hotchachie

2007-10-24T10:03:00.001-07:00

hotchachie's back (ALRIGHT!!)

Sorry for the long absence. I have been working (full-time, blech!) and have neglected my blogging responsibilities. So much has happened since June, though. I'll get you back up to speed later, but for now: CANDY CORN!

I found a recipe for VEGAN candy corn. I guess regular candy corn has gelatin and eggs and milk in it. Anyway, I made it on Monday night. It was really easy and fun!! Like molding play dough that you can eat! My roommate and his girlfriend helped with the shapes. It's my new Halloween tradition. At first they didn't quite have the hard texture of candy corn, but after a few days, they are very similar!

In the photo you'll find a dog, a snail, small corn, big corn, a Mexican guy in sombrero, a clown, carrots, pumpkins (mellowcremes), and my gay pride candy! Not pictured that we also made include a monkey, a cat, and a pretzel.

I just learned, however, that Jelly Belly makes candy corn that is practically vegan (contains beeswax, which I don't mind eating... what?)

It's good to be back! Check out my new store http://hopeandspray.etsy.com/

2007-06-08T15:30:00.000-07:00

Salut de Montreal!

I'm posting from a place called espressonet which is an internet cafe that serves alcohol in le Village, the gay area of Montreal. I love this city soooooooooo much!! Brian and I have been having a WONDERFUL time.

Yesterday we went to Six Flags. We were able to walk there from our hotel. It's on a little island across from the city, but the bridge is walkable. It took over a half hour, but it was cool. I heard that schools were still in session so I assumed that the park would be pretty empty, but I made an ass of u and me because it was teeming with thousands of loud and pushy Quebecois schoolchildren of all ages. I guess since the Canadian school system is 13 years instead of 12, they have lots of extra time for uneducational field trips like amusement parks. When I saw all the kids, I decided to get a Flash Pass to bypass the lines. Unfortunately, there was some computer problem, and they weren't issuing them when I went to the kiosk. After waiting in hour-long lines for two different sub-par coasters, we went back to the kiosk and were able to purchase the Flash Pass. Then the real fun began. We went on the biggest and best rides so many times that Brian begged me to take a cotton candy (barbe-a-papa) break because his head was spinning. The park closed at 7 PM, but we definitely rode until we couldn't ride no more. One ride, the Goliath, has the distinction of being the tallest coaster in Canada!

On Wednesday, we put the W in walking tour. We explored the old town (dating back to 1642) and two beautiful parks. The biggest park, Le Parc Mont-Royal, was designed by the same guy who did Central Park in NYC and is where the landmark Croix (pictured) is found. The other, Le Parc Lafontaine, is a beautifully manicured European-style park.

That day, we had the most unique dining experience ever. The place is called "Le Spirite Lounge," and it is entirely run by one man, a flamboyant artist named Roz-man. Saying that the decor was eclectic would be the understatement of the year. Every table and set of chairs was different. It took up three rooms, one of which had an elaborate catwalk and stage (which will soon host Roz's one-man show). The completely vegan menu consisted of curry soup, a fruit and veg filled crepe, and flourless chocolate-blueberry cake. There was no choice of food, but he was sensitive to allergy or food dislikes. He told us that there would be a $2 charge for not finishing your plate ("like if you licked it"), and he gave an option of reduced portions if you didn't think you'd be able to finish a regular size. Brian ordered the smaller option, but it didn't seem any smaller than mine. The food was delicious, no question, and we had a great time. Our B&B host told us that it's always pretty much the same food. We've since been to two other delicious vegan restaurants here, but that was the most exciting.

I got my French karaoke on twice so far. I sang my favorite Celine, ZIGGY (Un garcon pas comme les autres). It's a song about her gay best friend who she is in love with. I did it in Celine's key, and I think I would have done her proud!

Our night bus back to New York leaves in a few hours, and then we fly immediately back to the SD. I miss kitty so much!! TTFN!

2007-06-05T16:31:00.000-07:00

Vacation Blog! I`m updating from Montreal. It is wet and rainy here, but still glorious. I really love it so far.

To back it up, Brian and I flew to New York on Friday night (arrived Saturday morning). We partied it up in New York with my old friends who I MISSED and haven`t seen for two years. Our NYC adventures include sitting ON the stage for a performance of the Broadway musical, ``Xanadu`` starring Kerry Butler and featuring the guy who beat Britney Spears on Star Search 15 years ago, going to Queens Pride where a friend from NU performed, Showtune night at Splash, buying a cute sweater vest at Century 21, many games of darts, a marathon karaoke session (Brian finally sang ``You Don`t Bring Me Flowers`` with me!!), and lots of delicious vegan food.

We took a night bus from NYC to Montreal last night. It was seriously hellish, but we`re here so that`s all that matters. Definitely buying some sort of pillow for the ride back to NYC.

Today we went to the Fine Arts Museum which was pretty cool. Then we went shopping at a fabulous department store called Simons where I got another cute sweater vest, a gondolier sweater, and tight WHITE jeans. Brian got a cute sweater and hooded sweater vest that both happen to be in my size, too :-) Did I mention the stuff was pretty cheap?

I`m typing from an internet cafe. We`re on our way back to our vegan B&B. It`s very cute, and I can`t wait until breakfast tomorrow because I`ve heard that it`s fabulous. Our other plans for Montreal include mucho French karaoke, Six Flags Montreal (La Ronde), the old town, and whatever else comes along!

TTFN!

