though of myself as a Californian version of her.</div>
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So when the girls and I were walking through Central Park one morning and realized The Plaza hotel was only a stone throw away, we decided that it was time for this suburban Eloise to make her big city dream come true.</div>
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It was only a matter of time I bumped into the child-version of myself so it was only fitting to take a snap of the occasion.<br />
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...and the rest of the day as well.</div>
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We made our way to the tea room in The Plaza where I asked the waitress for a table for three. It was there that the future of my dream coming true (having an Eloise-eque high tea at The Plaza) seemed dim. She replied, "I'm sorry but the tea room is completely booked today."</div>
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With my esteem crushed, I told the girls what she said.</div>
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But midway through my sentence I stopped and realized something very important.</div>
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I did not come all that way to get rejected from something I'd been dreaming of since I could read. No way. Not today.</div>
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So I straightened my spine, spun 'round on my heels and went back to the waitress and said, "I'm sorry to bother you again but we travelled all this way from Hong Kong just to have high tea at The Plaza. It has been my dream ever since I could read Eloise to enjoy crumpets and jam and it would mean the world to me if you could sneak us a seat."</div>
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Shocked (but not terribly surprised) she replied, "Well, we do have a few no shows....so follow me and I can seat you three."</div>
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I was beaming. Beaming more than any time I had ever beamed in my life.</div>
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Little cheeky Eloise was present and in full control.</div>
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Seated and ready to be treated royally, we opened our menus and decided on our sets.</div>
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I went for the Fitzgerald Tea for the Ages...</div>
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And the girls went for The New Yorker.</div>
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I would have joined them <b>except </b>I saw this little note at the bottom of the menu which absolutely sold me.</div>
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<i>"Fitzgerald Tea for the Ages pays tribute to The Plaza's most legendary patrons, F. Scott and Zelda. The offerings are inspired by the popular cuisine of the jazz age and the era of The Great Gatsby, in which the hotel plays an epic roll."</i></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">No second thoughts needed.</span><br />
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After our tea was served, a slurry of tea sipping pictures were taken.<br />
For documentary purposes, of course.<br />
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But then the food arrived.<br />
And boy did it arrive in style.<br />
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So much so I had to break character and let my excitement shine through.<br />
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Sandwich<br />
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After sandwich<br />
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After sandwhich<br />
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And then onto dessert - the best part of any meal.</div>
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And during this course, my life changed forever.</div>
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The Amarena Cherry and Chocolate Sachetorte happened to me.</div>
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I was shocked. Blown away. Completely speechless as I marvelled in how some mastermind created such a perfect little petit four.</div>
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Completely smitten with the entire outing, we took one final snap and left with grace, full stomachs and a joy radiating through every fiber of our bodies.<br />
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To finish the night off, we took Isabelle to FAO Schwarts for her first dose of a NYC childhood.<br />
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Hands down my favorite day in the city.<br />
Little did I know, though, that the rest of stops on the trip would have me falling even deeper in love with this magnificent city.Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01390818447264148516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4224796468341176386.post-80506306007734479432013-12-26T03:32:00.000-08:002013-12-26T11:44:47.947-08:00A Feast for Artists and Eaters // NewYorkCity<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #666666;">The thing about art is that it means nothing but everything at the same time. So much meaning can lie in just a few brush strokes or pencil lines. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">I was never able to grasp this concept before my trip out to the city. It was so silly to me to believe that paint splatters were a work of art. After all, they are just paint splatters.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">But one frigid afternoon changed that. The girls and I decided to duck inside the MoMA (Museum of Modern Art) to give free reign to our inner art critics and escape the cold. I'd like to say the realization of art's magnificence was immediate...but it wasn't. I meandered through the museum in search of understanding and often came up blank. I saw several disturbing movies and pondered a number of paintings that had people around me saying, "What a masterpiece!" "Marvelous!" "It speaks to me!" whereas I was looking at them googly-eyed asking myself what these people were on and where I could pick up some for myself...