Bookworm: June 2017

"I had no idea that such individuals existed outside of stories." - Brittany Cavallaro

My life has been bizarrely loaded with pinch-me moments in the last few weeks (like I've mentioned). One of my favorite job perks: access to Stanford's amazing library system. I'm already loving curling up in Green...which means my reading volume is going up at an alarming pace!

Loved: 

A Study in Charlotte, Brittany Cavallaro: Few people know that I'm a complete Sherlock Holmes fiend...like, read every story repeatedly in elementary school and haven't looked back since. (In London, I interned blocks away from Baker Street!) This novel imagines fictional descendants of the Holmes, Watson, and Moriarty families, going head-to-head solving a series of murders at an elite New England prep school. It sounds dumb, but the writing is imaginative and intriguing, and I really enjoyed the what-if of picturing the Holmes and Watson clan today.

The Last of August, Brittany Cavallaro: Part 2 in the trilogy shifts the action to Europe and the crime to art forgery and fraud, with equally riveting results. I did see a couple of the twists coming, but it wasn't enough of a detraction to keep me from highly recommending the series. Anxiously awaiting the third book, "The Case for Jamie," next summer!

Sweetbitter, Stephanie Danler: If you read even one book off my reading list in the next few months, it should be this one. I could not put it down, and spent the better part of a day blowing through it. Set in one of New York City's highest-end restaurants, the novel portrays a young woman's coming of age through food, wine, and life experiences. It's incredibly dark and evocative and gritty, and kept me thinking of Spoon and Stable or Bellecour (my favorites) constantly. 

Enjoyed: 

Alex and Eliza, Melissa de la Cruz: Oh this was so cute. And everyone knows I can't get enough Hamilton in my life. This imagined tale of Alexander Hamilton and Elizabeth Schuyler falling in love was deliciously escapist and sweet.

Tolerated: 

Romancing the Throne, Nadine Jolie Courtney: I get what this book was trying to be - a William and Kate re-telling for a high school audience - but it fell incredibly flat for me. The narrator, Charlotte, is meant to be a Pippa stand-in, but the tone was vapid and kind of shallow. For Will-and-Kate royal fiction worth reading (and re-reading!), check out "The Royal We" instead.

Re-reads: 

Wedding Night, Sophie Kinsella: I read this several years ago and had almost no memory of the plot, which is rare for me. It was a perfect summer re-read though - funny, charming and - best of all - quick.  

Crazy Rich Asians, Kevin Kwan: The third book in this series just came out, and the first is set to be made into a movie imminently, so I'm revisiting. A frothy beach read chronicling the lives and dramas of megamillionaires and billionaires in "new Asia," it's a fast read and incredibly fun and witty.  

China Rich Girlfriend, Kevin Kwan: Same as "Crazy Rich Asians," the lives and vices of the ultra-rich are dissected humorously and critically in a can't-put-it-down-because-it's-so-escapist kind of way. 

#highwaytohal meets #sanfranlizco!

Last weekend, I hosted my first official California visitor, as ex-roommate Hal made a stop in San Francisco for the weekend! Although we lived together for nearly a year, I saw very little of him during that time due to our respective travel schedules, his grad school application process, and his side gig driving Uber…so having a whole weekend to spend together was an incredible treat!

As soon as he rolled in Friday, we headed to Vesta in Redwood City, which is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. We dined with our friend Erik, who is also a Bay Area resident, and then headed down the block to Blacksmith for more cocktails…

…including, naturally, frosé. A basic white girl never forgets (although this bar bill def didn’t rival last September’s shenanigans at the Godfrey roof…eek).

We took advantage of the gorgeous evening to head back to my place and enjoy the sunset on our deck – wine included, naturally. (A lot of wine included.)

The next morning, we had grand, ambitious plans of being up and on the road by around 8am to get to wine country by 10. Needless to say, Saturday morning actually didn’t find us crawling out of bed until closer to 9, so we arrived in Yountville around noon. First stop:

Bouchon, for foie gras, croques madames, and bellinis at the bar! Incredible food and the best chat with the bartender put us in the perfect mood for a strenuous afternoon of serious wine tasting.

