The fabulous and excellent grand LES food tour 2013

On Saturday while we were at the MOMA* CJ and I decided, on a whim, to take a food tour** of the Lower East Side a la this BuzzFeed article.  We don't really frequest the LES so it was fun to explore a new part of town. (We also stumbled upon Babeland which is a really tame, non-embarrassing, classy sex shop for mature adults but even so I turned around and left pretty much as soon as I walked in because I felt I might faint. Basically I suck the fun out of everything.)

The first stop (after taking world's biggest detour which involved me swearing and a bus full of 100+ y/o Chinese people) was Vanessa's Dumplings.  Last weekend we went to Korea Town and got dumplings that were really good and cost about $8 for 8.  These were even better than those and we paid TWO DOLLARS for 8. This place is magic. We sat next to some people who ordered 50 dumplings (apparently you can buy them frozen...genius) and they paid only $9!!! The ladies who work there are all kinda mean and there is always a line but it's like WHO CARES.

I want these so bad right now and it's 10:30 AM.***

Next we braved the weirdo-ridden streets of the LES and walked to Sugar Sweet Sunshine Bakery.  We got the Chocolate Chip Extravaganza as per the BuzzFeed article and even though it looked so weird it was nothing short of divine.  Smushed up chocolate chip cookies + butterscotch pudding + whip cream all mixed/mashed together= heaven.  And they have cupcakes for $1.75.  I dare you to find a bakery anywhere that sells cupcakes (NOT MINI) for that cheap.

droolz

Then we decided to walk to Joe's for a slice  the best slice in the city, and we accidentally ended up in the shop where CBGB used to be (Hollaback Rufus and Lily!!) and that was cool but neither of us really care about punk music so...not that cool. Anyway we took our time strolling to Joe's and then we saw Mighty Quinn's BBQ (^__^) and we were like OHHHHHHHH now I know where we are! And I saw a guy come around the corner with a cone of them Pommes Frites and I said "WAIT CJ NOT JOE'S, FRIES" and he said "YES FRIES FIRST JOE'S AFTER" and so we found the fry place and those were also delicious. But I did not like them as much as the frites at Bruges, my one true Salt Lake love. And we didn't even go to Joe's after 'cause now we were too full.

we did not get cheddar cheese as pictured we got parmesan peppercorn dipping sauce.

We did all of this for only $12!! We didn't even need dinner after, it was all sooo good. And then we were like, what are we going to do when we live in California and we really want Vanessa's dumps? Cry? Then we laughed about how when we grow up and have kids and bring them back to New York they are going to think we are crazy because we are just going to be running all over town stuffing our faces with the best food in all the world.

At the end of it all CJ said "Today was really fun" and I said "Yeah" and he said "Would have been funner with friends though..." and I said "Yeah..." BUT then Sunday came and now we have some friendships in the works so STAY TUNED.

*We both get into the MOMA for free because of our jobs. On Saturday the woman at the desk said to me, "You can actually bring guests for free too, just so you know." Which I take to mean I can bring 20 guests for free if I want. So if you come visit we can all go to the MOMA for FREEEEE.

**I use this term pretty loosely. We only went three places, after all. If you come to New York I will take you on a for realz food tour.

***Yes, I took all these pictures straight from BuzzFeed. Yes, that is incredibly lame. You can criticize me for not taking any pictures ever once I have an iPhone, okay thanks.

BOOKS

 If there is one thing I love more than food it's books. What's your favorite book?

For Valentine's Day I bought CJ East of Eden because I knew he hadn't read it and it's one of my favorites. I can't wait to read it again because I feel like I missed a lot the first time. I decided that I'm going to give him a book every Valentine's Day (and maybe something else too if we have any money) and once we have kids I want to give them a book for Valentine's Day, too.

CJ and I have often talked about what we want our home to be like and how we want to raise our kids. One of the things that is most important to me is that my home is full of good books. I have always loved reading and one of my favorite things to do as a kid and now is to lose myself in a book for a couple of days...The fact that I know my mother loves to read has had a huge impact on me. I want my kids to know that I love to read, and that I love it because I love learning, discovering, exploring, and imagination.

