Who said there's only Football in Texas?

Just wanted to put it out there that 3 of the top 5 Western conference teams are from Texas, Dallas, San Antonio, and Houston. I'm proud of my Rockets for surpassing the Lakers in current standings...and will most definitely be rooting for them throughout the playoffs, although I wouldn't mind to see any of the fabulous Texas teams take the championship this year.

sorry Kobe...not this year!

(just a minor disclaimer...not really proud to be a Texan these days, but I gotta support my boys)

The joys of Snow...

I love the snow and I find it absolutely beautiful and all...but after sitting in a 12 hour drive home from Tahoe (normally 2 hours), I have come to appreciate not living in a snowy city! I give props to my girls in the NYC cuz I know I couldn't do it.

I really wish I was still there though... I would love to have a taste of that fresh powder riding down the mountain especially after bearing 12 hours of painful road games, like the "name game," or having to go to the bathroom and holding it for 3 hours of the ride, yeah, that was alot of fun....

All-Star Survival Weekend 2007

I went to the oh-so-famous NBA All-Star Weekend this year in Las Vegas thinking that it was going to be an awesome weekend partying with the big names in basketball but instead turned out to be survival of the fittest. Let me just give you the facts: 5 separate shootings, one official death but I'm sure there were more, and over 250 arrests over the course of the weekend. This is what happens I guess when you bring the East and the West together in the City of Lights.

Sorry, but there was no real reason to be at this event. The game itself is always a blowout, this year the West taking the crown, and really it's a show-off shoot-out. There is hardly any defense that is played since players avoid getting themselves injured in a non-advancing game that has no bearing on where they stand in the playoffs, although, I find it ironic that Wade gets severely injured the following game. It's really their time to practice their dunks and their alley-hoops which gets painfully boring after some time. This also proves my point that basketball is a game of defense, but we'll leave that for another discussion.

So basically, my weekend consisted of staying as far away from the strip as possible and engaging in some fine dining, cuz that's what I do... I ate at awesome restaurants off the strip, Hannah's sushi was off the hook, and a real chill place to hang out with great food is FireFly Tapas Bar. I did go to Trevi in the Ceasar's Forum, which I must say was quite a disappointment. I could have made the same dish I overpaid for...should've gone to Spago's instead...

Overall, had a great weekend since I came out of it alive, and glad to have hung out with pops and V while I was at it.

Just to Add some Points for Mr. Obama

Pissy McPisser

Ya this beautiful baby girl is not so cute anymore!!!

She's peeing all over the place and I can't yell at her cuz her mommy is gone and she's scared of the rain...

Makes me sad looking at her...she's lonely....where's mommy?

Whom to choose?

Well...lets think about it...A fresh, young guy who has yet to be corrupted by the evils of Washington or a chick who stayed with her husband who cheated on her in order to gain political pull....hmmmm? not so tough anymore...I thought it would be, but putting aside the fact that we need women in higher places (we also need them to be surgeons too...), Obama looks like a better candidate right now. Granted, this is a very naive reflection of the race, but as the way things look on the surface, I'm rooting for the brotha...you all know my weakness for those :0)

But seriously, I think he's an all around great candidate. No real corruption, probably not as many under-the-table ties as Hillary does, and he's from Kenya! I like that about him. He's cultural. The dude grew up in Hawaii and Indonesia, worked a low paying salary and has brought himself up. That's a man who knows what it's like to struggle, to go through obstacles and can really see things from a broader perspective. I see Obama focusing on the issues of America versus the issues of the world.

Again, this is the day after he's announced his running for the Democratic Party....who knows whats going to come out from now until the Democratic National Convention...

Let's not forget that Hillary Clinton is a powerful woman. She's good. She kind of reminds me of me, she's a little weaker than myself in terms of handling her man, but then again I cry at the end of every Grey's episode...She can and will do a lot for our country, there's no doubt in my mind.

Maybe its Obama's looks that's got me going...

I'll do some reading on Hillary and we'll see if my opinions change, but for now...the worldly, underprivileged Kenyan is my front runner...

Either way...the Democrats will take the White House in 2008!

