greetings!

so i've been in a complex state of euphoria, anticipation, fervor, and languor since friday. thought it's not so clear exactly why... let me see, nothing really happened lately except

I TURNED IN MY THESIS!! w00t++!



at approximately 10:28am on 2006.08.11, i had my two copies of double-sided archival madness complete with signatures and plenty godspeed, finessed into the hands of the powers that be. the tears and sweat and espresso drips were surprisingly invisible.

but not to me. ;)

it was a glorious day. perfect. the weather beamed. i skipped on the sidewalk. i actually found myself smiling in public. it was great.

if you feel really*and*truly compelled, you can read my thesis online [pdf] right here. as a teaser, i can readily confess that if you read carefully you'll find referential nuggets such as the knitted Ferrari, Marc Jacobs, frosted cupcakes at Magnolia, and the word 'beyotch'. don't say i didnt warn you. :)

here's a list of memorable things i did post-glory-moment, through the weekend and beyond:

1. celebrated with nick over dinner at oleana!




i have to confess that despite the fact that i have lived in cambridge for six years (wowee) i had never been to oleana, gastronomic gem, headed by ana sortun (the spice queen). it was definitely a treat and niknak and i shared the most wonderful evening. we waited for a table on the patio (worth the wait), perched on the bar. the drinks (i had a ginger-sake fizzy thing, glimmering in the palest pink) were delightful, though the bartender was a little too slap-dash for us, the clear bourgeousie. no matter, despite the spills my drink was pink. :)

we got seated at our table and nestled among the flourishing greens and happy eating people. (the best people, imho.) there was a cute little potted herb plant on the table, which i fondly named 'poppy' as i patted her green leafy head. we started with the armenian bean and walnut paté, which was lovely and complex, especially when spread on tiny cubes of yummy focaccia. next were light bites of fried mussels, with some surprising peppers in the batter, and drizzled with a fine white sauce which i later learned was made from almonds, lemon juice, garlic, and white wine. i really liked the lettuce underneath it all (is eating the garnish a faux pas?), being soaked in yummy mussely goodness. next we shared a salad (i forget what it's called, but the one that's like tiny curried noodles with chickpeas and wilted greens) and the turkish lamb. i would love to come back because OMG THE LAMB WAS AMAZING. we had it done medium-rare, and the crust of the meat was soooo delicious. i wanted to cry. there was also part of dish with ground lamb, sort of like the insides of moussaka. a savoury mound of tastiness.

once we got the dessert menu, although i do love me some chocolate-mint and creamy-whatever, i just cant ever resist anything flavoured with rose. we got the rose and currant sharbat, which was the most precious and perfect ending imaginable. a tiny glass housed the sharbat (basically sherbet, but a little thinner) which just powed your mouth with intense fruity rose. on the side was a bit of creme custard housed inside a crisp ROSE-FLAVOURED meringue shell. i think i almost died. fresh currants and raspberries dotted the plate. i think it was heaven. i think nick was amused at how easy i am amused. our meal spanned day to dusk, and we left the patio bathed in moonlight. it was so happy.

2. partied with a few good friends!

the same night, a bunch of friends were celebrating the last few moments of their apartment house before it gets demolished by the new mit landowners. it was great to just relax, feel pretty, go on a roof, meet some new people, see some old people. no marshmallow roasting this time, but the basement discotheque still beckoned.

3. have been keeping healthy and happy!

i've been keeping on a good regime for the past two weeks or so, running a few miles every other day and doing the bar method the others. august is like my rejuvenation period, so i want to keep myself in shape. if you wish to follow my very egocentric (in the dear-diary sense) fitness blog, it's here. but basically its just trying to sustain a balanced lifestyle. the weather has been spot-on gorgeous, which definitely helps! hear that, boston? keep it up!

4. put holes in my head!

so i've revisited the earring thing, and i just came to the conclusion that i'm ready. before saturday, i have had nonpierced ears for all my life. i just never got it done. but i've been doing the clip-on thing on and off this summer, and i LOVE the look. i love the accessorizing freedom! but clip-on earrings either (1) are too tight and make your lobes hurt, and (2) are comfy but can fall off at any given moment. the clasp-via-friction isn't the most secure thing. this happens with both clip and screw-back findings, i've discovered.



here i am with clip-ons custom designed by green tangerine. they are just perfect! so anyway, i love earrings. clip-on earrings dont really love me on a consistent basis. so on saturday i got holes done at 'the jewelry store' in downtown crossing. they had a little better (i.e. not cheesy) selection than claire's, and the assistant was really helpful. (you have to give some credit to the clip-ons; she originally thought i wanted second holes done because the dangly clip-ons i had looked pierced!). i got these matte silver stars; no bling, please.

so now i'm doing the rubbing alcohol thing. patience is not one of my immediate virtues, but hopefully this next month of cleaning the holes and keeping the earrings in (training studs?) will go by quickly so i can have some fun. just four weeks...