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">Sure I appreciated the way the artwork <i>looked </i>but that's only half the battle (if that). I wanted to get into the painter's mind. <i>Who? What? Whhhhyyyyy? </i>The obvious questions always popped into my head as I analyzed each piece...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">It was all fun and games until we started hitting the big dogs' works.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">Dali.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">Picaso.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">Pollock.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">But I stopped asking questions when I saw this piece.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><img border="0" height="530" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-edj7Vi69Ah0/UrhvJxOQyAI/AAAAAAAAGOc/DL7-uTo3Nww/s640/IMG_4007.JPG" width="640" /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">That's right. We saw the one...the only..<i>The Starry Night </i>by van Gogh.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">Once my eyes met paint, I knew that while getting into the painter's mind is important, it's not everything. Sometimes, simply admiring a work for what it looks like is what's most important. The creativity in the brush strokes. The careful choice of colours. The way in which they tango together to depict a place only the mind can visit. This straightforwardness may seem shallow, but sometimes our minds need a break from over-thinking...I know mine does at least. I revel in the fact that I can turn off my thoughts and simply exist and appreciate the things as they come. We are constantly fishing for a greater meaning in the smallest things so it's a nice break to just <i>be.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">Philosophizing that much worked us up an appetite, so we made our way over to tourist-attraction Shake Shake for some burgers and shakes. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">As you can see, I was way too eager to dive in...couldn't even pose for a photo.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">Nearly collapsing off our barstools, we decided it was time to continue on with the tourist attractions and make our way to Times Square</span><span style="color: #666666;">.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KYv76BFKWCI/UriB2NlXW9I/AAAAAAAAGTc/QOvI26jtqW0/s1600/1477393_10151880495258915_1471752686_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #666666;"><img border="0" height="152" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KYv76BFKWCI/UriB2NlXW9I/AAAAAAAAGTc/QOvI26jtqW0/s640/1477393_10151880495258915_1471752686_n.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">...and score dessert along the way home, of course.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">The next evening, we went back to TS to see the
tree nearby and the classic NYC giant Christmas ornaments. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">Each of us having bottomless stomachs, we headed
over to a classic Irish pub to grab some grub (sorry, I couldn't resist).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">Fish 'n chips</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666;">Shepherd's pie</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666;">And chicken pot pie.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">The glorious meal was washed down with
some Irish hospitality and we set off with our new accents in search for a sweet treat to tie the night up...which we found residing in a small local bakery.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">Another fulfilling few days in the city where
pounds were gained and memories added to the bank. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01390818447264148516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4224796468341176386.post-69380842439885918042013-12-22T22:13:00.002-08:002013-12-23T11:40:06.069-08:00The Gems We Found // NewYorkCity<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The funny thing about this post series on the city is that it has taken me forever to write.</div>
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I'm not sure why exactly, but my gut feeling is that so much happened in this week that I have no clue how I am supposed to put everything into words. I've been looking for the right opportunity to put it all on 'paper', but it took me until right now to realize that if you're always waiting for a perfect moment, a million will pass you by.</div>
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So let's begin.</div>
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We giddily stumbled off of the train around 6pm Saturday and literally could not do anything else but stare at each other and beam like brace-faced tween idiots who just saw Justin Bieber. We were so overwhelmed by even the smallest things - the smell of Penn Station (which is one to remember, I'll tell you that), the grungy colors and the thousands of people from every-which-where walking in one reckless wave.</div>
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It was like being drunk but sober - completely engulfed by everything. The people. The luggage. The clacking of cash registers. The clanking of trains. So, in order stop our heads from spinning off, we hunkered down and ate a slice of New York's prestigious pizzas (one of many to come). This did us in for a good while as we made our trek home to Brooklyn. </div>
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All until we stepped foot outside of the subway, that is.</div>
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Oh sure, we knew there was a storm hitting the East Coast. But little did we think it would pose much of a challenge for us to get home......hah, were we wrong.</div>
