In a newly created tradition, instead of gifts, we've decided to take our most important p-amily members to dinner at quintessential NY restaurants.

We took our mom to Bouley; and this time, we took our sister to:

An AMAAAAZING meal RIVALING, perhaps SURPASSING Bouley.

Here it is, course by course - OH-MY-Kase! (tee hee)

Course 1: Toro Tartare

Course 2 (Cham's favorite): Red Snapper with delish sauce

Course 3: (Nam's favorite) Raw oysters.  DE-LI-SH!

Course 4:  MMMMMMM...

Course 5: (My favorite) THE absolutely SOFTEST cod ever topped with foie gras, which I normally don't like
(but this one was really good)

Course 6: This is washyu beef, which is domestic Kobe beef!
(can't eat REAL Kobe beef unless it's with melvis)

Course 7: (THE best sushi ever - the clam on the far right melted in my mouth... like butter!)

Course 8: A very refreshing hucklberry sorbet

Course 9: a wonderful chocolate souffle cake with green tea ice cream.

EX-QUI-SITE!!!!

We were very happy. 

We're so blessed to have the means to experience such amaaaaazing food... once!

At a semi-quiet dinner at an Italian restaurant for a friend's birthday, I receive a text message from my sister (which she had sent HOURS earlier) telling me that Ohio State lost to Illinois.  Immediately, I turn to the guy next to me - also a fellow Go Bluer- and tell him.  The guy sitting in front of me (who grew up in Houston but is a Michigan fan) , the guy sitting next to me, and I almost jump out of our seats simultaneously, whoopin' and hollerin'.

We got a few stares for that.

Had some in a form of a cupcake tonight. It wasn't bad!

http://www.babycakesnyc.com/

Also ate a DEELICIOUS tuna sandwich in sesame bread at a Chinese restaurant.

Again, my dear Michigan Wolverines stressed me out.

But as always, they fought their way back.

Only two more games left, but the only one that matters? 

Beat the Buckeyes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Go Blue!.

When I was younger, I used to say "oh, if I saw, say, Johnny Depp on the street, I would just go up to him and say 'hey, johnny, wassup?'"

NOT ANYMORE.

When I see a celebrity, I feel my face getting red and my heart beats faster.

Today, that happened to me TWICE!

I saw BONO being interviewed by reporters on the steps of City Hall. He was short.

Then, as I was walking up the stairs to my meeting there, who else comes down the stairs but the Mayor himself!

It was an exciting day. More exciting than the meetings I had.

Things that stress me out include:

- silences over the phone
- being late to catch a train, bus, or plane
- Michigan football*

* Had a great time watching the game with ONE TRUE BLUER (j.hee) and the TRUE BLUER's hubby who went to ILLINOIS!
(with other alum at the Pour House in DC)

GO BLUE!!!!

1. Recently, at a birthday party for my friend Jin:

(after a long conversation with Korean Tina-Fey look alike, we get to this point)
Korean Tina-Fey look alike: So, where are you from originally?
Just Lana: Houston
Korean Tina-Fey look alike: Oh, my uncle lived in Houston for many years....
(Just Lana thinks: "I wonder if I know him? but why would I?")
Korean Tina-Fey look alike: His name is Tai Chang...and works for MetLife..
Just Lana: WHAT?  Wait?  That's MY UNCLE!

Turns out that Korean Tina-Fey look alike's mom is the sister of my uncle who is maried to my mom's oldest sister!
She had remember meeting me before; I had, too, but it's been so many years that I didn't remember what she looked like.
She knew Jin (who I met just this past summer) because they had gone to church together back in LA.  gokingsgo - you know her, too!

2. In 1993, my first year of college at Michigan:

I sit down by my lonesome self to eat lunch at some dorm cafeteria.  
A girl says to me "oh, can I sit with you?" 
I say "sure" and we go through the requisite "where are you from?  what are you studying" questions.  
When I tell her that I'm from Houston (she's from New Jersey), she says
"Oh, my best friend from elementary school moved to Houston years ago. 
Her name is Tracy Park". 

Tracy Park and I went to high school together!

EDIT: forgot one more
3. The guy sitting ACROSS from me at the dinner above was one of flee's good friends from Cornell - Brian!

My sister said to me today "you talk about your coworkers a lot"...

... and that's because I really like them. I don't know if they like me, but I really like them.

They're not normal - in fact, they're all a bit weird.  Some are super un-PC; some are clueless; some are too smart; some are not; and some are just plain CRAZY. But I like them all.  Really, I do.

Of course, that's not saying TOO much, since I dislike VERY few people... but it's nice to work with people you like.

I also like my boss.  Actually, I love my boss. He's sometimes ridiculous; very old school; honest; un-PC; and unreasonable.

But I guess I like everyone because they remind me that I am just like them - just plain human.

A beautiful, haunting, and sad movie... I cried.

I read the book years ago so I don't remember how much of it was real and how much of it was "Hollywood"...  but anyway, it was an excellent flick.