In my communications class we have been talking about the "price we pay" for certain media. The price we pay, as a society, for television. The price society paid way way back in the day for literacy. The price we pay for a society that is bombarding us with images. Anyway, one of the chapters in my textbook is completely devoted to two top communications scholars going at it in intellectual discussion: TV vs print, and the price we pay for both. One of these scholars is Neil Postman (he's the pro-book one) and I've LOVED reading his scholarship. He is a cultural critic and he does not mince words when it comes to the price we pay for all the images and media we indulge ourselves in on a daily basis. (Like blogs, for example. I'm a hypocrite.)

Anyway, Postman has reaffirmed my commitment to make sure that reading takes over my home instead of mindless media and new technology. He is a genius. If you are familiar with 1984 and Brave New World (Dad), you should definitely read and think about this quote. Even if you don't know those books you should still read it. I know I am probably shooting this blog post in the foot by including such an enormous quote but...I'm okay with that.

Is Postman right? Has our society been reduced to passivity and egoism? Do we adore the technologies that undo our capacities to think?

“We were keeping our eye on 1984. When the year came and the prophecy didn't, thoughtful Americans sang softly in praise of themselves. The roots of liberal democracy had held. Wherever else the terror had happened, we, at least, had not been visited by Orwellian nightmares.

But we had forgotten that alongside Orwell's dark vision, there was another - slightly older, slightly less well known, equally chilling: Aldous Huxley's Brave New World. Contrary to common belief even among the educated, Huxley and Orwell did not prophesy the same thing. Orwell warns that we will be overcome by an externally imposed oppression. But in Huxley's vision, no Big Brother is required to deprive people of their autonomy, maturity and history. As he saw it, people will come to love their oppression, to adore the technologies that undo their capacities to think.

What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one. Orwell feared those who would deprive us of information. Huxley feared those who would give us so much that we would be reduced to passivity and egoism. Orwell feared that the truth would be concealed from us. Huxley feared the truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance. Orwell feared we would become a captive culture. Huxley feared we would become a trivial culture, preoccupied with some equivalent of the feelies, the orgy porgy, and the centrifugal bumblepuppy. As Huxley remarked in Brave New World Revisited, the civil libertarians and rationalists who are ever on the alert to oppose tyranny "failed to take into account man's almost infinite appetite for distractions". In 1984, Huxley added, people are controlled by inflicting pain. In Brave New World, they are controlled by inflicting pleasure. In short, Orwell feared that what we hate will ruin us. Huxley feared that what we love will ruin us.

This book is about the possibility that Huxley, not Orwell, was right.”

-Neil Postman, taken from his book, Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business

P.S. Here's an awkward picture of me and CJ and books. BIBLE.

Queen of New York

CJ took an all-expenses-paid trip to New York this week (HOLLA) to like have interviews and network so he can get an internship and job once we graduate! We don't know where we'll end up yet, but New York is definitely a possibility. And even just the smallest chance has got me going craaaayyyy thinking about how exciting it would be to live there! HELLO.

Just kidding. Kind of. But I really am so proud of CJ and happy that he is such a motivated and adventurous guy...life will be so fun with him.

COMPROMETIDOS

Here's the scoop, y'all.

We actually set our wedding date about a month ago because my mom wanted to make sure we could get the venue and photographer we wanted for the reception, etc. etc. I dragged my feet but with a little loving pressure from mama I picked the date. So to me, I was already engaged. It was just the logistical matter of getting the ring and making it official.

My mom offered me her first wedding ring since she got a new one a few Christmases ago and it was pretty much exactly what I had been looking for myself. It was so nice of her to let me have it and I feel really thankful...over the break we took it in to get resized and cleaned and tightened and everything so I brought it to Provo and gave it to CJ when we both got back from school on January 6th. You must know that pretty much every day after that I was expecting to get engaged. I would wake up and think "This is the day!" But it never was...haha. I was so glad he waited a bit longer to do it though because I was completely surprised! After about a week or so of my psycho-ness I started to relax about the whole thing and I wasn't thinking about it and anticipating it as much.

OKAY SO. I was not expecting to get engaged this past weekend AT ALL because CJ was really busy getting his portfolio ready and I thought he would be working on it all weekend. And just based on some other things he told me like "Don't look at my phone for the next few weeks" I thought it would be this week or this upcoming weekend. SILLY ME. So a few days before he proposed CJ told me that his sister Shannon (who we hang out with a lot) didn't have to work on Monday and was wondering if we wanted to do something fun with her and her husband. He told me he didn't know what we were going to do but to just keep my afternoon and evening free. I was really excited for a fun day with Brian and Shannon but I was honestly not suspecting a thing!