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We had to <i><b>sleigh</b> </i>our way through thick snow with massive suitcases trailing behind us but managed to miraculously conquered the elements. We made it across several dauntingly wide, slush-covered streets and hauled ass up several flights of stairs while horizontal bullets of snow were attempting to take our eyes out. Words cannot describe the feeling of accomplishment (and relief) of being inside the apartment we rented and sprawled across our respected beds. </div>
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<b>Samantha||Christine||Isabelle - 1 NYC - 0</b></div>
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What would a group of three adventurous girls do to celebrate such a victory? Go out, of course.</div>
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So we tediously put on our best to impress the city and dashed out of the house into Manhattan territory. </div>
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We then settled into a crepe restaurant with the most lovely vibe, most lovely food and drink, and most lovely looking waiter to match (always a plus).</div>
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This was the point of no return, however. Several crepes and glasses of wine down, Kanye West and Drake came on and the party really got started. It wasn't long after that the three of us were finding our way home when all of a sudden, we found ourselves knee deep in a puddle of sewer slush.</div>
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Want to know something even more sad? This didn't happen just once. It happened twice.</div>
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Ahhh NY you dirty player, you. </div>
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<b>Samantha||Christine||Isabelle - 1 NYC - 1</b></div>
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Nevertheless, we woke up with huge, bright smiles on our faces the next day and headed to downtown Chinatown to grab some dim sum grub.</div>
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I had so much fun introducing my friends to such a big part of me. I used to go to dim sum every Sunday morning...and ordering all of my favorite dishes to share with them brought those old memories back to life.</div>
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Scarfing the day off to a brilliantly full start, we waddled our way to Brooklyn to hit up the renowned Brooklyn Flea Market. </div>
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In which the walk required us to get bundled up.</div>
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Seriously, you can find the city's best gems in this market. Delectible s'mores? Done. </div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Artisan burgers like the Ramen Burger? Oh darling, how could you expect anything less.</span></div>
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And jewels? Galore. </div>
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Wearing ourselves out after hours of bargain hunting, we stumbled across this gem of a stand selling cinnamon buns with three different types of frosting - hazelnut, original, and <i>maple bacon.</i></div>
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Do you even need to guess which ones we got?</div>
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Hazelnut and maple bacon all the way.<br />
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I'm telling ya, magic awaits around every corner in this city. And the next few legs of the trip prove that even more so!</div>
Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01390818447264148516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4224796468341176386.post-46674432622023934522013-12-14T12:29:00.001-08:002013-12-14T12:29:11.907-08:00Good VibesThere are many meanings behind my sun tattoo.<br />
Sometimes I say it represents shining light in darkness. Other times, I say it represents being positive. But these things are just pieces of a greater puzzle.<br />
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It all started when I was introduced to a mindset that completely changed the way I looked at life - the law of attraction. So some of you might think this post will be some crazy science that doesn't work, and that's fine. But I know once you sink your teeth into this, you will never look at the world the same again.<br />
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Let me tell you a little story...<br />
A very dear friend of mine gave me her leather jacket that I had been drooling over since we'd met and one day, during a hell week at uni, I realized I had lost it. I remember looking at Rachel, my roommate, and flipping out. "I lost it! Awesome, I can't even remember the last time I wore it let alone where I could possibly find it... I'm screwed."<br />
But then I looked down at my wrist and remembered my philosophy. If I remain calm and know that I will get it back, I will get it back. So I turned around to her again and said, "You know what, there's no point in stressing because I know it will find it's way back to me. Somehow, somewhere, I will have it again." So I carried on with the rest of my day trying my best not to think about it. It wasn't until that night that my friend sent me a picture of a sign in the dining hall saying, "If you lost a leather jacket, contact the manager."<br />
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I don't remember being able to do anything except gleam.<br />
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I sprinted downstairs and immediate asked for my jacket from the manager. We got talking in which I found out that he had actually had it for 3 days and only that night did he put up the sign.<br />
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Coincidence? I beg to differ.<br />
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Basically, <i>like attracts like </i>so in a nut shell, this kind of thinking materializes thoughts. Want that brand new BMW? <u>Acknowledge</u> that you want it. <u>Believe</u> you will get it. <u>Receive</u> it.<br />
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<b>Legit, it's that simple.</b><br />
