.vaille que vaille. : Grad-ification 2011

WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!

Oh man. Graduation would have been a helluva lot more grad-ifying (ho ho ho) if I didn't start summer classes again in a day. Curse you, residual units and last G.E. *shakes fist at Administration... or whoever the hell decides these arbitrary unit things* Of course that's not to say that my graduation and the celebratory shenanigans that surrounded it was not absolutely fantastically amazingly AWESOME. It's always heart warming, like a cup of luscious Spanish hot chocolate and a side of freshly fried and sugared churros, to see so many faces come out to wish you well and be there for you, even if it means sitting and/or standing in the hot sun listening to some boring old man talk about hopes for the future and some philanthropist or do-gooder telling you that you can make a difference in the world with an BA in Fine Arts... *chortle* Ceremonially capping off the four time-guzzling years I've spent at this fine institution was perfect. I wish that I could go back in time to tell my college freshman self to take more risks and to be less nervous and to not spend so much time pining over lost love, but alas -- I regret not a single minute that I've spent not studying -- but instead, dancing, screaming, shouting, cooking, baking, not sleeping, sleeping, loving, hating, reciprocating, acting, fasting, praying, running, walking, driving, parking, laughing -- I might just do it all over again. But I won't go that far just yet. I am telling my senior self that life after college is going to be a lot of figuring things out, a lot of trial and error, but most of all, a lot of freedom... even if that means unnecessary freedom, or freedom that you don't necessarily want. Yeah, to be honest, I'm a little scared, but I guess that's where I ought to be, and that's where I'm content to be. I've come this far because of grace and mercy, and I'll go farther because of it. :)

Freesias from Anna! :)

Pre-graduation dinner at the Bazaar with family & gals!

Special Tasting menu with Custom add-ons!!!
We were so stuffed by the end, I think we might have lost some people to indigestion or heartburn.

Me & big sis

Sweet potato chips with some sort of yogurt dip

Japanese Taco
Eel wrapped in cucumber

Steamed brioche with caviar & lemon infused foam

Foie gras sliders.
SDJKSDLJSDLKJSLDKJSLKJDLKSJD.

Sangria!
Red & White

King crab with raspberries
&
Mussels

Jamon with manchego cheese

Ahi tuna & Avocado roll

Not Your Everyday Caprese

Beet Salad

Potatoes with some sort of pesto sauce

Seared Scallops with Romesco sauce

Codfish Doughnuts with tartare sauce

Baby Squid & Squid Ink

Chicken with Figs & Mustard Greens

Wagyu Beef

Wild Mushrooms

Karen the Magician

Day of Graduation!

I was wearing 4 inch heels... Why? I don't know, because I'm awesome.

Our Freshman Summer Orientation group! (Except one) Can you believe it?????

It says my name on it... in case you can't read it.

The grads get the shade.

Caught my brother being a creeper.

First hour.

Third hour....

James is wearing toilet paper around his neck...

Bombarded by love & flowerssss GAAAHhh

Cap staying on my head debacle...

Yannan having a mom moment.
Hey, Where the heck is my mom in all this anyway?! Geez.

Krupa & Linh :)
Drove to Santa Barbara for Amanda's 9 am ceremony, and then down to LA for my 4 pm one.
DEDICATION!

We are an odd breed.

Da roomies old & current (Jane fell asleep. Anna is off being super woman. Betty moved out. Okay, so the category doesn't really apply largely, but still applies.)