Then on Monday afternoon a little before we were supposed to leave, CJ texted me and told me that Shannon had been called into work so she and Brian wouldn't be able to come to Park City with us like we had planned. I was super bummed but he asked if I minded if we just went by ourselves...obviously I didn't mind. So we started heading up to Park City. I have only been a few times, and I thought maybe we were going the wrong way but I didn't know for sure and I didn't want to say anything. Then we got to this place that had some sign about "Sleigh Rides Horseback Riding blah blah blah" and at that point I started to get a little suspicious. CJ was like, "So I know I've been really busy this week so today I have a surprise for you." I basically knew what was going to happen but I also was feeling like maybe I didn't want to get my hopes up if it wasn't going to happen, etc. etc. internal conflict.

I was super bundled up but I decided not to wear a hat. Well, it was too cold to not wear a hat so I just grabbed an extra one that CJ brought in his car. Hence the hat that doesn't match my outfit...haha. Anyway, as soon as I saw the sleigh I pretty much knew that he would propose. I was SO excited I felt like I was in a fairytale. That sounds SO dumb but that really is the only way to describe what I was feeling. We had to sign some papers and I was paying attention to CJ's hand to see if it was shaking with he signed the waiver but it didn't so I guessed that he wasn't very nervous.

We got on the sleigh and our sleigh driver was named Skinner. Oh, Skinner was quite the character...he was talking to us pretty much the ENTIRE TIME! He started off with fun facts about the valley we were in, the hot springs near by, the natural crater, BLAH BLAH BLAH he really would not stop. I could tell CJ was a little put off by the chatter but he was a good sport! I snuck a word in when I could but then I made the mistake of asking Skinner about his life and he just went on and on. He's from Canada, was married for 3 days just to get US citizenship, joined the circus when he was 16, sews custom shirts, and plans to cross the country with 3 mules and a covered wagon visting every hot springs in the US. It will take him 3 and a half years...that's Skinner in a nutshell. Just a few tidbits from his 30 minute ramblings. (I really don't hate Skinner as much as I'm making it sound like I do.)

Back to the good stuff though. As we were coming back around to the beginning of the loop, Skinner stopped the sleigh and finally shut up. The sunset was so beautiful and so I told CJ he should take a picture. (I am such a dummy! He is about to propose and I'm like, hey CJ you should take a picture of the mountains LOLZ) He did, and then Skinner tried to take a picture of CJ and I but he doesn't know how to work an iphone. It didn't seem like a big deal at the time but I really wish he would have been successful at taking a picture! Oh well. So then CJ said the sweetest little speech...I might have cried but my smile was so big that my cheeks were shoving the tears back into my eyes. He got out of the sleigh, got down on one knee and asked me if I would make him the happiest person in the world and marry him.

I was absolutely giddy, and acting like it, too. I nodded. Then I said "Yeah." Then I realized how STUPID that was and then I said "YES. DOUBLE YES." and I realized the double yes thing was stupid pretty much as soon as I said it. I can't be held responsible for my actions though because I was practically not in this world.

Then CJ got back in the sleigh and we were hugging and kissing, Skinner decided to impart some wisdom to us which I did not really care to hear but it seemed kind of charming at the time. Or something like that. Then I whispered to CJ "I want pizza" because that is just the way I am, I suppose. So we get off the sleigh and I scream "I'M ENGAGED!!!" at the people waiting in line for a ride...thanked Skinner, talked to the other guy who was working inside, and then I went to the bathroom. I came out and CJ was like, Okay I found a pizza place in Park City we can go to so let's just head up there. I was like wow could my life get any better now I get to eat PIZZA.

So basically I thought that I picked the restaurant but CJ had another surprise up his sleeve. We got to the restaurant, Maxwell's, and I was like "CJ! Oh my gosh, I have had the pizza here before and it's so good!!" So at this point we were both feeling pretty great. We started walking to our table and we turned the corner and all of our closest friends were there. CJ made arrangements ahead of time for everyone to come to Maxwell's. I was SOOOO surprised!! I was not expecting it one single bit, especially because I thought that I had picked to go there!!! I felt a little silly because I had been texting all of them ever since we left the sleigh ride being like "I just got engaged!" and they were like "OMG NOOOO WAY" but they were actually sitting around together probably laughing at me! I was so happy and I felt so loved that everyone came up for me and CJ. It was perfect. And I got delicious pizza.

