Why I'm Going Pescetarian

Happy New Year!  I wouldn't categorize this as a resolution, per se, but I decided to become a pescetarian beginning in 2014.  I've been flirting with the idea of becoming some sort of vegetarian for many months, and have gradually reduced the amount of meat I was consuming in 2013.  By the end of the year, my meat consumption was rather infrequent; I hadn't purchased meat to cook at home in months, and mostly opted for vegetarian options when eating out.

I could have continued in this "flexitarian" state, but I decided that I wanted to commit to something more specific.  There are a number of reasons why someone might choose to reduce or eliminate their consumption of animal products, but these are the reasons that most motivate me:

• Environmentalism: Factory farming is a major source of pollution, and is not environmentally sustainable. Many of my lifestyle choices are intended to combat environmental waste and pollution, such as not owning a car, taking public transit, supporting local agriculture, and recycling and reusing whenever possible.
• Humane Treatment of Animals: Everything I've learned about how animals are treated in factory farms is very disconcerting.  I don't like the idea of being a part of an industry that treats animals so cruelly, restricting their movement and pumping them full of odd things to maximize profit.
• Health: A vegetarian diet has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer.  It's also been linked to maintaining a healthy weight level and longer lifespan.  Yes, please!
• Solidarity: A number of the people in my life whom I most love and respect are vegetarian.  I want to join their ranks.

Pescetarian means that I still eat fish and shellfish, but don't eat other meat.  Also, I'm still eating dairy, eggs, and insect byproducts--sorry, bees, but honey is too delicious!  I'm choosing to continue to eat seafood because it is possible to access sustainable options, and gives me more choices when eating out.  Also, seafood is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, iron, and protein.  I highly recommend the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch pocket guides (and app), which identify which fish are the most sustainable choices.

The most challenging obstacle I've encountered as I've consciously reduced my animal consumption has been how many things have sneaky animal byproducts in them.  Gelatin is hiding in many more foods than just marshmallows and Jell-o.  Cheese is often made from animal rennet.  Refried beans usually have lard.  White sugar is processed using bone char.  I'm not going to completely cut out these byproducts, mostly because it's extremely challenging to do so, but I'm definitely going to seek out alternatives whenever possible.

I definitely have a lot more research to do around this topic, much of which I'm hoping will make its way into future blog posts.  For example, I want to learn more about the confusing array of egg options I see at the grocery store.  If anyone has recommendations of good books, documentaries, or websites about vegetarianism, please share!  I don't intend to be preachy about my decision to become pescetarian, but I do want to share my experiences in making this change, and engage in conversations about our food choices.

Stir-Fry-Crazy

Confession: until recently, I had no idea how to stir-fry.  You'd think it be simple, what with the primary instructions being right there in the name, but I had no idea what to do.  My family never make it growing up, so I had no experience making it.  I'm fairly adventurous in my cooking as an adult, but somehow stir-fry never made it into my repertoire.

Thankfully, I have finally figured out how to make stir-fry this year, through a helpful combination of watching Alan make it and researching recipe variations.  It turns out, my main barrier to stir-fry was that I very much prefer to follow recipes, but stir-fry is more of a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants "What do I have in the fridge" type of cooking experience.  What has finally pushed me over the edge into more confident stir-fry territory is trial and error combined with the impetus to figure out what to do with all of the delicious CSA box veggies that Alan and I receive every two weeks.

The one thing I haven't figured out yet is how to fry tofu.  Any advice from more experienced folks out there?  I can't get it crispy!  I suspect part of the issue is that my pans all heat rather unevenly, but surely there's some trick I'm missing.

What are your favorite things to stir-fry together?  I'd love some recipes to try!  For example, here's the stir-fry I made tonight, inspired by my CSA box.  I really liked the leeks--they're so sweet, and yet give it that onion-y flavor.

CSA Stir-Fry

Ingredients
1/2 block extra firm tofu, in 1/4-inch slices
4 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 leek, chopped
5 small carrots, chopped
1 broccoli head, chopped
2 baby bok choy, chopped (separate stems and leaves)
2 tsp. minced garlic
Ground ginger, to taste
Chili powder, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
2 tbsp. soy sauce

Instructions

1. Slice tofu into 1/4-inch slices and fry in 2 tbsp. of vegetable oil, 3-5 minutes on each side on medium heat.  Remove from pan.  Or, seriously, talk to someone else about how to do this more successfully, and then let me know what you find out.

2. Add 2 more tbsp. of vegetable oil and toss in sliced leeks (1/4-inch should do) and garlic.  Fry for a couple of minutes over medium-high heat.

3. Add carrots, broccoli, and bok choy stems, all chopped into bite-size pieces.  Season with ginger and chili powder and fry for 3 minutes (until it begins to lose its crispiness).

4. Add bok choy leaves and 1/2 cup of water.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until water has evaporated and veggies are tender.

5. Add the tofu back to the pan, along with soy sauce.  Add black pepper to taste, and serve with rice.

In conclusion, look at my adorable squirrel rice scoop!

Mrs. Boucher's Snickerdoodles

Alan brilliantly suggested baking cookies this weekend.  When he asked what my favorite cookies are, I immediately responded, "Snickerdoodles!"  My family has an old recipe for them that we've been using since my dad's childhood, when he got the recipe from his kind neighbor, Mrs. Boucher.  She had him start to write out the recipe in his child's handwriting, and then helped him out to write the rest of the directions.  I love that my mom still pulls out the soft, worn, ripped sheets of paper to reference the recipe.

So, when Alan and I decided that we were going to make snickerdoodles, I immediate texted my mom to ask for the recipe, because no other would do!  We were entertained that my iPhone wanted to autocorrect to "snicker doodles," which we imagined to be excessive chortling while drawing.