Once we had finished up, we headed across the highway to Chandon (duh). While my June wine club shipment wasn’t ready yet (first world problems, amirite?), we did enjoy the free flights for members. While sampling, we chatted with Michael, our tasting host and a fellow recent transplant to the area, about his favorite wineries on the Napa side and a few restaurants he recommended.

While Napa is great, I really prefer Sonoma for the generally more laid-back atmosphere, and wanted to show Hal the contrast between the two valleys. We crossed the Oakville Grade, laughing all the way at the absurd roads, and made a brief, abortive attempt to stop at the (wrong) Hanna tasting room before heading to my personal fave: Iron Horse!

I’ll never get over the views – and Hal was appropriately enchanted.

Everything the light touches will one day be yours, Harold…if you MOVE HERE (not like I’m biased or anything).

After a fantastic tasting experience, including their special-edition Rainbow Cuvée (#prideweekend, duh), we made the most serendipitous of stops at La Crema’s Saralee estate riiiight around 4:57. As they close at 5, we were initially told we wouldn’t be able to taste, which I had expected, but I made sure to emphasize that I really wanted to show Hal the space – a spectacular renovation of a 100-year-old hops barn. After effusively exploring the building, the tasting room manager, Andrea, said possibly the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard: “We just can’t let you leave without tasting something.” Andrea, you are LOVELY, and you speak my language.

We tried their delicious single-vineyard Shell Ridge pinot, and then hit the jackpot when Andrea brought over the day’s last open bottle of their 2014 Nine-Barrel pinot noir – a reserve label that retails for over $100, and is produced on select years with only the best grapes in La Crema’s entire portfolio. Andrea let us take our (generous) pours out back, admire the view from the deck, and relax while the La Crema staff finished closing. All in all, an utterly lovely and unexpected experience that definitely cemented La Crema’s spot as one of my favorite vineyards in the area.

 We took it easy Saturday night after a lengthy day of tasting, as we wanted to be fresh for Sunday’s jam-packed calendar. First stop: the unparalleled spectacle of the San Francisco Pride Parade!

Favorite shirt of the day: "Why ban gay marriage when you can ban KidzBop?" HA!

The following photos don’t even scratch the surface of the event, which featured everything from “Dykes on Bikes” to every imaginable protest group…

…plenty of Trump hate that was as clever as it was civil…

…every corporate sponsor in the Bay Area…

…the San Francisco cast of “Hamilton” as the honorary grand marshals!...

…and of course, this guy, making the day an absolute joy. We stayed for three hours, and when we left the parade was not even close to over. We had to hightail it back to Palo Alto for the evening’s entertainment: DCI WEST!

I’ve mentioned DCI, and Hal’s obsession with it, in the past (here, for example). I’ve also come to love the spectacle and sheer uniqueness of competitive drum corps through Hal, and was excited to join him, Erik and his friend Sean for the evening. It also marked my first trip to Stanford Stadium!

And I can’t wait to get back in there to watch some college football (GO IRISH, duh!). The show itself was fantastic and varied, with some amazing shows even this early in the season. We had a ball critiquing the performances, discussing the art of drum corps, and hanging out on a gorgeous NorCal evening.

All in all, I think the weekend went a long way toward convincing Harold he needs to make the Bay Area his post-Duke MBA future home…am I right, Hal? Am I right? At the very least, it was a fantastic weekend of shenanigans with a great friend, and I am so happy that #sanfranlizco made it onto the #highwaytohal!

Twin Cities Love Letters: Part III

Having been in California for a few weeks now, I’m starting to miss Minnesota a lot less. That said, thinking about what I miss has really highlighted what is actually irreplaceable about my Minneapolis life – and that is the people who made it so incredible.

I have been incredibly fortunate in the people with whom I have surrounded myself in the last few years in the Twin Cities. Whether old friends or new, colleagues or the most random of connections, the people who have come into my life and stayed in it through thick and thin are so deserving of a moment of gratitude.

