APHA

I recently presented my poster at the American Public Health Association annual conference. It's attended by anywhere btwn 12,000 and 15,000 people, and it's spread over 4 days.

There were approx 1,000 abstracts being presented at the conference, either oral or poster, so it wasn't THAT big of a deal...but I think I was the only person in my cohort to be a participant this year?

I wish I had taken a picture of all the rows of posters to show you how crazy it was but things got kind of busy so I forgot. I ended up talking to quite a few people- and not just my friends/classmates who dropped by to support me, but also random strangers. Ooh, and my new boss and coworker came by, that was so nice of them!

Two years of organizing, and I only had this space to tell my story.

Some thoughts:
-An hour goes by really quick! I was really scared I'd be one of those loner poster people but it turned out enough people stopped by to keep me occupied and blabbing away about my poster.
-The super chunky (and I'm being nice) girl that was with the group poster next to me kept standing IN FRONT of my poster, blocking about 1/3 of it with her body, and then her purse jutted out and covered the center. And she planted her feet there until I had to hint nicely that she was in my way. Pretty clueless of her!
-My poster only cost me $9, and then $5 for the tube to hold it. Jer helped me print out the color parts on photo paper, and I used photo corners to hold the prints. Usually color cost about $15 per square foot but I was cheap so thank goodness Cam told me about the b&w printing! Thanks Cam!
-The guy next to me said "Cute outfit. Your first time presenting? You'll learn to wear flats."
My Calvin Klein heels were quite comfortable though!


Other thoughts about the whole experience:
-The San Diego Convention Center is HUGE! Walking from one end to the other was quite a workout.
-I'm done doing the 5 girls sharing one hotel room dealy. Getting way too old and not everyone is as communal as they could be. I did save at least $200 by sharing, so I'm grateful to the classmate that hooked us up.
-I can't do the eating one meal a day routine. My body hated me, and my poo cycle was totally out of sync! :P
-UCLA/Cal alumni event had pretty tasty food!
-The sessions I went to were so interesting...farm to schools- an innovative way to feed kids yummy food instead of cafeteria mystery meat, bioterrorism- how the US govt is using it to justify the war, environmental justice- Port Arthur residents and their fight against the oil refineries, etc
-I still have no idea what I want to do. I wouldn't be opposed to a lower paying job if it was something like environmental justice organizing (probably help women in nail salons improve working conditions), but I'm also really interested in doing media design for promotional health messages...so we'll see where I end up!
-At the alumni event some recent alumni were saying that it's normal to be jobless for 4 months after graduation, and even up to 8 months. I was like, w-t-f. 4 months?? I can't even take 4 weeks of unemployment. I've been working since I was 16 (cashier at student store at school and tutor haha) and I don't think I've ever been unemployed for long periods since then. Let's see, during HS summers I worked at a health clinic and also at my old elementary school library. During undergrad I worked in a research lab and then neurosurgery as a workstudy student. During undergrad winter breaks I worked at Robinson's May. 3 days after I came back from Hawai'i/Toronto I found a tutoring job (omg, A+ is the crappiest tutoring place ever, right Susan H.??), and while at the tutoring job, I interviewed at AADAP. I continued to work both jobs until I realized that it was too time consuming. Then while at AADAP I found the AANCART job. In fact, in btwn AADAP and AANCART, I had 2 days off- Saturday and Sunday. And I also worked at Nordstroms last winter break. And currently, I have two jobs right now so when AANCART ends, I'll still be working at Cedars. And even though I have two jobs right now, I'm currently on the lookout for a 3rd full time job when I'm done with school. I don't sit around and wait for a job to end before I find another, not my style. I also don't believe in waiting around to find the "perfect job"- working at Robinson's May/Norstroms and tutoring aren't jobs in my field, but they paid the bills so I'm not going to discriminate. I always have a back up plan until I find the right job for my field. So yeah, despite what they say about it being okay to be jobless after graduation, that's not okay with me. I paid way too much for MPH, I intend to use it! Also, if I didn't work so much during undergrad I would have had larger loans, and I wouldn't have been able to pay them off so quickly after graduation. I don't intend to have my grad sch loans stack up anymore than needed, which is why I'm working so much now. I also want to pay them off w/in 6 months of graduation, which is why I'm trying to sock away money along the way so that it can go towards repaying dear old Sallie Mae later on.