I love cooking and baking with Alan, because we somehow always manage to break down laughing over something silly, and the results are always tasty.  This was a particularly exciting baking experience because we got to use his fancy stand mixer--so jealous!

I was pleased with how our snickerdoodles turned out, just as good as the ones from my childhood (and, my father's childhood).  We had to experiment with the baking time a little to get the chewiness just right--too much, and they get crunchy; too little, and they are still doughy inside.  Then again, I'm a little picky about cookie consistency, tending to prefer cookies on the chewy/doughy side.

I hope you try out this recipe!  The cinnamon will make your kitchen smell decidedly autumnal.  Mrs. Boucher's recipe requires no alterations, but some clarifications of my own are included in parentheses.

Snickerdoodles for Dale from Mrs. Boucher

Mix together thoroughly...
1 C. soft shortening
1 1/2 C. sugar
2 eggs

Sift together and stir in...
2 3/4 C. sifted flour
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. (baking) soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Chill dough (1 hour).

Roll into balls the size of small walnuts (1-2 tbsp., depending on how big a cookie you prefer).

Roll in mixture of 2 tbsp. sugar and 2 tsp. cinnamon. (Trader Joe's organic sugar is a little too coarse for this; you'd be better off with a more finely granulated sugar to get it to stick well.)

Bake 2 inches apart on an ungreased sheet.  Bake till lightly brown but still soft.

400° - 8-10 minutes - 5 dozen snickerdoodles.

A Lenten Commit-meat

Happy Mardi Gras, faithful readers!

Enveloped in a busy couple of months of setting up my new apartment, fervent grant writing, and dutiful studying for the bar exam, I confess I have neglected my dear blog.  So, I thought I'd stop in and offer a few reflections as I prepare for this season of Lent.

This year, I have decided to give up meat.  The last time I gave up meat for Lent was my freshman year of college.  It was a significant experience for me on a number of levels.  Spiritually, I had a reminder multiple times per day of my dependence on God.  Personally, I learned a lot about nutrition and how to make healthy choices for myself.  Deliciously, I discovered hummus.

After going 40 days without meat, I didn't feel a particular desire to become a vegetarian, but it did challenge my childhood conditioning that a meal has to be centered around meat.  To this day, I don't eat very much meat--probably most often when I go out to eat, or am home with my family.

An additional inspiration for giving up meat this year is my boyfriend, Alan, who is a vegetarian.  (Hi, Alan!)  We've been sharing a lot of meals, even cooking some together, so it will dovetail nicely, providing me with some extra encouragement.

I will also be taking on some spiritual practices during Lent.  I plan on praying the Rosary each evening, because my prayer life has been a little lackluster lately.  I also want to read at least one of the Catholic books sitting on my shelf--possibly The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything by Fr. James Martin.  You might recognize the name if you're a regular viewer of The Colbert Report, as Fr. Jim is the chaplain of the Colbert nation.  Indeed, he was on the program just last night, discussing the resignation of the Pope:

The Colbert Report
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What are you giving up for Lent?

Deserting Desserts

Lent is my favorite liturgical season.  It is a very effective impetus for changing day-to-day habits in a way that brings me closer to God.  I've been pondering many different Lenten disciplines...  Over the past few years, I've given up meat, coffee, and even elevators, I've prayed the Rosary daily, I've read Scripture daily, I've fasted weekly, and I've tried focusing on a different virtue for each day of the week.  The past few years have been more abstract, but I think this Lent, I'd like to return to the classic Lenten practice abhorred by children everywhere: giving up desserts.

Alibi will help me by guarding the fridge.

Living on my own, desserts haven't been a major issue.  It's simple: if you don't buy them, then you don't eat them.  But, now that I'm living with my family, there is constant temptation!  Chocolates, ice cream, cakes, cookies, pastries...  There is always something sweet in our kitchen, and I have not been employing much self-control.  So, I will be using this Lent to reign in that lack of discipline, and focus instead on the sweetness of prayer.  What better dessert for a meal than prayer?  To complement giving up desserts, I plan on praying the Rosary each evening this Lent.

A couple of caveats on giving up desserts.  First, I will not be practicing this discipline on Sundays.  Traditionally, Sundays "don't count" as a part of Lent, because one does not fast when the bridegroom is present.  So, desserts are allowed on Sundays, but not to excess.  Second, birthday cake on a family member's birthday is allowed.  My dad and my brother both have birthdays during Lent this year, and I want to be able to celebrate with them.  But otherwise, no desserts!

I'll be using some discretion as to what counts as a dessert. Sweet breakfast foods are strangely ambiguous.  I think a good demarcation is icing/frosting.  So, no donuts, but some muffins; no filled croissants, but plain ones; no coffee cakes, but some breakfast breads...  Basically, if I would feel guilty about it, I won't eat it.

What are you giving up for Lent this year?

For My Money

Being unemployed, it is a fun little form of escapism to think about how I want to spend money when I have some.  I'm not all that wrapped up in consumerism, but I do have some desires.  Here are a few big-ticket items on my wish list, in no particular order:

• A car.  As I was just discussing with Shauna, as long as I remain in suburbia, I think this has to be my next big purchase.  It doesn't have to be big, or fast, or even all that pretty.  Decent fuel efficiency would be nice.  It cannot be red.
• A DSLR.  I have a lot of fun with my little Canon PowerShot SD1300IS, and even with my iPhone in a pinch, but I know my photography will never reach its full potential until I have a better camera.
• A KitchenAid stand mixer.  My mom has one, and it makes baking magical.  Perhaps some day she'll upgrade to the larger model, and I will inherit her old cobalt blue one?  If not, majestic yellow and boysenberry are happy colors.
• A kitty condo.  The kittens quickly outgrew their 2-foot tall scratching post/hammock.  I cannot wait to have the room for a 6-foot tall tower for them to climb (hopefully in lieu of my bookcases).
• An iMac and an iPad.  These will be my next major technology purchases.  I think I'd like to transition from a laptop to a desktop computer, because the big screen is so fantastic, and I don't need to lug a laptop all over the place now that I'm done with school.  Plus, by supplementing it with an iPad, I would still have the option of mobility for basic computing needs.

