Life this Week

(Long time no post here)

This week was very hectic. I had alot to do. At my work, we had a new marketing intern Yi Chiu from TW and she is cool. She is doing a MASTERS here in Boston and hails from Taipei. She is awesome as she let me borrow ===Concerto Love (aka Nodame Cantabile ---original Japanese title) but with Chinese Subs! She told me she went to Justin's concert last Tuesday night and Pink was the opening act. I read on TV Guide that Justin's second SNL appearance is repeating on SNL Saturday, FEB 17! I hate the half hour cut off version by E!. So I guess I should check this episode out.
Last weekend I met up with RS (friday) who is a transplant from Chicago. Her first name is named after the hot dog vendor who was her dad's fave when he was getting his graduate degree at U CHI. But her brother gets a regular name. We went to Z Square Lounge and it is in the heart of Harvard Square. We noshed on two appetizers to share and then had dessert. We got the crab cake (one big one) for $12 and a chicken salad. To save room for dessert, I got the chocolate bread pudding (a decent serving) and she got the chocolate brownie. We walked into some rain from Harvard to Porter.
Then I met up with TK and went to her and her bro's home to hang out and catchup.
Saturday, it started out cold (both days were cold) and I went to usher at the museum (now back to ushering). I caught ten minutes of the sci-fi "Lost in Space" Russian film and just had to wander the MFA. I caught the Fashion Photography side exhibit and went to visit the main Fashion Show exhibit and really watched the DIOR show. I really enjoyed it. Then I grabbed the T (I decided to get the Link Pass for the month a whopping $59 but you get both T and bus so I guess not as bad better than combo price before) and met up with Jae Hee at Harvard Square. We went to Bartleys Burger and I got the George Bush (not for the name but two patties, with bbq, cheese and sweet potatoe fries and we got a cobb salad. (Boy alot of food to share and then some!). I used the last of my cash.
Then we caught (perfect timing at 3pm) at Harvard Square theater "Dream Girls". Now I know what all the fuss is about Eddie Murphy and Jennifer Hudson. Boy Eddie Murphy just sparkled in his role as Johnny Early. He killed it. Jae Hee enjoyed it even though her English is not so great. It helped there were a ton of musical numbers. Since we got out at 5pm, I decided we should hit BURDICKS which makes european style hot chocolate and hand makes their chocolates with no molds (so last no longer than a few days in terms of freshness). I recommended the smallest size (demi $2) for her and myself. Then we ordered two pieces of cake (decadent---bday cake and an Austrian cake). Both sweet one with chocolate cake with raspberry filling and the other with cream and vanilla cake with the total being $11. (We were able to find a table). Then I decided to show her Porter Square. Very tiny but something to show here where the local Japanese go to eat and get videos and munchies. I did get some stuff for my folks at City Sports. I always worry about their safety. So I got some stuff so when they walk around in the snow and ice, they won't fall down so easily. I worry about them. They are relatively young but their health is not always so great.
I caught an interesting period movie that I will talk about in another entry. Afterwards I do stay up to make some baked goods, my new fave things to make are mini green tea muffins!
Sunday--I get up and usher again. I tend to do alot of ushering in spurts plus I am making up for not ushering in January. I share some muffins. Then I head over to GARI (my second time) and my friend is late. I decide to indulge in the New York Style sashimi (four pieces of very fresh sashimi over a bed of inoki mushrooms drizzled with some cool oils). Even the seaweed salad is pretty topped with a taro chip and mini flower and the vinigarette is very nice and not too overpowering. When my friend SN arrives, I am stoked. She got me a framed copy of the Harvard employee newspaper article when we first me each other years ago. She is like a big sis to me! We hang out and she also gives me some chocolates. I hand over muffins, PC of Changdeok gung and we just catch up and reminisce. I get the lunch special $13 when it comes it out on a big white plate it is pretty. But not as a great value as Fugakyu's which is a buck or two more.
Afterwards, I get a ride to the PRU to meet up with Jae Hee and we hang out. I go to the "Hey Let's GO" Superbowl Sunday event and see my buds Jade and our friend SChin. Jade saved some cookies she made in DEC while I was touring Japan and Seoul. Boy were these cookies delectable! Thanks a million Jade! Then I do head for a little bit to Hee Won's Super Bowl party. I meet some of their friends and kids. I have some conference calls. I sit in on them.
