Wishes do come true.

Since I think it came true, I think it is safe to share my birthday wish for this year.  I wished for a year of happiness, I just wanted a year with more joys than sorrows.  I wasn't trying to be selfish, I just wished, that after a few rough and emotional years that I (and my family) deserved some happy times.

And wow, I am in awe of how great this year was.  Sure there were hard times, but I never thought so much would happen.
It seems almost impossible that in one year I....

graduated college...

had an amazing summer working at camp...

 went on an amazing Canadian vacation...

started graduate school...

became an aunt...

 and so much more.

This year was the year I think I needed.  I needed a year filled with happy memories.  Not that they replace the events of years past, but they just made this year stellar.  I am excited for 2011, if it's anything like my 2010 it should be a great year.

I really appreciate all the events, big and small, of this past year and I can't wait to see what 2011 has in store for me.

To one and all - happy new year! May 2011 be the year of going big and living fully!

Completely Random

Really, there are no words...

Family Affair

Avi. Mom. Me. 

Why wasn't this in my house growing up?

Actually, who am I kidding, why isn't this in my apartment now!

Amazing. Just plain amazing.

The Whale

If you read a recent front page story of the San Francisco Chronicle, you would have read about a female humpback whale who had become entangled in a spider web of crab traps and lines. She was weighted down by hundreds of pounds of traps that caused her to struggle to stay afloat.  She also had hundreds of yards of line rope wrapped around her body, her tail, her torso, and a line tugging in her mouth.  A fisherman spotted her just east of the Farallon Islands, just outside the Golden Gate Bridge, and radioed an environmental group for help.  

Within a few hours, the rescue team arrived and determined that she was so bad off, the only way to save her was to dive in and untangle her.  They worked for hours with curved knives and eventually free her. When she was free, the divers say she swam in what seemed like joyous circles.  She then came back to each and every diver,  one at a tim, and nudged them, pushed them gently around as if she was thanking them.  

Some said it was the most incredibly beautiful experience of their lives.  They man who cut the rope out of her mouth said her eyes were following him the whole time, and that he will never be the same.  

May you always know the joy of giving and receiving gratitude. 

One down, a few more to go!

Okay, so technically I am not on winter break until 9:15 tonight (darn 6:45 class), but since I have had my work done since yesterday and since I have been relaxing and packing all afternoon I sorta consider myself on break!

So anywho...

I had a grad-school realization in the past week while I working on all my final papers.  It was another "oh wow undergrad is so different than grad school" realizations.

It essentially boils down to the fact that finals in grad school (at least this time) were so much more relaxed than finals in undergrad were.  I for sure worked insanely hard on my finals, but I'm talking about the atmosphere that was different.

Maybe not having a dedicated finals week played a part, but I also feel like in undergrad finals becomes a time of angst for several reasons. One is because there is some unspoken rule that you must have a freak-out at finals.  Another is because you are surrounded by insane amounts of people also freaking out, which ads in the insanity.  And third, is that for some reason finals in college becomes a competition of sorts.  Ha, you have a 15 page paper and four exams, well I have a 20 page paper, a presentation, and 4 exams, take that!

Seriously?

Well, anyway that was so the last four years.  Finals may have been stressful this year but I feel so excited to have one semester down and a winter break ahead of me!

Maxwell!

Just because!

I Heart Faces - Pets

This week at I Heart Faces it's all about pets! There is no shadow of a doubt that I am a dog person.  I had two mini-poodles from the time I was in nursery school up until college.  Now I can't wait to be able to have a dog again.   

This is probably one of the first pictures I ever really took and I just love it!  This is Sufi, she was one of our poodles and this was taken soon after we got them.  She was just the tiniest little thing and I love her face in this one, she was such a sweet laid back pup and this just captures that!

Okay, now that I am completely nostalgic for my childhood pups....

To see more adorable furry friends click on over to I Heart Faces.

Pack your knives and go

It is without a doubt that I love Top Chef.  I jumped with joy when I heard about this season, with so many of my favorite "cheftestants" would be back.  

I immediately made a long list of who I wanted to win: Carla, Casey, Tiffany D., Antonia, Richard, and Jen Carroll.  

Now, I was especially rooting for Jen Carroll.  She was my only real favorite on Top Chef Las Vegas and the other reason, albeit, superficial (although come to think of it, I am discussing reality tv so we've already hit superficial...) is that this lovely item adorns my kitchen wall.