We ate dinner together and then some of us headed down to Park City Main Street to look for celebs and just enjoy the sights. We took some pictures too and it was so much fun. I saw Ben Savage (Corey Matthews from Boy Meets World) so that was my celebrity sighting for the night. So basically D-list celeb..haha.

I really do feel like the happiest, luckiest girl to be marrying CJ. We have had so much fun over the past year first as friends and then as lovers and I am so so so so so thankful to God for guiding me to make the decisions that led me to CJ. (seriously) (that's another story though). Thrilled to spend the rest of my life with him!

The guy taking the photo made me do this hand thing and I really didn't want to but I wasn't going to be like "NO."

(not all friends who came pictured here)

May 24th, Columbia River Temple. See you there!

50 things about me at age 21

 Got this idea from my dear friend Jaimie.

1. "i no longer believed in the idea of soul mates, or love at first sight. but i was beginning to believe that very few times in your life, if you were lucky, you might meet someone who was exactly right for you. not because he was perfect, or because you were, but because your combined flaws were arranged in a way that allowed two separate beings to hinge together."

2. I actually love California after spending a lifetime thinking it was world's worst.

3. I eat out all. the. time.

4. Cracked an egg in my Ramen for the first time a couple of weeks ago and it changed my life.

5. CJ and I have been reading the Book of Mormon together and it is always one of the best parts of my day.

6. God has been more gracious to me than I could have ever imagined.

7. I am losing steam in school. I don't like it.

8. I'm not as excited for Christmas as I usually am.

9. Diet Coke, I just can't quit you.

10. I tried Weight Watchers for about 2 months but it just wasn't very fun. SEE YA.

11. I am convinced that Heavenly Father has sent this beautiful weather just for me because He knows my life is hard right now and He knows the sun makes me happy.

12. Politics=suck. I would like to thank the USA for making me world's most optimistic cynic.

13. My best friend is leaving on her mission and I don't know what I will do.

14. I don't care much about what most people think of me.

15. The people whose opinions of me mean the most are my parents, CJ, and McKay.

16. I am sick of people asking me if I am going on a mission. Have you met my boyfriend? Hello.

17. I don't have a smart phone. Well, I did for one day and then I took it back.

18. I LOVE Twitter.

19. I cry a lot. Out of sadness, happiness, gratitude, and sometimes for no reason.

20. My favorite part of music is when a song has clapping in it.

21. I have mostly stopped biting/peeling my nails.

22. I don't love my tiny fat hands but I like them more when my nails are long and painted.

23. I hate taking showers. 

24. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.

25. I am obsessed with X Factor. It's stupid.

26. One of my favorite things to do is replace song lyrics while singing along to the radio.

27. My body wakes itself up every morning before my alarm.

28. I have a Costco card thanks to my Mom.

29. I would do anything to live closer to my family.

30. I wish I had unlimited funds for Christmas gifts. Buying things for the people I love is my favorite.

31. Pinterest is boring.

32. I love shrimp and it doesn't make me sick anymore.

33. I think I was Brazilian in a past life.

34. I love writing in my journal.

35. CJ's iPhone is the best.

36. Some of my favorite music ever has come out in the past year.

37. I don't know what to do about my hair. It's a situation.

38. I want a baby but I mostly just want someone to hang out with 24/7 because I hate being alone.

39. King Henry apartment 62 will always hold a special place in my heart. It made a woman out of me.

40. Terrified of all things involving sex and childbirth and bodies.

41. My boyfriend is one of the best people I have ever known and one of my favorites.

42. If I had my way I would have a huge garden and I would cook and dance around my kitchen all day.

43. Pretty sure I haven't been grocery shopping in at least two weeks.

44. I still hate Halloween.

45. I will be really sad when I have to move away from my best friends. Maybe the only thing I will miss about Provo.

46. I love doing yoga.

47. My family is the number one force for good in my life.

48. I am sick of working at Independent Study.

49. Going to Spain was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I made wonderful true friends and found the love of my life.