My highlight is seeing my friend's hubby Joe get all excited when Prince did NOT sing the songs he said he would not sing so he won the BET portion with his siblings about $200 bucks. But I guess his friendly bets with his siblings made the Colts and Bears game more interesting with the Colts eventually winning with MVP Peyton Manning getting his first Superbowl Ring and accolades befitting his USA football heritage. Later we figure out how to get Jae Hee back home (which by car is not so bad).
Monday---Work with the intern she is quiet by very nice. She just got a project to do some research. Luckily she has a laptop to use our WIFI. Amazing with technology and having a wifi connection. After work, I meet up with MPK and TK for dinner at my fave HELMAND. I adore this place for tis Kaddo, Banjan, Chowpan. Plus they loved the oven baked bread, three different spices the dessert choice I made. All in all a very SUCCESSFUL meal again! Monday night is the coldest. My fingers and hand were numb and red after 1 minute being exposed in the cold while chatting with my bro (temp in the teens).
Etienne sparked some interesting internal thoughts with his entry today (as he is a day ahead). It was involving family and expectations. Also how family members will use their kids lives to relive what they could or did not do. But the talk about varying levels of love is true. You have familial, friends and to others. Some deep rooted feelings long surpressed emerged after some 'free writing' in response.
Tues---Another day with the intern and we chat about life she tells me she is attending Justin's concert. Truth be told, I figure he is a good performer and must be great to catch live, she is going in a group that night. (later she told she was at the concert for 4 hours and did not get home til 1am!).I head out to show my friend's Eastie digs to a potential renter. I have to race back home to have a conference call to coordinate a leadership retreat in Philly.
Wed--Quiet day as my boss is out all day at training. I learning more process stuff for annual meetings and creating docs for agendas and using Yahoo Finance too. It is interesting. After work, go to "Yet Ding Ho" with the folks for early Chinese New Year with HF. As my mom says, needs "Ho yee tao" something with good meaning. The place is on Tyler and has pretty good food. For the whole meal with tip rounded out to be $100 for 5 people with 5 dishes majority seafood! Seafood soup, empress chicken (hands down one of the best and it is NOT soy sauce chicken), Jok Yee (steamed with scallion, ginger and soy), stirfried clams and black bean sauce, Jok yee bo (pot baked fish with veggies) and we got a complimentary bowl of "hong dao saw" red bean soup. I gave my folks the stuff I bought last weekend and a calendar of Chinese painting in a calendar from Yun Bing during Kang Xi's reign during the Qing Dynasty.
*Watch a boring Taiwanese movie I later found out won some accolades at Film Festival . (HOHUM!)
Ok I learned what an enema is today. The thing that made me laugh hysterically was the positioning of the people on the box. Or as one position my mom calls "the salute".
THU---Work the contractor renovating the work space Wendy rocks. I like her energy and spunk. The hallway painting is done and not bad. But next is the offices and I am dreading being swathed in paint fumes and having so hardships doing my job business as usual. My friend JSV called and had a bridesmaids dilemma.
I have to meet up with the guy who I met on Tuesday night wants to rent my friend's place. He is doing a consulting gig in Back Bay which is perfect, as I rarely dine in Back Bay the same night with a treasured and dear friend and mentor DW. I drop off the keys, get the signed contract. Then I head to 33 Stanhope for 33 Restaurant which has an option to have the $33 prefixe (with the only choice being the middle or second course between chicken or tilapia. The amuse buche was nice, chicken lumpia. The soup with crab croquette was delicious. I enjoyed my tilapia over a bed of different grains and I loved my friend's chicken with bits of gravy and sausage. We both thought the peach cobbler a bit overwhelming and too sweet. But to try it, it did take a long time to come out! After two hours later, we parted ways. I got home and caught my fave shows.
Yes I only caught 10 minutes of Ugly Betty but I love that show. As for Grey's it is the first episode of a 3 episode arc starting with the Ferry Accident.
All the while I had to juggle rsvps for an event for my alma mater I am planning this weekend in Harvard Square. Plus I have the minutes for meeting I am delinquent in doing (I typed them up but had to edit but just no time to edit with no computer to do it at home).
Tonight I talked to a good friend who I miss alot who I first had a meal with at Helmand. She had some thoughts on things and I hope I helped her straighten them out. My sis says I do well on the advice part as I am 1) non judgemental 2) will listen 3) give sound advice being an outsider.
Friday (today) work is busy with the two file cabinets finally arriving. I am learning the innerworkings of MGPro. It is amazing what information you can get just by inputting some stuff. I prep paperwork and the processes for my boss. I stay later to get stuff needed to be done.