My new boyfriend in Juvi

So yesterday I spent the afternoon at Juvi. Why was I there you ask? We had a choice of where to do a site visit, and I jumped at the opportunity of thinking I would miraculously be able to save a kid or maybe even change a kid from a young criminal to someone with hopes of a decent future...Instead, I found a new boyfriend. I spent the entire hour and a half sitting in a 3x3 cell with a 17 year old boy who incessantly attempted to get "my digits" or try to "hook up once he got out." I played the cool card as long as I could, you know the laughing, like "oh your funny" and "I'm too old for you" type of approach, but he obviously didn't get the picture. I didn't want to slam the kid...but damn homie, get real. Not even the fact that he was in Juvi...cuz you all know my history...this experience definitely brought back some childhood memories, I'm not gonna lie, but the kid really thought he had me. He was funny though...my favorite line had to be, "but you can tutor me though...cuz when you talk, i listen." Thats what I'm talking about...I need to hear that shit more often!

Regardless, the kid was classic, but definitely, I'm proud to say that I instilled some hope in his eyes. I asked him what he wanted to do with his life and he responded with construction or plumbing, and then proceeded to say, "well, i've never really thought of it much before cuz nobody really aksed me that question." Now that really ripped into me. How is this kid 17 and nobody has talked to him about his future. He has a rough life, but doesn't mean it has to continue that way. He just needs someone to give him some direction, cuz his father on parole and his mother who can't afford to feed her children, is not shedding any light on him. And I know I'm being me by thinking that intervention is all this kids needs, but honestly if it's never been attempted, how do you know it won't work? my point exactly...give the kid a chance.

We talked about college and football, and he genuinely wanted to go. Did I mention his 2 year old son...ya...so there was that talk too....but he was smart, every time I asked a personal question, he would spit one right back at me...."so you got a man?...what?...for real though, how does a fly girl like you not have a man?" I quickly told him thats the way I like it. I got some dap for that one..."I've never met a girl like you...damn, there needs to be more females like you, for real. That's how I know you are perfect for me." Guess what my response to that was?

"I'm perfect for every man"

Are you surprised? Of course not...

But other than that, I think I did alright...got nothing medically related accomplished, but whatever, gave a 17 year old boy the only interaction he's had with a girl in the last 18 months...thats bad...I shouldn't be saying that...but dont worry, although this might sound like I wasn't professional, I was, and at one point I did have to put my foot down with him and have him focus at the task at hand.

But seriously, I'm going to help this kid get his life together. I didn't give him my number or any form of contact, but I told him I'd write him and send him some info about schools...I'm not about to be the um-teenth person who has let this kid down...sorry, but thats not how I do....

Dinner at Biba

Biba knows her stuff...

(my dishes combined with other dishes I tried...we grubbed...)

Appetizer:

Delicious crabcakes that are lightly fried, not greasy, and the right amount of crab...this is usually how I judge a place
Animelle con Pancetta e Fungi: Sauteed sweetbreads with crisp pancetta and shiitake mushrooms in a Limoncello-wine-butter sauce...(sweetbreads: cow pancreas...rather de-lish)

First Course:
Shitake mushrooms and bacon in a white something sause on a bed of flat noodles...super yummy and super filling!

Tagliatelle Verdi con Pomodoro e Caprino
Housemade spinach tagliatelle in a light tomato-goat cheese sauce...(just like your traditional spaghetti, but quite spectacular)

Second Course:
Coniglio alla Cacciatora con Peperoni e Polenta
Slowly braised rabbit in an onion, pancetta, bell pepper, tomato and balsamic vinegar sauce, with roasted polenta...(rabbit tastes like chicken)

Ossobuco alla Milanese
Large, meaty veal shank braised with mixed vegetables, wine, broth and tomatoes, topped with gremolata and served with creamy, soft polenta...(melted in my mouth, recommend this to anyone)

Dessert:

Plum tart with vanilla gelato....off the heez!

Zuppa Inglese a Due Colori
Double chocolate trifle with Grand Marnier soaked pound cake and raspberry sauce...(a little too much raspberry but light, so nice...it would go good with a dessert wine)

On to my next endeavor....