Amazing.

Went to Grant Park last night to watch Obama become our new president-elect. Incredible unforgettable experience.

OMG.

haha wow

"Be a Student of the Game. Like most clichés of sport, this is profound. You can be shaped, or you can be broken." - David Foster Wallace

At the Court of the Sun King

Strange and beautiful.

Jeff Koons at Versaille

And It Begins.

Last week I had my med school orientation and the traditional White Coat Ceremony. It's all a blur now because there was so much thrown at me in such a short amount of time - new faces, new surroundings, not to mention immunizations which I am deathly afraid of. It was exhausting but also exciting ... I'm really taking the first steps towards my dream of becoming a doctor (sorry, that was lame, but its true). I've also met some great new friends and I can't wait to get to know them better and meet more classmates. I was really pleased that my parents and Mike could make it to Chicago for White Coat; it was particularly nice for my dad to see me receive my white coat. Despite the fact he's tried to dissuade me from pursuing a career in medicine for years, I think he's sincerely proud and happy that I've decided to become a doctor. He has always been an inspiration for me - the first heart surgeon in Central Illinois to perform a heart transplant, and arguably one of the best heart surgeons in the state with an incredibly high survival rate for the majority of his patients. A few years ago when I watched him perform bypass surgery, the anesthesiologist told me that my dad is his favorite surgeon to work for because he's incredibly precise, fast, and professional. I guess that's what happens after practicing heart surgery for over twenty-five years!

The White Coat ceremony itself has often been criticized as too self-indulgent - a means of self congratulating and exploiting the egos of already over-confident soon to be M.D.'s. However in my opinion, the ceremony was inspiring and refreshing - a reminder of why I want to become a doctor. I particularly liked hearing from the Dean of the Medical College, Dr. Thomas Deutsch, who I learned at my interview last November is a Wash U. undergrad alum! Dr. Deutsh recited a quote in his speech that my dad often says to me: "To whom much has been given, much is expected." This really resonates with me - I feel incredibly blessed for all the opportunties I've been given and as a result, I really want to make a difference through a career that will touch the lives of others.

Unfortunately, in order to do that, I have to go through two years of pre-clinical science classes. And it begins tomorrow... with histology. Apparently the next six weeks are supposed to be hell. Can't wait.

Palin. Appalling.

I don't consider myself to be a political expert of any kind, but John McCain's decision for his VP is just insane. Clearly the Republicans are trying to reach out to disaffected Clinton supporters by surprising everyone with Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska, who will be the only woman to appear on the ballot in the last two decades. I (like the rest of the sane world) have so many problems with this, it's hard to know where to start, but here are a few of them:

1. Palin is the governor of Alaska, which has roughly a quarter of Chicago's population. ALASKA. The GOP seriously wants to bring in someone to the presidency who has spent about a year as governor to the least populated state in the country, and was touting around PTA meetings as leadership experience prior to that? Her lack of experience, not only with domestic affairs but more importantly, foreign policy, is troubling at best. Some critics have compared McCain's choice of Palin to Bush's choice of Dan Quayle in 1988. At least Quayle was a senator within the continental U.S.....Palin was quoted saying 'I am honored to be chosen.' I'm sure she is honored. It will give her an excuse to enjoy sunlight a full 365 days a year.
   
2. McCain just celebrated his 72nd birthday on Friday. Within those 72 years, he has had four bouts of cancer and numerous surgeries. If he kicks the bucket while in office (entirely possible, if not extremely likely), handing over a Commander in Chief position to a self-proclaimed "hockey mom" is not exactly the best scenario.
   
3. Palin is anti-choice. She likes to refer to her family for validation on this belief, espousing the fact that she chose not to have an abortion for her fifth child after Palin and her husband learned of the in-utero infant's Down Syndrome diagnosis. Ummmm that's all well and good for you, but that doesn't mean everyone should have to birth a Downs infant if they choose not to. And for about a million other reasons, an anti-choice female VP is bad news bears.
   
4. Palin is evangelical Christian. This sort of plays into the whole anti-choice thing, but I am uncomfortable with the idea of an individual in office who brings with them such zealous religious beliefs. I mean, really, any denomination of Christianity that places a great deal of emphasis on Biblical authority is questionable.
   
5. As Senator Barbara Boxer said, Palin is a woman. Clinton is a woman. That's about as far as their similarities go. Any undecideds or independent voters who feel voting for the McCain/Palin ticket (merely because of Palin) would compensate for no H.R.C. on the ballot would be sorely mistaken.
   

