Boek from the block

Stephanie: I just found out my friend from Italy is in Brooklyn right now. Too bad you're not going there! I'd hook it up. Bros are in the mafia though so maybe it's better not. 

Watch out, Williamsburg! She's back!

Dropping off Lorraine at the Woodbridge VRE station. The girl is on her way home to William & Mary after a two month stint in Peru. I've missed Lorraine. She's Pa's best friend, essentially my second little sister. 

Hello, New York. I have come here to eat.

Poussin, sweet corn, fattoush without the pita (Shaun had eaten it all before Auntie Ouma could make the salad), this green sauce of fresh herbs, lemon juice, and anchovies, and this lovely effervescent wine that they brought back from Spain. 

This was the dinner of my first, and hopefully many, weekend eating trips. I'd like to go on eating trips with all of you. We can do the sightseeing thing, the relaxing vacation thing, the explore the area thing, hobknob with the locals thing, shop 'til we drop thing, all of that. It'll be fun, I will photograph, and get a chance to exercise those writing muscles. Hooray!

I hailed a New York cab by myself for the first time tonight. It was thrilling in the “vina, you have been in plenty of cabs, this is not new, oh hush I am alone and carrying luggage, and Penn Station is loud and boisterous, and all of this is exciting” way. I am now going to shower and go to bed, for tomorrow I will be lunching at Eataly. I do, however, have the afternoon and evening free and, though some of that time is earmarked for writing the book, I would love to hang out with the New York folk. Holler at your girl. 

Side note, I have decided to go to Spain next year. To eat.

total brag status right here.

me: oh look, here's the list of what I'll be doing for my new job.
Justin: marketing multimedia maven. Your job description is alliterated? Man, the universe loves you.
me: :)

I'll take you there.

Did I tell you that Steph and I saw Mavis Staples/Andrew Bird a couple weeks ago?
More on it later, but I just wanted to tell you that Mavis Staples is so cute.
She winked and called me baby when I shook her hand.
I just want to put her in my pocket.

New job, I think I love you.

Now I get to design with food for a living, not just for funsies.

I'm around.

Layout is done. Grids are established, gutters are set. I'm just writing at this point. It's all coming together nicely. (I just rubbed my hands together like some kind of supervillain hatching a plan)

These next two weeks are crazy busy what with finishing my book, job orientation, New York, music shows, and that one class I hate. I'll be happy when the dust has settled a little bit.

Side note, I'm seeing these cats soon. This excites me.

I was all excited when I saw the subject line until I saw who sent it to me.

Oh well, at least Ulta cares about my cosmetic well-being.

I've been trying, trying, trying, trying, trying, trying

to finish the book.
wish me luck, kids.

This is my dad's Facebook profile photo.

ah-heh-heh.

hey buddies!

I just wanted to pop in and say a quick hello. I've been crazy busy these past few weeks working on my book and sneaking off to the beach and music shows when I can. My new job (oh yeah, I have to tell you about that sometime) starts next month. I might go to New York for a weekend. All the things.

Miss you guys, hope everyone's doing ok. Let's talk soon.

vina

(photo via my telephone of the peach lemonade I made while waiting for the summer heat to dissipate.)

book cover, first draft

thoughts appreciated.

No longer at the Top of the World

Stephanie: Chumbawumba broke up. So sad. lulz.

I like it when my cover and profile photos match.

I would have more photos if I had thought of it sooner. Ah, well.

why don't we steal away

I'm on it, Robbie Dupree.

via pink robot boogaloo (whose living room dance breaks make me so happy)

the only beer I truly like, plus some incomprehensible drivel about alcohol

I am not overly fond of beer, unless it will complement my meal. German or Mexican food? Ok. I'll drink beer with some weiner schnitzel or fish tacos (especially if I get to put a lime wedge in my Bohemia.)

This peach lambic is the only beer that excites me. Oh, and that raspberry one from Stephanie's house with the nice label. That one too. 

And I don't care what you say, Rossmeissl. This beer is not bitter. Every other beer is bitter. It's why I don't like beer. Except this one. 

As a side note, if we are continuing this discussion of libations, my drink of choice to order in a bar is a vodka soda. I also very much enjoy vodka grapefruit (sometimes hold the vodka). I like hard ciders, that Crispin one is delightful, I paired it with that baked potato/bacon/grilled cheese sandwich that one time. 

At dinners, I like wine. I prefer reds, unless you present me with a chilled white on a hot day, then it is on like Donkey Kong. 

I sound like a total alchie right now. Please do not judge me.

It's been a long day and I don't know why I'm rambling about alcohol. All I wanted to do was post this photo and say that it's the only beer I like. 

OKBYE.

when I said goodbye

I mean, my goodness.

Monday evening

sounds like: Donald Glover's Weirdo, Pink Robot Boogaloo music, and my new business writing professor talking a mile a minute about existentialism. It's like three classes rolled in one. Wonderful.

tastes like: strawberry smoothie and salty/sweet granola and the best chicken cobb sandwich which was probably extra tasty since I was damn hungry by the time I ate lunch.

feels like: “Sure, I got this” versus “Nooooooo, I have so much to doooo, whyyyyyy?!”

smells like: humidity.

photo via Pure Awesomeness

GMU Transportation Fair poster

As if I didn't have enough on my plate with a business philosophy writing course, writing/designing my book, and designing for the Office of Sustainability, I've now started designing for the Office of Transportation. Check out this poster I did for their upcoming transportation fair. I quite like it, aside from having to add a QR code which no one ever uses.