Welcoming 2016

Hello everyone!

I hope you are all having a wonderful new year!
It was extra special for us because it was the first time we were able be together to celebrate NYE and the new year together!

The obligatory NYE celebration photo  =)

and of course, the other obligatory photo of us being us  haha

David had been talking about the new Star Wars movie ever since it came out, so we decided to go watch it before having dinner.  Little did we know, it would be all sold out... all weekend...  So instead, we tried to go to the Boston Commons only to drive around for half an hour trying to find parking. At this point, it was looking a lot like our first anniversary misadventures...  haha  We gave up on Boston Commons, and tried to find something else to do.  By then, we didn't have much time until dinner, but we decided to try the Faneuil Hall anyway since it was only a few blocks away.

Thankfully, we were able to find parking, and we had a good time poking about in different stores. In one, I found a Princess Leia's hair-esq fluff muff, and we called that good enough for our Star Wars experience for the night  ;)

with the tree  =)  

It wasn't anything special--just walking around and shopping, but it was fun to just spend some time together.

For dinner, we decided to try a spot in Cambridge, recommended by our friends Daon and Tristan. They couldn't say enough good things about Oleana, so we got a reservation (which I highly recommend), and crossed the river! 

We weren't really sure what to get, so we started with the chef's choice vegetable sampler.  Because they were chef's choice, I'm not sure what they were called, but we had some sort of carrot hummus, followed by these amazing falafels... 

another carrot dish, but roasted this time, with some amazing crunchy something happening.  Maybe it was fried quinoa? I'm not sure, but it was delish!

The next dish was made of some sort of vegetable from the broccoli family, but it tasted a lot like kale!

And of course, we have to continue our tradition of getting lamb at date night! It was quite literally falling off of the bone, and we thoroughly enjoyed it!

I think my least favorite was the dessert, which was a fried cream puff sort of a thing...  but I think that's usually what happens with me at most restaurants.  It's so difficult to get dessert just right at a restaurant!  I much prefer bakeries for desserts.

It was so wonderful to spend NYE together and to ring in the New Year. (yes, I actually stayed up until midnight, which took effort for this grandma  ;)  haha)  The next day, we left the hustle and the bustle of the city to hike Mt. Holyoke, but more on that will come in the next post! 

Happy New Year, and thanks for stopping by!

--Janny

Year 2014 Recap!

Hello everyone!

I haven't done a year-in-recap kind of a post, but this year has been such an incredible year filled with so many adventures that I thought it deserved a recap post.

It's hard to believe that I was at Rice studying earlier this year. I mean, I feel like I've been in Boston, studying at BU for years!  But apparently, that is not the case and I was, in fact, at Rice celebrating Mr. Lin's birthday with my lovely Rice studio just earlier this year!   aww, I do miss these lovely faces  =)

oh, and there's nothing like pictures of the Rodeo to remind you that you were very much so not in Boston when these were taken... haha

2014 was also the first year David and I competed in open level ballroom/latin competition!  Well, David had competed at that level before, but it was a totally new experience for me  =)  It was really fun, and I hope we get to do more of it in the future!

May of 2014 was a bitter sweet month as I prepared to graduate with my Master's degree from Rice - Shepherd School of Music.  I was uber excited to move to Boston and start a new chapter of my life there, but also, I knew I would miss all of the awesome friends I had made in Houston.

It was an incredible 2 years in Houston though, and I'm glad I got to know so many amazing peeps during my time there  ;)

But wait!  Before I could move to Boston and start my Doctorate degree, I took a few 'detours' during the summer.  First, to Korea,

Then, to Taiwan,

Then, to Virginia (Garth Newel Music Center) with the Meadowlark Trio,

Then, to Cali, meeting so many awesome people along the way.

oh, and sometime during all of that, I turned quarter of a century!  I am so blessed to have had incredible friends who threw me a surprise birthday party, as well as having this guy in my life who took me out to Uchi for a birthday dinner  =)    Quarter of a century has been good to me, and have I mentioned just how incredibly blessed I am?

After that wirlwind of a summer, I finally got myself to Boston.

a new home, new school, new friends  =)  all so exciting!

I'm so happy I found these girls to share the beautiful apartment that we call home.   

and for the roomy adventures that we take together  =)   Oh, one of my roomies, Shawn, also has a blog, so check her out here  =)

In November, David and I took a little trip to Cancun, Mexico, to celebrate D & D's wedding as well as our 2 year anniversary!  It was such a memorable trip, and I hope that we can go back there someday  =)

we stayed at Nizuc Resort and Spa during our stay there, and we absolutely loved it!  =)

David and I have been doing this long distance relationship thing this year, and though I don't have the best track record for doing long distance, it's been going well so far!  I think it works because we get to see each other every month or two, and We were so happy to spend Thanksgiving together this year  =)

A weekend full of wonderful food and company!  check out some of the posts here and here!

I am so incredibly lucky to have had so many amazing people in my life, like Bayla, my quirky and amazing teacher at BU.  She has made my transition to Boston so easy, and she has been a lifesaver in so many ways.  I'm so excited to spend the next 3 or so years with her learning and improving my craft  =)

2014, you have been good  =)

I'm so thankful for my family and my friends in all different parts of the world, and I can't wait to see what 2015 has in store!

Hope you all had a wonderful 2014, and hope your 2015 is filled with endless happiness, love, blessings, and peace!  =)

Thanks for stopping by, and Happy New Year!

--Janny