Hopefully this 'strategic' move from the GOP will prove to voters that McCain lacks sound judgment (perhaps Alzheimer's is setting in?) and he should instead concentrate on enjoying his numerous homes around the country and playing golf.

Sarah Palin for Vice President!
haha thank you Erin

.

"People think a soul mate is a perfect fit and thats what everyone wants. But a true soul mate is a mirror, the person who shows you everything that's holding you back, the person who brings you to your own attention so you can change your life. A true soul mate is probably the most important person you'll ever meet, because they tear down your walls, and smack you awake. But to live with a soul mate forever? Nah. Too painful. Soul mates, they come into your life just to reveal another layer of yourself to you, and then they leave." - E. Gilbert

Out of Sight

A little known fact about me: every relationship I've ever had (all two of them) have, for the great majority of the relationship, been long-distance. Cumulatively, I've spent the past six-ish years of my life (about a quarter) regarding my cell phone as my boyfriend. Example: when I moved into a dorm fashioned out of a concrete block and received terrible to no reception, my relationship-odometer plummeted. Similarly, when my ex and I both got a Verizon plan for free minute to minute usage, it was blue skies. I've also been to known to take out my anger on said cell phones - resulting in two casualties and expensive replacements. Some people do marathons, I do long-distance relationships. Unfortunately, I seem to be lacking the inherent knowledge someone with my breadth of experience should have on 'how to make it work.' Relationships of any kind, no matter how great they may be, require to some degree (from both people, in no particular order): love, commitment, fun, trust, tenderness, empathy, sustained physical attraction, and a whole bunch of other stuff. Long-distance relationships, in my opinion, require all of those things and then some. It's a beast in and of itself, and I wish there was some sort of cure-all remedy for resolving those imminent issues that keep making their way to the surface, despite even the best relationship. Things like loneliness (which arguably would or would not exist anyway despite the relationship but once you're in one, you realize it all the more because you're separated from your significant other 95% of the time). And then the mentality which inevitably follows the lonely sentiment - out of sight, out of mind. This is not to say that I don't think about my boyfriend when he's not in Chicago. I definitely do, but he's not a part of my day-to-day life here. When he finally is a part of my life again - say for a weekend visit - he's gone just as quickly as he came, 48 hours later (72 hours if I'm lucky). It's like a teaser - by the time Sunday arrives, I start thinking I could get used to this ... the going out to brunch together, sitting in the park reading together, going to sleep together. But it's all yanked out from under me and I'm back to my long-distance repertoire of phone calls, emails, and waiting waiting waiting for that next weekend when he visits. The loneliness persists for maybe a week or two, and then its almost like falling into a survival mentality whereby phone = boyfriend and I go through the motions of my day without spending too much time being sad that he's not around. I'm happy when I talk to him and I'm happy when I'm not. I (naively) used to think that the only kind of love that I would want was the 'can't live without each other' love. Where you can't spend a moment away from them because you just NEED to be together, that's how happy you are. Realistically however, life gets more complicated than that - people move, people go separate ways yet still stay together - and I've developed a little bit of disdain for couples who can't bear to tear themselves apart from one another for an evening or an iota of time. Maybe deep down I'm just jealous and wish seeing my boyfriend was that easy or maybe, being in nothing but long-distance relationships, I've realized that this kind of separate together-ness is just the thing I need at this stage in my life. My relationship provides me with so many wonderful things: happiness firstly, and love, comfort, intimacy. However if I was never away from it, I might not appreciate a great relationship even if I was in one. I also might not be as independent as I feel I am or as driven. And as we get older, things are only going to get harder and maybe my long-distance savoir-faire will help ease the pangs of separation once he goes to law school, especially if it's not in Chicago.

Or maybe I just miss him.

Apartment.

Tonight I came home from work to find a card from Beth in my mail. It was one of the nicest notes I've received in a long time and it truly made my day. It also made me miss having a roommate. While I love living in the city and having my own place, there's nothing that quite replaces having someone in the next room to run over to in moments of boredom or excitement or sadness, to laugh with, giggle with, and rant with. Now I have to rely on my own (sometimes unreliable) fashion sense when I'm getting dressed to go out, and there's no one to help eat the leftovers from last night's dinner. I think the best part for me of having a roommate, particularly one like Beth, was the intimacy of being able to tell her anything about what was going on in my life. She was my sounding board, always with a thoughtful response to anything I said. It will be difficult to find that kind of unwavering support and confidentiality elsewhere and I'm partly glad of it, because it makes me appreciate that much more the roles we played in one another's lives. There's very little you can hide from someone who's seen you at your worst - but the best part is, a friend like Beth will still accept you for who you are, without judgment, and without asking any more or less of you.