2007-05-23T10:26:00.000-07:00

Hi! I realize that I left my blog mid-post last week and haven't gotten around to completing it. The jist was that I am thinking about quitting gymnastics forever. It just isn't very fun anymore, and I am afraid that if I keep going just to maintain my skill level, I'll eventually injure myself. My solution is to go one last time and make a video of me doing all of my best tricks. Then, I'll never have to do them again. If someone wants to see me flip, I'll just press play! No warming up required! This really would have come in handy at my graduation party last weekend when my dad goated people into wanting to see me flip. I showed a crappy video of my old dance recital that had me doing some stuff, but it was hard to watch knowing that I am MUCH better now than at 14.

Somehow, after we studied abroad together in Paris, I left never wanting to live abroad again while my friend Kara left never wanting to live in the US again. She has since lived in Bangladesh, England, South Africa, and maybe a couple other places. Now she is working for malnourished children in Haiti, and she has a BLOG. I recommend it if you are into world travel. She writes in great detail of all aspects of third world life...some funny and some not. Do you remember a bestselling chick-lit novel a few years ago about a working mother called "I Don't Know How She Does It?" Well, if that was about Kara feeding children in Haiti, it would be called "I Have No Fucking Clue How She Can Possibly Do All the Fuck That She Does In Such a Fucking Difficult Place." Hopefully by the time I can afford exotic, international trips, Kara will be working in a more Charlie-friendly place like Barbados or Bali because I really miss her.

Brian and I saw a French movie called "The Valet" yesterday. It is by the people who made "The Closet" (Le Placard) which I OWN and LOVE. "The Valet" was really good, too. You'd assume that the title in French would be "Le Valet," but it's not. You see, valet doesn't mean car parker in French. That word is voiturier. So then you'd assume that the movie would be called "Le Voiturier," but doing so would make an ass of u and me because that's not right either. The French title is "La Doublure" which means the stand-in. Weird, huh? It really is about a valet, though. You see, this billionaire is dating a supermodel, and they are photographed together as the valet is walking by them. The billionaire's wife sees the photo in a tabloid, and he tells her that he doesn't know the supermodel and that she is with the valet. So then, he pays the valet to live with the supermodel for a month so that the snooping wife will believe the story. I highly recommend, as it is one of the rare French films that is actually enjoyable to watch and doesn't leave you confused or unsatisfied.

TTFN!

2007-05-14T18:09:00.000-07:00

I just got an idea. As anyone who knows me knows that I love gymnastics. I've been doing it since I was 5, and I've never gone more than a couple months without going to the gym and practicing my tricks. However, now that I am 26 and a half, it might be time to pack it up.

Last week, I went to the YMCA for the adult open gym. Now, I've gone to adult open gyms in lots of different cities, and it's always the same old shit. First is stretching when I lament the fact that I still can't do the splits. Then back bends, which get worse every year, and handstands. Then we line up and do easy tumbling like cartwheels and rolls. My back extension rolls always impress.

Next, it's time for diagonal tumbling, but I'm already tired so I take a break. Then it goes, round-off filp-flop, round-off flip-flop series, and round-off flip-flop back. I used to do layouts next, but I stopped because it hurts so much if you land them at the wrong angle, and I don't even want to bother. Then I freak out about doing a full because the first one is always funny and not in a good way. Like, if I don't finish the twist before I land, I will be on the floor for the rest of the practice. After lots of self-talk, I get the courage to throw the first one. It's exhilerating, but, after I land, the coach always gives me some stupid advice ("remember to go up!" where else am I trying to go, dickwad??), not understanding that my first one is always bad. By this time, I'm exhausted and can't believe that there's still an hour or two left. Then I putz around trying to think of other skills to try.

To be continued...

2007-05-08T17:32:00.000-07:00

I have a few exciting things to share! First, I rented "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" this weekend and definitively placed it on my list of BEST 80's movies EVER! If you haven't seen it, you really need to. Brian encouraged me to learn one of the dance sequences, and I did! If only I had a video camera, I would make one of me doing the dance with the TV screen, and I'd become the next youtube STAR. If only.

In other awesome 80's movie news, I found out that they just released a re-recorded soundtrack of "Teen Witch." Check out the video. I want it, I want it, I want it!

Here's another hilarious video. It's a MadTV spoof of "High School Musical." If you haven't seen it, this parody will still be funny, but I have to ask why the hell you haven't seen it? Been living under a rock? It's a fucking phenomenom! Get thee to Blockbuster or just check your Disney Channel listings, it's on every other day.

THat's all for today!

2007-05-02T12:04:00.000-07:00

That's my new nephew, David! Isn't he cute?

Brian and I planned a trip to Hercules this weekend to see the baby (which was due the week before), but when we got there it still hadn't come out. I was happy about that, though, because it gave me the chance to see my sister pregnant. Also, I got to see for the first time how contractions can affect expectant mothers, and now I don't understand why more people don't adopt. Unfortunately, they started getting really strong halfway through Desperate Housewives so we had to leave the room and find another TV in the hospital before the end of the commercial break (we did!).

I was sad that I didn't get to see any friends in the Bay Area, but how do you make dates when your sister can go into labor at any second?

On Sunday, after Rosie went to the hospital, my dad went to visit first and then my mom. Brian and I were home, leisurely getting ready to go next, when we realized that my parents left us in the house without a car. I took the opportunity to give Brian a walking tour of Hercules, from the Swim Center to the Taco Bell.

Oh, and all you Herculeans out there need to be aware that they have destroyed the best parts of Refugio Valley Park, the concrete slide and the sliding pole. Seeing that broke my heart because those two structures played a huge role in my childhood. Even though I'm pretty sure that being forced to go down that pole when I was five is what caused my severe fear of heights, I'm really sad that I'll never get to go down it again. And the concrete slide was often the only fun and excitement to be found in all of Hercules. You'd sit on a piece of cardboard and fly down into a pile of sand. Now they've covered the slide with flower beds. Let's see if I can find a picture of how it used to be. Nope, but here's one of the park's famous gazebo.