50. I think that I don't really like concerts.

Iphoneless

I have come to the conclusion that if I had an iphone I would...
take more pictures
blog more
read the news more
talk to my dad more
tweet more (is this possible?)
cook more
work out more
not forget stuff at the grocery store
wake up the first time my alarm goes off
read the Book of Mormon more
So...basically I would be a way better person if I had an iphone. But I don't. So I will just keep on not blogging and not taking pictures of my life, I guess. LOL.

But really, I am finally getting settled into school and my new schedule and stuff and it feels really good. The first couple of weeks of school have been an emotional roller coaster for me because of a combination of fear of the future, a bad attitude, and NOT taking things one day at a time. I am still learning how to do that, but I know for a fact that it will make my life easier if I do. Life by the inch is a cinch, life by the yard is hard!

This past weekend (is it seriously Friday already???) was really fun. On Friday night, CJ and I went and saw the musical In the Heights in Salt Lake and it was so much fun! I saw the show in New York when we went for choir during my senior year and when I heard they would be doing it in Salt Lake I knew we had to go. CJ loved it, too. I am so glad that he appreciates music and theater, even if he doesn't appreciate football! It was really stressful though because we tried to grab what we thought would be a quick dinner before the show and it ended up taking forever so we were literally shoving food in our faces as we were running into the theater minutes before the show started...CLASSY.

I have a love/hate relationship with Saturdays. I have been doing weight watchers and so I wake up really early to go to WW with Chelsea and then I have the rest of the day to either be really productive (LOVE) or be super lazy and eat everything in the house out of sheer boredom. And watch Keeping Up With the Kardashians. Still learning how to make the most of Saturday...will let you know when I discover the secret but as of right now I actually love watching the Kardashians so...sorry I'm not sorry.

After CJ got off work we went to our friend Skyler's birthday party. Skyler has been working on a movie for the church in which he played a Jew during Jesus' time...basically he hadn't cut his hair or shaved in over 6 months. His birthday party doubled as a beard shaving/hair cutting party so that was really fun and there is actually something very soothing about taking a big chunk out of someone else's hair. (Britney, holla at me!)

Basically, my life is really good. I have the best boyfriend in the world (actually not exaggerating) (I'm at work right now and he's bringing me lunch) (seriously though what more could you ask for) and I have plenty of fun with my roommates and friends when I'm not doing boring stuff like schooling and working. And I have been baking and cooking a lot which honestly keeps me sane. And everything I make is damn good.

INSERT IPHONE PHOTOS OF PRECEDING EVENTS HERE.

P.S. I have been craving jamon serrano for days and I don't even really like it that much.
P.P.S. 2 weeks until my birthday!

Thoughts for a Tuesday

Working in customer service makes me never want to be rude to another customer service person ever again. Because there are people I talk to who make me want to CRY and there are also people who make my day when they call. So I guess given the opportunity I would rather make someone's day than ruin it.

I am not excited for school to start because I h8 homework.

I am excited for school to start because:
I get to see my friends.
CJ is coming back! And I will get to see him/talk to him most days! (revolutionary)
Taking a class with Trent Hickman is always a good idea.
Spanish!
Football!
No more working full-time. Hallelujah!
I will be on the Humanities Student Council with Abby.
SENIOR YEAR!

You may be wondering, "Caitlin, what ever shall you do when you graduate???" My answer: I don't know but I would love to move somewhere cool that's not Provo or Richland. Obviously hoping that over the course of this school year my dream job will present itself with a big pretty bow on top.

I am obsessed with Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain. I want ALL OF THEM. My favorite of the three I have is Smitten. It's really bright.

My parents are here to drop off McClickey for school! Last night McKay said "I can't handle Caitlin!" and he has only been here for 3 days...oops. GET USED TO IT, BRO.

There is a macaron cart in the Riverwoods now...see you guys in the next life.

Just spoke to Tagg Romney on the phone. In other words, I am pretty much famous!

I have been getting rid of stuff left and right as I'm getting ready for fall semester to start which is honestly UNTHINKABLE for me because I am a hoarder beyond repair. Guess I am putting away childish things or something like that. (Literally. Threw away my Justin Bieber poster.)

Time to kiss the best/worst summer of my life goodbye!

Circa Charlotte's mission call 2011
Remember how tan I got last summer? I think I am even paler right now than I am in the middle of winter. Guess that's what happens when you work in a dingy office all day every day and never see the sun. Let's actually not even talk about it or I'll just be mad. Snow white.

Tomorrow

I am going to California.

See you guys never again.

XOXO