On a side note, I want my hair to be this long again!!

Tragedy + Time

It's so strange how something that used to be such a priority - an all-encompassing entity, superceding most other obligations, emotions, time, and (regrettably) people - can dwindle into little more than anecdotes, punch lines, and casual banter over conversations with friends. Why does that happen?? Life is so different for me than what it used to be even two years ago. I can hardly imagine what it will be like in another two years. It really makes you take a step back and wonder (with some skepticism) how important present circumstances will be and what significance they will have in the future. We are in control of our decisions - we make them, we follow through with them. But somewhere in between, intention gets lost and the outcome is somehow foreign and at times, unwelcome - a consequence, or maybe even punishment for rash choices. And even if the past is behind us (or so we like to think), how do you successfully tuck away all the unpleasant aspects of things you'd like to forget and tote around the 'lessons learned' and 'here's what not to do' lists in an easily accessible yet emotionally controllable package? I want to drive my conscience onto I-55 and unload a bunch of cumbersome garbage in the middle of one of those cornfields with the 'SAVE PONTIAC PRISON' or 'WE VOTE McCAIN' signs, turn around and never look back. Full speed ahead.

Certain topics keep coming up again and again in conversations and in the end, I think I'm the one facilitating it (imagine that). Maybe somehow talking about these things with people - however crass or caustic I may sound at the time - is slowly helping me to dump off toxicity. Knowing that at least part of what I have to say resonates with the other person to some degree, particularly if they have a unique affiliation to my specific situation, serves (subconsciously) as an opportunity to reaffirm decisions of the past and validate present facts.
I used to think that I stood alone in the majority of my problems (if you want to call it that). That there was no possible way anyone could relate to what I was going through because they hadn't been there, they hadn't experienced it through my eyes, hadn't possessed the specificities of personality and situation that crafted an all too 'unique' dilemma. The truth is everybody feels pain ('cuz everybody hurts sometimes...thank you R.E.M.). And it sucks, no matter how its inflicted, there's no getting around it. And talking about that pain with people, instead of reeling it around in your head over and over again because you think nobody will understand, can help you realize that you are in fact not unique. You wouldn't want to be unique in this sense anyway. Misery loves company, and it's somewhat comforting to know that although it might not be out in broad daylight, everybody has a sore spot that needs a comedy routine. The decisions we make inevitably affect our lives now and later on down the road. We may not always be able to come to terms with the implications of those decisions or not immediately fully realize/appreciate the fortuitous events that result, but it's nice to know that sooner or later things will be OK. Hopefully you come out with some wisdom, and a little bit of grace. And you'll always have amusing stories in the end. Tragedy + Time = Comedy.

Dream House

Kauai, Hawaii

WHAT: A 4,934-square-foot four-bedroom four-and-a-half bath house overlooking Aliomanu Beach

HOW MUCH: $9,500,000

PER SQUARE FOOT: $1,925.41

SETTING: The house, named Hale Mahina (Hawaiian for “House of Moon” or “House of Moonlight”), is situated on a bluff overlooking Aliomanu Beach. From December to April, migrating humpback whales mate and give birth offshore. Locals use part of the beach for pole fishing and harvesting limu (an edible seaweed); hiking and picnicking are also popular. The Princeville Golf Club is a 20-minute drive; shopping and restaurants are available in Kapaa, 15 minutes south. About a dozen surf spots lie between. This house is 15 miles from the Lihue Airport; from there, the flight to the Honolulu International Airport is 25 minutes.

COMMON SPACES: Most of the wood inside the house is afromosia, a West African variety; interior accents were carved from ebony. Travertine floors are inlaid with bamboo. The office has three desk spaces against windowed walls looking out into the courtyard. A guest wing on the other side of the pool has a gathering space for social occasions. The ocean is visible from nearly every room.

PERSONAL SPACES: A spa in the master bathroom leads to an outdoor atrium with a waterfall shower. The guest wing has two bedrooms.

OUTDOOR SPACE: There is a thatched-roof entryway. Palms — areca, cardboard, coconut, ko, foxtail and others — surround the pool. On one side of the entryway walk is a koi pond. There are over 50 varieties of trees, palms, tropicals and bushes planted on the property. The house has four outdoor showers; three are waterfalls.

AMENITIES: Surround-sound and a gas fire pit.

Pop.