2007-04-23T11:43:00.001-07:00

Hey Y'all! I just wrote an amazon.com review of a cookbook, "Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World." It was fun to write, and I think you might enjoy it. Here it is below.

If you've ever heard the song "Left in the Dark" or seen "My Name is Barbra," you'll agree that very few things compare to Barbra Streisand. Well, this book is so great that even Barbra would be a fan. I long for the day when I, carrying a box of these vegan cupcakes, run into Babs on the street and offer her one. After one bite, she would whisk me to her Malibu home to spend the rest of my life baking for her and James. BTW, I don't think it's a coincidence that both this book and Barbra come from Brooklyn.

Speaking of powerful stars who appreciate good food, why hasn't Oprah tried these?? Someone needs to spread the word to O so that all of America can enjoy these incredible cupcakes that happen to be cruelty-free.

The cupcakes in this book are TO DIE FOR. So far, I have made the Chocolate Cupcake with Peanut Buttercream Frosting. Now, I have been baking since I was a child, and this was the best thing I have EVER made. I've only been a vegan for a few years, so that means that this was better than any CONVENTIONAL baked good I've made. And do you know what else? It took me 40 MINUTES from start to finish, and it was easy.

The recipe called for the use of an electric beater for the frosting, but I don't have one. I used my whisk instead, and it reached the perfect creamy consistency in seconds.

I almost forgot, for my non-vegan mother's birthday, I convinced my non-vegan father to make a cake from the book. She chose the Toasted Coconut (cup)Cake with Coffee Buttercream Frosting. Now, even though it is listed as a "Fancy Cupcake," it is still very quick and simple to prepare. I couldn't believe how fast my dad was finished. We were nervous about making a full cake (9" round, I think) instead of a cupcake, but it came out perfectly. Let me tell you that my family devoured that cake with speed. It tasted like something from the most EXPENSIVE bakery you could find.

I know what many of you are thinking: "But it's VEGAN!" I understand your concerns. I have tried MANY vegan cakes at some of the "best" vegan restaurants in the U.S. and have been very DISAPPOINTED by some of them (especially considering that a piece of vegan cake costs $5-10 a slice). The most common problem is dryness and weird flavor. Believe me when I say that I was skeptical of these cupcakes. I'd been burned before, and there really is nothing worse than using your hands to create something that ends up tasting bad. BUT, these cupcakes are MOIST and DELICIOUS!

Now I know about good cupcakes. Before I became a vegan, I visited the MAGNOLIA BAKERY at 11th and Becker in NYC. If you haven't been, it is a posh bakery where people wait in LONG LINES (a la Soviet Russia) for cupcakes that are legendary. I am here to say that VEGAN CUPCAKES are BETTER. Flat out moister, tastier, and the FROSTING cannot compare.
As an aside, I don't usually like cupcake frosting. The buttercreams in HERE, however, can make a grown man cry tears of joy.

Have I mentioned the HIGH QUALITY of the book itself. Yeah, the recipes are great, but so is the presentation. There IS a table of contents (one reviewer said there wasn't, but I think they weren't seeing straight due to cupcake EUPHORIA, or U4EA as they say in 90210). There is a GUIDE to everything you need to know to make GREAT cupcakes, and it is written with a fun and sassy tone that makes you WANT to read it and MOTIVATES you to get started. The instructions and tips are CLEAR so you know exactly what you need to do. My favorite is the list of "Seven Rules for Righteous Cupcakes." Best of all, it is ACCESSIBLE. you don't need a Culinary degree to make ANYTHING in the book, although if you have one, I'm sure you can take the recipes to an even higher level.

One last thing. I know a lot of us vegans are activists. We have a lot of good reasons why others should become vegan. At the same time, they feel that they have good reasons for not making the change. One of their reasons is missing out on delicious baked goods. Now, I don't know about you, but I went vegan after learning about it from a friend. She didn't tell me about cruelty or the environment, she showed me what she ate and let me taste. That did it for me, and I am convinced that the most powerful way to spread veganism is to expose others to the most delicious vegan foods. Vegan cupcakes really can take over the world, one person at a time. I can't wait to make more batches for friends, family, and co-workers. I encourage you to get this book for it holds the power to make a difference for you, your loved ones, and the animals. And, if you choose to give it as a gift to a non-vegan, why not give that person a freshly-baked cupcake along with it? One taste, and they will rush to the kitchen to start baking more.
Now, I think I'm going to whip up a batch to take up to Malibu. Maybe I'll run into someone I know ;-)

2007-04-12T11:50:00.000-07:00

This has been a ROUGH week for me. I'm not referring to my term paper that was due yesterday nor the impossible tax return I spent three days on at work. I don't mean the little piece of moist cat shit I picked up off the carpet today, thinking it was a raisin. No, I'm not talking about that guy that threw a tennis ball at me while I trikked to work (he missed).

What has made this week ROUGH is that all of my favorite reality show contestants got booted this week. Here they are:

Heidi from Apprentice. She was beautiful, capable, and couldn't say a bad word about anyone...that is, until this week. She couldn't deliver a simple presentation and then played the blame game and LIED about her work on the task. Talk about falling from grace.

Haley on American Idol. She was also beautiful and wasn't afraid to wear short shorts. She had the voice of an angel and sang all of my favorite songs. Plus, she knew how to perform. It was so sad to see her watch her elimination reel. Her farewell performance of "Turn the Beat Around" was the best farewell performance in the show's history, and I think it made America regret their choice (WATCH IT OR ELSE).

Carissa on Top Design. She used great colors and modern design. She was pretty and sassy and smart. Her final loft design was so much more stylish than Matt's (his looked like a grandma loft). She took second place with great happiness.

