現状

it's been a while since i've been on this blog. a lot has happened. been quite busy. right now, i've taken up reading again. i used to read a lot. now that i've started again, it's eating up quite the bucks. lol.

finished book 1 of the Millenium series. it was really good. starting on the second one soon. 日本語の本だとハイドの本を読みはじめました。やはり、かっこいいですね。THE HYDE. i hope to finish it soon too :)

最近は仕事が微妙に忙しくなってきているので、少々大変かな?イベントが何件か詰まっているから、オフィス内のピリピリ感がハンパ無いっスね。i've been wanting to schedule a hangout with some friends and the bf but i'm so tired nowadays that even that doesn't seem to be happening soon. 残念。so, just a quick update. i hope to be able to regularly update more often but we'll see.

Currently listening to: Talking to the Moon - Bruno Mars

Corkbar

yesterday was sunday. yet i still had work..... ugh. でも、その後は彼とのラブラブデートのはずだったのですが、会社の同僚に誘われて一緒にディナーに。the bf was there too and it's not that i don't like my coworkers (they're actually pretty cool and fun to talk to) but i'm now thinking it might have been better if it were just us two. cuz i feel bad for making the bf hang out with four girls and we haven't gone out together in a while. oh well. maybe next time.

it was kinda late and we decided to hit up the Corkbar in downtown for dinner. i already ate a bit of sushi (!!!!!!) at work so i just wanted a bit to eat. でも、彼はおなか空いてたから、ガッツリ食べれるし、小さいサイドみたいのもあるところということで決めました。実際、結構メインでも小さかったね。but everything was pretty good. too bad i couldn't drink... but it was fun just talking and chilling. hopefully, we get another date night soon.

Currently listening to: Love Story -Taylor Swift

モンタナ・ジョー

i found this book at work. it's about Joe Montana, the only Japanese American to ever make it in the mafia. なんか、面白そうでしょ?だから、読んでみました。plus, i'm really into non fiction and crime related stuff, so it was totally fit for me. :)

結論:結構読みやすくて面白かったです。although it does feel like a bunch of fiction was mixed in, making it not authentically non fiction. but overall, you kinda get an idea of the life Joe Montana led. and the fucked up times that made him into who he became. 日系人として、共感できるって言うか、あぁ、この時代だったら私はこんな環境で育ったのかとかって言うのが結構現実味があったね。

there is a kind of weird respect for this man that made it to the top of a highly organized crime society. and the fact that he did it without resorting to too much violence. でも、やっぱりいいことをしたとは思えない。色々と考えさせる本でしたね。

Currently listening to: エメラルド - ベッキー♯♪

Santa Barbara: Eating and Drinking

went north to santa barbara this MLK Jr. Day. okay, so not so much santa barbara as santa ynez valley. it was more of a wine tasting thing. 初のワインテースティングでしたね。

we first went to foley winery after visiting solvang for a bit. did their wine tasting. honestly, i'm not so sure i actually like wine too much. haha. maybe it's an acquired taste but man, most are just too bitter for me. まだまだお子ちゃまですかね。しかも、すきっ腹に6種類近く違うの飲んだから、結構酔いが回ったしね。

afterwards, we stopped by gainey winery. didn't do a wine tasting but a bit of shopping. and then, it was on to dinner. went to the trattoria grappolo in the area. very shabby looking from the outside. でも、中に入ると結構ちゃんとしたレストラン。しかも、すっごい美味しかった。マジでビックリするぐらい。是非また行きたいですね。飲んで食っての一日でした。

Currently listening to: Set Fire to the Rain - Adele

カプリチョーザ

yesterday, went to Capricciosa for dinner. 日本では結構系列がある、イタリアンのチェーン店。アメリカ1号店がロミタにてオープン。i've been to one in Kobe once before but don't have much recollection. でも、日本のイタリアンって基本おいしいから、行って見たかったんだよね～。

i had heard from coworkers who've been there that it's kinda strong. 味が濃いってヤツ？ま、一応関東のお店だからかな？実際、結構濃かった。i got the salmon fettucini. it was good. but a bit too salty. same for everything else we got. my grandma got their original tomato garlic. it was good. but a bit too salty. lol. repeat for all the other ones. また行こうかな？って程度。plus, their menu is kinda small. just kinda.

Currently listening to: International Love - Pitbull feat. Chris Brown

San Antonio Winery

so, there is a "winery" right in the middle of los angeles. well, they sell a bunch of different wines plus they have their own brand of wines, but the field isn't there, for obvious reasons... でも、一応ワイナリーなんだって。

で、一昨日、家族と仕事が終わってから、訪問してみました。it's a winery/restaurant. 正直、結構ダウンタウンのghetto areaにあるから、あんま期待してなかったんだけど、思いのほか、キレイでしたね。so, they let us try some of their wines. they have their own brand, San Antonio, and they carry other ones as well, one major one being Stella Rosa. i tried a couple San Antonio wines. 赤、白、ロゼ。ロゼお気に入りです。結構どれもさっぱりしておいしかったです。ワイン独特の臭みもあんまり無く、すんなり飲める感じ。i also tried the Stella Rosa rosso and moscato. the rosso was almost like juice. not bad. the moscato was a bit too rough for me. i like my wines a lot more smooth.

we ended up buying 4 bottles of wine. came out to a bit over $30. 4本買った割には安いよね?お買い得でした。飲むのが楽しみ～。

Currently listening to: Love Story - 安室奈美恵

ワォッ！

it's definitely been a while since i've been here.... so much has been going on. first of all, happy new year!! 今年も宜しくお願いします!!

so, before the year ended, i went on a san diego vacay with the bf. ま、とは言っても、たかだか1泊だけですがね。でも、楽しかったです。色々歩いて見て回ったり、おしゃべりしたりで、充実した時間がすごせたかな。i really enjoyed myself. i'm hoping the bf did too. haha.

so, on saturday was my friends birthday party and we went out for ayce kbbq in costa mesa. it was okay. not exactly the best. でも、まぁそこそこイケましたね。and then afterwards, i went clubbing for the first time ever! like, omygosh!! right?? lol. なんか、着るものが無くて困りましたね。ま、でも一応そんなに浮かない格好ではあったと思いたい。it was at a club in huntington beach called avec. i actually had fun dancing with my friends and stuff. :) sadly, i didn't get to drink and went home soon after, but it was fun!

and then yesterday, i found myself back in costa mesa again. で、新しくオープンした山田屋というラーメン屋さんに行きました。結構良心的な値段でおいしかった。i got the shoyu tonkotsu and my mom got the tsukemen but i liked the tsukemen better. でも、どっちもおいしかった。

Currently listening to: The One That Got Away - Katy Perry