Maybe I need time off. I'm not a workaholic right?? I just happened to always have jobs lined up w/o much of a break b/c I don't like being poor and not being able to afford things, haha. I'm not saying that everyone who doesn't work as much as I do is a bum, but since I've been paying for everything on my own since undergrad I've had to work to support myself. I've always paid for my own insurance and misc. bills. Not to mention my purse collection. :P

Ideally, if I can find a job for when after school's done, then I would ask to start later. Then that would be my vacation. :)

I'm always keeping an eye out for something better, I don't want to settle for some boring thankless job where I'm overqualified and underpaid! Life is too short to settle!

Taylor Swift concert?

Who wants to go to a Taylor Swift concert with me when she comes out to LA? No, I'm not a country fan but I do enjoy crossover pop more so than pop itself. Someone volunteer so Jer doesn't end up having to go with me! Just kidding, I wouldn't force him to go. I think her concerts are more of a girly teeny bopper thing! Heck I wouldn't even mind going by myself, I like her that much.

Anyways, my favorites from her are White Horse, Love Story, and A Place in This World. Gotta love real talent, and not formulated/generic pop!

*edit*

Her album comes out Nov 11! I can't wait! :)

Hamburger Buns

Jer marinated some brisket overnight to throw in the crockpot all day, and we couldn't decide what our carb would be. After vetoing rice and pasta, we settled on hamburger buns. Of course I had to make them from scratch:

This is after the first rise, I let it sit for around 2 hours

Then I punched it down and shaped them into round buns

This is the second rise, about another 2 hours.

Then I did an egg wash, sprinkled them with sesame seeds and baked them for about 15 min.

I realized that I made the buns too thin, so instead of splitting them open, we had to use two buns for the sandwich. This ended up being an excellent sandwich because the bread was super tasty with a crunchy crust and soft interior, the brisket was tender enough, and we were super hungry. Oh, and we had brisket sandwich for breakfast the next day and it tasted even better! Jer mixed the brisket with some BBQ sauce, stuffed the buns with them, and microwaved it for a bit. The meat juices ended up soaking through the bun. Tasty!!!

Here's the recipe I used, adapted from various sources:
1 cup milk
1/4 cup warm water
2.5 tsp dry active yeast
1/8 cup sugar, plus 1/4 tsp sugar
2 tbsp butter (softened and cut into small pieces)
1 egg
1/2 tbsp salt
3 cups flour
Optional: another egg, sesame seeds

Instructions:
1. Bring milk to a bare simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat and let cool to about 105-115 degrees F.
2. Stir together warm water, yeast and 1/4 tsp. sugar in bowl until yeast is dissolved. Let stand until foamy, approx. 5 minutes.
3. Add butter and the rest of the sugar to the yeast mixture and mix with paddle attachment at low speed until combined.
4. Add warm milk and let sit for a minute. Mix until butter is melted.
5. Add eggs and mix until well combined.
6. Add salt and 2 cups of flour and mix, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary.
7. Switch to dough hook and beat in 1 cup of flour at medium speed, scraping down the sides once or twice. If needed, add more flour in tbsp. increments to make dough pull away from the sides. Beat for 5 minutes more. Dough will be slightly sticky.
8. Transfer to a large oiled bowl (I like to use the cooking spray) and turn to coat with oil . Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in bulk, approx. another 2 hours.
9. Oil two large baking sheets. Punch dough down and turn onto lightly floured surface. Break into about 10 pieces and roll into a bun shaped thingy- make sure to make them relatively THICK since you'll want to split them in half- refer to my pic and try to double that size.
10. Place on baking sheets and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let rise for approx. 1 to 2 hours.
11. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
optional:
12. Beat an egg, and brush the tops of the buns with the egg wash and then sprinkle with sesame seeds prior to baking.
13. Place buns in oven and bake until golden brown and sound hollow when tapped, approx. 14 - 20 minutes per batch. Cool completely before serving.

These are tasty even by themselves! Next time if we buy some yummy gourmet sausage I will use the same recipe to fashion the dough as hot dog buns.