Whitney on Top Model. She was my second favorite (after Dionne who was called first, woohoo). Smart, pretty, funny, and plus-sized. Her modeling skills weren't top notch, but it ain't easy. Give her a shot Tyra. I guess after two weeks in the Bottom Two, she buckled under the pressure.

I just have to find others to root for, but it won't be the same :-(

2007-04-04T10:17:00.000-07:00

Turn your head (don't cough, just look at the photo)! It's me and Kitty striking a Tyra pose. I know, Kitty needs more neck. She's posing in front of the mirror as I type. Speaking of Tyra, it's Top Model Wednesday, so don't miss it! My favorite is Dionne. Watch this video to see why (make sure you watch all the way through).

As for American Idol, I have had it up to HERE with all of y'all's Haley-bashing. She is so good. I don't know why everyone is hating like this. If you don't believe me, check this shit out. Just because she's not big and black and doesn't belt out W O M A N, doesn't mean she isn't awesome. She can outsing Katharine McPhee any day of the week with much stronger stage presence. If you don't believe me check this shit out.

I think people don't like Haley because she is pretty. In fact, she is the only pretty girl of the season so I think that makes people dismiss her talent. Brian enjoys pointing out her sideboob.

2007-03-31T11:33:00.000-07:00

YES! That is Brian and me with SUZE ORMAN!!

We caught her at a book signing in Thousand Oaks on our way to Santa Barbara to see my friend, Sierra! Isn't she gorgeous! She was really nice. Yes, we made some of my patented spray paint shirts in honor of my favorite financial guru!

If you don't know who Suze Orman is, you need to get to your DVR machine and set it to tape Saturday night on CNBC! Her show is awesome. She brings personal finance to life with great energy, wisdom, and humor! Don't wait another day! Also, her books are great.

Shout out to my pregnant sister, Rosie! It's her Baby Shower this weekend, and I wish I was there. She's due in less than a month to have a little boy. Can't wait! Also, if you want to send her something for the baby, she's registered at www.egiggle.com Last name, Cayetano.

I'm baking some chocolate chip cornbread right now. I'll let you know how it turns out!

Mark and I are bout to hit the waves. Cowabunga, DUDE!

2007-03-22T09:38:00.000-07:00

I know, I know! It's been way too long since I last posted! I'm REALLY sorry.

Here's what's' been up, in a nutshell:

Work,school, TV,work,kitty,TV,school,accounting club,TV,work,school,kitty,school,school.

In addition to my very part-time job as a professor's assistant on campus, I started a tax season internship at a local CPA firm. I like my new co-workers and am learning A LOT, but the hours have definitely made my schedule hectic. Ironically, I've been so busy doing taxes and studying taxes that I haven't had a chance to do MY taxes. Check me out honing my adding machine skillz at an accounting club community service event! -->

My top 4 shows to watch right now are (in this order) I Love New York, Top Model, American Idol, Top Design.

If you haven't been watching New York, you should check it out next Monday night on VH1. They're going to show the most shocking moments of the season!

What about Idol!?! My favorite is Haley. She's cute, fun, and I love her voice!!

Top Model is great this season. All of the girls are really good. Last season, it almost became the best of the worst (although Melrose can beat any girl in this season). My favorites are Brittany, Dionne, Whitney, and Sarah. I'll narrow those down later.

Kitty is being so sweet. She had to get her nasty teeth cleaned a few weeks ago, and now they are sparkling white. I'm considering putting her on kitty Prozac because she won't pee in the box consistently, and I don't know what else to do. YES, I keep the box clean. Everyone I tell that to accuses me of leaving the box full of filth, and I DON'T.

Brian and I just went to Santa Barbara to see my HS friend, Sierra. So much fun. Our motel had bikes we could use, so we went on a bike/trikke ride. I love my trikke so much. My internship is at the bottom of a hill, so I have been trikking there the past two weeks. Brian picks me up because I can't trikke up a big hill (I don't think anyone can).

That's all for now! I'll write more soon! Peace.

2007-02-08T12:12:00.000-08:00

Yo yo yo!

Here's a quick update while my bathtub is filling. This will be my first bath in my new place. Hopefully, there is enough hot water to fill the tub. I like my baths HOT so it'll be a problem if it doesn't get that way.

While E! is already hyping up Cycle 8 of Top Model, it doesn't actually premiere until Feb 28. What a crock!

My final semester is in full swing with two tax classes, one writing class, and one class on accounting ethics. I'm already swimming in work, but it's not very hard so whatever.

Check out http://www.shaveeverywhere.com/ Especially all you hairy males who need to tame the excess growth. I don't have one yet, but SOON! My friend has one and swears by it. I swear by the phrase "swear by" because nothing conveys product confidence better!

OK, I just checked the bath, and the water that's coming out isn't so hot anymore. So now I'm boiling a big pot of water to add. Isn't that what the pilgrams did to bathe?

Besides the fact that I love baths, the main reason for this bath is that my shower will be out of service for a while. It's leaking through the walls of the downstairs unit, so they're going to break down the walls. The guy said he'd be here today to start the work, but it's almost one so maybe tomorrow is a better bet.

Kitty Update! She's doing well. I got her some toys that she loves (especially the simple peacock feather). She met the folks this weekend, but she was shy around them.

Surfing Update! I still can't do it very well, but I'm slowly getting a better grasp on catching waves and popping up at the right time. There is a really steep learning curve, but I'm hopeful that once I overcome that, it'll be really fun and satisfying. It's fun now being in the ocean and making attempts, but it's also more frustrating than satisfying. Keep posted for more news on my progress. Once I get good, I'll get someone to make a video for all to see!

Adios. Keep it real. Woo woo woo.

