where is winter?

It's 40 degrees in Charlottesville right now and we have an estimated high of 54! Where is winter?? The other day (tuesday i think) we had a thin dusting of snow and people freaked out, no one could drive, all the sorority girls broke out their uggs, it was ridiculous.

image from tumblr

I have been making non-fat chais ("do you have non fat soy?") alllll week for the girls rushing sororities. ("how many calories does this gluten free cupcake have?" "Can I get six forks so we can share this one cupcake?")

Today is my day off (yay!), it was a long week back, i've worked 6 days this week and work 6 next week, although it is still not full time which baffles me. I've been doing some redecorating and organizing this morning, Keegan just got up and is watching the Arsenal game, we have to go grocery shopping at some point. Keegan's friend Dan made fun of us last night over text message for being boring. However, his night of hosting a huge party at his frat because it's rush week and having people totally trash the place does not sound fun to me in the slightest.

this is the extent my "partying" ever gets to, eating chinese food and watching someone else drink beer

I want to do a little celebratory congratulations to Lucy for getting her license! Terrifying that she is now on the road but great that maybe we won't have to drive her around so much.

our last lunch at pickle jar

I read two books this week:
The Eight by Katherine Neville is an adventure/ mystery novel that revolves around chess - both the actual game and the idea that the characters are playing out a real life game of chess. It was entertaining but I was disappointed with the end. There was some cool history involved and definitely a little mysticism but it was all realistic until the very end. Also all the characters ended up being connected a little too well (really… they're brothers? went a little too far). I also wasn't please with the romance aspect that started up, it just wasn't needed and didn't serve a purpose.

A Visit From the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan is a novel revolving around the music industry from the 1980s - the near future. I love this book, this is my second or third read. The first time I read it I went too fast and got really confused because each chapter is told from a different character's perspective. Like the Eight, all the characters are connect, but Egan does a really good job of telling their stories and making everything flow smoothy and realistically. The first chapter is told from the perspective of this woman Sasha, then we get a chapter from her boss/ friend Bennie who is a music producer, then the story jumps back to when Bennie is a teenager and told from his friends perspective, etc. Pay attention to the names and it will all make sense. Really cool book, definitely has sad moments though (just like real life? too deep.)

Keegan and I have been watching a lot of movies! We got The Prestige  out of the library- two stage magicians develop a deadly rivalry. This was also and AMAZING book, definitely worth a watch or a read. I had to do it twice because there are some surprised/ mysteries revealed at the very end, so the second time around you can watch their development.

We tried to watch Lawless  on Netflix the other night; it's about bootleggers in rural Virginia during Prohibition. Keegan liked it, I hated it and only got through 30 minutes. I felt like there was zero plot besides the violence and the alcohol.

Last night we saw Silver Linings Playbook and Skyfall, both on Netflix. Jennifer Lawrence is awesome in Silver Linings (she won an Oscar obviously), but I felt like the ending was unrealistic. The movie revolves around mental illness and the struggle to have a normal life, but it made it seem like falling in love solved all their problems. That's how I took it at least. Whatever, great dance scene, entertaining, cute cast. Skyfall was cool! I often get bored during James Bond movies (like Quantum of Solace was SO DULL) but this one was way better and I like that Bond is not always portrayed as super skilled and good at his job.

In Food News:
I am really trying to branch out with my food skills. Mom gave me Woods Hole Cooks Something Up and that has been helping me add some variety. We made black bean fried rice the other night, and yesterday for supper we had chicken and kale soup (inspired by Pickle Jar).

I went to Milli Joe (http://enjoymilli.wix.com/millijoe) for the first time the other day to have lunch with my co-worker Kyle for his birthday! It is another coffee shop in C'ville, very awesome vibe there. The best part is they have waffles in addition to the regular coffee shop fare. You can get nutella, strawberries, and a couple other toppings or get their house special waffle: brie, honey, and green apple.
SO AWESOME I LOVE CHEESE

photo from my co-worker Liz's instagram

Stay warm all y'all up north!!

xoxo