Tonight I had a conversation with a very close friend of mine from home, going over the details of her upcoming wedding. Although she's not getting married until October of 2009, she had - in the span of a 48 hour engagement - booked the church, the pastor, planned a color scheme for bridesmaids' gowns, and already calculated an estimated head count for the reception (between 150-200 invited guests). I spent half an hour on the phone listening to the voice of absolute certainty. Although I am extremely happy for her, as she is a wonderful human being and deserves nothing less than the best, I am completely mind-boggled not only by the prospect of planning an entire wedding, but by the notion of marriage in and of itself. Marriage - maybe an idea not so unlike med school - is something that I've talked about with girlfriends in a hypothetical tone for years. Something that you know is more than likely coming your way sooner or later (perhaps even when you least expect it... like jury duty); an impending life milestone, not necessarily one you want to avoid or dodge from, but one that you wouldn't mind putting off for a few years. Or ten.

To be fair, this is the first of my very close friends that plans on tying the knot in the near future. So my shock is merited to a degree, and it is something I will probably become desensitized to as more and more of my nearest and dearest start changing their relationship statuses on Facebook to 'Engaged.' I certainly don't have an aversion to marriage, I just don't personally care to envision it in my life at this point. It's not a reflection on my current relationship or the potential I think it may have for the future, it's more that I feel like marriage is a firm and permanent shove into adulthood and I just don't feel ready for that. You become a couple and you will never not be anything but a couple (unless of course, someone dies or you get divorced). But ideally, you enter into the kind of partnership where two halves make a whole, and from the day you say 'I do,' how you define yourself and your life is partly determined by that other person (your lobster). I don't think I'm responsible enough or mature enough to take on that kind of commitment. In fact, it's definitely questionable whether I'll ever be at that stage at the rate I feel like I'm going. Obviously, her news has nothing to do with me and all my personal doubts and fears about marriage in general aside, I am delighted that she sounds so content and at peace with this decision. Truly there is something better than a best friend calling to tell you she met a great guy and she thinks there might be something there - its hearing her tell you she is going to spend the rest of her life with him. And then you think of what this means: we are really growing up, we are really getting older whether we like it or not, we are leaving old things behind and starting something new. And then you tell her that you couldn't be happier for her and you really mean it.

A drop in the ocean, a change in the weather, I was praying that you and me might end up together. It's like wishing for rain as I stand in the desert, but I'm holding you closer than most cuz you are my heaven ...

Recap.

I've known where I am going to med school for almost nine months. It's seemed like such an abstract idea for such a long time, and now it is only a few weeks away. I received my orientation packet in the mail on Tuesday, detailing the first couple days of med school as well as other logistics like immunizations (!!) and health insurance. I am mostly excited... ready to get the show on the road, but also slightly anxious and nervous... which is to be expected, right? I know I will be busy and stressed at times, but I hope to be happy and fulfilled with my choice to pursue this career. This new chapter in my life has not only made me ponder the future but also reflect on my year off since graduation and how I've spent it. Even though I've only been in Chicago since mid-May, St. Louis feels like ages ago... to summarize '07-'08:

• It's really felt like a year off from life. Not in a bad way, but in the recharge your battery kind of way. The summer after graduation nearly did me in (MCAT + messy break-up = lots of emotional baggage). Had I even been given the chance to start med school or some sort of grad school right after that, it would've been a mistake. I really do think this year off allowed me the time and space to mentally regroup and feel like myself again.
  
• Living in the Central West End was a good change of pace. I was ridiculously tired of being in the Wash U. undergrad immediate vicinity for four years and although sometimes I think I should've just left St. Louis altogether, the CWE provided a nice change of scenery and a more adult feel to the city I will always associate with college. Beth and I signed on as roomies for the third consecutive year, and acquired two more roomies in the process (Jack & Jazzy!).
  
• Applying to med schools was a painstakingly arduous process, one that I am not sad to be done with. I was a little overzealous at first and wanted to apply everywhere, but that enthusiasm came to a sudden halt as soon as I saw the essays some schools required on their secondaries. Staying in St. Louis was not an option for me at that point - I needed to get out. I mostly focused on the Chicago area (gotta love that Illinois residency), a few East coast schools, and some Southern schools. Obviously I happily ended up back in my home state and really couldn't ask for a better location.
  
• Nannying to Margaret (2 1/2), Herman (made in China) and occasionally Lukie (2), Lucy (3), & Edie (9 mos.). I now know how to change up to three diapers in an assembly-line fashion, how to make Annie's organic bunny macaroni, peanut butter and jelly, and turkey sandwiches for three different pairs of grabby hands, how to develop radar for the lost stuffed lamb and/or pig, and how to parlay Elmo into every day life for the purpose of naptime/sanitation/discipline. I feel completely adept for motherhood (...in like 10 years).
  