It says "Tamar, thanks for being the best fan. Jennifer Carroll." Yup, that Jen Carroll.  When Top Chef LV was on my dad was at the restaurant 10 Arts in Philly.  He texts me that he thinks one of the "cheftestants" is the head chef there.  I was so jealous and couldn't believe it.  After he confirms that it was Jen and that she had come out to their table to say hello.  I asked him if he got a picture or an autograph or anything.  His response, "oh shoot I forgot."

Then this autographed menu arrived a few days later! AHHH - so awesome.  It was the first autographed anything I ever got so I was so excited.  It now is framed and hanging on my kitchen wall.

So anyway, I sit down to watch this weeks episode and to make a long story short, wow! I never thought Jen would be the second one to be told "please pack your knives and go."  Total shock, and wow can she run her mouth!

So hopefully the other 5 chefs I really want to win will make it a bit further....

Lots of Lights

Chanukah is over - sad. There is really nothing better than watching the candles flicker each night.  This year I took a picture of my candles each night and thought it'd be fun to look back on all of them. 

I am 22 and I still love choosing my candles each night. It has to look good, for sure. 

 The last lights holding on on the last night .

 Tuesday night I braved the 15 degree temps to take a picture of the menorahs from outside.

 And of course, my annual artsy shots.

Happy season of light!

Someone didn't do their research...

... at this Walmart.

I Heart Self-Portraits

This week at I Heart Faces the theme is self-portraits.  I have never had the best luck at those...  Whenever I try to turn my camera around and snap a self-pic it turns out well, less than desirable.  So of course, I think of all the pictures I have taken in Photo Booth.  Real professional, right? Does it help that just like my real camera photography my photo booth pictures have evolved? 

Oh look I've multiplied... I love the effects in Photo Booth.  And with my headphones in it reminds me of those old iPod ads with the person (who I think is the actor who plays Mike Chang on Glee...) dancing to music.  

This also reminds me of the Marilyn Monroe print where its her face in several different colors.  Except that she didn't have an iPod...

To see more self-portraits click on over to I Heart Faces!

Latke Success!

 Last night I had some friends over for a little Chanukah party.  Of course, I made latkes.  It was the first time I had ever made latkes alone, so despite the family gene for frying foods I was slightly apprehensive. 

 I was able to break in my new spiral slicer.  The coolest way to make latkes! No grated mush for me, but awesome mounds of sliced potatoes.  I made regular and sweet potato ones!

 

 They came out great! I ended up making close to 30 and they were a hit! I even have a few leftover to heat up for dinner tonight, yay!

 

Of course I had to make Chanukah cookies too! I was a bit nervous since I used a GF mix I'd never tried before, but they came out so great.  I have fond memories of making and decorating Chanukah cookies as a kid, so I relived that last night decorating these. 

And other than that I didn't take any pictures (shocking, I know!).  I have having too much fun hanging out that I didn't even reach for the camera.  But it was a really fun evening and my first official soiree at my apartment! I even had the kitchen clean before I went to sleep! 

Happy Chanukah!

Whoa Baby!

I have been entering the I Heart Faces photo contests for nearly a year now, and this week I placed 4th!!

I am so honored, seriously, tons of people enter these contests, professionals and amateurs and this weeks guest judge chose mine! So, so, so honored!

The picture I entered this week has always been a favorite of mine and now I may print it out in a larger size and frame it! Hey, it's a winning picture, right?

Happy Chanukah to Yookah Tookah!

Happy Chanukah! Seriously, gift giving aside I love this holiday so much.  My slight tendency to be a pyromaniac as a child may or may not having anything to do with that.  

But, I really love Chanukah.  There is something so cozy about watching the lights of the menorah flicker in the dark window.  And I have fond memories of Chanukah as a child, at school and at home. 

 There really is something to the concept of creating light in the darkness.  I always turn off all the lights in the room before I light my menorah, because suddenly there is light again, and as we ad more lights to the menorah there is more light and a brighter, warmer glow.  It's just magical.

I just love reminiscing on all the Chanukahs I had growing up.  From decorating our house, to the lovely gifts our parents gave us, to lighting the menorah, to the celebrations all week long in school it is just a great time of the year. 

I also love and cherish these two pictures of us lighting the menorahs with Bubbe and Zayda.  We were usually with them at home in New Jersey or if Chanukah was over winter vacation we were often in Florida with them.

These are some very special memories I will cherish forever. 

Have a holiday filled with light and happiness!  Chag Sameach!