Ferris Wheel

I've always wanted to ride the ferris wheel. After having been at SM Pier dozens of times in my life, we finally went!

This is how it looks when you're going up. It goes around pretty slow and smooth, so you kind of have a chance to plan your pictures. I don't remember how many times around we went, but it was more than expected. The ride was cheaper than expected too, only $5. Our friends were predicting $10-$12.

The view is really pretty! This pic isn't bad for being hand held huh. There was also a full moon but none of those pics came out nice so I trashed them all. You get the idea though!

Haha, this pic came out pretty bad but oh well. I kind of like the grainy effect, actually. For most of the ride, we were too busy trying to take pics that we didn't really sit back to enjoy the experience. I think finally the last 25% of the ride we did that. It was nice. Esp since we kept thinking the ride was going to end but were pleasantly surprised when it didn't stop.

For more pics, go to photoist later or here: http://picasaweb.google.com/photoists/SmDinnerFerrisWheel#

Also, Jer told me about the London Eye and I kind of want to go on that even though it seems like a tourist trap. At the very least, I want to at least take pictures of it. For us, it's always about the photography!

Wk 4!

I can't believe it's week 4 already! It only seemed like yesterday when summer was winding down and yet another quarter was beginning. Now that I'm in the midst of it, it doesn't seem bad at all. Despite trying to juggle 3 classes and 2 jobs, I haven't really stressed out as much as I did during first year. Though other parts of my life have been a bit stressful (can I say poster making is not as easy as it seems? Why didn't I start on it 4 months ago when my abstract was accepted?! :P ), I've been trying to temper my negative moods with some happy things:

- Barely started my new job and I already got a pay raise!
- Finished my poster and I'm very happy with the finished project. Now anxious to get it printed and see how it looks full scale.
- Been finishing all my assignments at least 1+ days or more ahead of schedule and not procrastinating or stressing whatsoever.
- Jer treated me to a bunch of sewing supplies from Joanns- mats, rulers, rotary cutter, batting, snaps, scissors, fabric, etc so I can sew for reals!
- Planning Death Valley trip- can't wait to take some gorgeous pics and eat s'mores with friends
- My old insurance company sent me a substantial refund check out of nowhere!
- I made my own tomatillo sauce from scratch and it was delicious
- Jer and I are doing amazing as usual, and can I just say that I'm freaking lucky that homeboy can now make ceviche from scratch? And washes/waxes my car while I'm doing schoolwork? Yes, I appreciate him and never intend to take him for granted! It just gets better everyday. :)

Okay, on that happy note, time to go to bed!

Park and Ride

Park and ride has become one of our favorite phrases! Though it's not much compared to other people, we try to do our part to be more socially responsible for the environment. This includes recycling, using reusable bags when shopping (Fresh N Easy makes the best bags- durable, lightweight, and roomy), bussing (me)/bicycling (him) to work, and trying to be less wasteful overall. One of the things we actively do is seek ways to get to events that don't involve driving as much. Not only is it a personal perk to us (not having to deal with traffic and parking and using less gas), we like to support the efforts of people who've worked hard to make such events accessible to us via public transportation. Throughout this past year I think we've done pretty well:

Rose Bowl: after a relatively painless drive along the 110 we ended up in Old Town and made our way to Parsons. We found a parking spot relatively quick but the line to get on the shuttles was LONG and snaked around the parking lot. But it moved pretty quickly b/c we realized that they were loading 6 bus-fulls at a time. We made it to the game with maybe 15 min to spare, just in time! The ride was short and quick b/c the shuttles got to use the back roads that were closed to the public. We jammed immediately after the game (we went to UCLA/Tenn) so we were able to get on the shuttle quickly- prolly on the first round. But I imagine the lines to be pretty long after the game. For $2 round trip per person I think it's an excellent alternative! I hate parking at the Rose Bowl so now I'll avoid it at all costs.

