Where has the time gone?

I wasn't very good with updating this yet again. Ugh. Why Jen why?

What has happened since I last posted? Thanksgiving weekend was fun. My friend Adrienne flew over from Boston so that I wouldn't spend Thanksgiving alone. We were originally supposed to meet up in New York with several other girls from our high school but that plan fell through. In the end, she was gonna stay in Boston and I was gonna stay in DC. Until her dad was like, "Why don't you just fly to DC and spend Thanksgiving with Jen there?" So instead of the two of us spending Thanksgiving alone in two separate cities, we had a very nice Thanksgiving weekend just the two of us together! Adrienne is one of the bestest friends I have, she and I are practically sisters. And because this Winter Break won't have many opportunities for us to meet up back home, and because she is looking to spend some of her summer break in Boston for an internship, having a few days together was great.

She got here on Wednesday and I got off work early to pick her up from the airport that afternoon. Then we went to eat Ethiopian food (YES!) and got to eat with out hands and it was spicy and it was good. We were both really glad that we had each other that weekend. We went to a nice Thanksgiving brunch at the LPQ in Dupont Circle (Organic bread basket with their different fruit and chocolate spreads? Yum!) before heading to the National Zoo for the day. Sadly, they don't have giraffes, but we got to see the afternoon feeding of the Giant Panda which was great. That day was the coldest day that weekend. It was mostly in the low 30s and high 20s but the wind chills dipped to the teens. For Thanksgiving dinner, we had made reservations at PJ Clarke's, a classic American cuisine restaurant. We chose not to do the traditional Thanksgiving spread. Instead we got comfort foods--french onion soups, a huge tub of baked macaroni and cheese with bacon and peas, and these short rib spring rolls that had mashed potatoes, short ribs, and green onions inside and which we dipped into a horseradish sauce. And of course, we had pumpkin pie for dessert and some tea! It was a nice dinner and we both felt sad that we were 5,000 miles away from home and family but we were definitely both very thankful that we were together. 

The bad part was I woke up with a cold on Thursday, which meant I was sick for the weekend. Going out every day did not help at all. 

On Black Friday, we slept in and trekked over to Rosslyn, Virginia to visit an awesome pho place called Pho 75. It was heaven. Oh my god, and I thought Pho 14 in Columbia Heights was money! This was better. After the pho warmed us up and made me feel a bit better because of my cold, we walked across the Key Bridge over the Potomac River to go to Georgetown. Now, Georgetown is a shopping destination. It is very much like Waikiki strip, only older and with a different kind of charm. So, of course, M Street was packed with people. But we weren't there for the shopping. We were there for the cupcakes!

DC is one of the first cities that started the whole cupcake craze. In fact, Sprinkles Cupcakes on M Street is one of the very first cupcake bakeries that skyrockethed the whole thing. And right down the street is Georgetown Cupcakes, known for their show on TLC. There is another cupcake place in the area called Baked and Wired, known mostly for their granola/crunola concoction which they call "Hippie Crack." Anyway, we wanted to do the ultimate taste test and finally figure out which cupcake bakery was the best. We both have heard people say that it is Georgetown Cupcakes hands down, but some have pointed out that the mere size of Baked and Wired cupcakes make them more worth your money. And of course, there are people who stick to Sprinkles because they are the ones who started it all. We wanted to find out! Our plan was to visit each cupcake bakery and to order a red velvet cupcake from each, along with one of their seasonal special flavors. The red velvet would be able to tell us which one does cupcakes best--it is a classic, and plus, we were sure that all three would have that flavor. 

So we hit Georgetown Cupcakes first and as usual, the line was out the door, around the corner, and up the street. We were prepared though--we hit Starbucks in Rosslyn first to get some drinks that would warm us up as we stood in line in the cold. It was well worth the wait I think. The cupcakes were adorable. Our seasonal pick was the caramel apple, so we walked away with that and the red velvet cupcake in a cute little box.

Next stop? Sprinkles! It was not crowded at all. Like, at all. There was practically no one there. But that did not deter us. We ordered our staple red velvet and then chose the cranberry orange cupcake as our seasonal flavor. Sprinkles cupcakes are all topped with these circular decorations with colors that indicate the flavor of the cupcake. It was different from Georgetown's colorful and creative sprinkles, shapes, frosting, and more. But again, we knew it would all come down to the taste.

