Celebration x 3

This past week we were in DE hanging with the fam and relaxing it was awesome! We ended the week with a jam-packed weekend of fun. In true Allison fashion, I found a way to spread the celebration of my birth over all three days. I have just always thought that one day was totally insufficient. The celebrating started on Friday by going to the Indian buffet with the fam. Yes, my curry craving continues. Nate and I discovered this little gem of a restaurant last time we were in Delaware and oh my is it fantastic. I stuffed myself to the point of physical pain and still had to be dragged out of the place.

Then on Saturday (the actual day of my birth) one of the faux fam friends got married. They are such a cute couple and it was such a sweet temple wedding. It was great to spend time with family and great friends all day and night. After the reception wrapped up, Destin joined Nate and I for "Water for Elephants" in honor of my birthday. The movie was ok...naturally, not as good as the book but still worth renting.

On Sunday we went to the Cox residence for a faux fam easter dinner which was delicious of course. Note that there has been no mention of cake or presents thus far in this post so we had to fit those things in on Sunday night. Nate got me Phillies tix for 4/29 and I am sooo excited! I have been been dying to go since we moved here! I wish it was Cliff Lee pitching or Halladay but alas it will still be awesome.

Oh and I almost forgot. On Friday I bought myself a little happy b-day gift. It is seriously the best candle ever made. I cannot get enough of this smell. It also happens to be the only thing I can afford at Anthropologie. Ahhh....perhaps someday I will walk into that beautiful store with enough money to afford their beautiful dresses and skirts. Until then the candle will have to do :)

So there you have it! I found a way to make a a regular Friday, eternal marriage on Saturday and Easter Sunday involve celebrating my birth. My Mom will be so proud.

FLO-RIDA

pic courtesy of little J's

I finally had my first traditional spring break and it was oh so glorious. Even though there was grape koolaid instead of booze and family card games instead of clubbing, I still feel initiated into this wonderful student tradition. My family flew into Florida and we all spent a full week basking in the sun and playing in the waves. I could really use a little more of that seeing as it is pouuurrring outside right now. Anyways, here are a few highlights from the trip:

1. Attempting to surf. Nate and I are hoping we can live in Hawaii at some point so we can really hone our skills.
2. Playing chince with the fam. (It is a card game that is actually called shithead but we changed it for obvious reasons)
3. Bike rides on the beach. Heather probably still has a seat print in her toosh from all the cruisin she did.
4. Staying up late talking/bugging my family.
5. 80 degree weather almost the entire time :)
6. Reading frivolous magazines in the sun and loving it.
7. Spending time with the hubby. Test week was the week before. Translation: we were divorced the week before.
8. Festival of Colors beach style

Enjoy a few pics :)

I love this pic. Nate is cracking up about something

It was such a fun trip and I was so happy to see my family. I really could have cared less where we were, it was the being together that made the trip. Can't wait to come out to IDizzle in just a few weeks :)

Pride

I am convinced that we live in the coolest part of the coolest city in the U.S. Who would have thought that a girl from a tiny town in Idaho would love Philadelphia so much, but its true. What set off this current wave of love for our city? Well as I am sitting in our living room reading my nook I can hear the bell toll that it is 12:00. What bell? Oh just the one on this building here:
How many people get an hourly reminder of the time from one of the oldest and most historical buildings in our entire country? This is where the founders met and drafted the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Every time I go in there and look at the room where all of that happened I can't help but feel the spirit and gratitude for those incredible men that laid the groundwork for our nation. I know that they were inspired and that our country is unique and special in the history of the world.

So naturally you can see why I would love a city that made me feel ALL of that :). Oh and the fact that we have the BEST baseball team in the country doesn't hurt.

Curry Cravings

Ok so has anyone ever read a good book that has all of these graphic descriptions of the food and you end up salivating over a food you have never even heard of and can't pronounce? Well that is the story of my life lately. After reading two books about ancient India and one about Ethiopia I am craving the food like CRAZY! Needless to say, Nate and I have had a lot of curry lately. One night the craving just got to be too much for me to handle and we caved and went to this nice Indian restaurant in Philly. Oh my it was sooo heavenly. I will be craving that cashmere chicken with the garlic naan until I die. Here are a few pics from that night, I wish I had a pic of the cashmere chicken but it really wasn't around for very long...:)

This is a pic of our cute little dessert. A homemade Indian ice cream called kulfi. It was creamy and dreamy and full of pistachios

This weekend we fed the curry beast again and went to an Indian buffet in Delaware. Yes I know that Indian and buffet sound pretty scary together but trust me it was sooo good. I was wishing that I had an extra stomach to fill. The paneer butter masala was my favorite and now I am on a mission to learn how to make it. I fear that all of this Indian indulgence is only making my cravings worse.....we are planning on hitting an Ethiopian restaurant in West Philly in the near future. Mmmm I will let know if it is as good as "Cutting for Stone" made it sound.