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<u>Acknowledge</u><br />
The first part of getting anything you want is identifying <u>exactly <i>what it is </i>you want</u>.<br />
If you want to be out of debt, you can't think, "I don't want debt" because you're focusing on <i>having</i> <i>debt </i>and, therefore, will only attract more debt to you. SO, instead, you need to think, "I want to be abundant." By doing this, you are thinking about all the money you'll have to buy that BMW.<br />
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If you're in the market for a relationship, make a universe shopping list of everything you could possibly want in that other person. It can be down to the most ridiculous things - long hair, eyebrow piercing, dry humor - what have you - but jot it down. Granted these lists can grow pretty quickly so choose a top few characteristics to really focus on. Once you've made your list, craft a sentence that includes those qualities and form it into a mini mantra. "I will be with a hockey player who's got the long hair flow and respects, values and cares about me next semester." (This is my current mantra so hockey boys come at me ;))<br />
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Having these mantras will give you a point of focus and determination to get what you want - just as if you were Katniss successfully shooting the biggest deer you could've ever imagined.<br />
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<u>Believe</u><br />
Once you've acknowledged what you want, you have to believe you are absolutely going to receive it.<br />
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I love me a BMW so we'll stay on track with that example. You've identified that you want the BMW 4 Series. Now you're going to imagine already having it. When you're sitting on the couch numbly waiting for the commercials to wrap up, you're going to close your eyes and picture yourself sitting in that sexy car. You can feel the smooth-as-caramel leather on the driver's seat. Your fingers flex wide open and then clamp shut around the chocolate wood wheel. You rev the engine. <i>Oh what a gorgeous sound that is. </i>It hums. It roars. You are the only one with the key to such power. You've got the key. You.<br />
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Now, wasn't that a magical thing? By visualizing having what you want, you are releasing positive energy into the world - aka good vibes. When I visualize, I always feel like my heart is glowing. Cheesy, I know, but that's how I know my good vibe is strong and is making its way into the world to bring me what I want.<br />
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Ladies, know a lad you'd like to get with? Think about how good it would feel to be with him. Find yourself sitting in Target while you wait for you friend to hurry her ass up? Picture him sitting across from you, holding your hand, circling your fingers - whatever it is you would want from him. Feel that glow radiate inside of you from the bottom of your stomach up to the epicenter of your heart and let it beam through you.<br />
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It's by feeling those good vibrations as often as possible that will bring you what you want. The more often you release those vibes, the sooner you'll get what you want. This is where the mantra really comes into play. By referring back to it, you will experience the good vibes attached to it and release them out into the universe. This will attract the situations into your life to bring that desire around to you.<br />
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Another component to this step is <u>gratitude</u>. You have to show gratitude for the things you already have in your life to continue emitting positivity. Be thankful for your family. Not too stoked on your family? Be thankful for your friends. Not too stoked with your friends? Be thankful for the bed you have to sleep in - and so on, so forth. Like I said, by doing this and visualizing your goal, you'll create <i>even more</i> positive vibrations which will attract your desire faster. Win win.<br />
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<u>Receive</u><br />
Now, all you've gotta do is sit back, relax, believe it will come true and be open to receiving it.<br />
This basically means to keep your mantra in mind, feeling and releasing those waves of positivity and (most importantly) <i style="font-weight: bold;">believing you will receive your desire. </i><br />
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You've gotta stay positive and optimistic throughout this process, though. That's where a lot of people fail. They set themselves a desire and get tired of not getting it immediately and turn around to go back to where they started - because that's all they know and it's an easy, customary reality. <b>It's a journey</b> - one that happens in its own time. Your only job is to know for a fact that you'll reach your destination and to keep walking down the path to get there. It's easy to look around at any given point after setting your intention that you haven't achieved it yet. From here, you start hating the law of attraction and stop thinking that it actually works. But it does! If you stop believing in it, you will drag yourself off the course of receiving it.<br />
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That's pretty much a rough summary of the LoA. I live my everyday life by it and I could have never imagined the amazing things I've gotten out of it. I go to one of the best unis for what I want to do, I am surrounded by people I love, and I am constantly exposed to circumstances that allow me to grow and evolve into the person I want to be. What more could anyone ask for?<br />
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Seriously though, anyone can have what they want with this mentality. Although, there's bound to be some of you who think it's a bunch of bull, so I pose a challenge to you.<br />