Saying goodbye over my last few weeks in town was a challenge and a heartbreaker, in a lot of ways. I had a kind of hard winter and spring – friendships growing more distant, going through some growing pains, and of course making the monumental decision to actually make the California move put a strain on my social life. That said, I can’t speak highly enough of the people who have supported me through a crazy season of life.

I intentionally didn’t go out of my way to try to cram in seeing a million people and saying goodbyes that were, in a lot of cases, kind of meaningless. Instead, I sought out true quality time, and lots of it, with the friends who have made the most indelible mark on my life.

Cuddles with Mr. Mason…

…trivia nights and one final Guthrie trip with some of my favorite guys…

…one last opera evening with Michael, Michael, and Antinea…

…feeling Baby R’s kicks and enjoying way too many cocktails with the Reuvers family (water for Colleen, DUH guys)…

…and of course, so much Kelsie and Hannah time. These two, especially, are so sorely missed on a legit daily basis.

One of the best surprises of the move: Hannah introduced me to Chatbooks with the most adorable and unbelievably thoughtful going-away/housewarming present! Chatbooks pulls social media posts together to create a darling little coffee table book that’s totally customizable. Hannah made one chronicling our entire friendship, from our first week at EY taking in a Twins game all the way up to the Ordway Gala just a couple months ago…and I couldn’t NOT cry going through the digital preview with her (over a Rojo margarita, of course!).

Saying goodbye to her and to Kelsie honestly broke my heart – I think I cried harder after saying goodbye to Kels than I ever have, even at the height of post-Jon breakup woes. Fortunately, I know these two are true-blue, thick and thin, bridesmaid-level lifelong friends, and that means they have NO excuse to not make it out to California for visits! Right, guys?!

Also fortunately, I’m lucky to have great friends in my roommates. Living with Dave and Laura will go a long way toward easing the social stress of trying to build a new community out here, and I’m already well on my way to making more friends – via Notre Dame connections, great new colleagues, and pushing myself out of my comfort zone to strike up conversations and get involved in new ways.

There are, however, two people who are truly irreplaceable…my mama and papa bear.

You guys, there aren’t words to capture how much Mom and Dad did for me in the time leading up to this move. When I was planning the move and stressing over whether it was completely insane, they had my back and offered constant support and encouragement. They had an intrinsic sense of when I needed a little tough love to buck up and deal with my feelings, and when I needed a little extra pep talking and cherishing.

My dad undertook crazy home improvement projects for my future apartment without batting an eye, even though I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. He listened to me dissect every interview the moment I hung up with the interviewer, packed and cleaned my apartment with me, and cooked me legit every meal I’ve ever loved in the weeks before I left.

And my mom. You guys. When my movers showed up a few weeks ago, I unpacked to find that not a single dish or glass had been broken, thanks to the care she took in packing genuinely my entire kitchen for me. I’ve already waxed rhapsodic about how amazing she was on the road trip out here, but that doesn’t even scratch the surface. She made my first week in California so much fun – a day trip to Napa, exploring the city with me, and making probably a dozen trips to Target and Bed, Bath and Beyond without a whisper of complaint. She kept me laughing and dried my tears, and I’m pretty sure is singlehandedly responsible for preventing at least three car accidents by being my second set of eyes in the Honda (still working on the whole “driving like a homicidal Californian” thing, tbh).

I count myself as inimitably fortunate to have these people as my parents. Their patience with and faith in me, despite my nerves, in the face of my insecurities, against all odds, is the bedrock upon which I was able to take this enormous leap of faith. Knowing how proud they are of me for doing so keeps my own faith in this adventure at its highest, and is probably the only reason I’ve been able to approach the move and this enormous life change thinking the glass is more than half-full every. single. day.

I’m already counting down the days til their first visit out here later this month, but in the meantime I’m talking to both of them on the phone daily (okay, sometimes twice daily, NO SHAME) and loving our family group text more than ever before. And you better believe I’m playing the long game of encouraging a NorCal retirement someday…after all, the biggest Anthropologie in the country IS right on my doorstep, and wine country is a day trip away!

