Photos above are from me and Wayne's photog field trip to Gasworks (one of my favorite places in the city) taken with my Lomo Mini Diana! I have always, always, always wanted a Diana camera and luckily the one we had at work went on sale, as did the film, I bought 12 rolls. These shots were my first roll and they came out pretty awesome, if I do say so myself. I love playing with the overlapping, I just have to remember to adjust the focus for each shot and work on keeping a steady hand. I can't wait to see what kind of marvelous photos I'll take in New York City.

Well, well, well it is April already and spring is in full swing. The days are longer, thanks to daylight savings time (which I don't fully get the concept of, I'm totally blonde about the whole why is there daylight savings and how does it work), and lately >knock on wood< we have had a string of nice weather days. Seriously, I had consecutive days of jogging this past week, it was wonderful. But it's not GOD awful hot, the air is still cool and when the sun shines it's nice. Living in cold damp weather for the last six months really makes you appreciate the nice sunny days.

I'm off to San Francisco bright and early tomorrow morning. I really should be sleeping and not typing this but, I have that I'm going on vacation excitement flowing throught my blood, despite only being off for three days. I'll take whatever I can get. I can't wait to see my family and my new cousin, every year a new cousin arrives. Hopefully I can squeeze in a quick visit with my little Michelley. We always try to make time to see each other whenever the other visits. I call it our annual reunion. It makes me grateful to be able to be still great friends with old coworkers, I met Michelle when she was just finishing up her junior year of high school, back then at the bong we were still hiring high schoolers. We bonded over ballet and Rent. :) After 8 years working at Billabong I have gone through many, many, many coworkers, some of them bad, but most of them super duper awesome. The best thing I got out of that job was the lifelong friends I've made. Speaking of Bong friends, Rossy and I have discovered that our parents are friends from way back when. I knew that he lived where my Aunty Dee-Dee lived in Aiea back in the day, we always used to joke how we could've been friends waaaay eariler if we knew this. Now realizing that our parents are good friends makes it almost like we were destined to become friends. lol.

Other random thoughts of the moment:
-EXACTLY 20 days until NYC with Wen. Poor girl is letting me do the planning, she doesn't know what she's gotten herself into.
-DAMN YOU Jimmy Fallon, I didn't get tix.
-CatPaint App for iPhone, download it, you won't regret it I promise.
-I'm kind of over DrawSomething, it's eats my battery up. That lasted like 1 week.
-Obsessed with strawberries, the grocery stores near my apartment seem to always have it on sale.
-Saw Hunger Games with Wu/Woo, LOVED, LOVED, LOVED it, team Peeta for life. But Gale is so damn hot.
-Trying NOT to get into The Voice. After getting into American Idol for one season and the person I wanted to win didn't even get into the top five (yes the blind guy from season after David Cook), I gave up getting into competition singing shows, it was too much work and I'd just get frustrated. But The Voice has some substance and the newly single Adam Levine is easy on the eyes.