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Imagine something you don't see every day. Money lying on the floor, a feather on the sidewalk, people who's name is Shaniqua. Anything...and say to yourself, "I see money lying on the floor everywhere I go." "I see feathers all the time." "I meet so many people named Shaniqua." and just watch it come true. Give it a try - that's my challenge to you. After all, there's nothing to lose!Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01390818447264148516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4224796468341176386.post-16742935866119845632013-12-10T14:49:00.003-08:002013-12-10T14:49:30.964-08:00My Kind of Battle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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December.</div>
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The month and/or several weeks of hell as seen through the eyes of university students everywhere.</div>
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But to me, finals week(s) are bitter sweet. They are a time to cram, a time to amaze yourself at your rapid learning abilities, and a time to finish off several months of hard work.</div>
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Obviously, we jump for joy and celebrate their cessation, but we always forget to look back and realize how far we have come in such a short amount of time and how much our bank of knowledge has grown.</div>
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Having been done with my finals for a few days now, I've been able to realize just how far I have come since starting school here in Boston. I joined a team, sorority, survived college and just Boston weather <i>in general. </i></div>
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I must say, it's quite an accomplishment for this warm weather gal.</div>
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...but on the other hand, I do enjoy my fair share of snow. So when it started drifting down this afternoon, I knew I had to embrace the closing of this semester and prepare myself for a wonderful, travel filled, holiday ahead of me with nothing better than an epic snowball battle.</div>
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We were obviously too deep into the moment to take many pictures (I'm speaking for myself, that is) so these are the only ones I managed to get / capture clearly enough. Nevertheless, the memories behind these photographs are what matter most. Isn't that the case with pictures anyway?<br />
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Masterfully gathering the snow and moulding it into perfect snowballs, we each took shelter behind cars then sprung out at juuuust the right moments to absolutely deck someone. I'd like to think I did my fair share of damage but being realistic, I got more damage done to me than I did to anyone else....Let's just say that I will see some bruises tomorrow morning. But then again, it was so very worth it.<br />
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On a final note, there's just one thing I want you to take away from this article:<br />
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No matter what stressful things are going on in your life, like finals, <b>remember to go outside and play in the snow</b>. It's one of those things that no matter how big the event may seem, it is never big enough for you to sacrifice your happiness. We have long lives ahead of us but in reality, they are too short to waste over worrying. Create the best snowball you can but don't get caught up in where it lands - just remember that at the end of the battle, it's just going to melt anyway so you best enjoy making it while you can.<br />
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So with that, carry on with the rest of your finals troops and let the snowball fights commence!Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01390818447264148516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4224796468341176386.post-41701905378793256302013-12-01T08:01:00.001-08:002013-12-15T14:58:33.769-08:00So Good It Should Be Illegal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
While stuffing ourselves full of turkey on Thursday was a beautiful thing (one of the many reasons why Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday), Leah, Goldie and I decided that we needed a bit of the sea to keep us sane. </div>
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And what better place to sail to than Legal Harborside.</div>
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This restaurant not only houses the best seafood dishes in Mass, but also one of the most culturally rich stories behind the name...</div>
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In 1955 lived a family-owned restaurant called Jimmy's Harborside. It too was home to the best seafood in all the land - so much so that celebrities from across the globe came to have a taste. The walls were lined with photographs of these celebrities and twas the place to see and be seen.</div>
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But in 2007, the restaurant became tired and decided to close down...but not long after did Legal Sea Foods come into town and swooped the restaurant and turned it into their own. But out of respect for all the history that lay on that spot, they named the restaurant Legal Harborside.</div>
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And here she stands today in all her glory.</div>
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Complete with three levels of dining...</div>
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The first being casual; complete with an oyster bar, drink bar, and swanky seat layout.</div>
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As you climb the stairs, you venture into the second floor's fine dining area.</div>
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And most excitingly, as you reach the third rooftop story, you will be warmly greeted and escorted into the rooftop lounge.<br />
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While it's lovely in the winter, the summertime is when this floor comes to life. The roof retracts, the windows slide all the way open and the deck is available for outdoor seating.</div>