• Short stint at the Wash U. Neurosurgery Dept with Dr. Woo (looking at craniofacial surgeries on babies and kiddies) ... completely unpaid and 9-5. I don't even really count this as something I actually did because I quit before I could get started.
• Wash U. Psychology Dept research assistant to this PhD candidate named Mackenzie. He was strange, and his audio-visual experiments were annoying. Our lab was the kind you went to for extra credit in psych classes.
  
• Medical trip to Trinidad-Tobago was my second mission trip (first one was to Costa Rica & Nicaragua in 2005). I worked in free clinics with my group and hopefully made some difference, however small or insignificant, to the people we treated. As soon as my flight landed in the Miami airport on the way home, I found out I was accepted into Rush (three days before Christmas).
• Hostessing at ARAKA! The pinnacle of my success this past year (just kidding). First time ever working in a restaurant ... I was probably one of the only employees who had never been arrested or wasn't constantly on drugs (the so-called 'innocent one.') Learned a little about how restaurants are run (it's a sketchy business) and gained a lot of motivation to go to med school....
  
• The Windy City, the Second City, the City of Big Shoulders... CHICAGO. My new home for the next .... ? years. New apartment, new city, new school, new start.
  

What have I been doing since I moved here? Walking, exploring, eating, shopping, beach-ing, etc. To be semi-productive I got myself a job at Club Monaco. The hourly salary is a pittance, but the employee discount is fabulous (...hmm).

Summer is almost over though. A few weekends left, filled with visits from old friends (near and far) and some QT with the boy. La dolce vita :-)

Will Russia Get Away With It?

Interesting article on the situation between Georgia and Russia from the Op-Ed section of the New York Times. Ironic that two countries begin to wage war while the Olympics are going on...

J'adore

Wet Floor

On a door of a bakery in Chinatown this afternoon.

08.08.08

En route to the 900 mall, I had to stop at Saks to purchase a Jo Malone gift. I almost got trampled trying to walk across the sidewalk to get into the store by a 500-person march on Michigan Avenue. The protest was comprised mostly of young Asians carrying fake coffins and brandishing Tibet flags, yelling through megaphones and handing out fliers to interested passerbys. The coffins symbolized the people who have died under the oppression of Chinese Communism in Tibet. Signs emblazoned with "Beijing Olympics is a Cover Up" and "China Doesn't Deserve Olympics" were held high by many people in the protest. The marchers were en route to the Chinese Consulate, where another Tibetan demonstration was held this past March in opposition to the Chinese crackdown on Tibetan monks. Many touristy Caucasian families in their Reeboks (probably from somewhere like Iowa) stood gawking outside of the Disney or Apple store, clutching their American Girl bags and taking pictures of the crazy Asians to show the folks back home how "chaotic the big city is!"

Some girls I work with at Club Monaco weren't even aware that the Olympics were being held in Beijing, or that they started today. For some reason this really bothered me (the fact that they probably know more about Brad & Angelina than they do about international happenings...) and it made me realize how out of touch people can be with national/global events. Believe it or not, there are more important things in life/the world than following the latest US Weekly.

Yum.

Tonight some friends and I went to an Indian restaurant on W. Randolph that I've been meaning to check out for a few weeks called Veerasway. I have a new drink obsession - a mixture of mango puree, coconut milk, and coconut rum served in a frosted martini glass with a ripe mango slice for garnish. DELICIOUS. The chicken tikka masala was decent and although the portions looked deceivingly small when first presented, I could not have eaten another bite when I finished it. Perfect way to satisfy the Indian food craving that I've had lately. Love that this place is so close by. In the near future I hope to go to the neighbor Italian place called Vivo. We walked by on the way back to my apartment and it was super busy, especially on the patio. Next week, maybe.

The Old House and the Sea

The Old House and the Sea

The past couple weeks people at work and friends have been asking me where I want to end up after med school for residency etc etc. I always think this is an interesting question because it implies that where I am now isn't necessarily where I'll be 5, 10, 15 years from now. I start imagining what it would be like to live on the West Coast for example and how nice it would be to see the ocean everyday and have perfect weather year-round. Then I'm like, oh yeah I just moved to Chicago, which is a pretty amazing place in itself, why should I already be envisioning my next possible move? We might not have the Pacific but we have the lake (and they recently planted palm trees on North Ave beach so it's not like we're not trying...). And sure the temperatures might hover just above zero at times (something I have yet to experience here), but on the whole I feel like I could see myself staying here for many years to come. Skyscrapers have replaced trees as scenery, Chicago drivers may have replaced New York City as the country's angriest motorists, the rumbling of the L on its tracks has become an almost welcome background noise in day to day life, and yet I love it all. Sometimes when I arrive at the 900 building early before work, I'll walk further along Michigan to the underpass and go sit on the beach. The lake is prettiest in mid morning-early afternoon. It's where the city comes to relax, work out, play with their kids, play chess, read a book, or just appreciate the great view of the Gold Coast. A friend last night told me that he's "so over Chicago," and I just wanted to say ... how is that possible? Maybe after being in one place for years and years some people are jaded, and I'm sure I'm romanticizing everything in my head because it's all so new to me. But I just want to take it all in, and at this point I feel like I could never get tired of it. And now I'm sitting outside on my deck looking at the lights of the city. This is where I'm supposed to be right now and where I hope to stay for a long time.