Dodger Stadium: we took the Green/Blue/Red lines to Union Station ($5 round trip for each of us), and then we took the free Dodger shuttle to the stadium. I've been to Dodger Stadium numerous times and I always hate leaving after a game! Getting there is not so bad b/c fans show up anywhere btwn an hour or two before game time through 3rd inning, but everyone pretty much leaves after the 7th inning or after a game, if we're winning by the time the 7th inning stretch rolls around. Plus thanks to the McCourts parking is now like $15 or $20 a car. What is nice about the shuttle is that it drops you off really close to will call.

Hollywood Bowl: This was so painless! We drove to the Federal Building, parked and walked a very short distance to one of the charter buses. It was about $3 per person roundtrip. We got to the HB in less than 30 min, and walking was minimal too! The first time I was at the HB we didn't know and parked in the lots which were stacked parking...so terrible b/c we were boxed in and couldn't leave for the longest time! Some people also park at Hollywood and Highland ($4 with validation) and they take the shuttle which I believe is slightly cheaper. Since we were already on the Westside it made sense to forgo driving to Hollywood in the first place. I don't like 101/405 interchange under any circumstances! I'd rather go 10, exit La Brea and hop onto Highland and go north all the way to Hollywood Blvd. But driving local is time consuing also.

OC Fair: I think I already talked about this but I'll copy and paste here again:
Jer did some research for the fair and found that if we took the OC Flyer for $2.50 roundtrip, we'd get $2 off each tix. Plus, we didn't have to pay for parking which saved us $5. So if we drove: $18 for two tix plus $5 parking = $23 plus we'd have to find parking in a crowded lot (when we left, there were cars in a queue trying to park), and walk further to the entrance. Since we took the shuttle at Goldenwest Transit Center (plenty of parking at the park & ride lot), we spent $5 for bus and $14 for tix = $19 and we got dropped off at the front entrance. The bus wasn't slow either since there was no stop along the way. Also, since the buses leave on the hour and every half, we just timed it so we wouldn't have to wait for the next bus to come along. All in all, we didn't waste any extra time bus-ing it than we would have if we drove the entire distance (which is why in general ppl don't like buses- it's faster to drive, and in most cases I totally agree). Oh and we saved on a bit of gas: the bus was 18 miles round trip, so with gas prices these days, we saved like $10 on gas too! So if you go, I would recommend this option!

Abbot Kinney Festival: Last year when Jenta and I went, we actually drove there and had a hard time finding parking but eventually we did, many blocks away. (Which worked out fine b/c we got to see the famous Venice Canals!) This year, Jer did some research on metro.net and found that if we took the bus that was 1/2 block from my apt, it would drop us off directly in front of the festival in 16 minutes or less. Score! Fare was $2.50 round trip for each of us. Since buses came every 15-18 min on a Sunday, we didn't wait long for the ride home either.

Manhattan Beach Hometown Fair: We didn't even have to drive to park and ride, instead we walked and rode. His workplace offered free shuttle service to the festival so we just walked to the main campus and took the FREE shuttle. Yay for free. We also got there in 8 min or so and again got dropped off in front of the festival.

Weight is Just a Number

To those of you who are trying to lose those extra x lbs but are getting discouraged...don't be, weight is just a number!

I went to get a physical recently and I got the nicest compliment! The nurse weighed me (if you want to know how much, msg me and I'll tell you!) and then later said, "Is this your real weight? You definitely do not look like it!" And I said, "I know! I've been working out all summer and I can't seem to drop those extra 10 or 15 lbs, but yet I still fit in clothes that I wore when I was 10-15 lbs lighter!" And she said: "You know, weight is just a number and I wouldn't worry at all about how high or low it is. You're a beautiful young woman, you have great curves and more importantly you look so healthy!" That made me sooo happy b/c I had really been working really dilligently all summer- I went to Wooden 2-3 times a week if I was on campus, and I swam/ran with Jer the other days. I didn't really deny myself food, but I watched my portions. (I will never ever diet b/c I love food too much) But despite all that, the scale didn't really significantly change. So I guess I had been building up muscle and since muscle weighs more than fat, that was a possibly explanation for why I wasn't really losing weight. I definitely did lose my muffin top and most of my arm flab though so I was happy. When we went to BR outlet (we both love their pants but can only afford outlet prices) I found a 0P on sale so on a whim I tried it on. I thought it'd be a bit tight since my other pair of BR pants were a 2S, but when I pulled them on they slid smoothly over my thighs and buttoned quite comfortably over my tummy! I was so happy because I've never fit a 0P before. (Although the last two dresses I bought have been mediums- go figure) The best part is, I don't have to tailor them lengthwise, yay. So ladies, weight is just a number! If you work out regularly and eat sensibly then you will have a healthy heart and as a bonus you will have a toned body and look good in anything, no matter the size or how much you weigh! I would have to say though that running is the best way to get results- it's very efficient and you don't need fancy equipment. You know your body the best though, so stick to what works for you. Good luck! :)