Actually, now that I look at this list, I realize that I forgot to mention travel.  Perhaps I'll do a different post about the places I want to visit.  In addition, here are some smaller splurges that I would enjoy on occasion:

• Things I don't need from Etsy.  Oh, there are so many things.  Stationery, art, decorations, jewelry, cat collars, bags...
• Cultural enrichment.  I miss D.C.'s free museums and $10 tickets to the National Symphony Orchestra a lot.  Alas, the San Francisco Symphony is far more expensive.  I'd also like to attend more plays, musicals, and museums.
• Random ingredients.  I would love to have a fully stocked pantry of obscure spices.  There are dozens of new recipes that I want to try.
• Throwing dinner parties.  I really enjoy having friends over for a home-cooked meal, some good wine, and hilarious conversations.
• Books for my Kindle.  There is so much reading that I want to do.

I also like to think about where my charitable contributions will go when I have an income.  My heart always sinks when I am not able to give very much to:

• The Paulist Fathers.  Newman Hall at Berkeley was a place of profound formation for me as a Catholic.  I would love to do more to support their ministries.
• The Leadership Award.  I received this scholarship from the Cal Alumni Association three times, and it was a huge help.  I have donated time by grading application essays and interviewing applicants, but I want to help out financially as well.
• The Alzheimer's Association.  My grandmother passed away last year after suffering from Alzheimer's for years.  I intend to fight this disease by supporting the research and programs of the Alzheimer's Association.
• The Equal Justice Foundation.  EJF funded all of my summer internships while at Georgetown Law.  I want to support the next generation of public interest law students.
• All of the non-profits where I've worked/volunteered.  It will be great to give back to HomeBase, the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless, the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley, and the Center for Gender & Refugee Studies.

What is on your wish list?  Which charities do you like to support?

Amanda's Apple Butter

My mom has a deep love for apple butter, but the stores stopped carrying her favorite brand, Mary Ellen, a long time ago.  So, back in October, I tried my hand at making my own apple butter.  The one caveat: my mom does not like apple cider--she finds it too tart--which is a common ingredient in the apple butter recipes that I found.  After reading dozens of variations on the recipe, I decided on a simple combination of apples, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground cloves.  My mom loved it, and I knew I had to make more.

My mom was in heaven!

You may be wondering what one can do with apple butter.  It is very versatile.  Apple butter is great on toast in the morning, as a peanut butter and apple butter sandwich, in an apple and brie sandwich, as a glaze for pork or chicken, on vanilla ice cream, as a filling for jelly rolls, as a base layer for apple tarts, as a dip for graham crackers...  Creativity is encouraged!

This Christmas, I have decided to learn how to properly can my apple butter to give it away as gifts.  To ensure that I wasn't giving people botulism for Christmas, I did some research online, and even checked out some canning books from the library. I learned that apple butter--indeed, all fruits with sufficient acidity--can be safely processed in a water bath, rather than going through the hassle of using a pressure canner.  Boiling temperature will destroy most bacteria, yeasts, and molds in acidic foods like apple butter, and the pH level is low enough to prevent spore growth.  If you're looking for a comprehensive guide to safe canning, the USDA has a fantastic PDF, the Complete Guide to Home Canning.

In order to prepare and can the apple butter, you will need the following supplies:

Crock pot
Immersion blender (or blender)
Mason jars (I used 4 ounce jars)
Wide mouth funnel
Large pot (for the water bath)
Dish towels
Jar lifter tongs

Including chopping up all the apples, and canning, this recipe takes 19 hours from start to finish.  I recommend getting up before dawn to get started, so that you aren't up too late canning.  Or, start in the evening right before bed, so that you can wake up and add the spices in the morning.  Just don't time things poorly like I did my first time: I had to set an alarm for two o'clock in the morning to blend and jar my apple butter!

Gratitude

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  This was my first time being home for Thanksgiving in three years, so it meant a lot to me.  It was also my first Thanksgiving without my Nana, and her absence was felt, but I'm thankful that she's in a better place.  I enjoyed spending the day cooking with my mom.  In addition to all of our traditional dishes, we tried something new: mini pumpkin pies baked in cupcake tins!  They were incredible, and will definitely be a new tradition for us.

My family and I went around and named some of the things for which we are thankful this year.  It was a positive exercise for me, especially since I'm still coming to terms with my bar exam results.  Here are some of the things I mentioned:

• Going to Jamaica for my human rights fact-finding mission
• My experience as managing editor of the Poverty Journal
• The Catholic community at Georgetown Law
• Graduating from law school
• My new kittens
• My iPhone, which connects me with so many people I love
• My friends in DC, who are doing a great job of keeping in touch
• The support of so many friends during and after the bar exam
• Having a family willing and able to take me in during my bar exam studies and un(der)employment

That last line is the most significant for me.  I have been graced with the luxury of being able to wait for the right job opportunity, and to focus on my bar exam studies.  Despite the bumps in the road that I've faced this year, overall I am extremely blessed.

I got some good news from Georgetown: they're willing to extend my stipend to work with the Center for Gender & Refugee Studies!  So, although today was supposed to be the last day of my three-month fellowship at CGRS--indeed, they took me out for a delicious farewell lunch of Burmese food* yesterday--I will actually be working 24 hours per week through the end of December.  I'm glad to be able to do a little more work with CGRS, because there are so many interesting projects going on.