So much love and gratitude to the people in my life who have had and continue to have my back, regardless of my zip code. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

101 in 1001: The Road Trip Edition

One of the hardest aspects of planning and executing my recent cross-country move was trying to sort out the logistics of actually, you know, getting there. Fortunately, my mom is a complete and utter rockstar, and volunteered to make the drive with me – cementing her status as Better Than Your Mother Since 1989. (If I could insert emojis in a blog post, I’d throw the hair-flip girl in right here.) 33 hours in a car with me? The woman is a saint. She deserves a medal. Or a spa day. Or a medal AND a spa day.

When we started to plan the route we wanted to take, a few points of interest made the list: first, neither of us had ever been to Mount Rushmore, and it was right on the way if we took a route through South Dakota. We also decided we wanted to detour a bit to see Yellowstone National Park. Serendipitously, both Rushmore (#6) and a national park (#15) were on my second 101 in 1001 list, which just sweetened the deal.

Our initial goal was to make the 33-hour drive in about 4 days, thinking we would take our time, explore, stop to smell the roses, et cetera. With that in mind, we mapped out the route below:

Heading west this way automatically checked off my 101 in 1001 #2, “Visit a new state.” In fact, every state we’d pass through (South Dakota, Wyoming, Idaho, and Nevada!) on the way would be new to me! With grand visions of playing tourist in our own country, we loaded up the car the night before we left and set our alarms for like…4:40 am (Jonathan was home, and had a craaaaazy-early flight, so we got up with him!). Of course, it’s me, and my best-laid plans never fail to go awry. So in reality, we departed on Monday, June 5 at around 5:30am and were crossing the Bay Bridge by Wednesday, June 7 around 1pm. WOMP.

I can’t think of a more fun way to check off my 101 in 1001 #8, “Take a girls’ trip,” than with my favorite girl in the world: my mama bear. Stories and details below:

I’ll confess to being a bit of a wreck the morning we actually left. Saying goodbye to my dad was a total heartbreaker, and I’m pretty sure I hysterically and uncontrollably cried on and off for the first hour of the trip. Another tear-jerker: seeing the “Welcome to South Dakota” sign and watching the Minnesota sign recede in my rearview mirror.

South Dakota, guys. It’s flat and kind of awful for the vast majority of the drive. When I found myself playing passenger, I got so bored with watching empty fields roll by that I started to play “emoji artist” just to pass the time.

WALL DRUG. Oh my god can we talk about Wall Drug real quick? Every couple miles or so for the entirety of I-90 there is a Wall Drug billboard, and they are all kind of off-the-wall insane and hilarious. Wall Drug has a large dinosaur.

Wall Drug has a large jackalope (a fictional creature that is a cross between a jackrabbit and an antelope, of course). According to the locals, they are “fearsome critters,” but we didn’t seem to have a problem when we started climbing all over this guy.Wall Drug was a great little interlude to break up the trip, as was a quick stop at the Rapid City Panera for lunch. Next stop: Rushmore!

I was not entirely sure what to expect of Mount Rushmore, but I have to say I was really blown away by how well-done the monument and visitors’ center are. Some famous historical locations (coughcough STONEHENGE) have left me feeling underwhelmed after years of seeing photos, but Rushmore is definitely worth seeing in person. The drive there is winding and hilarious – a lot of steep grades and adventurous climbs that kept us laughing incredulously the whole way there.

As for the monument itself…

Couldn’t resist this oh-so-opportune photo of my future home’s flag with the stony visages of the presidents.

The walk up to the monument overlook is lined with the flags of each of the states, and was incredibly picturesque, paved in local stone and full of information. We were racing to beat the incoming thunderstorms, however, so contented ourselves with a quick walk around and a few photo ops, of course.

We also had to snap a photo of George in profile…”it must be nice to have Washington on your side,” as
“Hamilton” so appropriately puts it!

Post-Rushmore, we still had about seven hours of driving ahead of us to reach Cody, Wyoming, our planned stop for the evening. Little did we know how aggressive that plan was…especially after prairie thunderstorms and the crazy-winding roads through Bighorn National Forest slowed us wayyyy down. By our last rest stop of the day, I was seriously debating buying this sexy coyote cap and settling down in rural Wyoming forever just so I wouldn’t have to get back in the car. (Please note: this is the prettiest photo of myself that I have EVER put on the Internet.) We arrived in Cody around 10:45 at night, checked into the Beartooth Inn (you can’t make this shit up), and promptly passed out.