Impetus

Not to be prosaic, but a conversation with a friend got me thinking about things... and there's a thunderstorm outside - its a good time to ruminate. It's hard for anyone to play the 'what if' game and to grasp how truly different life would be had we done some things differently. Forgone opportunities, friends/loves lost or gained. Maybe we'd be better off, maybe worse off...obviously we'll never really know. I like to think I have a 'what happened is in the past, leave it there' mentality. Some friends may think otherwise. Things still manage to slip through the cracks of an otherwise solid exterior. And it's not just that one major relationship or that one major mistake - more often than not, what gets to me more are the things that sparked and showed promise but for whatever reason were never fully realized. I read this passage in a book once, which now always comes to mind whenever I play the 'what if' game because it helps me understand (yet again) that what is to be will be: "For, though he did not know it [...] luck was with him that morning. The thinnest covering of luck was on him like fresh dew. While he slipped in and out of consciousness, the position of the planets, the music of the spheres, the flap of a tiger moth's diaphonous wings in Central Africa, and a whole bunch of other stuff that Makes Shit Happen had decided it was second-chance time for Archie. Somewhere, somehow, by somebody, it had been decided that he would live."

But despite my best efforts at forward motion and understanding that things happen for a reason, recently I've found myself backtracking. Sucked into the sheer momentum of certain moments, places, and faces of days gone by. It can be enough to make me burn with the same frustration/anger/resentment/love/regret in the pit of my stomach. Part of it is probably my personality - I don't let go of things or people easily and anything I attach to dies hard in the end. I don't really believe in short-term or temporary anything, friendships or relationships. Those that I love or loved basically sign on for the long haul - I will probably continue to love him or her, even if that person has been out of the picture for months or years (which might be the reason why it's so hard for me to look back and why I try not to do it very often). Most likely I'm not unique in this sense, but it definitely makes for a bit of sadness from time to time mixed with nostalgia and strangely enough, happiness. Happy that it happened even if its over and been beaten to a pulp, or just slowly faded and disappeared altogether. I think the most important thing to keep in mind when I'm in my reminiscing mood is that people are in or out of my life for a reason. Maybe its like Erin said: it's better to keep some people in memories instead of the present, where its safe to love them for who they were and what they meant to you at the time.

Countdown

One month exactly until med school starts!

My Neighborhood

Due to my poor sense of direction and lack of familiarity with streets near my apartment, I paid $7.50 for a three-person, one-block cab ride last night. As such, I've decided to make a concerted effort to get to know my neighborhood a little better.

So: my apartment is in a 24-story building situated at the corner of W. Lake and N. Jefferson. To most Chicagoans, this area is generally referred to as downtown and more specifically, the Near West Loop (or just the West Loop), the Near West Side (or... just the West Side), River West, and recently, the Fulton River District. I still don't understand what delineates neighborhood distinctions in Chicago or why there are multiple (seemingly synonymous) names for almost every area (i.e., no one seems to know the difference between Bucktown & Wicker Park). I am within walking distance to the Chicago River, Ogilvie train station, the Clinton L stop, Greek Town, Wacker Dr, and Lauren Emery's office building. My location will be particularly convenient for commuting to med school everyday (the main reason why I chose to live in this area). I am lucky to be facing east - in the morning, the sunlight pours through my windows and at night, you can watch the sun set in the reflection of 333 N. Wacker's windows. Every morning when I wake up, the city in all of its grandeur is there to greet me. I can see the Gold Coast to the left, the Chicago River Bend straight ahead, and the Sears Tower to my left. I feel particularly blessed to be in such a scenic, dynamic location.

Nearby Restaurants:
(*all within walking distance of 5 minutes or less ... as I learned from the cab ride)

• Avec - French-inspired American cuisine with a modern twist; unique wooden paneling and decor inside. No reservations accepted, but very trendy atmosphere. Lots of people standing outside around patio tables drinking bottles of wine during happy hour and after hours.