Also, I really appreciate how flexible they are about my work schedule.  In light of my three-hour roundtrip commute, they have agreed to let me telecommute exclusively for the month of December.  So helpful, not only to save time, but also money.  (Caltrain and Bart have been running me $22 per day roundtrip, ouch!)  I wish I could stick around longer, but Barbri classes start up again on January 2nd, so I'm trying to avoid working during my bar prep.

Speaking of the bar, my supervising attorney had a great talk with me yesterday, during which she revealed to me that she, too, had to take the bar exam twice.  As she and I have a lot in common--Georgetown Law alumnae, straight through from a Pac 12 state school, human rights fact-finding mission, certificate in Refugees and Humanitarian Emergencies--it was very reassuring to hear that she had been successful during the February administration, and went on to find public interest employment in her field of choice.  I have been blessed with so many encouraging, supportive supervising attorneys in my past legal jobs, and CGRS is no exception.

*I had never had Burmese before, and it is fantastic!  I love the Indian and Thai influences.  I had coconut chicken noodle soup and tea leaf salad.  So good.  I want to try my hand at a coconut milk-based soup, now.  Check out Burmese Kitchen if you find yourself with a hankering for Burmese food in the middle of the Tenderloin.

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

Last month, I discovered Pinterest.  It is a fantastic diversion.  I love to browse all of the recipes, craft ideas, apartment decorating, colors, adorableness...  The emphasis on the visual makes my eyes happy.  Incidentally, you can follow me here.

Lately, there has been an impressive array of October-related pins on Pinterest.  Autumn is my favorite season, and I grew up in a household that celebrated Halloween with as much gusto as Christmas, so I am very enthusiastic about October, with its pumpkins, cats, owls, and witches.  Pumpkin, in particular, brings me much joy.  So, when I ran across a pin for pumpkin spice cupcakes, I knew it had to happen.

The biggest challenge about this recipe?  Finding canned pumpkin!  Apparently, there is some sort of pumpkin crisis afoot.  I scoured Safeway for a good twenty minutes before asking a manager, who told me that Safeway has been out of canned pumpkin for two months because it is stockpiling it for Thanksgiving.  I had a hard time keeping a straight face as he told me this with an acute sense of conspiratorial urgency.  Leaving Safeway, I thought to myself, there is no way that Trader Joe's has a corporate contingency plan that involves the stockpiling of canned pumpkin in the event of a crisis.  Sure, enough, I was able to find plenty of organic pumpkin at Trader Joe's.  Panic setting in at the thought of TJ's stock running low, I found myself compulsively buying three cans.

The other reason I wanted to make cupcakes was to use my lovely Halloween cupcakes wrappers with owls and ravens, which I found at Michael's:

The recipe is simple enough.  After extensive research, I chose my favorite recipes from two different blogs for the cupcakes and the frosting, and they paired quite nicely.

Sugar & Spice Owl Cookies

I have a bookmarks folder for recipes that I want to try.  Since last March, I have been hoping for the right occasion to make Sugar & Spice Owl Cookies (which I learned about via My Owl Barn).  Well, when I learned about the potluck to wish farewell to Amanda J., who is a smartypants starting an MPH program at Boston University this fall, I knew this was my chance!

I followed the directions in the recipe link precisely, and they came out wonderfully.  So, I won't rehash the directions here.  However, I did want to post some photographs from the process...

How Now Brown Cow

For years, I've been avoiding yogurt.  I just didn't like the way it tasted, its texture, its smell...  There was no redeeming quality to sustain me through an entire serving.  I was jealous of all of my friends who ate yogurt like it was an amazing treat--why couldn't I be like them?  What was I missing?!

Well, all of that changed last week, when I discovered that my problem was buying the wrong yogurt.  Whenever I had given yogurt a chance in the past, I bought Yoplait, or the grocery store brand.  Last week, however, I found myself in a Sprouts, looking to purchase some vanilla yogurt for a chunky strawberry topper recipe.  Incidentally, Sprouts has a fantastic selection of bulk foods, including over a dozen types of granola.  I recommend their strawberry vanilla hemp granola.

I wanted a container of yogurt with a lid, because the recipe only calls for four tablespoons, and I knew I would be making the recipe repeatedly.  So, I grabbed some Brown Cow nonfat vanilla yogurt, and hoped for the best.

It is delicious!  I licked the spoon after I measured what I needed in my recipe, and I was very pleasantly surprised.  It's different than the other yogurts I have tasted.  The texture is less goopy, and more soupy, which I find far more palatable.  The taste actually brings to mind vanilla, albeit with a tangy finish.  And, when paired with granola and fruit, it provides just the right amount of creaminess and substance to create a great breakfast.

I'm somewhat finicky when it comes to food.  There are a lot of foods on my "ew, gross" list.  It's situations like this that make me glad that I give those foods a second chance.

Do you like yogurt?  What brand, and how do you like to eat it?

Martha Washington's Great Muffins

Saturdays are the only day of the week when I have enough time to make a more elaborate breakfast than coffee and a bagel.  This morning, I decided to bring to life an idea that's been brewing in my head for a little while--Martha Washington's Great Muffins.

As loyal readers will recall, last December I made Martha Washington's Great Cake.  I enjoyed the combination of cranberries, almonds, and orange extract, and wanted to apply the concept to muffins.  Accordingly, I made up the recipe that follows!

Martha Washington's Great Muffins


Ingredients:

• 2 C. Bisquick or other baking mix
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• 1 C. milk
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp. cardamom
• 1/2 C. dried cranberries
• 1/4 C. sliced almonds
• 1/2 tsp. orange extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line muffin pan with paper muffin cups.  (The muffins ended up sticking to the paper cups, so you might be better off greasing the pan instead.  The muffins are definitely still edible in paper cups, but might require a fork.)