Day Two was our Yellowstone/Grand Teton National Parks morning, and we had a blast – taking almost six hours to cover under 200 miles. I refused to let Mom drive – I was having too much fun with the peaks and curves – and we totally basic bitched out and listened to the “Pocahontas” soundtrack anytime we had enough service to run Spotify…I mean, duh, why wouldn’t you? Favorite photos below:

My sole disappointment is that, despite the numerous roadside warnings to be on the lookout for mama bears with cubs, the Jodester in her Cubs shirt is the only one we spotted. Next time, I guess!

We had ambitiously booked a hotel in Elko, NV on HotelTonight because it was really highly rated and really cheap, but I had a mini-meltdown when we stopped for lunch in Jackson, WY at 2:30 and we realized we still had 7 hours of driving ahead of us. After 16 hours the day before, I was NOT looking forward to another marathon day, especially as we had planned to take it easier. My mom bought us car trip cookies and took over driving, and I chilled out as soon as we hit the road again…

…until I took over and Google Maps suddenly took us way, WAY off the beaten path. There really is no direct route between Jackson and Elko, NV, so we spent about four hours driving through literal no-man’s land. There were no speed limit signs. There were no other cars. There were no lines down the middle of the road. There were tumbleweeds, literally. There were rattlesnakes – literally (ick). There were moments where we honestly thought we were going to die in the wasteland that is southeastern Idaho/northern Nevada. We could not stop laughing - total incredulity, campers. 

And then we got to the Stockmen’s Casino and Ramada Inn, and you could cash your chips in at the same counter where you checked in. And I died laughing in a hysterical, surreal, punch-drunk-from-too-many-hours-on-the-road fit of complete insanity.

The next morning, we woke up and our sole goal was to get to the Bay Area as efficiently as possible. We got gas, washed the car, grabbed coffee, and pounded through Nevada and Northern California, falling in love with Tahoe on the way. I had my first Bay Area driving experience, which probably took years off my life, and before I knew it, we were:

Petting Fiona

Drinking alcohol at the biggest Anthropologie in the country (DEAD. I DIE. I STILL DIE EVERY TIME.) (also, #basicselfie, obviously)

Taking first roommate selfies

It had been a hell of an adventure, but it was over.

Tidbits:

-          If for any reason you ever find yourself in Cody, WY, stop at Cody Coffee Roasters. Utterly charming, amazing people, made-to-order crepes and excellent coffee.

-          Bears do not respond to humans’ requests for them to show themselves, not even if you roll the window down and literally yell “HEY BEARS WHERE ARE YOU?”

-          We saw a baby elk or caribou thing and I about died.

-          If you, like Jodes and me, are into Broadway and have 33 hours in the car to pass, I cannot recommend the “Broadway Musical” approach more highly. We listened to 21 musicals in 33 hours – and it was amazing. Full list:

1.       Waitress

2.       Company

3.       Spring Awakening

4.       The Book of Mormon

5.       Rent

6.       Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812

7.       Hamilton

8.       Aida

9.       Mamma Mia

10.   Pocahontas (not technically a musical, but WHATEVER, haters)

11.   Wicked

12.   Dear Evan Hansen

13.   Les Miserables

14.   The Last Five Years

15.   Cinderella

16.   Chicago

17.   The Phantom of the Opera

18.   In The Heights

19.   Legally Blonde

20.   La La Land (also not technically a musical but GUYZ ALMOST BEST PICTURE OMG)

21.   Hello, Dolly!

-          Finally, if you ever have the opportunity to road trip one-on-one with a parent, I highly encourage it. To be fair, I adore both my parents, and love spending time with them, but I seriously will always treasure the memories of this trip with my mom (and couldn’t be more grateful to her for her patience, forbearance, and support the entire way!).

Life at Stanford: a few pinch-me moments.