Home. I was fortunate enough to go home for New Years. It was under sad circumstances, but nonetheless I was happy and grateful to be home with family and friends. I also orchestrated the most awesome surprise ever. I managed to keep my trip home a secret from roomie Priya. All day I kept texting her telling her to call me when she was done with dinner so we could talk. But she didn't call me, so I decided to just stop by the Citron House and try to see if she was home. Luckily the front door was open and she was home. My dad says he could hear her scream from the street. Mission accomplished.
New Years Eve was spent with family, doing our Kawachi traditions, eating our Kawachi style New Years foods. I met up with Priya, Leanne, Kat, and Amy at The Edition, oh ahem excuse me, the Modern. And danced, danced, danced the night away, with bottle service, it was nice. Not wanting the party to end, we went to go watch the first sunrise of the new year at Christmas Tree park in Kaimuki. It was AMAZING. I got to visit the Bong, watch the Cowboys-Giants game at Kanpai, hang with Matty and paddleboard, watch the sunset at Magic Island, eat at I-Naba, Highway Inn, Paina Cafe, AND foodland poke. It was good to be home.
I'm not sure if it was because I haven't been away that long, it felt like I never left. I fell right back into EXACTLY what I was doing before I left. It was nice but it realized why I moved. I love my life in Hawaii and the people who make it amazing. But Seattle has challenged me to open up to new people and a different lifestyle, to become more independent, and to grow up a little. I know one day I'll be back, but I'm not so sure when, the adventure is really just beginning.
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I've been in a writers block lately. Here's what's been goin on in the 206:
-Fun times with Seattle friends. Dinners, finding new bars, restaurants, etc.
-Work, work, work. And looking for more work.
-Snowmageddon (pictures to come)
-Chris Evans marathon and finally watched Bridesmaids. Seriously love both, Chris Evans and Bridesmaids.
-Finally watched the much anticipated documentary: Beats, Rhymes, and Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest. AMAZE-BALLS.
-Watched Tom Brady and my Pats reach the Superbowl.
-Watched Tom Brady and my Pats get their ass handed to them by Eli and the Giants. Damn you Eli.

This is Gas Works Park, and I fell in love with it the moment I laid eyes on it. Right on Lake Union, old coal gasification plants (which reminds me of Howl's Moving Castle, or some sort of foreign land found in Hayao Miyazaki's films), beautiful landscaping designed by architect Richard Haag, the view of downtown Seattle across the water is amazing. I love the zigzag pathways, green grass, and the benches. I could probably spend all day here, taking photos. So glad my mom and I decided to make a pit stop here. If I had a car, I'd be visiting here weekly (probably after the Fremont Flea Market). Just beware of the dog poop, it seemed to be everywhere! Seriously dog owners, don't be lazy.

On another note, only 11 days til Christmas! It's my favorite holiday, I wish I could last all year round. I just watched the Glee Christmas episode, and it hit me as I watched Rory and Sam talk about being away from their families, that this will be my first Christmas away from home. SURE I've pretty much worked EVERY Christmas since 2003 (thank you Sheraton Hawaii Bowl, Honolulu Advertiser and Billabong Waikiki), but I always came home to a hot meal and my family, and I'd at least used to be able to spend the morning opening presents with them. Except one year I remember working Christmas Eve night (probably at the newspaper) and then opening Christmas morning at the Bong, opening presents at the Citron house with Priya. Last year I came home to lobster and steak cooked by my sister, and was watching Return of the Jedi. What will I do this year with Wayne? We have been invited to spend it with my cousin Chiemi, Odessa, and Oveena and their families in Bremerton. But after watching glee, I thought it would be nice volunteering at a food bank or somewhere where they provide meals for the homeless or less fortunate. I've googled a few places, but I can't seem to find any open on Christmas. I'm gonna keep searching... wish me luck.

On Mom's last Sunday here, we visited the Fremont Sunday Market. It was filled with a ton of vintage finds, great street food, and locally made products. I found a great mirrored tray for my jewelry for only $5. There was a lot of old furniture there, real antiquey pieces that I wished I had found before I buying my entire room from iKea. If you do go, I highly recommend eating the naan bread. It is made fresh to order, and it is amazing. You can order it with Indian food, but since I don't Indian, I just wanted the naan.

Century Link Field

Brains vs. Muscle.

Some photos from last month's highlights... didn't realize I forgot to post these. Wayne's first soccer game and Halloween at Kona Kitchen. I was Hermione, Wayne was a kid pretending to be Superman. People don't dress as slutty up here, I think it has to do with the weather.