• Blackbird - Owned and managed by the same restauranteurs as Avec, Avec and Blackbird stand side by side on W. Randolph St. A New York Times rated establishment, hailed by Gourmet magazine as one of the '50 Best Restaurants in America,' and one of Chicago's Top 5 restaurants, Blackbird's menu boasts such appetizers as sweetbreads, parmesean gazpacho, and suckling pig. The softshell crab entree sounds amazing as does the pork belly. Can't wait to try this place out...reservations are set for August 22nd! (read: this is the weekend certain important guests will be visiting... Julia make sure you get here in time so you don't miss this! :-) )
  

• Meiji - Known for their unique maki roll combinations, Meiji offers quality sushi and sashimi in an austere yet sophisticated setting. Patio seating is a must for the people watching (according to Fraers). Portions are small so don't come here if you're looking for best bang for your buck. Rolls average around $14 - the Ichigo and Fire Dragon are both winners. Cocktails are also pricey - I paid $11 for a Lycheetini (combination of lychee juice and Malibu coconut rum, with a lychee in the bottom of the glass). However, its obvious that there is a lot of attention to detail when it comes to preparing and plating the dishes (as evidenced by the chrysanthemum-shaped cucumber on top of our wakame salads).

• Sepia - Literally right outside my building and Michelle Obama's favorite restaurant in her hometown, Sepia is supposedly a good place to see and be seen in my neck of the woods. Food & Wine and the Wall Street Journal named Executive Chef, Kendal Duque, one of the best new chefs in the country. An extensive wine selection and an emphasis on simple, rustic, yet elegant food is this restaurant's trademark seal.
  

Other Stuff Around:

• Fulton Market - Eclectic art galleries, boutiques, and restaurants situated in old warehouses on a street that smells of fish and sewage.

• Pivot Boutique - Chicago's first boutique dedicated to eco-friendly fashion. Clothes are made out of organic cotton, bamboo, and soy. Cute tops, dresses, shoes, and bags. And its guilt-free shopping because you're investing in environmentally sound purchases!
  

• Mars Gallery - Located in a turn of the century warehouse, clients include fashion designer Betsey Johnson, Michael Jordan, and Warner Bros. Records. Apparently this gallery is situated within one of the few known urban 'energy vortex circles,' that 'helps to enable artists' creativity'...
  

• Primitive - At first I was turned off by this somewhat non-PC name, but this is a pretty remarkable store. Hard to find, one-of-a-kind antiques, furniture pieces, textiles, and jewelry from all over the world. Some pieces are over a thousand years old (although ... I guess they could say that, slap a $2,000 price tag on a vase, and nobody would know the difference). I'm not exactly sure how the proprietors manage to get their hands on such antiquities for the purpose of retail and not for say, display at museums... which then makes you question the authenticity and actual value of what they sell.
  

• Lumen - Latin for 'light,' the club boasts an innovative multimedia system for a total sensory experience. Housed in an old meatpacking warehouse, bamboo, concrete, and stainless steel create a clean look. Call ahead for bottle service but no VIP area.
  

• Carnivale - A pretigious Latino restaurant/bar awarded three stars by the Chicago Trib. Cocktail list reflects the theme - lots of tequila, tequila, and more tequila, with a little Sangria thrown in the mix. Colorful decor and lighting makes for a vibrant atmosphere.

• Moto - Minimalist theme in the restaurant and on the plate in this Fulton Market find. Also boasts a lounge, but the house only seats 46. Innovative cuisine made with organic, artisanal, and seasonal ingredients means a constantly changing menu that can sometimes offer a ten-course tasting menu for the bargain price of $105.
  

Future Homes

Loftcubes, Jellyfish Houses, Mushroom Houses

Crazy chalk drawings by Julian Beever

I wouldn't mind living in a place like this...
John Lautner's Celebrated Homes

20 Most Bizarre Celebrity Baby Names
(Personally I like Sage Moonblood and Moxie Crimefighter)


7 Reasons the 21st Century is Making You Miserable

15 Reasons Mr Rogers was best neighbor ever

Take a Trip

"We imagine that waking-life is real and that dream-life is unreal, but there does not seem to be any evidence for this belief. Chuang Tzu, in the third century B.C., put it in an amusing way; having dreamed that he was a butterfly flitting from flower to flower, he stated that he was now wondering whether he was then a man dreaming he was a butterfly or whether he was now a butterfly dreaming he was a man."

