Extra sauce, please

It’s crunch time again. When the assignment due dates are fast approaching, group presentations are hurriedly thrown together and papers are churned out one by one. With only four weeks left to go, I am in the midst of what will be my last end-of-semester push. I am infinitely happy about this! I’m hoping that once the dust settles and my cap and gown are tucked away in the closet I will be more diligent with my blog and post on a more regular basis. Until then, I leave you with a great lunch or dinner suggestion: Pete’s Teriyaki House. Tucked away in a strip mall behind the Tahoe Joe’s on Shaw and Marks, Pete’s is a little hole in the wall Japanese fast food joint with chicken bowls to die for. The atmosphere is nothing special, in fact it’s pretty dingy and old, but the food is amazing. The sticky rice is perfectly sticky and the succulent chicken is covered in a mouthwatering teriyaki sauce, with extra sauce to go. It’s the perfect meal for a late dinner after a group project meeting on this rainy April evening.

Happy 8th Anniversary, Europe Trip!

Today my thoughts are on Europe. Memories drift slowly through my mind’s eye as I recall the journey that began as two friends and I boarded our plane on April 10, 2002. Hazy moments mingle with bright images of a two-month backpacking trip that covered six amazing European countries.

Jen & Jenai on the ferry coming in to Greece

I rarely think of my time spent along the sun-soaked Mediterranean. Young and fresh-faced, we had moments of blissful ignorance and were wonderfully carefree. One particular photograph encapsulates the easy, relaxed period of life we were in. Beyond what is captured in the photograph itself, I vividly recall the sense of utter contentment and peacefulness I felt in that moment. Three girls, sitting on the sea wall in Sorrento, Italy, Nutella and crackers in hand, chatting and laughing as we watched the setting sun throw its glorious pink and orange rays across the calm water lapping at the rocks below. And in the picture, our faces held perfect smiles. Happy. Innocent. Eager for life.