2. Combine all ingredients.

3. Distribute batter evenly among twelve muffin cups.

4. Bake 13-15 minutes or until golden brown.

5. Enjoy!  (Or, read on to make it even more delicious...)

When I tried a muffin, I enjoyed the orange-cranberry flavor, but felt that there could have been more cardamom, and maybe a bit of cinnamon or nutmeg.  I also felt that something was missing--somehow, deep down, I was expecting this muffin to be sweeter.  And, that's when it dawned on me that this muffin was basically an unfrosted hot cross bun!  So, I whipped up a little glaze (1/2 C. powdered sugar and 1 tbsp. milk), and here was the result:

Much improved.  Between the muffin sticking to the paper, and the sticky glaze, however, this is definitely a muffin that requires a fork.  Nonetheless, the result was what I had been aspiring to create: a muffin that reminded me of Martha Washington's Great Cake!

March to Victory

I have been working non-stop for the past three weeks!  My human rights fact-finding report on the repatriation of persons with mental disabilities is officially complete--sent it to our graphic designer this morning!--after a ton of work from our amazing group of nine students.  I've been putting in about 25 hours of work per week on the report this month, on top of my full course load, the Poverty Law Journal, the Catholic Student Association (CSA), and searching for a job.  However, I'm energized rather than exhausted.  I love being busy.  Boredom is my worst enemy.  To that end, here are some highlights from the past three weeks...

• I got a very short haircut, which I'm enjoying immensely.  It is so nice to not have hair on my neck!  I told the stylist that I didn't want any hair past my jawline, and she did a great job.
• I did a series of informational interviews with immigration non-profits in the Bay Area while I was in town for Spring Break.  No one was hiring, but I got some good information about what it's like in the field, and about public interest law in general.
• I tried out a delicious, yet simple, sautéed shrimp recipe from my new cookbook, and had Brad and Marie over for dinner.  Yum!
• The CSA had Fr. Ray Schroth, the author of a new biography on Fr. Bob Drinan, come speak at an event.  I enjoyed learning more about Fr. Drinan, and even got a signed copy of the book.
• My journal hosted a symposium on the intersection of legal education and poverty law, which was very successful.
• It started to feel like spring, but then regressed to winter.  Snow in late March?!  I do not approve.
• I did some trash clean-up at Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens, which is so beautiful!  We sorted and bagged over a dozen giant bags of trash and recyclables.  I really wish people would stop littering.

There are many more things that I could talk about: e.g., getting addicted to John Grisham novels, journal bake sale tabling for prisoner literacy, planning the CSA budget, Bluebooking, crashing the Tax Journal's end-of-year party, handing out free St. Patrick's Day cookies, sooo much report editing...  But, I don't want to ramble.

In other news, there are five weeks of classes left, and I graduate in 55 days.  Our human rights report launch is in two weeks, and we have a ton of amazing advocacy meetings lined up with D.C. policy makers.  It's definitely starting to feel like the home stretch, and I'm excited!  Please keep my job search in your prayers--I have an interview this Friday (which I don't want to blog about until after the fact).

Overcoming the Sniffles

I've been battling a terrible cold for nearly a week, bleh.  Nonetheless, I forced myself to get a lot of work done from my bed, and even managed to drag myself out of the apartment for a bit of fun.  (Oh, the wonders of Dayquil!)  I'm feeling somewhat better today, thank goodness.

The human rights fact-finding report is coming along nicely.  After a major restructuring, our second draft is nearly complete.  I love the work that we are doing, and am so excited for our report launch on March 25!  There's a lot of work to be done between now and then, but I'm feeling good about it.

On Friday afternoon, after I got out of a make-up class, I spontaneously decided to go to the movies.  I had been dying to see The King's Speech, so I took the bus over to a somewhat run-down little theatre in Shirlington and watched it.  The theatre was almost empty, which could either be due to everyone on the planet having already seen it, the odd hour of the day (5:30 pm on a Friday is a bit early), or the dilapidated state of the theatre (especially the concessions--cold popcorn and warm soda, yum).  I really enjoyed the movie.  Colin Firth was brilliant, and I loved Geoffrey Rush as Lionel Logue.

I spent most of Saturday sleeping and working, but did manage to go out for a birthday party.  It's a funny story, actually...  For my birthday dinner last September, my dear friend Matthew decided to take an outrageously long bus ride all the way from Boston to attend, because, well, he had the time!  Matthew asked if his friend Camille could also attend, so that he could see her as well during his brief DC visit, and I was happy to have her come--the more, the merrier, as they say.  Well, things did not go exactly as planned, and Matthew's bus was delayed, such that he missed the dinner.  However, Camille made it, and we had a delightful time meeting for the first time at my birthday party!  It was a rather amusing way to meet someone, and we've run into one another since then at a Catholic young adult event in the city.  So, to reciprocate, Camille graciously invited me to her birthday party, which was Saturday night!  It was a costume cocktail party, with delicious hors d'oeuvres and fantastic outfits.  There was a 1920s theme, but I don't own a flapper dress or appropriate flair, so I decided to go as a reporter, which was a great hit!  I made a press pass to tuck into my fedora, and wore a vest and slacks, with a pencil and pad of paper as props.  It was nice to hang out with a bunch of people who weren't law students for an evening...  Sometimes, it's easy to forget that not everyone thinks and acts like a law student.

On Sunday, I pretended that I wasn't sick and went to school for a fact-finding meeting followed by Mass.  Then, I went home and slept and did work until heading over to Brad and Marie's for an Oscar viewing dinner party!  I made Bailey's Dark Chocolate Pudding for dessert, which is amazingly decadent.  Brad and Marie made a wonderful dinner (as always), including bruschetta, a fifteen bean soup, veal, and Brussels sprouts.  One couple who attended the party brought their adorable 10-week-old son, who was wearing a little raccoon onesie--so cute!  It was a lovely evening, and my first Oscar party.  It even made me want to watch more of the movies--especially Black Swan and The Social Network.