At present, I’m four days in at Stanford, and while I historically haven’t written much about my employers on social media, I’m basically a walking heart-eyes emoji here so far, and that’s kind of forcing me to change up the game a little bit.

First off, a fun fact that was shared with us at our new-hire orientation/”Welcome Day” on Monday: In the past twelve months, Stanford has had 2,000 jobs posted on their careers site. For those 2,000 openings, over 150,000 applications were submitted. Assuming all those jobs have been filled (they haven’t), that makes the hire rate at Stanford only 1-2%. The acceptance rate for this year’s incoming freshman class: 4-5%, depending on a few different metrics. It’s officially harder to become a Stanford employee than a Stanford student. (Not like I’m, you know, bragging or proud of myself or anything. NAHHH.)

The head of University HR spoke at this orientation, and the phrase with which she opened shot chills down my admittedly basic, cliché-loving spine: “This will call upon the best that’s in you.” Stanford is an organization with a culture in which innovation is not a bonus, but a byword. Expectations of excellence across the board are taken for granted, and every single person I’ve encountered thus far is formidably, intimidatingly intelligent. Along those lines, being your own best person is a given, and the university provides incredible support to make that possible. For instance, we get an $800 budget semi-annually to spend on continuing education – aka actual Stanford for-credit classes. That money, if not used, is lost, and since I’m starting late in the game, I basically have to burn through my first-half allowance by August 31. What’s a girl to do? Sign up for Great Opera Performances on Mondays, Innovation of World Class Museums on Tuesdays, and History of Wine (which comes with a Napa field trip mid-quarter!) on Wednesdays, obviously. I’m beyond excited to be a student again – to keep up my French studies, take business classes, and explore other disciplines just for the hell of it. Being able to call myself a Stanford student? For free? Someone please actually pinch me.

And that’s the tip of the iceberg. Stanford’s health and wellness program is comprehensive…my health insurance cost is 100% free in-network, including well visits, prescriptions, and dental/vision. As employees, we’re invited to complete a full holistic health and wellness survey annually, and to follow that up with a free screening and counseling session on how to reduce stress, eat better, and set/meet fitness goals. That screening and plan establishment is incentivized by up to $800 in cash bonuses, just for joining and participating in the program. We can also take a variety of wellness classes…fitness, nutrition, stress management, interpersonal skills, etcetera – at a heavily subsidized rate. I’ll be taking yoga every Friday over lunch and starting my day every Thursday with bootcamp, and am taking a few seminars in meal planning, sleep therapy, and mindfulness…all before September.

Most significantly, and delightfully – my coworkers are, so far, amazing. The tradition in the finance group is to greet every new hire with a brunch welcome party on his or her first day, and to introduce the entire department all at once. I’ll admit, I was completely overwhelmed on Tuesday to meet over 75 people in one hour-long period, but I’ve since been bowled over by their effort to be inclusive and welcoming. The number of people who have offered to help me figure out the coffee machine, find the supply rooms, navigate the intranet, or explore the area’s lunch options has outpaced any (paltry) expectation I had. My bosses are also both fantastic, encouraging me to spend the first week experimenting and exploring as I see fit and to guide myself through the onboarding process at my own pace.

My first impression of Stanford came together at lunch on Tuesday – an all-department retirement party for a woman who had worked for Stanford’s finance group for a whopping 43 years. As we ate paninis and cake, a dozen or so of her coworkers, direct reports, old bosses, and the leadership of the university’s finance teams gave speeches that were rife with inside jokes, Stanford legends, and paeans of praise for her commitment to this place. The retiree in question was in tears by the end of the first toast, and the rest of the room soon followed suit. I couldn’t help but look around, kind of shocked at the level of emotion and pride that this place inspires in people. Maybe I’m hopelessly romanticizing things, or maybe my Day 3 starry-eyed excitement to actually be here and be a part of this is clouding my judgment…who knows? All I know is that if I actually did pinch myself every time I had a “pinch-me” moment, I’d be black and blue all the way up both arms. I remain immensely humbled and grateful for this opportunity, and cannot wait to see how Stanford calls upon the best that’s in me as I move forward.