2007-01-30T13:08:00.000-08:00

Karen Carpenter sang that rainy days and Mondays always get her down. Well that's probably because she couldn't watch "I Love New York" on Mondays and she definitely wasn't eating this delicious vegan mac'n cheese that I just made to keep me warm on this cold, rainy day! That's right it is raining in San Diego. Luckily I had a Bette Davis DVD, a stocked fridge, and a sweet kitty to keep me company. I also have plenty of schoolwork to do, but I can study when I'm dead.

I decided to name my kitty Delilah after my dad's lizard who recently passed away. She's coming out from under the bed more and more. Her favorite thing to do, it seems, is to watch DVD's with me on my bed. Today we watched "The Little Foxes" with Davis and yesterday "Let's Make Love" with Marilyn Monroe. She liked Marilyn a little better because of the musical numbers. I joined Blockbuster Total Access which keeps me inundated with DVD's.

About this mac'n cheese. I found a recipe on almostvegan that was just that, almost vegan. I adjusted it by using Follow Your Heart vegan cheddar and brown rice pasta, and it worked perfectly. No bread crumbs in the house so I sprinkled on some crushed triscuits! Let me just tell you, I've had a lot of different vegan mac'n cheeses from a lot of different restaurants, and they usually are inedible. Most places use nutritional yeast as a cheese substitute which tastes like cardboard. I've had a couple good ones (Karyn's Cooked in Chicago and People's in Ocean Beach), but this shit I just cooked up is way better! Next time I'll make it with little shells!

Oh, and this recipe was EASY. I know that a lot of bloggers and cookbook authors claim that their recipes are easy when they're not. It's like, once I have to measure more than three ingredients, it's no longer easy.

For the past few days, I've been desperately learning to surf. I took a two hour lesson on Saturday and practiced alone on Sunday and yesterday. I want to get good so that I can go on a spring break surfing safari in Baja with SDSU. Hopefully the weather will clear up quickly so I can get back to the waves, dude!

That's all for now! Adios!

2007-01-06T10:25:00.000-08:00

My dream has come true! I got a kitty. Isn't she cute!?! Actually, I'm not 100% sure if it's a boy or girl, but I think it's a girl. She has blue eyes and a striped tail like a racoon...and she's really sweet!

What's her name, you ask? I haven't decided. She was abandoned by an evicted tenant in my hair stylist's apartment complex, and he'd been keeping it outside for a year. He didn't know her name. I've just been calling her kitty. I'm leaning towards Miss Ross (because you CAN'T call her Diana) or other names beginning with Miss/Mr./Mrs./Ms./Dr./etc, but I'm open to all names. If you have any ideas, please text me or leave it in a comment or whatever you want to do.

In other news, I have moved out of Hillcrest and into North Park. I love my apartment and the new locale. I've been amassing furniture and household items from craigslist. Mark and I both came in with barely any furniture. So far, I still need a dresser, a loveseat, a table, an entertainment center, a blender, and decorative art. One of our neighbors came over last night with a bottle of top shelf tequila to welcome us. How nice! No one in Hillcrest ever did that. Maybe I should bake cookies for the neighbors or something.

I joined the Blockbuster version of Netflix, but I might cancel my membership before the free period ends. We'll see. Right now I have "Niagara" with Marylin Monroe and the documentary about Enron. I'm going to the store to buy some food now (mmm...empanadas!). Adios!

2006-12-19T11:56:00.000-08:00

Arrrgghhh!!!

I started my month off of school (and work) by watching Cycle 2 of America's Next Top Model on youtube. It was the only cycle I hadn't seen. Now I am so frustrated!! Cycle after cycle, Tyra chooses the WRONG GIRL! In fact, I agree with only one winner of the show, Eva the Diva. She was incredible even though she didn't fit the usual supermodel mold. Why don't we go down the line, and I'll show you my picks for each cycle.

Cycle 1: Elyse (3rd)

Cycle 2: Mercedes (2nd), pictured

Cycle 3: Eva

Cycle 4: Kahlen (2nd)

Cycle 5: Nik (2nd) although this cycle sucked and no one really stood out for me

Cycle 6: Joanie (2nd), pictured

Cycle 7: Melrose (2nd)

Britain's Next Top Model, Cycle 1: Edwina (2nd)

If you haven't seen any or all of these cycles, I HIGHLY recommend you get yourself to youtube and enjoy. It's the best reality show by far, and every episode of each cycle is on youtube, including both cycles of Britain's Next Top Model (beware of annoying Brits who never shut the fuck up, still good, though) and one cycle of Israel's Next Top Model (Heey!).

In other TV news, Brian and I watched an A&E original movie, "Wedding Wars," with John Stamos playing gay! His brother is getting married, and he's the planner...until he finds out that his brother and the father of the bride (the governor) are working to pass a ban on gay marriage. Then he inspires all the gays across America to go on strike, and the world sees how it needs the gays in order to function properly. I think it was inspired by the recent Mexican strike (in hindsight I wish I had striked that day, too). The first half of the movie was really good, but it turned pretty bad after that. Nevertheless, John Stamos was great as a gay man, much better than his straight roles.

Charlize Theron is pretty, but the bitch can't say "j'adore Dior" even though she's being paid millions of dollars to do it. And she has an Oscar?? Did somebody say my NAME??

Enough about TV...let's talk about me! Mark and I looked at apartments on Saturday! I was really worried that we wouldn't find a place because there wasn't much being offered in the specific area that I wanted on craigslist. Fortunately, we ended up finding four really great two bedrooms. We made a list of the pros and cons of each place to narrow them down. It came down to either a 2bed/2bath for a lower price in a rundown complex or a more expensive 2bed/1bath with great curb appeal. We chose to apply first for the 2/1 because it's a great location with 2 parking spaces, in-unit laundry, and a deck. It is only one bathroom, but it's a gorgeous bathroom with blue tiling and a separate shower and bath. We submitted our applications last night so now we're waiting to hear back! In the meantime, I'm thinking about design and furniture!

