Things That Made Me Happy Last Week: Third Week of April 2011

It's all connected, so I chose three things that made me happy last week.

01. Pop Culture Happy Hour from NPR. The main reason I chose this is because the panel each choose one thing that made them happy that week to end each show. And I started listening to the podcast again after a few months hiatus.

02. Parks and Recreation! If you've been in my vicinity at all since Thursday, you have heard me talk about this show. It's adorable and smart and you should be watching it. Ben Wyatt, human disaster, does not disappoint, my friends.

03. I've once again been compulsively going through my Tumblr dash and remembering why I love it so much. I often have to rotate my internet time and last week I went through a big Tumblr time, which brilliantly coincided with great Parks and Recreation posts to look through. And Doctor Who is back in action! And in America! Generally I go through three main bursts of interest: television (Tumblr), style/fashion (google reader), and current events/politics (news emails, twitter). Then the cycle starts over again.

I also had a absolute blast in Portland for the #IAMDONALD tour with Donald Glover and his rapper alter ego Childish Gambino on Saturday. I snagged a setlist and all.

That is pretty much my week in a nutshell. I should probably be working harder since it's the last few weeks of my undergraduate life.

March: favorites and finds

Blog Crushes!

Milk Teeths

I've been reading this blog for a while and love her thrifting adventures!

Avalonne Hall

Found this girl last month and am forever delighted by her words, images, and style.

TV

The Good Wife

I watched the first season in a week and I'm in the middle of the second season. I will definitely be caught up by the end of the week, probably by mid-week and it full of glory for me. I love the little politico in-jokes (Rahm! Ben Smith! etc. etc.). I don't love everything (the kids are annoying, I'm already bored with Blake since he's only been a device to further Kalinda's backstory), but overall it's ace. And a character Matt Czuchry plays I can get behind! And I'm a little infatuated (read: completely) with Will Gardner even though I shouldn't be.

Next up: season three Merlin or Twin Peaks. I'm betting the latter will happen. Excited!

And I already posted some of my favorite music as of late, but some new Childish Gambino
never hurt anyone, right? (I still recommend The Head and the Heart and The Lonely Forest wholeheartedly.)

Stores

This is just a cheat because I bought some goodies at the NBC Store. I also got something from Friday Night Lights but forgot to photograph it. :)

No time for sleep: TV and NYC

First off, this week's comedy line-up was superb! I am mostly speaking about How I Met Your Mother, Modern Family, Community, The Office, and Parks and Rec. All incredibly funny and touching in 22 minutes or less this week.

Next, some photos from New York. I had the most amazing time last week traversing the city. I cannot wait to go back! I stayed at a friend's family friend's condo in midtown, right across the street from the CBS studio by the river. Couldn't have asked for more!

Sunday: Just arrived. Walk through Chelsea with some locals (friend's great-aunt and uncle). Japanese food, then Turkish coffee/tea and dessert. Peruse Times Square. Happythankyoumoreplease at Angelika's Film Center.

Monday: Shopping in Soho. Spring Street Natural for lunch. Japanese erotica for dinner. Drinks and midnight diner food with friends.

Whoops. No photos to post.

Tuesday: Soho, Nolita, and Greenwich trekking (more shopping). Junior's Diner for brunch. Magnolia's in Soho. Meme for early dinner. Memphis on Broadway. Serendipity for night desserts. Bumped into Katie Holmes and Suri. Paparazzi swarm.

Wednesday: 30 Rockefeller Center. NBC Tour [lame]. Magnolia's on 6th. Late Night with Jimmy Fallon taping [awesome]. Amy Poehler and Tiger Woods. Bill Cunningham New York at Film Forum [recommended].

Thursday: Brooklyn. Art museum and botanical garden. Jamaican for lunch. Beacon's Closet in Park Slope. The Chocolate Room. How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying on Broadway [with Dan Radcliffe].

Friday: Lower Eastside [Kat's Deli]. Chinatown. Gremacy Park. Upper Eastside. Bloomingdale's. Goodwill. Dean and Deluca. Metropolitan Museum.

We didn't take as many photos as we should have, but that just shows how much we were enjoying our time, right?

A brief pause

The past few weeks has been a big blur. I went from rushing to get the first draft of my thesis done while studying for midterms (last ones for a while!) to rushing around New York City and having the most amazing time with my friend. Now I'm back to the grind of university and wishing I was still in New York. Look for a recap of my delightful trip later this week.

Today I wanted to express my gratitude for my life. My dad was talking about his upbringing at dinner this weekend. I knew he came from a poor farming family in Vietnam, but he doesn't talk about it much. He talked about not going to school because he was hungry, not wearing shoes except to go to the market or a celebration because they couldn't afford it, and taking a chance to leave his country with only the clothes on his back into an unknown destination. It's inspiring to see how far he's come and only a little bit of pressure to make my own leaps in life.

This leads me to thoughts of those fighting for their voices in the Middle East and North Africa, and the cruel lessons that even in a wealthy country disaster can strike at any moment.

I've also been impressed with all the lovely aesthic projects online whose proceeds go to the Red Cross and other relief organizations. This Colossal has a great archive post of some of them if you want a little something extra to show your support. The poster above is by Linda Yuki Nakaniski.

In this time of job searches between research papers and trying to enjoy the last few weeks with the people I've met in the last three years, it's easy to forget about where I've come from and what that means. It's easy to forget how blesssed a life I lead and it's important to take a few moments to recognize the sacrifices that created this journey for me to enjoy.

And some gifts for you, highly recommended new music from Seattle-area bands!

The Head and the Heart, "Cats and Dogs" and "Coeur D'Alene"

The Lonely Forest, "Live There" (new album out today!)

A Belated NPR Valentine's!

To celebrate turning in my NPR internship application today, have some delightful Valentines from NPR!

More at NPR. You really can't get better than public radio.

Seven years bad luck...

My poor mirror fell face first from my vanity set-up [pool cue rack with drawer and mirror]. Not a great way to start my [lunar] new year or my 22nd year of life! It's worse feeling like I could have stopped it. It's been two days [well, a day and a half], and I still haven't cleaned it up yet.

Super Sunday!

First, Happy Lunar New Year! For the Vietnamese, the New Year lasts several days and we're still in the middle of celebrating! Do some good. Visit some friends. Start the year off right!

Next, I'm not viewer (or player) of sports, but I did manage a semi-Superbowl oriented dunch today (between lunch and dinner).

Grilled cheese with onions and guacamole (always homemade); side of refried beans, two olives, chips and guac, grapefruit to end; Dr. Pepper instead of beer because I need not be drowsy before bedtime tonight - too much to do!

Lastly, I bought this little number over the weekend and am currently wearing it under my robe. So cute, so vintage. Not very practical winterwear, but I'm indoors the rest of the day.

Until later! [I'm in the midst of thinking of a good end phrase - please see How I Met Your Mother 4.14 - "The Possimpible".]