This week is going to fly by.  Speaking of flying: on Saturday night, I am flying home to California for Spring Break!  Bay Area kids, let's hang out...

Presidents' Day Caper

With my long weekend for Presidents' Day, and Chris in town, the past few days have felt like a vacation.  Chris has been to DC before, so we were able to do a lot of cool things slightly off the beaten path of tourists, including four things that were on my DC To Do list (at right).

We began our Saturday at the National Archives, and then walked a few blocks to the Old Post Office Tower.  The observation deck afforded us an excellent view of the Capitol from 270 feet:

However, it was extremely windy, with gusts of 50 mph, which was pretty intense:

After lunch, we walked past the White House to the Renwick Gallery.  On our way, we saw part of Saturday's Libyan protest.  At the Renwick Gallery, we perused an eclectic collection of paintings, and saw the Ghost Clock, which is truly incredible:

It looks like a grandfather clock with a sheet draped over it, right?  And yet, it's so much more.  Wendell Castle sculpted this entirely out of wood!  It was so difficult to tell that it wasn't cloth, even when examined closely in person.  Very cool.

We rounded out our Saturday evening at Co Co Sala, a "chocolate lounge and boutique," for a DC Cal Alumni event.  We chatted with older Cal alumni and sampled chocolate cocktails and desserts.  I had an "MMM Melted Milk Martini," which consisted of Svedka Vanilla vodka, Bailey's, and malted chocolate, while Chris tried the "Co Cojito," with chocolate infused vodka, fresh mint and limes, and dark chocolate flakes.  We also had three-course "dessert experiences," which were intense and delicious.  My favorite thing was the "Chocolate Onyx," which was a decadent brownie-like dessert with dark chocolate mousse, vanilla crème brulee, salted caramel, and crispy chocolate pearls.

On Sunday, we attended Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, and walked through the dozens of beautiful side chapels.  We then had an amazing brunch at the historic Old Ebbitt Grill, which is across the street from the White House and has been frequented by a number of presidents and other important DC figures since 1856.  I was blown away by the Grand Marnier French Toast, which was absolutely perfect and delighted me with its hazelnut butter.  Although the wait was half an hour to get in, we were able to sit at the oyster bar and order from the full menu with no wait.

We spent Sunday afternoon at the National Museum of American History, and then attended a free concert at the National Gallery by the Vivaldi Project.  The line to get in was incredible, and I think we were some of the last people allowed in to the limited seating area before they cut off the line.  The theme of the performance was "Venice: Vivaldi and His Rivals."  I have to admit, the Baroque period is not my favorite era of classical music, but I nonetheless enjoyed the opportunity to compare so many composers in one sitting.  My favorite piece was definitely Handel's Trio Sonata no. 7 in F Major.

Monday was Presidents' Day, so we went to Mount Vernon to celebrate George Washington's birthday! I have been to Mount Vernon at least half a dozen times, but every visit brings me additional joy--I am even a card-carrying Friend of Mount Vernon!  For Presidents' Day, Mount Vernon was free to the public, which made for a very crowded plantation.  The opening festivities included Miss America singing the National Anthem, and awesome presentations by the Old Guard Fife & Drum, including military demonstrations:

After we toured the house and the grounds, we returned to the Bowling Green for a "surprise" birthday party for George Washington, organized by Martha Washington and Dr. James Craik (Washington's good friend and personal physician, as well as the Surgeon General of the Army):

The birthday party involved more from the Old Guard Fife & Drum, as well as the presentation of several birthday gifts, such as coral, new spurs, and a cane (which Washington tried, and failed, to insist was merely a walking stick).  Washington and Dr. Craik also taught us the correct lyrics to Yankee Doodle, explaining that the lyrics that we all know are very insulting.

On Tuesday, Chris and I began the day with tour of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing.  It was worthwhile, and we got a preview of the new $100 bill being printed.  Here's Chris with a million dollars in $10 bills:

After the Bureau, we checked out the U.S. Botanic Garden, and had some buffalo for lunch at the Mitsitam Cafe at the National Museum of the American Indian.  We rounded out our exploration with a visit to the National Building Museum, which has a lot of cool exhibits.  Alas, we didn't have much time to see everything, but we did see an exhibit on the design of the World Fairs, and a great little exhibit on LEGO architecture!  There were some great buildings on display, including San Francisco's Transamerica Pyramid:

We also had an opportunity to play with LEGOs at the end of the exhibit.  Chris made an abstract structure, and I was inspired by the Campanile:

All told, I am confident that Chris and I saw more in a weekend than many of my classmates have seen in three years  (see more photos here).  It was a welcome change of pace to take a few days off from work.  There's a lot of work to be done between now and Spring Break in a week and a half, but I'm feeling recharged!

Gallimaufry of Gallivanting

Hey, gang!  It's been a while.  Here are the highlights from the past six weeks...

• It was nice to be home for Christmas with my family.  Christmas presents included a new iPhone 4G (soooo awesome) and a Brian Wilson jersey with a World Series patch.
• My brother Dan and I went to the UC Botanical Garden and roamed the streets of Berkeley.  I hadn't been on campus in ages; it was nice to be back.
• I saw some good friends from high school and Cal, which involved a lot of board games and restaurant outings.  For example, Alan and I played an outrageous game of Scrabble with FOUR bingos, fueled by bottomless cappuccinos at Denny's.
• I spent a week in Kingston, Jamaica, doing human rights research on the deportation of persons with mental disabilities.  It was an extremely productive trip, and I'm really excited to write up the report and do advocacy with my classmates!  Also, Jamaica is beautiful, and I would like to go back soon to actually see the island instead of spending 16 hours a day conducting interviews and typing up notes.
• Classes started.  I'll talk about my schedule in a separate post, but suffice it to say that school is a lot more manageable when one is not also doing an internship.
• I took advantage of DC Restaurant Week by hitting up two delicious restaurants: Acadiana and the Capital Grille.
• Jess and I went to the symphony at the Kennedy Center, and now I am in love with Beethoven's Triple Concerto.  Go listen to it!
• I went to the World of Pets Expo with Jess and her friend Ekat, which was entertaining.  The best animal there was definitely the sugar glider.  Sooo adorable, and completely willing to live in your pocket.  I want one!
• On our way to the expo, we stopped at Sonic, because neither Jess nor I had ever been.  It was delicious.  I am a huge fan of tater tots, and I cannot begin to express the awe-inspiring nature of the Red Velvet Cheesecake Blast.

