Valentines, Hipsters, Zombies, and some snacks

I'm afraid that I've been getting used to all these three day weekends and I'm just not going to go to school next Monday. The time off has been great, and I've been doing a lot of fun Boston things (relating to my October challenge: Explore Boston...a challenge that will never be finished), spending time with friends, and even with family.

Let's start with Valentines Day, which I spent with my new boyfriend Anton Bruckner:

The amount of concerts that I've attended that have been life changing and profound are few, but this was one to add to the list (others include the BSO performing Mahler 5, and Richard Stoltzman performing Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time with the Eroica Trio).  Maybe it was the fact that I've been taking a Dvorak class and thoroughly enjoyed reading the program notes, maybe it was because I had recently finished my audition and deserved a break, or maybe it was that the BSO played especially well; but whatever it was, the stars somehow aligned and the music spoke to me and made me feel something very profound, in a way that only music can.

Sadly, I missed the Mozart concerto that was the entire first half of the concert, but strangely enough, being late made me cross paths with an old friend from about 7 years ago. We spent a summer together at the BUTI music festival, and it the first time I actually felt like I belonged somewhere: amongst musicians. We were musical companions for weeks in the most beautiful place on earth, playing and hearing the most beautiful music ever written, and discovering so many important things about life and music. You never can forget someone like that.

BUTI 2006

Friday night was a little different. I am by no means a hipster, but I do have friends that are, and so I was introduced to a little but of the hipster-eque world, which ended up being amazing. I found myself sitting in a basement of an apartment with a good friend of mine and a six pack, listening to performances of original songs, covers played on ukelele, and some incredible spoken word. It was an incredible and energetic experience to be around so many good vibes and talent. It was dubbed the Friday Night Hoot-Tea-Nanny, due to the consumption of large amounts of tea (and other beverages).

Saturday was Zombie Night at Royale, but I was really disappointed with the lack of Zombie-ness. We really went all out, and I was impressed with the all around creepy effort. The music could have been better...not a huge fan of pop mash ups, although they are fun...but I've seen both Square pusher, Booka Shade, and Ferry Corsten at Royale, which are tough acts to follow.

Despite the odd looks on the T, I think we were pretty successful. 

Then my little brother came to visit! He's 11 years old and the biggest deal ever. We went out to eat with a bunch of my friends and played with a bunny the first day. The second day I showed him around my school, then we played a few hours of racquetball (which I then continued today...it's kind of my thing now), and went to a concert. This morning I had to take him back to the train station to meet up with my parents to send him on his way. Sweet kid.

Tennis lessons finally paying off...for me at least. 

And finally the veggies. What's better than a salad served in a taco and covered with guacamole? Um...probably chips covered in melted cheese served up nacho style...

Even so...the vegetarian thing is going well. Feeling good, lots more energy, lots of motivation...and not as many stomach problems, which is the biggest thing I've noticed. It's probably because meat tends to be high in fat, so maybe when I start eating meat again I should look for meat that's more on the lean side. It's interesting, I was worried about not getting enough nutrients by cutting meat out of my diet, but I've been eating more and more greens, vegetables, and fruits. With the occasional carb or two. And maybe perhaps a cookie. 

Still avoiding making quinoa, but I made some awesome roasted chick peas. Luckily I had all the spices on hand due to guacamole making, so if you have a variety of spices, try this recipe:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
salt, pepper, crushed red pepper
1 can of chick peas (15 oz)

You mix 'em all up and pop them in the oven for about 35 minutes (350 degrees), shaking the pan every 10 minutes or so, and take them out when they are crunchy. I think I took them out too soon, because some of them were a little more crispy than others, but they were still pretty good, high in protein, and filling.

The finished product

 If you're looking for a less spice oriented snack, there's always the classic "ants on a log", but I dislike the "ants" part.

Just the log...

It is now time to get started on doing my homework, so I hope everyone is having a great week.