A few photos from Sunday's field trip to Fremont and Gasworks Park. More to come later, as my mom visited for over a week :) and I was able to get some good field trips in with her. The holidays are coming up fast, Thanksgiving, my birthday, Christmas, soon it will be 2012. Where did 2011 go. I noticed I didn't blog much, too busy trying make the most out of every minute of life.
Weather has been sucky lately, but I've noticed if it rains it's not as cold as when it isn't raining. I've been contemplating taking a photography class in the spring. I wonder if UW has an outreach college like at UH. haha. The best thing about the weather is wearing all the nice fall clothes - boots, sweaters, tights, knee socks. I love it.
Work is busy busy busy. Who knew department store/mall working is more tiring than supervising a buncha monkeys at billabong.

The Seattle adventures continue! Last night I went to my first MLS match at CenturyLink Field, the San Jose Earthquakes vs. Seattle Sounders FC. It was the final home match of the season and I went with my old Bong friend Richie, we also met up with my cousin Grant, his wife Michelle, and their daughter Kaiea. It was also Kasey Keller's last regular season match, he's retiring. Truthfully he was the only guy I knew on the team, from watching US soccer, so I was pretty stoked.
I really didn't know what to expect, I've only been to UH Wahine matches in college to watch Natasha Kai and my classmate Joelle. And when I worked at the Honolulu Advertiser, we only used Major League Soccer standings and results when we needed a space filler upper for Record. And I've only been to MLB and NBA games. When I heard over 60,000+ tickets were sold, I thought, this is big, really big. First of all, these crazy fans they walk from Pioneer Square to the field. This flood of people, chanting, all marching. Inside the stadium, the whole bottom levels stand the entire game. They have all these crazy rituals and chants, like this one:



It was an intense match. And we were down for most of the game, the Earthquakes were up 1-0 until the 82nd minute, Sammy Ochoa scored on an assist from Mauro Rosales. Then in 87th minute Fredy Montero put the Saunders up 2-1, it was his 12th goal of the season. The stadium went NUTS!!! I am now a full fledged Seattle Sounders FC fan, totally going to look into getting season tickets. I never got why the rest of the world was so crazy over soccer, no I get it. It's ridiculously exciting and intense, and let's face soccer players are waaaaaaay hotter than baseball and basketball players combined. :)

Brrrr it's cold. I have been complaining for the last hour or so that it's cold, as I sit wearing a tank top and some gilly hicks shorts. Idiot I am, but I refuse to spend days in sweat pants. I refuse. We have heaters here in the apartment, but I'm scared to use them, I never used one ever, what if it gets too hot. Seriously I get how awesome Snuggies could be because I totally want one right now, my arms are getting cold while I type this blog.
This week has been interview week, so far 3 interviews, 1 job fair, 2 more interviews planned for Thursday and Friday. I did accept a part time position somewhere, which I start on Tuesday. Or Monday? Eek better double check that one. I still want something full time with better pay, so I'm gonna keep applying, and keep interviewing. But at least its a start.
The photos above are from our field trip to Port Angeles for their Dungeness Crab Fest. We had some amazing food: Scallops and rice pilaf, seafood pizza, roasted corn on the cob, crab cakes, crab bisque, crab quiche, and the most amazing pumpkin pie. So much good food!! On the way back I was able to get a shot of the Seattle skyline at night from the ferry.
Oh and can you smell it... it's one of my favorite times of the year.... it's post season baseball time! :) Unfortunately none of my teams has moved on to the division championships... Mariners (not even close),  Red Sox (robbed at the end of the season), and the Phillies (lost in the NLDS to King Al and his damn Cardinals). So I am currently routing for the Tigers, because 1) they defeated the Yankees in the ALDS and 2) I think they have the hottest pitching rotation in the league.... Seriously look at this:

On the left is Doug Fister, to the right Rick Porcello, and then add Justin Verlander... DAMN Tigers. Fister was actually just traded to Tigers in August, prior to that he was with the Mariners. How I missed him on the Mariners roster is beyond me? Probably too busy stalking Ichiro, that's why. And whats worse, he pitched for Fresno State, meaning, I've seen him pitch during college too. I was probably too busy checking out our own baseball team. hehe. 

