LAYING LOW

I finally did it! I bit the bullet and scheduled my exam (June 5!)!  At 7 more exams to go and $210 a pop, these tests sure are going to cost me an arm and a leg.   Not that I don't already practically live the life of a modern day hermit, but I for some reason still feel the need to say that I plan on laying low for the next few weeks to make sure I  can hit the ground running and focus on studying, and want to apologize if I am hard to reach and really slow at responding to things. Other than some alone time, I am painfully aware that my need to focus will also require me to nip my Breaking Bad addiction in the bud.  (My brother Josh suggested watching Breaking Bad after I finished Parks and Recreation because I was depressed that I had nothing to watch having already tried and failed to get into Friday Night Lights despite its glowing reviews)  But let's just cut to the chase,  if I don't get my act together,  and avoid these like the plague, I'll be studying til the butt crack of dawn every night!  I can't let this opportunity to get my license slip through my fingers!

Anyway, I am super nervous about my exam, being that it is my first one! That is why I plan on going the whole nine yards, and reviewing every part of the material.  Rest assured- I will leave no stone unturned!  In the "getting ready for the exam" chapter, Kaplan assures the candidates that anxiety over test taking is usually due to a fear of failure, and that if we come prepared we need not worry.  Who knew that such zen-like and calming advice could be found in a Kaplan study guide?  This of course, falls on deaf ears because I am Asian, and the fear of failure has already been pre-historically hard wired into my dna.  Since my children will only be 50% Asian, I can only hope that they will not be like me in this regard.  But you what they say- the apple never falls far from the tree.  So unfortunately, their advice went in one ear and out the other, but it's the thought that counts!

**This post reminds me of a woman Tiff told me about who only speaks in verbal cliches. I definitely have to admit that I use my fair share when writing and speaking. But you know, why do we always get caught up in what is and isn't cliche?  At the end of the day,  it's all just water under the bridge right?

BERKELEY BOWL CAN ONLY BRING GOOD THINGS// Our first kale salad

The final we thing we did on our trip up north was making a trip to Berkeley Bowl with Tiff.  I felt like a kid in a candy store (a super healthy, organic, flavorful, high quality but low priced candy store that is!). I totally forgot how good the produce is from here! If you've never shopped here, I know you're probably thinking I'm exaggerating because I used to think that too when other people would talk so obsessively about this place; but trust me, it really is that good! I'll admit that you'd probably be able to find other produce that tastes just as good, but probably at twice the price!

While we were shopping I saw Tiff put these beautiful leafy bunches that looked like luscious green flowers in her cart.  Since I totally shop with my eyes, and will buy something for sole reason that it is pretty, I was like, "I don't even know what these taste like, but I'm getting them too!" Taylor has more of  a, shall we say, a more restricted palette than most, so he gave me a sour face when he saw me put the kale in our cart.  But having heard all the health benefit claims about kale floating around everywhere, I was able to convince him to try it on that front.


Here are some ingredients:





The Recipe:
I used this recipe and tweaked it a little by adding grapefruits and almonds. There were tons of recipes for kale chips, and roasted kale, and sauteed kale, that I was considering, but since we did go through the trouble of carrying these all the way down the 5.5 hour drive from Berkeley to LA, I decided to eat these raw so that every single drop of flavor could be enjoyed.





Super simple and quick, and miraculously, Taylor really liked it! I was worried that the kale was a little too tough/bitter (I think I should have massaged it for longer) but i thought the honey and lemon dressing went perfectly with the fruit and kale. Definitely hope to make this again!

A FRIDGE OF FLOWERS// Tiffany is getting married tomorrow!

Wedding Prep for Tiff's Wedding started going full force this week. Unfortunately I was in so cal and wasn't able to be there during the work week, but I'm glad I got to the Bay area just in time to help with the flower prep!

TIFFANY'S BACHLORETTE // Adventures in San Diego

We did actually manage to fit in a comedy club, snorkeling, bar hopping in downtown San Diego, eating mexican, ethiopian and bougie breakfast foods, but somehow the simple bike riding on the same path of the beach over and over again was my favorite part of the trip.

Tiff is also just so daing adorable on a bike. I think that has a lot to do with it too, haha...







Group picture! I had such a blast getting to know Sarah and Christine that weekend!

oh... and P.S.
I didn't really get too many pictures of the rest of the trip (I always feel self- conscious lugging my camera around), but if you are curious to see what we did at night, here's a little peak at what we made Tiff walk around in while bar hopping in downtown SD on Saturday night!