On the Town

First week back and I already got to cross more items off my DC bucket list :) After 10 gloriously chill days at home (see last week's blog) and 12 grueling hours of traveling, I arrived back on the East Coast on Jan 1. Mike was so sweet to pick me up from the airport and took me on a double date with one of his best college buddies to go see Zoolights at the the National Zoo!

Live and illuminated animals - it was freezing, festive, and fun. We got to go on the last day it was on display!

After a mercifully short work week, Mike surprised me after work with a red velvet cupcake (I had a hard day) and took me to Ben's Chili Bowl, a historic eatery where lots of famous African Americans have visited - just my kinda place...Mike knows I have a thing for Black culture/history :)

The walls are covered with pics of famous people who have been there, like Tyrese, Gregory Hines, Bill Cosby, President Obama, and many more...

I got the chili cheeseburger - just mild enough for me to start training my tongue to accept spicy food!

Mike enjoyed his chili hot dog and chili fries

Saturday was a full day "On the Town" (also one of my favorite musicals), though it started with grocery shopping at Great Wall, an Asian supermarket in Falls Church, VA. Mike and I stocked up on some of our favorite Chinese edibles, such as zongzi, shrimp meatballs, pickled mustard greens, and bean sprouts. I'm trying the scallion buns for the first time (always gotta try something new)!

There's also a deli/bakery there...

...where we got lunch. Mine: ma po tofu, baby bok choy, and (new) pork meatballs.

Then we rode the Metro to the National Geographic Museum.

We enjoyed learning in the new Birds of Paradise exhibit (such exquisite creatures!) and exhibit about Muslim inventions during the Dark Ages.

There was this crazy thing called an elephant clock - I'm not exactly sure how it worked...

Then on to another culinary adventure at this Indian place located in a Dutch-style townhouse...oh I love multicultural DC

We decided it would be best to go for the buffet :) I love how colorful Indian food is!

...and spicy!! Even Mike was sweating, and he loves spicy. This was my first plate...

Mike ordered some tasty samosas (buried under the chickpeas)

Good thing they had phenomenoal naan to help soak up the heat.

Then we tried the only dessert they had - a thin pasta in sweet cream soup. It was actually quite delicious!

After scarfing down dinner, we rushed over to the Kennedy Center to meet up with Mike's roommate Joe and his date for a free jazz concert by the Greg Harrison band. I was really afraid it would be "bad" jazz. I'm more of a traditionalist - none of the new age stuff with weird instruments for me. I was so deliriously delighted (and relieved) when I found out their sound was warm and soulful, with a pretty good repertoire of jazz standards. We only caught the last 20 minutes; if only I weren't such a slow eater :/

Great jazz + a kiss = happiness

2013...so far, so good

Flores Family Time

This winter break, I left Washington D.C. the capital to return home to Washington state (Seattle area) for a whole 10 days. This was my first time home in a year and I knew it would be drastically different from my life in DC surrounded by LDS YSA (see last blog post) because the rest of my family are not members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I decided this year that instead of having a self-pity party about not having gospel-centered traditions and trying in vain to convert my family, I would focus completely on enjoying quality time with them and loving them for who they are. This attitude adjustment made my visit home a wonderful one filled with cherished memories.

My winter vacation consisted of several major parts, the biggest being my brother Chris. He is the other main man in my life (Mike went home to Ohio with his family) and I love him more than life itself. Chris is 8 years younger than me and I have loved him since the moment he was born. It's amazing how much he has grown - my little brother who is now taller than me, has a 6-pack and a mustache, and is stomping the halls of my high school! I'm so proud of all the talents he's developing and the kind, funny, smart young man he is becoming. My favorite part of my break was getting to spend so much quality time with Chris...in the car...

He just got his license and can now drive me places!!

...wearing our high school gear...

...playing with his new iPod...

...eating out...

Lots of sibling love :)

Of course, it was wonderful to spend time with my parents too!! Aren't they cute? :)

It was a great change of pace and diet to sleep in everyday and eat so much good food. Mom likes cooking for me cuz I always show my appreciation enthusiastically (especially if it has garlic, onions, shrimp, and/or mushrooms in it). She made fried rice for breakfast and porridge when I was sick. Typical dinners by my Chinese mother -

Also got to eat at some of our family's favorite restaurants. My favorite order of shrimp pho at the restaurant we call our "2nd kitchen" -

Dim sum!

Asian buffet (1st plate). I almost left Mike for that seafood soup - sooo yummy!

I wore a different junior high/high school sweatshirt everyday from my gymnastics and jazz choir days. It was also nice to not have to do my hair & makeup everyday -

I was so happy to be reunited with my piano and enjoyed playing as much as I could from my 2 new piano books -

Our Christmas was most unconventional and untraditional. We usually spend it at my Auntie Josephine (dad's older sister) and Uncle Vince's house but they were going to Hawaii for his family reunion this year :( We got to visit them before they left. They're like my surrogate grandparents in the US.

With some of Uncle Vince's kids

On Christmas eve, we continued our little tradition of driving around the neighborhood of huge houses and tons of lights -

On Christmas day, we slept in, I gave my family gifts of GW clothes, and we met up with my niece and her boyfriend (visiting from Guam, where her and I played together as kids) to have brunch at IHOP.

Reunion with the girl I played house/school with and had lots of sleepovers with :)

Her and her boyfriend are so sweet

Then in the afternoon, I took my family to Les Miserables on opening day. We ran into my friend Rachel and her mom Nancy, who we hadn't seen in a few years!

After Christmas, my cold turned worse and I was stuck on the couch all day (tho it was awesome to finally catch up on The Next Food Network Star). I was silently wishing I could have a Priesthood blessing so I could get better and enjoy the rest of the break with my family. Lo and behold, the new missionaries from my home ward stopped by unannounced! Chris had taken the lessons before and they found his name in the record book. They gave me a blessing of healing and made an appointment to come back in a couple days. I'm so grateful the Lord prompted them to visit us (I was well enough to leave the house the next day) and that I got to sit in on 2 of the lessons they taught Chris while I was home :) *note Chris's BYU sweatshirt I got him years ago :D

They taught the Plan of Salvation with a colorful diagram :D

I tried to organize a high school reunion but only a few could make it. It was good to see them tho.

I had fun visiting our kind neighbors and my former piano teacher with Chris and my parents. I took piano lessons from Linda (we have fun sharing names) for 6 years so we've known each other 14 years now!

She had a cute energetic cavalier king charles spaniel and I took the opportunity to start getting over my caninephobia since my boyfriend is a huge dog person. Lucy was really well-trained and I realized I quite like dogs...that don't slobber, bite, scratch, or shed!

I'm grateful I had the opportunity to relax and goof off at home and spend so much quality time with my family. 2012 was a really blessed year for me (and I've documented most of it in this blog!), just like the Lord promised. Now I'm back in DC and have to be an adult again, transitioning back to work and school. I don't know what 2013 will bring but I know the future is as bright as our faith.