So we walked over down to Baked and Wired and got in line for our cupcakes. Baked and Wired didn't have a line out the door but that is because they have a bigger space than Georgetown. Past the first room where you can get your cupcakes and other goodies (they are not strictly cupcakes, they have cookies, biscottie, brownies, and their granola stuff as well), there is also a separate room for you to get coffee and another one with bookshelves, lounge chairs and an entire wall filled with written-on napkins. It was very cool. We got the red velvet of course, but their seasonal flavor was pumpkin. And because we had already gotten pumpkin pie the night before, we chose to get their german chocolate cupcake with coconut and pecan frosting instead.

By that time, it was already 5ish and we had to rush over to the metro station in Rosslyn to go to the Tree Lighting at Old Town Alexandria in Virginia. It was another cute and charming little town, and we would have liked to stroll down King Street during the day but it was all right. The Tree Lighting was at Market Square which was packed! There were so many kids with their parents. Onstage were a town choir and they led the crowd in singing carols. We watched the mayor interview Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus onstage and it was just adorable how the kids ate up all of their words. It was cute. And after, the big finale, Santa and the mayor lit up the tree! It was heartwarming and Aid and I were both thinking of the Honolulu City Lights and our own trees back home. Again, we felt that sadness that we weren't home but we also felt glad that we weren't alone. 

After the tree-lighting, we made our way to the very packed Starbucks on King Street and found a table. It was time for our taste test! Now, the size of the cupcakes were a notable thing. Baked and Wired cupcakes were by far the largest, they were bigger than my fists. And the Georgetown cupcake was the littlest one, it was so cute. We tasted each one, evaluating the richness of the cake and the taste of the cream cheese frostin on each one. We both agreed that the Georgetown cupcake was the best red velvet, though it was small and it disappeared quickly. Its cake was the richest and its frosting the lightest, really airy. Both the Sprinkles and B&W cakes were pretty rich but they also had a weird texture, possibly because of their size. They were good, but pretty dense. As for the frosting, I think Aid said she liked the Sprinkles frosting better than the B&W one, but I disagreed. The Sprinkles frosting to me was just too much, it was hard, and it overpowered the cake. 

As for the seasonal flavors? We didn't eat those until the day after, but hands down the German Chocolate from B&W was the best. Georgetown's caramel apple was delightful, it had bits of apple in the  cake and the buttercream frosting was drizzled with caramle. As for the Sprinkles cranberry orange, the cake was also good but the frosting was nothing special at all. The German chocolate one was our favorite by far, it was probs even better than Georgetown's red velvet!

Saturday was a lazy day. We woke up late then went over to Eastern Market. We shared a plate of crabcakes and deep fried oysters at Market Lunch, and walked around the farmers market and the flea market. They were selling Christmas trees and the smell of them made me think of how much I love the holidays. We bought and split a gigantic Asian pear and munched on that as we looked at the crafts and vegetables there. We also visited my favorite coffeeshop in that area, Peregrine Expresso, to grab warm drinks. We spent quite a bit of time exploring Capitol Hill Books with its crazy unorganized-but-really-very-organized stacks and shelves of books. Three levels of just books and books in every corner, every shelf, from floor to ceiling, covered in books and these clever labels that help people find books. It was great. There were even books in the bathroom! All the language books were in there. And we found a huge copy of the seventh Harry Potter book with a label on it that said "Ron Dies." I always have a great time just browsing through Capitol Hill books. We ended the day with more Starbucks and then metroed back to school for more sweet and salty snacks and Korean Dramas. 

Adrienne's flight departed early the next day so we woke up very early and metroed to the airport where we had a Dunkin Donuts breakfast after she said goodbye. It was very lonely after having her with me for several days, even lonelier than I felt before she even got to DC for the weekend. But I was sick and all I could do was sleep all day, so I did, which helped not only my cold but also the gnawing silence that filled and surrounded me, like there was an empty space that Adrienne had left that was bigger than the space she had come to fill. It was a sad Sunday for me, and an equally sad Monday as I had to call in sick at work. I was just not feeling good from the no-rest weekend, so having a day extra off was helpful. I was also really gross and I didn't want the Congresswoman to get sick.