Agree to Disagree?

My cousins and I don't really talk "deep" so once in a while it's nice to have a real conversation with them, albeit over email. Don't mind the off-grammar too much, most of my cousins weren't born here so they started going to US schools when they were in middle/high school. Most of them went to Cal States though and are very successful people in their careers so in no way do I look down on them for not going to a university or for not having the best grammar.

It all started when Cousin A sent an email out with this link:
http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1815820715?bctid=1822459319

I replied with this:
How are you all voting when it comes to prop 8?

I'm voting against it. In my opinion, public education of children has nothing to do with same sex marriages. Would love to hear your opinions!

Cousin B said:
Phuong,

Have U seen the clip of the address attached. I would like to know ur opinion.

I said:
Yeah I saw it. In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with same sex marriage and I would have no problems with my future children being exposed to any type of diversity in schools- diversity in race, ethnicity, gender, SES, and as this video is saying, LGBT couples. I think to deny same sex couples the opportunity to get married and be entitled to the same benefits as other couples b/c I'm worried about my children's education is a long stretch and not a very strong argument. I have concerns about my children getting proper education, I just don't think that them learning about diversity in any shape or form is going affect them negatively. Kids are going to be exposed to everything when they're in schools: some of the little kids in our family have already learned profanity at a young age and we know they were not learned at home. So again, to argue for prop 8 b/c of education to me is not a valid or convincing point. But when you are running a campaign, you will find all sorts of ways to try to convince people, and so of course they are going to tug at the heartstrings of parents by trying to make the association btwn public ed and same sex marriages.

Though I may not agree with it, I respect everyone's opinions, and if some ppl think that same sex marriage is wrong, that's their thoughts, I'm not out to change their minds. But just because some parents think same sex marriage is wrong, they may be able to pass on that sentiment to their kids when they are young, but when they are old enough to decide for themselves I hope that parents will respect their thoughts and beliefs.

You ask for my thoughts, what about yours?

Cousin B said:
Yes, I got your points. But are U concerns about your kids who probably rise in an normal environment that will expose in the same marriages that may cause he/she thinks it's o.k to become one.

One thing that I would like to add is that human has been evolving with its environment based on history (climate and what have you). People will evolve as environment evolves.

I hope the word evolution rings a bell.

After I read that, I nearly choked.

Then I said:
Even though you never clearly stated your stance, I'm guessing you're voting for prop 8.

That's fine if you are voting for it b/c you believe same sex marriages are wrong and should not be legal- I respect your beliefs even if I don't agree with it. But don't base your vote on heresay that your children's education will be negatively impacted if it passes. Believe me, for LAUSD same sex ed is the LEAST of their priorities. Kids can't read or do math at their grade level (I once tutored a 6th grader who could not divide), their knowledge of science is years behind other countries such as Japan and India, and there is such emphasis on state testing that some schools are even cutting time for physical education (PE). I'm not sure how other school districts are, esp in OC, but if I was a school administrator, I would direct my funding to areas where my students are lacking. If these people are so concerned about their children's education, they need to redirect their energies to improve education where it counts and not waste time, money, and effort on linking same sex marriage to education.

Cousin B said:
Yes, because it has not officially implemented. If same marriage is allowed to be taught in school and accepted in our society. You will see our society evolves. Keep in mind the word EVOLUTION. It will evolve if society accepts it.

