New Blog!

I'm collaborating on a new blog with my friends Martin and Debbie.

It's a cooking blog: http://saucysexpots.blogspot.com/ !!

Some background: I graduated recently and now I'm back at Smith College in the graduate program, studying education. My friends Martin and Debbie are moving to Kyushu and Hokkaido, Japan.

The cooking blog is a way for us to stay connected, and laugh at each other as we figure out life on our own and the impossibilities associated with it (cooking).

4th of July

I've finally started my Masters of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program here at Smith College. It's nice to be back, but I can't say that it's great to have to take classes/ work in the middle of the summer. Especially when it's the hottest summer I've seen in my lifetime. And I'm living in a school dorm. On the top floor. Without AC.

Martin came to visit me for the last time before he leaves for Japan in late July. We spent the fourth together and then went to see fireworks with Mike, who is staying in Amherst until he leaves for Japan next week:

Our Okinawa vacation group....Reunited! <3 <3

My first time seeing a smiley face firework :0

Plum Island

Plum Island was so nice. I spent a couple of nights there with my mom's side of the family. We stayed in this electric flamboyantly colored house:

There was a terrible view of a trailer and old boat, but at least we could see the ocean. What's better, is that the beach was within 5 minutes walking distance.

Vacation with Martin and Debbie

Good times :)

NYC

My friend Dianna (from school) recently moved to New York City following graduation, and she invited me down to her house for the weekend. We celebrated her 22nd birthday!

It was my first time going to NYC on my own. Even though I live in Albany, I've only been to New York with my mom, or with my high school cross country/ track teams whenever we had meets. 

This time I got to experience the city with friends, it it was definitely more fun. We did karaoke, ate good food, got temporarily lost in central park, etc:

One of the things Dianna really wanted to do for her birthday was go to the "Little Shop of Crafts." I love crafting so was looking forward to going. Unfortunately, I couldn't paint any ceramic pieces, but I ended up painting a birdhouse for a Father's Day gift.

The shop itself was OK. It was cool inside and you could BYOB. We brought some wine. It felt a little weird drinking with all the kids around, but they kind of just ignored us and we minded our own business. The pieces the shop had for sale were expensive, but we were able to get a reduced price with a deal from Groupon.

That night, we went out for dinner and came back for dessert clafouti that Dianna's sister made for her birthday. It was so heavenly. I'll have to try making this myself!

Graduation

Illumination Night