 

It's been 3 weeks here in Seattle, still jobless. Currently praying for a position at Nordstrom, in their web fulfillment department. Seriously CROSSING MY FINGERS on this one!!! I also recently discovered the public library which is within walking distance. Super stoked because I left home not finishing Harry Potter. Seriously Order of the Phoenix was the worst in the series, I could not get past that book. So I skipped ahead and am currently in the middle of Half-Blood Prince (which Priya will probably shake her head at, she hates when I skip!). Anybody have any good book suggestions? Don't know what I'll read next after I get through Deathly Hallows.
Decided to give you a tour of my small room, I swear it's like half the size of my old room in the Citron house. I've finally graduated from a twin size bed to full.... whoa whoa talk about growing up. I decided to stick with the NYC theme I had from before, found a great map of the city at iKea, and my dad mailed over my Breakfast at Tiffany's poster. Actually my family has been great with mailing over some stuff from home that makes my room 10 times more homely. Blankets, my clock radio, a few of my favorite stuffed animals, my curtains from the Citron house, trinkets, etc. My bookshelf has a mini Star Wars theme, with some of my favorite toys on display (Obi-Wan nesting dolls, R2-D2 action figure, my toys of Goofy and Stitch as Chewy and Yoda), accented with framed pictures of family and friends. My laptop takes center stage, as it also serves as my "TV" so I can watch movies in bed. Sadly I've been downgraded to 1 small closet, which is only half full as most of my clothes are still back home. I found this great collage picture holder from Urban Outfitters for only $5! I filled it with photos of back home-beaches, surf, turtles, and friends. Even though my room is pretty small, like Tim Gunn says I made it work!

And so it begins.... Seattle life. Many people have asked why Seattle? I'm beginning to think that myself... First off...well let's be real here. If Wayne wasn't moving to Seattle, I probably wouldn't have moved either. Second, I have a few cousins and friends here (Richie and J-Lab call me up btw!). Third, I love Nordstrom and the Mariners, both of which Seattle is home to. The third seems like a silly reason but, it's so true.

Seattle life has been ... ok, so far. It's only been a week and I constantly have to remind myself this is not a vacation. I have to find an actual job, set up an actual bank account, and I actually have to pay rent for my 2 bedroom apartment. The apartment was a great find, just outside of the U-District, across the street from a Safeway, near a main road (which makes sleeping feel like I'm back at the Citron house because I used to be able to hear all the going ons on Kalakaua). The thing I'm most pleased about was my furniture choices, thank you ikea! But my walls are still bare, a constant reminder that I'm new here, and that the apartment and I are still getting to know each other.

I can't wait to find a job and start making new friends (as in new people to play beer pong/kings cup, watch football games on Sunday with). Haven't seen any potential bfs, honestly I haven't seen anyone remotely attractive looking. Also I hear Washington was voted one of the worst dressed states in America, I can totally see why. I get it's cold and dreary but do your clothes have to be the same? I decided to spruce up my cold weather attire with a cute bright red thrifted gap coat I picked up at the Buffalo Exchange, and some cute ivory and navy rainboots. Take that non-fashionable Washington!

I do miss home... a LOT! There are a lot of H people (attitude wise), people just aren't as friendly here, what is it about Hawaii that people are just happier. And don't say it's the aloha spirit... my guess is that the island is so small that everyone pretty much knows everyone and if you're not friendly to someone you could probably get couple slaps from your friend's-aunty's-second nephew's-yard man's-sister. I miss the sun, and I swear my tan is starting to fade, crap. I miss my family and friends, I miss Friday and Saturday nights with Priya and Leanne. 

I think once I get a job, I'll be much more at piece with this decision to move. I've been applying like crazy to Nordstrom and Starbucks (in-office jobs), trying real hard not to get back into retail. So wish me luck. And hopefully I'll be able to update this thing more often (I know, I know, totally slacked during the summer, I couldn't help it, there were dance floors to be danced on, and gladiator shots to be taken!).