But I went back to work on Tuesday and it slowly began hitting me that I was gonna be leaving soon. The office work was the same, except I kept thinking of everything as one of my last tasks. I was able to go on a second Dome Tour after having gone my first time in the beginning of the semester. It was a good full circle--I first got to DC in the summer with a huge and nice view of the city at nighttime at our hotel. And now as my time is ending, I was able to do a full 360 again from the very top of the center of the nation's capital. I did not linger at any point of my view except for the perfect view of Cannon on the southeast side of the Capitol. Again with the mixed feelings: I am glad to be going home, but saddened that my time here is ending. Yesterday, I gave my last Capitol tour ever and it went great--I took them on the Speaker's balcony, all the Hawaii marks in the Capitol, straying from the path that the Redcoats prescribe, and also the House floor and the "secret" prayer room on the House side. 

I am coming home with so many stories, much more than I can really tell people. I am also coming home a different Jen, I think. This is a Jen that has experienced loneliness and sadness that I have never before felt. This is a Jen who has grown much in the past several months. This is a Jen who is, I hope, more mature, learned, independent, stronger. A lot has tested me throughout this semester and here I am. At the same time, there were many high moments this semester both in and out of the office. None of them would have been possible if not for the people I met along the way, the opportunities that presented themselves, and the endless support I got from back home. 

I am getting ready to leave DC, and I know I want to come back, and I will. I may not know how exactly just yet. But I think I will. As I say goodbye to this city on the 14th when I fly back home, I am confident that I will be very happy with what I got out of it, perfectly content with what DC has given me over the months I spent here. 

Note: This post can also be found in my other blog.

I ruin DC Nature Shots

It is here! My week’s update, albeit late, is here!

Since I last posted, I have been in the Philippines Embassy not just once, but twice. Like. What even? The events in the Philippines have definitely put lots of organizations and powerful individuals into action. My first visit there was for a discussion between Filipino American leaders regarding a concerted relief effort to help and support those in the Philippines. It was cool, extremely so, to see the genuine care and passion that these leaders from different backgrounds had to help their fellow man. The Filipino idea of pakikipagkapwatao was definitely apparent throughout.

I was there again last night, this time for a Philippine-made furniture showcase. It reminded me of Rebecca and her and her architecture class’ furniture project.

I have been keeping busy in the office as usual but I also have renewed my efforts to have fun through it all. Last Saturday, I went with Guthrie, a high school friend who goes to Georgetown now, to Roosevelt Island where we walked through the forests and the mud and also visited TR’s memorial. So appropriate that he is commemorated in the very nature that he loved (Yeah TR and his big stick and refusal to live the life of ignoble ease but instead to embody the strenuous life!).

As my usual outings with Guthrie goes, the trip turned into a photoshoot. He has a nice camera and this is the first time anyone’s agreed to be his photo subject so Guthrie kinda really directs. As in “I don’t like your bow, it ruins the shot, take it off!” or “Move your hand on this side!” or “Lean this way, not over there!” type of direction. We were on the edge of the island near the side of the Key Bridge and Georgetown University and he told me to stand as close as I could to these low-hanging orange leaves above these slippery rocks in the water. I was wearing my boots that were definitely not slip-resistant and the rocks were covered with mud which made them even more slippery. We knew the water below me, though not very deep because they were covered with jagged rocks, was freezing cold. And he took his time taking shot after shot, pausing in between to change the settings to make sure the lighting was just right, too.

I appreciate him taking the time to take photos and stuff and have no problem helping him but once my feet started aching, I was already complaining, “But I don’t want to model, I just want to go to law school!” to which Guthrie replied, “Well you know law students have creative ways of finding the money to pay for law school…” Really now.

Nevertheless, I did not fall in (yes!) so it was still a fun time. See the pictures I have included below!

