After finals and home again there is time to update.

Monday, December 5th. Wenqi's birthday was a lot of fun!  How Lee Chinese has got to be the greasiest food I have ever ever eaten, but the flavor of the spices was amazing!  The mini cheesecake cupcakes worked out well with a reduced fat oreo!  Forward lanes was a nice enough little place for bowling.  The Monday night student bowling prices are a steal!  And I didn't break 100... I think I got around 50.  I'm a great bowler.

Afterwards that week was a blur of final project hoops and final exam studying.  I went to some new coffee shops.

Oh Yeah!  Ice Cream and Coffee Co.  Really good coffee! $2 in house bottomless cup! Waffle and ice cream really good, but not amazing.  I think better than the waffle shop for the price.  The ice cream mixing machine makes a lot of noise... if you are going there to study beware.  The brista/waitress was also super chatty... chat chat chat. There was a father and his daughter eating ice cream it was so precious that I cried [I was also being visited by Aunt Flo at the time].  I camped out for about 4 hours and got a lot of anatomy studying done!

Jitter's cafe and ice cream.  The coffee wasn't that good.  My coffee even had grounds in it!  They do one free refill for in house.  The coconut macaroon was terribly dry and fairly tasteless.  At 5 when the "mall" that is is in closes a man came and vacuumed, it was terrible.  Will not return for studying... maybe I'd try the ice cream?

[Weekend 16]
Friday evening made cinnamon buns and relaxed with Josh.
Saturday took cinnamon buns to brunch potluck at Meghan's house, where fellow OT students chowed downed and relaxed.  Did some studying.  For dinner Josh made Engine 2 lasagna. After dinner we went to a drag show at blue moon with Adam, Shyloh, and David.  It was a lot of fun, but I was really tired so we didn't stay the whole event.  Josh wasn't super into it anyways.  But he gets credit for going!
Sunday Josh and I went to Double Wide Grill for brunch (2nd time).  Josh been spoiling me/ indulging in my love affair with breakfast food.  I had the breakfast burrito with veggie sausage. Yummy!  This place is still a keeper!  Then studying like crazy....

Finals came and went.  I was done by 10 am on Wednesday, December 14th.  Took a nap.  Went and had dinner at Sushi Boat with the Anthropology girls + guy.  Sushi boat is fairly cheap and tasty... but they don't have brown rice and they serve on styrofoam.  I prefer Taiwan Cafe.  When finals were said and done the OT students had a ugly sweater Christmas party!

Thursday I woke up bright and early hung over to the extreme.  Went to Ritter's Diner with Carol. I like how close it is to my house.  And it's good enough for being hung over.  Thursday evening Josh came over to exchange gifts and hang out.  I got a dehydrator and a scarf and lotion!  He really listens to me.  As an aside...  I really need to get a garden going in the spring!!!

[Weekend 17]
Friday had a lovely date night with Josh.  His parents came and the 4 of us went to dinner at Six Penn.  It was nice, but expensive and not amazing.  Josh's parent's are really nice & they paid.  They got me a scarf and some organic lavender smell good stuff.  Very unexpected and nice!  Josh got a soy milk maker. I'm a bit skeptical of it.  [Josh tried it out today and said it was okay.]  Then we saw the Nutcracker Ballet!  It was very good.  The ballet company put a little Pittsburgh spin on it too!  Then we walked around downtown.  I very much liked the gingerbread houses at ppg place, but was disappointed by the Macy's windows.  Lovely evening with the boyfriend!

Saturday morning I took the megabus home to the Metro D.

Now I'm back at home... just hanging out...  eating taco salads.

Brunch twice in one weekend? Too good. [Weekend 15]

Wednesday went to Taiwan Cafe with Carol. The broccoli and tofu served with brown rice was seriously perfect!  When can we go back? 

Thursday cooked dinner with Josh.

Friday I had my first practical exam in my series of assessment classes! Afterwards I spent a ridiculous amount of time in Target.  Then I went to this art fair...  I saw these earring [pictured below] by this artist that were just amazing, but $62...EH! Then went to Shyloh's birthday (Josh's bro's new girl).  She's cute to boot and I am excited about all the double dates we can have!  Did some dancing.  Spent more time than previously experienced with Josh's bros.  It was nice!

In the morning Josh took me to Coca Cafe for brunch!  My omelet was very tasty, but a tad on the salty side... possibly because of the type of goat cheese used?  The coffee was just okay.  I really liked the orange marmalade served to me in a little cup.  Josh thought the tofu in his breakfast burrito could use some inspiration (seasonings).  The veg sausage links were very good, but $3 for 2 links was a bit much?  Otherwise was fairly reasonably priced.  I would go back here again!  On Saturday evening we made curry,  watched When Harry Met Sally, and Josh fixed my computer.  Then we went to William Penn Tavern to watch MSU lose to U of Wisco Madison at the Big Ten Championship.  But we were in good company (Chelsea, John, Meghan, & Shannon), until the ugly sweater Christmas party let out/ began and the bar was got crowded by not the most pleasant people (around 11pm).  Also had my first fried mac and cheese bites, not bad, but not as good as fried pickles or seitan wings.  Generally lovely day spent with the boyfriend.

