eat pray love

I have wanted to read this book by Elizabeth Gilbert for about a year now. I finally bought it and have been devouring the pages every chance I get. this book is AMAZING! I really think it is going to change my life. for those of you that aren't familiar with the book, it is the true accounts of the author's year of self discovery across Italy, India and Indonesia. Italy to eat, India to pray and Indonesia for love. I haven't made it to the section about Indonesia yet, but eating and praying have been incredible.

the author offers you a completely different outlook on life. one that I, for one, have never considered before. if I can learn to grasp it, and hang on, I'm sure everything will improve. I don't think I will ever be able to afford a year of traveling and indulgence, so I'm hoping this book will do. although, I will probably spend my life trying to find a way to do exactly what she did. anyone out there have a large sum of money they are trying to get rid of? ;)

I have always wished I could write well, but I don't think I could ever write as well as she does, no matter how many classes I take or how much I practice. this book feels like a totally new language. like, maybe it is her heart speaking and making complete sense, touching your soul in places you never knew existed. that is the best I can do at describing it. (see, I told you I needed work on my writing skills!)

anyway, if you have read it, let me know what you thought. when I'm done, I will let you know whether or not it truly was earth-shattering for me.

c-c-c-christa!

because of Carrie's many references to the way we were on sex and the city, I have been wanting to watch it for a long time. I finally did this past weekend. it's about a couple that is in love, but can't make it work because of their completely different oulooks on life. maybe I shouldn't have watched it, because now I can't help obsessing about how I am her! haha! I am k-k-k-katie! except I'm really c-c-c-christa, as Kerstin pointed out. :) anyway, if you haven't watched it, you should. if only to see who it is I think I am.

I was laughing at myself as I watched this movie. I got so tangled up in it - which in and of itself shows one of the ways I am just like her. I felt her emotion. I knew exactly what she was thinking, how she felt, and why. I had memories of myself saying the exact same things. the line that tore my heart out the most was when she was begging him to stay with her and she got him by saying, "You'll never find anyone as good for you as I am, to believe in you as much as I do or love you as much!" I have said that. and I meant it with all my heart. because when I love someone, I love them completely. and Hubbel knew that about her because when they finally started admitting it wasn't going to work, he said to her, "When you love someone, from Roosevelt to me, you go deaf, dumb and blind." that one stung a little, but it is definitely something I should be aware of. you think its a good thing, but it usually comes back to bite you.

anyway, enough of this sappiness! who is excited for Thanksgiving? I'm cooking for my family down in St. George, as usual, and if you guessed I would be making this year's Martha Stewart Menu you were right!

restaurant reviews - buca di beppo

we went to Buca di Beppo last night. the food was amazing, and we also had a fun waiter who happened to be hot as well. :) I talked Jaime into giving him her number, but I will let her tell you that story...

we had the warm tomato spinach salad, and my mouth is watering just thinking about it! we also tried the gnocchi, chicken marsala, and eggplant parmigiana. they were all to die for! and the spumoni - well, it's the best I've ever had. I need to know what they put in their chocolate sauce. so, if you haven't been, make sure that is where you go next time you are craving Italian.

on another note, I'm driving a rental car again. my car is finally getting a new bumper and they put me in a 2008 Saturn Vue in the meantime. people have got to stop rear-ending me! my car is damaged and my rental car is awesome. I want a new car!! I can't have one, so the temptation must stop.

the ballots are counted

I love election days. one of my goals is to take election day off as often as I can and spend the day helping with get out the vote efforts. I would have loved to be able to do that yesterday. I love the excitement and electricity in the air, and watching people march to the polls to exercise their rights. they are always smiling, which is a relief to see. it's the day that everyone finally puts aside the differences that have been hashed and rehashed for months and just all come together as Americans doing something that we are very lucky to do. oh, gosh, I sound way cheesy patriotic. forgive me... unfortunately my day was packed and I didn't even get to vote until half an hour before the polls closed. but, I did vote, and watch the news to make sure Ralph Becker won, and he did! I've been supporting him for SLC mayor for about a year, I have volunteered, and one of my best friends in the whole world, Steve Borg, is his finance director. I'm mostly just happy for Steve, who better have a job in the mayor's office come January. I also wanted to make sure Referendum 1 didn't pass, and it sure didn't. I am still surprised at how much it lost by. I guess I shouldn't lose my faith in Utah voters just yet... anyway, I hope you all got out and voted yesterday, and if you didn't, come November 2008, no matter who you are voting for, I will be dragging you to the polls!

restaurant reviews - tsunami and european connection

ok, so Jaime and I have been making a list of restaurants in the Salt Lake Valley that we want to eat at. we are both obsessed with food. I have been looking for someone to do this with me since I moved here, so she is the best thing ever! anyway, we started with European Connection a couple weeks ago. it was SO good. they are a little place at Jordan Landing that makes sandwiches out of crepes. everything is made to order right in front of you. watching them make the crepes is part of the fun. I had a turkey and provolone crepe wrap and also a crepe with strawberries and nutella! the crepes were sweet and soft and the perfect thickness. I will definitely be going there again, oh, and I will be buying myself a crepe maker asap!

this past weekend we went for sushi with my sister, Amber, and another friend, Brad, at tsunami. I had been there before, but I think the sushi this time was much better. We had vegetables tempura, which are always yummy, as well as the following rolls: aloha, don juan, DTH, philly and the executive. they were all so good it took a few minutes to decide which one to eat when it was time for another bite. I took as much time as possible with every bite, savoring every flavor. they were all melt in your mouth good, and I am not exaggerating, no matter how cheesy I sound. ask Amber, the three of us were moaning with every bite! so, if you like sushi, definitely try tsunami!

next stop: Buca di Beppo and I promise to try to remember pictures next time.

all time top 5

have you ever watched High Fidelity ? John Cusack's character, Rob, lists his all time top 5 records by different categories throughout the movie, as well as his all time worst break-ups. side note: it's one of my all time favorite movies for a lot of reasons. I found myself thinking about it today while I was driving all over town in my car listening to Sara McLachlan's Wintersong album. I realized that I'm not sure I will ever get tired of that CD. I'm surprised I haven't worn it out yet... There are two songs in particular that I listen to over and over and over: River and Song for a Winter's Night. I know every word, and I sing really loud like a crazy person in my car. it's also really odd that I can listen to a Christmas album like this. do you ever do that or is it just me? what are some of the songs that have that effect on you? I should dedicate a blog to listing all of those songs that I have...