I also think I've lined up a kitty. My hair stylist has one who he needs to give away because of allergy problems. He says the cat isn't fat, but it is really nice. I can't wait to meet it!

Well, I'm going home tomorrow. I can't wait to see my family, cats, and friends and also to go shopping at my favorite Salvation Army in San Pablo. Some of my clothes are really tired so I am definitely ready for a new style or at least new pieces. Maybe I'll pick up a GQ or Details at the airport to get some ideas. What do you think of his one??

2006-12-14T19:38:00.000-08:00

Finals are over!! I just finished my last one (that's me studying, on the right). Now I get to check my class websites compulsively until my professors post the grades. Can I just say that I have some lazy professors! Three out of my four finals were completely multiple choice.
How fucking long does it take to grade those?? There are only 30 or so people in my class so it shouldn't take very long. Only one of these m.c. exams used Scantrons. Why don't they all use them?? Part of my current job is running Scantron quizzes and exams, and it literally takes 1 minute to grade fifty of them. My professor who uses Scantrons is taking her sweet time with them which doesn't make sense. One of the ones who doesn't use Scantrons says he doesn't know how to use the machine. A pre-schooler could do it! I told him it's really easy, and that I would show him, but he declined. Luckily, I know that my professors next semester know how to use the Scantron machine, but until then I'm going to have to wait and wait to get my grades.

The other day I posted about two pairs of really cute vegan loafers that I got. Well, I didn't buy them for myself. My wonderful sister and brother-in-law, Rosie and Max, got them for me. One pair was for my birthday, and the other pair is for Christmas! It was really kind of them, and I love them a lot. Here's a pic of the brown one. The other is black. I already got a compliment from a stranger on them. I think it's very important for vegans to wear cute shoes because most people don't think it's possible to find cute shoes that aren't made with animal products. But, most people don't know that a lot of major cities have a store that specializes in vegan goods, and there are lots of internet resources (including ebay) for them.

Whew! Now that finals are over, I am living the life of Reilly until the end of January! I'm going home to Hercules next Wednesday for a week. Then it's back to SD for New Year's and stuff. For MLK Day Weekend, Brian and I are going to Miami (bienvenidos a Miami)! He's going to play in a tennis tournament there. Right now, I'm trying to find lodgings there that won't force me to take out further loans. I've been reading about some hotels in Miami that have bed bugs so I'm planning to inspect the room thoroughly before unpacking my bags. The only good thing about having had bed bugs is that I know where to look for them (they look like flax seeds, btw, and hide in wood and in mattress crevices).

What's interesting about Miami is there are a lot of hotels with condos, and people buy the condos and rent them out for lower rates than the hotel they are in. The trade-off is that you don't get daily maid service or room service, but I don't care about that. It seems that the biggest problem with this practice is that the condos are poorly decorated with cheap furniture and uncomfortable beds. Also, it can be hard to get help if something goes wrong in the condo. I'll take my chances if it means low rates and a nice pool!

How does this look?? Jealous??

2006-12-12T10:43:00.000-08:00

Finals, Schminals!! I have finals tonight, tomorrow and Thursday. Sucks!! The one tonight is most important to me, though, since I didn't do so hot on the mid-term. Wish me luck!!

SDG&E just came by and checked the heater. I made them fix the gas leak in my oven, too. It's been leaking gas since I moved here almost a year and a half ago!

And I'm moving out in a few weeks! If you didn't know, I'm moving to North Park to be closer to the boo. For the record, I'm getting a little annoyed with everyone giving me crap about how we only live a mile away from each other now. First of all, it's 1.3 miles, and there are significant hills and about twenty-five slow stoplights in those 1.3 miles. It can be really annoying if one of us forgets something at home. The worst is when I get hungry at his house because all he has is diet coke and pop tarts. Ok, second, it can be very hard to park in Brian's neighborhood. It'll be so much easier to just walk over. Third, we can't move in together because Brian bought a house with his friend, and it's not big enough for the three of us, so that won't happen for a while. So me moving very close is the next best thing.

While I am excited to live closer to Brian, I'm even more excited to get a kitty! My current roommate is allergic so we couldn't have one. My new roommate (who I lived with in Chicago, too) is not, so I'm getting one. I want a fat cat! I saw the fattest cat on some home makeover show last week. It was so fat and cute!! When it rolled over, the bottom half rolled and then the top half! KITTY!!

We went to karaoke on Sunday at Flicks with Ben and JP! It was really fun. Brian sang a Tina Turner song, and I sang my new standard "I Write the Songs" by Barry Manilow. I also took my Dreamgirls turn as Effie singing "I Am Changing." I promise never to sing that again! I'm so obsessed with Dreamgirls right now.

2006-12-04T16:45:00.000-08:00

Today is a good day! First I found a video on youtube that showed me the proper technique for juggling three balls in one hand. After a few tries, I can do it! It also showed how to juggle four, five, and six balls, but, alas, I only have three balls...that's three juggling balls.

Then I got a phone call from one of the firms I interviewed with last week to tell me that I scored a paid internship for tax season! If I play my cards right, I could end the internship with a full-time offer. It's exactly the type of firm I want to work for, and it's downtown which means I can meet up with Brian for lunch. The best part is that I really liked the people I met there. I found out about the position from a classmate who already works there, so I'm going to bring her a vegan chocolate bar tonight!

Speaking of vegan, I got a vegan bumper sticker for my car on Saturday. I didn't like any of the slogan ones they had, so it just says "vegan." I brought Brian there because he needed new sneakers. He wanted to go to DSW, but I said that he should just browse the vegan store across rom Bourbon Street first. They had a pair of grey/blue sneakers that fit him perfectly so he bought them! I'm so excited about it. I'm even more excited that they had both black and brown loafers on sale and in my size. I'm getting them both.