Sunday went to brunch with Carol at Fuel and Fuddle.  $7.50 for a breakfast pizza (eggs, cheese, spinach, & tomato) & coffee not bad at all! Actually the coffee was not bad either.  The pizza crust was pretty fabulous making me think I should visit Fuel and Fuddle for some dinner pizza one day!  Then we hung out in Club Hillman (the U of Pitt Library).  For dinner I went out with Amy at the India Garden buffet.  Very solid as always.  But I noticed that they didn't put out fresh trays of food, rather they just added more food. That has to be a food handling no no!  Regardless... tasted great and I didn't get sick from it!  Went home and watched Gattaca with Carol.  I saw it some years ago, but it was good a second time around, too.

Today is Wenqi (Lucias's) birthday!  Dinner and bowling!  I made cupcakes!  

Tomorrow is the OT holiday event!

I've been going out too eat too much... well outside of my $$$.  I have an itch to pierce something or travel or...     not sure.  I'll be happy when finals are over. 'll be done with the academic portion of my program this time next year! I'm going to miss Josh, Carol, and folks while I am away for break.

Thanksgiving [Weekend 14]

My car is broken.  Will have to figure out when time allows. Less than 2 weeks until finals!

Over Thanksgiving break...

The Detroit Thanksgiving parade was classic!
Watched all of Miracle on 34th Street!  Finally!  So cute! 
Watched  the 1949 Secret Garden.  Also good.

The family was well, the food was fine.

Check out my cousin Lindsay's website? The Gift Insider.

Friends...
I didn't get to see Courtney, because I didn't venture down to the D.
But I did get to see Alex, Karissa, and Nadis Twins.

[Weekend 13]

Light up night was a smidge too corporate and crowded for my liking.  I look forward to exploring the Christmas decorations to my own beat [maybe with a friend].

Saturday went to the old gang [Carol, Venera, Sho, and Lucias] for a nice walk to this fabulous coffee shop!  Tazza D'Oro currently wears the Pittsburgh Coffee Crown!  Did I mention it is fabulous?  The coffee and the atmosphere are top notch! 


Josh and me went out to Derry. With Mark and Marchen we went to Ted Carn's home [Stone Camp].  You could read the book.  Stone Camp was pretty awesome! 

Monday I got to explore the abdominal cavity in cadaver lab.  Oh yeah!

Yesterday went to Abay with Josh and his brother.  The injera wasn't as sour as others I've had and the food wasn't as spicy, but it was good, just different. After dinner we met with his Sister at 61 C Cafe.  Had a yummy chocolate and peanut butter cookie to eat and a soy milk steamer to drink.  The have this great sibling thing going on.

Now I am home for the holiday!

Whiskey Sours [Weekend 12]

Thursday went out with the OT girlies.  Had 3 whiskey sours! One at Cappy's and one at Mario's. Ate trace amounts of bacon on the pub fries at Mario's. Was not blown away by the reuben the sweet potato fries were on point. It is a nice place for happy hour.  $2 wells!  Next time I think I should try the Yinzerogies [happy hour price $5].  Afterwards Meghan drove us to Giant Eagle so I could procure more Kleenex [I'm just now getting totally over my sinus cold!].  From there she dropped me off at my doorstep!  I was sleeping by 9pm!  Not really the off the hook post anatomy exam event one might expect?  [At least not for our table.]  But lovely nonetheless! 

Friday I went to Grad 200 shabbat event with Amy as part of my involvement with J'burgh. It was a nice enough event. After it was over we went and had a drink [whiskey sour] at fuel and fuddle.   Amy and me have another friend date coming up this weekend!

Saturday I met Josh's Papa and Mama.  They were cute and nice and it was good.  We went to Alma Pan-Latin Kitchen.  The plantains didn't excite me. The yuca fries were tasty, but the aji and cilantro/jalapeno sauces put it over the top.  I really liked my dish [ Arepa de vegetales con plátanos maduros; Fresh beets, avocado, cabbage and cilantro on an unleavened Columbian corn pastry with sweet plantain].  Josh's Mama got Torrejitas de frijolitos; Pan-seared legume cakes served with collard greens and ripe plantains [she let me try it] the black bean cakes had lovely texture and the sauce was sinful.  I would return here again!  It is a real nice place for a date or if the parents are paying, but not Outrageously priced.  After dinner we had coffees at Coffee Tree Roaster.  I've actually never had a coffee there I stick to the chai chargers.  

A bit about Whiskey Sours.  So they are a new drink I have added to my my preferences just this weekend.

Mario was cheap, because it was happy hour $2, but not particualry strong.

Cappy's was $4.50 and a bit stronger than Mario's.

Alma's was tasty, not particularly strong, and expenssive $8.

Fuel and Fuddle's tasted strong and good!  $4   Winner!

Yesterday... I made Mini Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes.  They turned out too dense.  And I actually frosted them with cream cheese frosting.  It was a huge ordeal.

Today we have an "open house" at school... where the cupcakes will be served.

 

Mom's Buttercream Frosting

This is my mom's Buttercream Frosting recipe and it taste like pure childhood bliss!  Nothing low fat or vegan about it.  And yes it does have a RAW egg white in it.

Cream together 2 sticks margarine and 1 stick solid crisco (1 cup).
Add 1 egg white, 1 T vanilla,  and 1 box confectioners sugar ( 1 pound).
After above mixed well, slowly add  1/2 cup warmed milk (micro 1/2 minute just to get chill off and slightly warm) a little at a time mixing as you add so all is completely absorbed.

There you have it!  

Learning about Health Care Reform.