I said:
If one were to wait for evolution to come around to change society's mindset, then one would wait in vain forever for blacks and whites to share the same rights to education and even drinking from the same water fountain, (there is still deep rooted racism in the south- so should people who live there, in the not so liberal areas, wait for evolution to change the way people are treated unfairly?). One would also wait forever for the right of interracial couples to marry (I'm referring to Loving vs. Virginia)- evolution did not have a hand in this, a Supreme Court ruling did. Also, non-whites and women would not be able to vote: it was not evolution that granted them the right, it was policy and community organizing.

If we are going to have our children grow up in an environment of tolerance and diversity with the understanding that people and families come in different shapes, varieties, and make up, we cannot wait or depend on evolution. Policies need to be passed to evoke change not just in mind, but in practice.

While some parts of America and the world are quite liberal, the rest of the states/countries are still very narrow-minded. It would be passive of us to rely on evolution rather than education to address inequalities.

Cousin B said:
Yes, there is still racial involved. But do you see a black person is about to become the president of the United States. Is that evolution?

I said:
I disagree. It's not because of evolution that we FINALLY have a non-white presidential nominee (he's actually half white/half black). It's because of those people who have worked endlessly to pass legislation, and even died (MLK) in order to promote civil rights for everyone. Evolution is not the answer or solution. Being passionate and working hard will effect change in mind and practice to reduce inequalities more so than evolution ever will. And that is why I refuse to sit back and be passive.

Cousin B said:
The word evolution means gradually change. It doesn't matter if his ancestry is half African-American and Caucasian. All I know is that his grandmother is still lived in Kenya. Regardless, his complexity is African-American and we all accept that is the fact. From slavery, nobody at that time can imagine that society will accept all races will be accepted equal to the present day that an African-American soon to be the president of the United States. I just want to draw an analogy that once we accept it in society. It will change and it will take time to change as like the slavery in the United States once the law is imposed.

Cousin A said:
Here's my 2 cents.
I have no problem of people choosing same sex marriage. It's their choice and they are old enough to make the choice. You can call me old fashioned, but I don't want my kids to be taught that same sex marriage is normal at a young age. The school can have it as part of the education, but probably for HS or colleage level in socialogy or something. When my kids are old enough to make the decision and choose same sex marriage, will I support it? Of course, NO. Can I do anything about it? Probably not much. Do I still love my kids? Yes, I will always love them, but it doesn't mean I will support every decision they make.

We will all have to decide what's important to us.

Cousin C said:
i'm not voting this time but just to voice my opinions, i feel that everyone should have the choice to lead their lives the way they want. The term "marriage" should be able to be interpreted freely by everyone. As for my stance on prop 8, i'm neutral. (he's 19 and I'm not even going to there with the whole you're old enough to vote but you don't?!! issue with him)

I talked to Cousin D on the phone earlier and she was like...I'm staying out of this one!

*edit*
Here's my response from this morning:
Here is an article that might interest you:

http://www.dailynews.com/ci_10621406

If you scroll down, here is what a rep for LAUSD said:

Judy Chiasson of the Los Angeles Unified School District's Office of Human Relations and Diversity said the district board voted unanimously against Proposition 8.

"We cannot support a proposition that promotes divisiveness and inequality," she said.

She dismissed arguments by initiative supporters that children would be taught about same-sex marriage in kindergarten. Those students learn shapes and colors and are taught to be nice to each other, not about who their parents should or shouldn't be, she said.

Here is another article:

http://opinion.latimes.com/opinionla/2008/08/what-same-sex-m.html

The only problem is that everything about this argument isn't just specious, it's just wrong.

According to curriculum experts with the state Department of Education, Section 51890 of the Education Code -- the section cited by the Proposition 9 camp because it calls for teaching children about the legal and financial responsibilities of marriage -- is not a requirement for schools. It's an expected part of instruction for school districts that want a state-funded health curriculum.

Things fall apart more when you get to the kindergarten thing. There is nothing in the Education Code about the age at which children should learn about marriage.

Now, knowing that your children will not be learning about those issues at a young age, would you vote for prop 8 anyway, even if you support same sex marriage?

I know that as a parent, you are concerned about their education and welfare and since I'm not a parent yet, I may not fully understand your intentions to protect your kids. But when you vote, please do your research and separate fact from heresay. Please remember, when you are voting on prop 8, you are voting for or against the right of same-sex couples to marry. Again, it's not about your kid's education!