Later that day, we went to Fry's in search of bluetooth headphones for my mp3 playing phone. They had two different kinds, but they wouldn't let me open them to see how they fit. They said I'd have to buy them and then return them if I didn't like how they fit. Then they suggested that one of them was better than the other and that I could try them on in the parking lot. I did just that, and they fit great so I kept them. So far my only complaint is that the music cuts out when there's wind (i.e. on a bike).

That night, we went to December Nights at Balboa Park. It was a big holiday fair, and all the museums were open. Brian and I visited four museums! The best one was the MOPA (Photographic Art) which had a fascinating exhibit on immigration. I learned that there are many things that are more fun than riding a freight train from Honduras to San Diego. At the museum, we took pictures at a photo booth!

Speaking of photos, the season finale of Top Model is Wednesday night! Don't miss it! I really have no idea who will win. It's down to Eugena, Caridee, and Melrose. I love Melrose, and I might cry if she doesn't win, but the cards are stacked against her. The editors been trying to show Melrose as a very mean and manipulative person, and I don't think Cover Girl would want someone like that representing them (although Eva won and she wasn't known for her kindness...I Love Eva!). Caridee, on the other hand, seems nice but mentally unstable and inappropriate so she seems equally unlikely. Eugena has a pretty good personality and is good in commercials, but her photos aren't nearly as strong as the others. Only two days until the winner will be revealed!!

Yesterday was the NU Club of San Diego Holiday Party. It was at an alum's mansion in Rancho Santa Fe (Bill Gates has a compound there, too). This house was P H A T. It was a serious crib, Spanish -style with a tiled pool and hot tub and gorgeously manicured grounds. After a week of hellish cold (yes, it does get hellishly cold in San Diego), we were very grateful to be given a beautiful, warm day for the party, that is, until around 4 when the sun moved away and the cold winds started to blow.

That's all for today!

2006-11-28T10:33:00.000-08:00

I'm eating brussel sprouts. My roommate forgot to make them for Thanksgiving, and he said that I can eat them before they go bad. I used his steamer to cook them, and it was really easy. The weird thing is that the first couple I tasted were really good, but after that they're not so easy to get down. I think it's time for seasoning. Hold on. Well, the only seasonings I could find were salt and mesquite chicken seasoning both of which aren't doing a whole lot of good for the sprouts.

How was your Thanksgiving?? Mine was good. Brian and I went to a dinner at one of his friend's house. I brought all of my own food which was a little awkward. I made a tofurky and extra stuffing with mushroom gravy and cranberry sauce on the side. I was really nervous that some jerk would hassle me about not eating meat or about bringing my own food (it happens! I don't know why), but no one seemed to care. I'd never had tofurky before, and it was the bomb! I can't wait to make it again. It's really delicious, and it's even better the next day.

OK, I can't eat anymore of these mesquite brussel sprouts. I tried, really I did.

We went to Palm Springs on Friday for a few days of relaxation and sun. We had a good time, especially eating at my new favorite restaurant, Native Foods. We went there three times in as many days, though it was closed the third time so we only ate there twice. They had "chicken" fingers that rivaled Popeye's!! I can't wait to go back. They have locations in Los Angeles and Orange County, too! I had wanted to hang out by the pool a lot, but there was some high school field hockey tournament going on, and about a thousand shrieky girls were staying at our hotel and constantly using the pool. Instead we watched lots of TV movies and a few hours of Top Model, Cycle One.

I'm going to the accounting club in a little while. Then I think I'll skip ballet and head to the gym instead. I went to two ballet classes last week, and now I need a break.

2006-11-21T18:26:00.000-08:00

What's up! It's the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, and everything is alright. Diggity!

I just finished ballet class at APA. It was really hard. The moves weren't so tough, but the pace of the class was very fast, and I was out of breath for most of it. I think I need to add cardio to my workout routine. I get winded very easily both in dance class and when I lift weights. I just don't want to run! I used to do it, and I can't do it anymore. The elliptical is almost as bad. Halle Berry's trainer says to walk on the treadmill set at the highest incline so maybe I'll try that. I just hope it doesn't aggravate my shin splits. Oh, I just remembered that there's a Friday night gymnastics class in La Mesa or somewhere. That would be more fun for me.

Speaking of gymnastics, I've been doing little else than watching gymnastics routines on youtube the past two days. Today I decided that my favorite gymnast of all time is no longer Lavinia Milosovici ("Milo"). Now, it's Svetlana Khorkina. I've always loved her, but watching her develop throughout her long career made me realize her greatness. Do you know that she has eight skills named after her?? At least one on every apparatus. That's more than any other gymnast ever! Milo has a cool beam mount named for her, but it's not as spectacular as Khorkina's beam mount.

Since I really have had too much time on my hands this semester, even with my heavy courseload and part-time job, I decided to apply for some spring tax internships. Not only would they pay me (I needs me some gas money), but they'd probably also keep me on full-time after that. Today I scheduled two interviews for next week. Wish me luck! I'll keep you posted (pun INTENDED)!

That's all for now! Since I don't have anything going on tomorrow except for my TOP shows (Model and Chef), I'm sure I will find a minute to blog!

2006-11-19T09:00:00.000-08:00

I got a car! Who could have guessed that I would want a car on Thursday and get one on Saturday?? Not me!

Like my favorite rapper Trina says, I'm the same woman, Mercedes or the Civic. So, I got a Civic. I saw it. It was blue. I had to have it. Mechanically, everything is great so I'm planning to drive this baby until it won't drive no mo'.

I found it at a used car lot all the way up in Oceanside. I forgot to bring a check or anything so the salesman followed me all the way home (about 30 miles) to get it.

