The Getty Museum

A day well spent with two of my favorite travel/adventure partners - Emi and Kumi!

check out their rad blog --> Utsukushii !!

vegas with my highschool besties

Growing up...all of my friends went to Vegas in mid-August for the Hollywood Dodgers basketball tournament. This was always a highlight of the summer, mostly because EVERYONE you knew went and played and it was a blast walking around to various hotels meeting up with friends, eating at the hotel food courts, playing arcades, swimming in the awesome pools, avoiding smoky casinos, hoping our parents won on the machines so we could go to more arcades...etc! So, this past weekend my high school best friends and I decided it would be fun to head back to Vegas to celebrate graduating college, getting jobs (or in the process of), and the sweet friendships we've had with each other! I love these girls! 

plenty of time in le pool

never a dull moment with these fools!

 our attempt at a group photo 

 thats more like it. also that guy seems very amused behind us

 IF THERE IS MUSIC WE WILL DANCE!

obligatory mirror shot

Taryn and Silvia took most of the photos so these were the few I mustered from my phone. 

anyway...loved spending time with these chicks. They are all so full of life, they make anything fun, they all love love to eat, theyre silly, hilarious, love to get dressed up, but some of the most down to earth girls you'll eva meet - love my highschool besties! 

the best videos online.

I love videos!

here are a few of the best. funny. heartfelt. creative. love all of them

Stever Harvey gets surprised...this clip made me cry! 

Kristen Wigg is too good. 

can't say i'm a huge fan of Heineken...BUT I am a HUGE fan of whatever they are doing here. DREAM!!!

      Pardon My Dust from SnowGlobe Studios on Vimeo.

skill beyond skill. 

     
OBA-CHAN from Mackenzie Sheppard on Vimeo

this video is amazing. beautiful. honesty. inspiring. LOVE LOVE 

      
Duct Tape Surfing from Mark Tipple on Vimeo.

reminded to have hope. to be joyful. to be a good friend. to be helpful. to love others

    
Oliver Jeffers Process from Frank Collective Inc. on Vimeo.

I want to be this guys best friend!!

BATAYAKI dinner at G & G 's

 Grandma and Grandpa invited us (Stac, Ant, and myself) over for Batayaki dinner! This is one of my all time favorite meals, and there is something special about the way G&G prepare it. I'm always amazed at my grandparents for their willingness to host us and prepare such a delicious meal...they are both in their 90s and are two of the hardest working people i've ever met. They never complain and are always giving us food, snacks, leftovers etc to take home to our family. I love spending time with them.

 hi grandma!

 Grandma's batayaki sauce. We always say that even if we had the recipe, it would never taste the same!

 always have to accompany your food with some hot green tea

 BUTTER

 this was Ant's first batayaki experience!

 YUMMMMMM! so many of my favorite things...broccoli with miso/mayo sauce, pickled beats from Grandpa's garden, 

kuromame (black beans), and takuan! 

 SO GOOD

 Hannah was over!

 Ant helping Grandma label some photos

 I love gramps!

 time for dessert 

 Grandpa's report cards from his time at USC...1937!!!

 This is a testament to the kind of man Grandpa is...I asked him what his first job was and he pulled out this black book with a few pages in it. He had written down his income for every day he worked at his first job, a Chinese restaurant. He would write down his income which was usually around $1.40, his expenses (usually .50) and his total balance. After a few months at the restaurant he had saved about $60! And this book is about 70 years old - crazy!

 also, in that book Grandpa had recorded his expenses for a term at USC back in 1936..

.can you believe that books were $3 and TUITION WAS $145!!!! 

Grandma pulled out this old photo of Russ and Stac. 

Grandma always waves us goodbye! 

I love these moments with my grandparents. Theyre amazing people.