Wanderlust

Everyone's traveling this summer. Friends in Greece, Germany, Poland, Argentina, etc etc. Looks like the farthest I'll get before med school starts is Venice (...Florida, not Italy). The jetsetting will have to wait until next summer.

Places I Want to Visit:
1.)Lisbon
2.) Napa Valley
3.) Turks & Caicos
4.) Bangkok/Phuket
5.) Dubai

Favorite Places Visited:
1.) Istanbul
2.) Capri
3.) Cairo
4.) Tokyo
5.) Honolulu

Most Random Places Visited:
1.) Lake Nicaragua
2.) Trinidad-Tobago
3.) Sardinia
4.) Abu Simbel
5.) Yuma, AZ

Ultimate Chicago Weekend

Angela came to visit this weekend! We crammed as much of Chicago as possible into a 36-hour period. I really love when friends visit from out of town - seeing as I've only lived here for about two months, I still feel like a tourist myself. And being touristy is one of the most necessary elements of life. You enjoy every detail of your surroundings and revel in things that you would assume to be ordinary otherwise. And when you start thinking things are ordinary... life gets boring. Like Carol said :-)

Rundown:ArtInstitute*MillenniumParkMagnificentMileBerryChill
WickerParkArchitectureTourDeepDishPizza!
(*I can cross off #9 on my list)

The Architecture Tour talked about Santiago Calatrava's Chicago Spire, which I'm growing increasingly curious about. Mostly because it looks as if it would be better suited in the Dubai or Shanghai skyline instead of Chicago's. Chicago architecture seems to focus more on pragmatics and function (such as LEED certification in many of the newly constructed office buildings) than aesthetics and design but the Spire is breaking the mold. Each succeeding floor of the building will impose a two degree difference in angle (hence the spiral shape) and upon completion, will house 1200 private residences on Lake Shore. A little ostentatious? I can't help but wonder who is in the market for a $42 million penthouse in our blundering economy. On the tour I also learned that my apartment building is one block away from the site of the Republican Convention where Lincoln was inaugurated as the party's presidential nominee. History everywhere.

The Feist concert at Ravinia Park on Friday was probably one of my favorite nights in this city so far. (Well, it wasn't really IN the city - 40 min train ride from Ogilvie to Ravinia) Eating a picnic in an amazing setting on a beautiful night with good friends, good music, and wine made for the perfect summer setting.

Two words: CHRISTIAN BALE

This is why producers of Batman are smart - they can attract an otherwise uninterested female demographic to an action superhero movie through the likes of a beautiful man who is dressed in rubber for most of the screen time.

Did I mention I saw Christian Bale? While I was visiting Mike in Madison, Christian Bale & Johnny Depp were filming a new movie called 'Public Enemy.' I spotted Christian from afar - he was only two inches tall from where I stood, but he still oozed gorgeousness. And those cheekbones... *drool*
Needless to say, I will definitely be seeing this movie.

http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1821365,00.html?cnn=yes

Things To Do In Chicago:

Before summer is over...

1.) Sailing lessons on Lake Michigan
2.) Cubs game at Wrigleyfield
3.) Segway tour (!!!)
4.) Jazz at the Green Mill
5.) Biking
6.) Drinks at NoMi Lounge
7.) Dinner at Blackbird
8.) Beer garden at Navy Pier
9.) Wander around the Art Institute
10.) Go to top of Sears Tower
11.) See Itzhak Perlman and the Chicago Symphony play at Ravinia Park
12.) More brunch, brunch, brunch
13.) Sushi at Toro
14.) Hot dog at Fast Track
15.) Yoga at Oak St Beach
16.) See the Jeff Koons exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Art
17.) Shedd Aquarium

Guess I better get busy.

Mmmm Beets...

Eat up!

To Pitch A Tent?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25192697/

Last night some friends and I were discussing the merits of camping. The closest I've been to camping is sitting in a North Face tent amidst realistic-like pine trees and testing out the thermal sleeping bags (....in the North Face store on Michigan Avenue). In my opinion, here are the pro's and con's of pitching a tent for the night:

Pro: getting close to nature.
Con: getting close to nature.

Something about sleeping outside on the ground with nothing but a thin tent separating me from a meandering bear just doesn't appeal to me. It's not that I don't enjoy being outside - hand me a fishing rod or put me in a raft on whitewater rapids and I'm game. Just take me to a hotel when the sun goes down. But as I listened to the adventures of one friend's month-long cross country camping trip with her boyfriend I was charmed. Hmm.. maybe it's worth forgoing the Heavenly Bed at the Westin to fall asleep underneath the stars with the one you love. Something to think about doing before summer's over.

In the meantime, the wilds of downtown Chicago will have to suffice...