5. felt ambiguously adventurous about the new fall look!

so i have to admit, i did a lot of roaming and window shopping this weekend. i was looking for some stylish dresses and skirts. i went to H+M and i am just *not* feeling the whole plaid, 80's brit punk rock aesthetic. it looks pretty trendy, so trendy i think the trend died already. i've getting tired of bold black-and-light stripes, and the oversized herringbone and houndstooth things (especially in bold colours) will be incredibly dated. i do have to say i love the look of soft, ruched leather bags. i like the round toe over the pointy toe (at least for my style), but i still think it's kind of unnatural looking. too cutesy, maybe. i think i prefer the more natural toe curve, a peep toe, a vintage silhouette, a ballet flat. something not so... geometric.

i stepped into the GAP in central square and asked if they had any dresses. can you believe there were ZERO dresses in the store? and like, one skirt, which was a denim pencil? i guess the look is more sporty prep. eh. though, i noticed in general that sweater dresses are back. *gag*. all i can say is itchy, droopy, unflattering, and sweltering. there.

can i have kara janx? now?

6. got a glimpse of the life of a nyc editor!

on sunday i got to meet a really fun and creative person who writes, edits, and produces in the magazine publishing biz in new york. she was in cambridge for the weekend. i showed her around campus and (marveling at the saarinen and gehry), and i got to learn some bits about her work experience. it was a good eye-opener to actually talk with a professional (she loved the devil wears prada and confessed, 'that was pretty accurate to my first few jobs') and to educate and inspire my next personal steps.

7. actually knit some stitches!



a work in progress using the luscious raspberry-tinged alchemy bamboo yarn from my AMAZING one skein secret pal! here's the free pattern i'm using for the razor shell lace scarf. it's basically a subway project, despite the fact the stitches are as slippery as sin. the little red rubber sock point protectors definitely come in handy. :) it's delciously soft and slinky!

8. renewed my love for harvard and trident bookstores!

if you come to boston, you must not miss the harvard bookstore (not to be confused with the harvard coop) and trident bookstore with its free wi-fi and comfy coffee-friendly booths. that is all.

9. went rock climbing! plus bonus roommate bonding!

my roommate regularly goes to a climbing gym, and last night i went with her to try it for the first time! the place, metrorock, is apparently one of the best climbing gyms around. i have to confess it takes sooooooo long to get there and back, since it's in the warehouse district of everett. taking public transportation there takes about an hour. one way. nver mind that driving would probably be a 15 minute ride.

i learned the ropes (ha) and got to climb! the place is enormous, with colourful nubs and bits scattered all over the rock walls, and people dangling in harnesses from everywhere. it was definitely like walking on another planet! the first thing i thought was that awful zion stuff in the matrix. although, this luckily had bright lights, fun people, and a/c. :)

you have to get over your fear of heights really quickly because you scale walls that are around 40 feet high. i learned all the knots and belaying skills, but nothing really preps you for how your first climb feels. i knew enough that you use your legs for power up more than arms pulling up, but as i slowly crept higher and higher, i looked down and sweat like the dickens. you're held secure by rope and someone's taking up your slack, but it's ridiculously different than anything i've ever done before. when i finally reached the top, i'm like 35 feet high and peering down below. so then they have me ready to rappel down. i cant tell you how much trust i had to bestow on my rope / harness / knot to just lean back, suspend, and let go. it was incredible.

after the first go, i felt more and more comfortable. i think as time goes by you really just know how things feel, and how secure the rope system really is. but there definitely is a risk factor (when you go climb, the waiver form is like 5 pages long and you have to keep signing off to not hold the gym liable... IF YOU DIE! it's legalese, i know, but still spine-tingling). there's a palpable risk, since you have to trust someone else with your life as you tool up, but i think it just comes naturally.

it's definitely worth another visit, for me or for anyone! it's a very friendly, social, and supportive vibe, and all i can say is that the climber's physique is very, very attractive for both sexes. good to know.

10. coddled up the courage to sit and compose this intense, composite writeup!

yay and hooray.

so yes, there you have the explanation for why this blog has of late become dreadfully stale. but close your eyes and keep eating -- i think it still has some taste in it. ;)