You might notice that there's no license plate in the front. There's one in the back, but I'm pretty sure the law is that you need both. Hopefully the DMV can get me the hook-ups on that.

Last night, I let Brian drive a little bit, and he noticed a weird knocking sound. Now that's one of the worst things you can hear in a car, a knocking sound. I got really worried because I hadn't heard that during the test drive. Then I realized that the knocking was coming from the trunk. I looked inside and found that the tire-changing tools were loosely scattered under the trunk, and they were causing the knocking. What a scare!

Anyway, thanks to all of you who have ever given me rides or listened to me rant about the bus! Now it's your turn to call ME when you need a ride.

In other news, my current obsession is watching youtube videos of "Starting Over" featuring Vanessa Atler. SO was a daytime reality show about women who need help to make a change in their lives. Vanessa Atler was a famous gymnast who peaked in a non-Olympic year and eventually had a dramatic breakdown at the 2000 Olympic trials. If you ever saw the Lifetime gymnastics movie, "Little Girls in Pretty Boxes," she did the gymnastics stunts for it. Well, someone uploaded ALL of Nessa's segments from the show, and they are fascinating to watch. You can start here.

2006-11-17T15:44:00.000-08:00

If you haven't noticed, I've become obsessed with buying a car. I need to calm down about it because I'm starting to feel desperate even though I'm not. My bus pass is good for another month and a half, and my bike is in cherry condition. It's just confusing for me. I think I'll call my dad tonight to tap some of his fatherly wisdom.

Right now, I'm also a little anxious because I'm baking a cake. It takes 40 minutes in the oven. That is just torture to have to wait that long. It's my famous "chocolate upside-down pudding cake!" I don't care what anyone else thinks, it's the bomb. I think I'm going to eat nothing but that for the rest of today.

Last night I met a vegan in the freezer section of the North Park Vons. She turned to me out of the blue and explained how veganism had not helped her weight problem. She told me that she's gaining weight because she's eating too much of processed vegan foods. I told her that she looked great and didn't need to lose a pound. That didn't really satisfy her so then I said that the animals appreciate her choice. She shrugged that off, too, so Brian and I shuffled over the the register.

I made Brian watch "Still Standing" last night. Have you guys seen this?? It's with Jami Gertz who is famous for looking like Ally Sheedy. The show is similar to "King of Queens" but much more clever and fun to watch. Check it out on Lifetime. Anyway, Brian was not happy about watching it, and you could tell by looking at him. For the first ten minutes, he had a sour face toward the TV until finally something on the show made him laugh out loud. I was like, "you see?!" We're gonna DVR that every night from now on!

Yay! My cake is done! Now I have to wait for it to cool. Blah!

2006-11-17T09:20:00.000-08:00

I want it, I want it, I want it!!!

I would be so cute cruising around in this little thing!

I sent the seller an e-mail. It's from e-bay, and I'm not sure how much he wants for it!

2006-11-16T14:12:00.002-08:00

As you can see below, I have no accent! We were discussing this very subject on Sunday at Ben's. For the record, Barry = bury = berry. The weirdest thing is when people learn a foreign language with an accent. My friend studied abroad in the north of France, and I have to listen really hard to understand his French because they speak it a little differently there. I wish I had a Quebecois accent in French, but unfortunately I have an American accent!

I have a little down time before ballet class. I just had a mishap with Brian's car. In fact, I'm feeling like I might buy a car very soon instead of waiting until May when I finish school as was previously planned. I don't think I can stand one more bus ride with the lowest level of San Diego society.

I wanted to get an old diesel Mercedes and have it rigged to run on vegetable oil, but the more I think about all the hassle involved with that, the less appealing it seems. I think once it becomes more common, I'll go for it, but I'm not so much of a do-it-yourselfer that I'll enjoy collecting old oil and taking care of a car that's almost as old as me (and German). Instead I'm going to take the hoopty route. Ooh look, a 15 year-old Civic hatchback. How fitting that I'll have the same car at 26 that I had at 16. If any of you remember my little brown "bucket," though, it was an awesome ride. I was really sad when it died. None of the four cars I've had since then have compared.

What do you think??
It would match my favorite pair of shoes.

WWDKS?
What Would Danity Kane Say??

NOT a Showstopper, but you know those bitches drive Civics.

2006-11-16T14:12:00.001-08:00

What American accent do you have? Your Result: The West Your accent is the lowest common denominator of American speech. Unless you're a SoCal surfer, no one thinks you have an accent. And really, you may not even be from the West at all, you could easily be from Florida or one of those big Southern cities like Dallas or Atlanta.
The Midland
Boston
North Central
The Inland North
Philadelphia
The South
The Northeast
What American accent do you have? Take More Quizzes

2006-11-15T11:10:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my new blog. http://hotchachie.blogspot.com What could be easier to remember!?!

If you are a past reader of my still viewable friendster blog, I thank you for your past and continued readership. If you are a new friend or an old friend who never got around to reading that one, thanks for coming here. To get a taste of what's to come, check out the archives of my friendster blog.

The most exciting new feature is the addition of photos to my blog! On friendster, it was very difficult to do this, but now I'm equipped with a smooth interface and a camera-phone, so get ready! Check out this one from last summer:

For my initial post, here are answers to some very simple questions.

Who? Charlie, a gay 26-year-old vegan, accounting grad student, aspiring ballet dancer, karaoke enthusiast, and ex-Francophile.

What? A blog about the goings-on in my life.

When? Updated weekly or more.

Where? http://hotchachie.blogspot.com (bookmark it! Ctrl-D!)

Why? To find out what I'm doing, thinking, and feeling! What does Charlie think about that?

How? Visit this site often or (and this is really awesome) give me your info to receive a message each time I update, you won't miss a thing! Also, comments are welcome and appreciated. Please leave your name!

That's all for now! Keep reading!