The fall is slowly making its way out and winter is creeping in. Winter is coming! That was definitely apparent this morning. The temperatures were the same as before, it has not significantly dipped in a while, but the winds! The winds make it bitterly cold. I like the cold temperature just fine, but when the strong wind chills make it worse, oh boy.

Number of times I've been hit on: 8

People here in DC have mistaken me for the following ethnicities:

Vietnamese (by a Vietnamese lady who owned a food truck)

Korean (the owner of the dry cleaning place I go to for my blazers, by a random guy on the metro, and the lady at the grocery store)

Chinese and Japanese (by the 10 Chinese journalists I took on a Capitol tour)

Two people stopped me last night to ask if I was Filipino! I m ean, it was probably because I was near the Philippine Embassy and because I had a nametag with the Filipino flag on it from the event I attended, but, I mean, it still counts right?

Pictures!

Chili 'Cause It's Chilly and a Cold in the Cold

Hello all!

Since I've posted, I have visited a couple of key places. I got into the White House! Tours are back on and were announced sometime mid-October and my intern coordinator requested for me to get approved to visit the House. He put down all the days that I have left here in DC as the office was willing to let me go during work hours. I got a spot on the first day, this past Tuesday, and the wait out in the cold may have been long, but it was worth it. Visitors are only allowed in the East Wing and though the First Family was home (save for the President who was in Bethesda, MD at the time), I did not glimpse any of them. The Red Room was my favorite by far. It was so warm and bright.

On Wednesday, I visited the Supreme Court and saw the latter half of an oral argument. By far the coolest thing I have seen here in DC. It was a case about class action lawsuits. Just seeing all the justices on the high bench gave me chills. Some seemed to be just lounging, which was funny, but some were pretty attentive to the attorney on the podium. There were a couple of jokes here and there too which was unexpected but appreciated.

Tours were hectic in the office because of the number of people who flew up for the football game. On Saturday, we got up early--like 5:30am early--so that we could get on the metro to Branch Ave in Maryland where we were getting picked up by UH Alum so we could drive to the stadium. The tailgate hosted by the UHAA wasn't like your typical tailgate--catered food, green-and-white-tablecoth covered round tables underneath a huge white tent, live entertainment, and of course alcohol. We helped out with registration and check-in and also got to have some free BBQ-style food. We watched the Naval Academy march into the stadium from our seats then went over to the Navy side where the Midship Men stood. 

We lost the game, which was sad because so many people flew all the way up here, but oh well. I spent the entire day out in the cold and despite my thick jacket with the fluffy fur-lined hood, I still felt the aftereffects of doing so yesterday. I didn't get up until 4pm, having slept all day due to a slight cold. But I am all better now, luckily! It is getting colder and colder and the forecast actually predicts a 40 percent chance of snow flurries in the morning tomorrow! I am keeping my gloved fingers crossed and am wearing my white coat in celebration!

I am excited for the snow but am hoping that the leaves will stick around for a while longer. It seems that fall is more short-lived here in DC compared to other places, mostly because we are in the mid-Atlantic and closer to the south.

I am keeping busy in the office, of course, and am enjoying every bit of it--even the irate phone calls all of the Congressional offices are getting these days. Yikes, yes, but still makes up an awesome experience.

Number of times I've been hit on: 8
Okay, so #7 happened on my way to the grocery store when a construction worker came up to me and said, "Hi can I buy you lunch?" I politely declined and went on my way. #8 happened on the same day on my way back from the grocery store where a man who was walking towards me stopped in front of me to stay, "Wow...you are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen..." to which I responded, "I doubt it...but thanks, I guess" and kept on walking. 

People here in DC have mistaken me for the following ethnicities: 
Vietnamese (by a Vietnamese lady who owned a food truck)
Korean (the owner of the dry cleaning place I go to for my blazers, by a random guy on the metro, and the lady at the grocery store)
Chinese and Japanese (by the 10 Chinese journalists I took on a Capitol tour) 
Earlier today, the cashier at the grocery store mistook me for a Korean. She asked if I was gonna carry all of my grocery bags all by myself, I said yes, and she was all, "Aww you Korean girls. You may be tiny, but you sure are strong. You don't mess with Korean girls!" I was too flattered to correct her...