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While the restaurant's layout itself is pretty awesome, it doesn't compare to the food.</div>
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We started off with their famous clam chowder - creamy, chunky, and just the way I like it!</div>
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Then ordered our dishes and waited in anticipation..</div>
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I got the Lobster bake which came with a soup so I went for the turkey (since Thanksgiving is only one day a year, you've gotta make the most of the bird for as long as you can).</div>
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Leah went for the baked scrod with mashed potat'rs<br />
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Goldie went for burger; cole slaw and fries on the side.<br />
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And, as previously mentioned, I went for the Lobster Bake - complete with a full lobster, corn on the cob, muscles and clams. <i>Heart melting..</i></div>
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Having it be my first lobster since my arrival in Boston, it goes without saying that I was more than a little excited to dig in.<br />
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Stuffed, yet again, we waddled outside to get a deep breath of that invigoratingly crisp Boston air.<br />
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<br />Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01390818447264148516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4224796468341176386.post-91322644622438817672013-11-19T10:45:00.002-08:002013-11-19T10:45:30.273-08:00Smash Those Weights, Girl<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Some of you know that fitness has always been a big part of my life. Inside and outside of the gym I work towards being the best version of myself.</div>
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So when I came to Northeastern and found out there was a powerlifting team, the only thought that crossed my mind was 'I'm <b>so game</b>'.</div>
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Here's a little de-brief for those of you who aren't quite sure what exactly powerlifting is and why most of the girls on the team don't look like smaller versions of Arnold Schwarzenegger....</div>
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There are three movements: the squat, the bench, and the deadlift.</div>
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<b>Squat</b>, as you would imagine, is when you hold weight on your back, squat down until your hips <i>just </i>break parallel and spring back up.</div>
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<b>Bench press </b>is when you're lying down with the bar and weight overhead, lower the bar to your sternum and press back up.</div>
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Finally (my favorite), <b>the deadlift </b>is when you have the bar and weights on the ground, you bend down to grab hold of the bar and straighten up to standing - hips locked - and then lower it back down. </div>
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At practice, there are normally 5-7 gals on a rack so doing these movements (along with stretching and accessory exercises) takes up to 4 hours. It sounds like a hell of a long time to be in the gym but it absolutely doesn't feel like it! You're lifting with your friends, you're goofing around when you're not lifting and you're building yourself up to be the lean mean iron-crushing machine you've always dreamed of being. Ahhh music to my tomboy ears..</div>
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Competitions on the other hand are very different to our practices. We still do the three lifts but in a different way. The meet is divided into weight classes and within those weight classes the person who lifts the lightest starts first. But just because you're in a lighter weight class doesn't mean you'll go first. You could be in the 158 weight class and lift first while the next lifter up is in the 128 weight class (which was the case of this meet because I was in the 158 class and I don't lift as heavy as ~120 lbs Michelle....yet).</div>
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So I was the one who had to kick the meet off on Sunday and there is no other way to say this but <i>I was sh*tting bricks. </i>I don't think I've been that nervous for something since my gymnastic days. I was the first one up on the podium with my least favorite movement with a weight I've only lifted once before in front of a crowd of strangers...could not have gotten more nerve wrecking than that. But the nervousness played <u>so</u> much to my advantage. I was literally shaking in my sock monkey knee high socks but went out there and lifted my heart out. I was <i style="font-weight: bold;">so unbelievably besides myself that I lifted as much as I lifted because it came out of no where! </i>Just goes to show that a little confidence and obscene amounts of sugar rushing through your veins can go a long way.</div>
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I could not be more proud of the team I've become apart of. I've shed tears and showered in sweat but it has all been worth it. I could have never imagined I'd be where I am now a few weeks ago. Turns out that no matter how much knowledge you have, if you don't have the confidence nor support to put it into action you won't go very far. Without the girls on the team, I would still be lifting little red weights and have low self-confidence levels. They have been my rock hard shoulders to lean on and even stronger slaps on the ass to get myself back in check. They are the force that drive me past the limits I thought I had.<br />
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I am a part of NUPL and I'm damn proud.<br />
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Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01390818447264148516noreply@blogger.com0