That's all for now.  I left out the part about me working a lot and staying on campus really late almost every night, but, hey, I'm in law school, so that's implied.

Martha Washington's Great Cake

If you don't already follow it, head on over to Erin's delicious food blog, Pacific Thyme, to read my guest post on Martha Washington's Great Cake!  I was inspired to make it after receiving the recipe during our candlelit tour of Mount Vernon.

Koi Oh Koi

In the right-hand column of my blog, as you can see, I have added many new items to my DC to-do list.  Having covered most of the more obvious DC adventures to be had, my list grows ever more obscure.  Actually, I've already checked off a few of the new items on my list!

For instance, Jess and I had lunch at the Mitsitam Café of the National Museum of the American Indian a couple of weeks ago.  The Native American food is organized by region, and is so delicious!  I opted for the Indian Taco, a dish from the Great Plains region that consisted of buffalo chili on fry bread with pickled chiles and pinto beans, lettuce, tomato and shredded cheese.  Wow, just wow.  First off, fry bread is incredible; it's kind of like naan, but much thicker and softer.  Also, I very much enjoyed the buffalo meat.  It seemed leaner than beef, and the flavor was great in the chili.  After lunch, I explored the museum itself.  I loved the art, and was particularly amazed by the bead work on display.  I bought myself a little owl made from a gourd in the gift shop, which has made a happy little home out of my school locker.

Jess and I had a great time at the National Arboretum yesterday.  Though there were trees aplenty, I was blown away by the koi pond and the bonsai trees.  Here are a few of my favorite photos:

The Arboretum sells koi food from a gum-ball machine dispenser.  For only 25 cents, you can entice dozens of koi to swim right up to you!

Their colors were gorgeous, and some of the koi were huge!

These bonsai trees are incredible.  Some of them are over 350 years old!

My favorites were the bonsai trees that looked like small forests.  This one has its own little path!  As Jess aptly put it, they look like dioramas.

After the Arboretum, we checked off another item on my to-do list by eating French fries with ranch dressing at The Tombs, a popular haunt for Georgetown undergrads.  The fries were just as delicious as they rumors had made them out to be.  The atmosphere of the place is... well, an undergrad bar/restaurant with sticky floors and no windows (because it's in a basement).  Some people tout the place as a great study spot, but I could not see myself getting work done there, even with free wifi.

We rounded out our Saturday afternoon with a spontaneous trip to the National Cathedral.  I had last visited in the spring of my 1L year, so it was nice to visit again.  The stained glass is so beautiful.  The Bishop's Garden seemed a bit small after the Arboretum--right down to its tiny koi pond--but it smelled wonderful, and we loved the little boy who shrieked with unadulterated delight when he got to pet two lovely chocolate brown labrador retrievers.  All in all, Jess and I had a fantastic, relaxing Saturday that renewed our spirits for the inevitable busyness of the week to come.

Three-El

Yesterday, at a happy hour for public interest students, my friend introduced me to someone as a 3L. All summer long, I've been referring to myself as a "rising 3L," which made yesterday a bit of a shock as I realized that 3L year is officially beginning. I'll be done with law school in nine months... Ridiculous.

I flew in to DC on Sunday. Fortunately, Susan (subletter, archivist, and Cal fan extraordinaire) was able to stay in town for a few days so we could spend some time together! On Sunday, we took advantage of Restaurant Week by dining at 701 Restaurant. Our first course was rabbit rillettes with red wine candied hazelnuts, cherries, pea shoots, and grilled baguette. This was my first time trying rabbit; it was pretty tasty, with a subtle taste that wasn't gamey at all.

For our main course, we had bourbon braised lamb shoulder with cornbread crust, sweet onion puree, and green beans. The lamb was so tender that it fell apart on the plate, and melted in my mouth. I wasn't in love with the sweet onion puree, but it worked. The green beans were lightly battered and fried like tempura, which was delicious.

For dessert, I ordered chocolate raspberry tart with vanilla bean sherbert. The tart was the decadent consistency of mousse, which was exactly what I wanted. They had a lovely presentation, with little dots of raspberry sauce all over the place, which I immediately proceeded to destroy in my attempt to give some of my tart to Susan. Amazing though my dessert was, I think Susan's was even better: cornmeal churros with corn ice cream and berry compote. The churros were little fried balls of doughy goodness, wow! If I had a deep fryer, I would definitely figure out how to make them.

On Monday, Susan and I took a trip to Mount Vernon. I love Washington's home so much; to wit, as I have a membership, my ticket called me a "friend of Mount Vernon." We toured the house and surrounding buildings, the tomb, the slave memorial, and then took a stroll to the pioneer farm site. There were a bunch of sheep, displays of different types of fences, crops, and even a 16-sided barn with costumed actors toiling away in what I can only assume was an historically accurate fashion.

When we got back to Arlington, I invested in a Scrabble board--can you believe I didn't have one out here?!--and we drank wine and played Scrabble. We also watched (500) Days of Summer, which is one of my favorite movies (and soundtracks).