Okay, let's see what they say.

*end edit*

I haven't responded yet to the latest emails...but I think I've made my pt. Maybe my cousins think that b/c I'm not a parent that I don't understand...but I've talked to two parents today and they are not in support of prop 8 either. Maybe my family is more traditional than those parents whom I talked to today. Anyways at least it's nice to know what's on their minds even if we totally disagree. It just sucks that I'm in the minority here and that no one else in my family is backing me up. It makes me sad to think that if one of their children came out, that their parents might not give them the support they need b/c it's so obvious that they're against it. Parents who strive to teach their kids diversity and tolerance need to practice what they preach. I hate the whole "I support same-sex marriage...as long as it doesn't happen to my family." A bit hypocritical, but I'm not surprised of this mentality. Anyways, just fodder for thought. I know that some of you lurk my blog but don't leave comments so it would be nice to hear your thoughts if you have any. Better to think on one side or the other rather than not think at all, I feel.

Thai Boom

Lately I've been a little tired of Korean food and I don't crave it as much, so we tried out a Thai restaurant on Venice. Since we don't eat out much (cooking is faster and cheaper) I haven't really taken advantage of living so close to a diverse row of restaurants all along Venice. I say eating in is faster and cheaper b/c you gotta decide where to eat, then you gotta get there, park, wait for a table, decide what you want, order, wait for your food, eat, pay, and then you gotta drive home. And it's almost always more expensive to eat out when you could gather the ingredients to make them yourself. But there are times when you can't make certain foods as tasty, and that is why I don't mind paying for meals that I can't cook myself. :) The worst is when you order something that you can make better! But I really don 't understand people who make excuses about not cooking when they come home from work because they don't have enough time and they get home too late. It's probably because they can't cook! They only time I can think of eating out being faster than cooking is if someone eats fast food all the time but that is gross and unhealthy! Anyways, I digress.

So we went to Thai Boom and I got my usual duck curry and he got his usual pineapple fried rice.

A bit overseasoned but I still liked it


This was SO GOOD. I got SO MUCH duck!! Usually most places skimp on the duck. I was so happy I had enough left over for a second meal. I think if Jer didn't pick off my plate I would have had enough for a 3rd meal. How's that for stretching 8 bucks? Hehe.


This was the coconut ice cream, but sans the sticky rice. It was the perfect treat to end a yummy meal.


Thai Boom
10863 Venice Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90034
310.842.8291

They are pretty busy (we went on a Friday night), so grab a menu and browse before you are seated! The restaurant itself is quite small.

Yeah we're romantical dorks.

Speaking of Thai restaurants, don't eat here:
Spices Thai Cafe
6785 Mira Mesa Blvd Ste 143
San Diego, CA 92121
We stopped by for a quick bite to eat on our way to the air show and it was the worse Thai food I've ever had! The pad thai was gross. It's weird b/c I used to come here with my ex and I remember liking the food a lot! But I would never come back here again, ever! If a restaurant can't do pad thai properly...that's just sad. Oh and did I mention our waitress was RUDE. Total PMS-ing.

We got a Kitchen Aid pasta maker attachment recently and had some fun:

Not too shabby on our first attempt! I found a basic dough recipe that called for flour, eggs, EVOO, and some water. We had no problems with mixing, kneading, or rising, and the attachment worked fine. We decided to use the dough to make lasagna...and though it was pretty good, the dough just didn't have that consistency that we were looking for...it was a bit doughy and not light and chewy like the pasta we're used to. The taste was indeed fresh though! However, Jer had it for leftovers the next day and said the pasta tasted much better. So we need to figure out those kinks, but for the most part, it went well for our first time! Speaking of time, it was a bit time consuming though, I dunno how ppl were blogging and saying it took them 10 minutes, haha.

Now Jer wants to get an ice cream maker attachment. Kitchen Aid gives a 25% rebate on attachments during the holiday season so we may get one...just in time for winter. Although he insists that LA does not have "winters." Anyways, making your own food from scratch is really nice if you take the effort and make the time. We won't be doing it all the time b/c we're quite busy, but we're doing what we can to maintain healthier lifestyles. :)