On Tuesday, Susan and I went on an adventure to find the post office at L'Enfant Plaza (apparently the Bermuda Triangle of DC), and then went to the West Building of the National Gallery, which houses the classical art. I really enjoyed the Beat Memories gallery, which featured the photographs of Allen Ginsberg. I always think of him as a poet, but he also had a great eye for photography. The bottom of each black-and-white print featured Ginsberg's scrawled notes about the subject of the photo, which were fantastic to read. The photos were all portraits of people he knew from the Beat generation, including Jack Kerouac and William S. Burroughs. Incredible.

Although there were many more things to see in the Gallery, Susan and I decided over lunch that we had art-ed ourselves out, so we changed gears and saw a movie. We saw The Switch, in which a man who is in love with his best friend clandestinely (and drunkenly) switches her artificial insemination donation so that he is the father of her child. It was very interesting to see Jason Bateman's character interacting with his son (played by the delightful 10-year-old Bryce Robinson). Both father and son are similarly neurotic, to great effect.

That night, Susan and I took a three-hour Segway tour of the Mall! I had my reservations about going on the tour, mainly because I always silently ridicule tour groups. (We locals are such snobs about tourists.) In spite of myself, however, I had a blast! Riding a Segway is fantastic. We practiced in an alleyway for a few minutes, and then we were on our way. You control speed by leaning on your toes or heels, and turn by guiding the handles to the left or right (more of a side-to-side motion than a turn, per se). We rode in bike lanes, sidewalks, and even the gravely path of the Mall. It was an evening tour, and I never tire of seeing the sites lit up at night. The tour is very expensive ($70), but I would definitely recommend it if you're looking for a quick abridged version of a city.

Susan flew out yesterday, and since then I've been doing actual work for my journal, the Catholic Student Association, and classes (which start on Monday). Also beginning on Monday is my externship with the Arlington Immigration Court! I'm excited to start the new year.

A Smattering of July

Hello, gang.  It's been a while.  July was a pretty awesome month!

Robert and I took a spontaneous trip up to San Francisco to see Wicked a few weeks ago.  It was great!  I had never seen (or heard) the musical before, so every plot twist was a surprise for me.  I've got to say, Glinda was my favorite character.  Alli Mauzey was so wonderful!  Especially in Popular, she was a delightfully high-energy mix of Valley Girl and Elle Woods.  It was also interesting to think about Wicked in the context of the war in Iraq, with anti-animalism as a metaphor for Bush's desire for an enemy; as the Wizard puts it, "Where I'm from, the best way to bring people together [. . .] is to give them a common enemy."  That line gave me chills.

My uncle was kind enough to treat my dad, brother and me to tickets to Paul McCartney's Up and Coming tour!  He--Sir Paul, not my uncle--played to a sold-out AT&T Park.  We were in the nosebleed section, but that was fine with the big screens on stage.  The Chronicle wrote a great review of the concert, observing that Paul hadn't played in San Francisco since 1966, so the whole concert had a "welcome back" vibe.

Paul impressed me with how adorable and down-to-earth he was, which especially came out during his little stories, like the one he told about Hendrix playing a tribute to him and getting his guitar out of tune.  Some of my favorite songs of the night were Paperback Writer, Eleanor Rigby, Jet, Day Tripper, and Helter Skelter.  I also loved seeing Paul at the piano; everyone sang along when he played Hey Jude.  My absolute favorite song of the night was Blackbird.  Paul talked about writing it in response to the civil rights tensions of the late 1960s in America.  When he came back out for his first of two encores, Paul ran out waving a huge California State flag.  (Go Bears!)

I took a weekend trip to Portland, Oregon, with my dear friend Alissa to see our dear friend Morgan get married.  Portland is a great city; it reminds me of Berkeley, but bigger and more urban.  Morgan's wedding was awesome: a five-minute ceremony, followed by three hours of samba dancing, complete with backup dancers!  It was lovely to see friends from middle and high school whom I had not seen in a while.

The last day of my internship was Friday.  I absolutely loved working at the Law Foundation this summer, and was sad to see it end.  I actually did substantive work, including memos, mediation statements, and motion practice.  I attended a lot of interesting proceedings, such as depositions, mediations, and a settlement conference.  I now know a ton about housing discrimination and predatory lending.  And, my colleagues were friendly and fun-loving, leading to many coffee outings and urban food adventures, not to mention an afternoon in Santa Cruz and a San Jose Giants game.

It was great to know San Jose this summer.  If you're in the area, you have to check out Broken Door Espresso (try their Vietnamese iced coffee), Falafel's Drive In (try their baba ganoush), and Día de Pesca (try their breaded halibut burrito).  Also, I have fallen in love with the Farmers' Market in downtown San Jose at San Pedro Square.  They have the sweetest strawberries and nectarines I have ever tasted, along with fresh hummus, samosas, kettle corn, and spring rolls!  Simply delightful.

Yesterday, my dad, brother and I went to the Brit for the premier of At the Beach, an awesome skateboarding video featuring my very own brother!  Dan is an avid skateboarder, and it was great to see him in action in the film.  Watching the premier at the Brit in a huge crowd was especially meaningful, because everyone cheered when Dan landed tricks.  It's cool how there is a skateboarding community, and everyone supports one another.  The photo (at left) is from the Thrasher (skateboarding magazine) website.  Dan got their Stoke of the Day a couple of months ago, which is ridiculously cool.

Up next: the removal of all four of my wisdom teeth, to take place Tuesday morning.  What a joy!  I have stocked up on soft foods such as pudding, applesauce, and rainbow sherbet, and my mommy is going to take care of me.  I'm a little nervous about the procedure, as I have never done anything like this, but it'll be fine.  Besides, I'll be sedated.  Hopefully the recovery will be easy... Keep me in your prayers, please!