opportunity

According to dictionary.com,

op·por·tu·ni·ty

–noun, plural -ties.

1. an appropriate or favorable time or occasion: Their meeting afforded an opportunity to exchange views.

2. a situation or condition favorable for attainment of a goal.

3. a good position, chance, or prospect, as for advancement or success.

I have heard this word thrown around in my college career probably hundreds of times, and for good reason.  Us college students have the opportunity to get a good education, to think, to read, to write, to ponder, to converse, to grow, to self-reflect, etc.  At USD in particular I have had the opportunity to learn in small classrooms, to talk to most of my professors one-on-one, to major in 2 subjects, to study abroad in Madrid and travel to 5 additional countries, to meet many new people from all over, to make life-long friends, to become part of various communities and organizations, to volunteer at an orphanage in Tijuana, to sing for hundreds of students at weekly Sunday mass, psychiatric patients, and female inmates, and to live by the ocean, to name a few.  Seeing as this is my last official "Thanksgiving break" as a college student, I am specifically looking back on all of the opportunities I have had in college and am truly truly thankful.  They really have molded me into the person I am today.        

Someone recently mentioned how recognizing a problem or setback can lead to an opportunity for improvement, and this made me think that the word opportunity can be interchangeable to make a situation more positive.  Lately everyone is stressed with end-of-the-semester group projects, papers, and exams, and I'm hearing a lot of "I can't wait for this semester to just be over."  I personally don't want it to be over, because that will leave only 1 semester left of college for me, but I'm also trying to be more grateful and see more things around me as opportunities.  Group presentations, for example (I have 3 coming up), are kind of difficult to organize and take a lot of effort, but they are really an opportunity to show the class what we have learned and an opportunity to practice public speaking skills, which will be very important in the business world.  So I pray that after the relaxing Thanksgiving break, we come back to school and embrace the opportunities that the last few weeks of the semester present us with, instead of trying to rush it along.  I also pray that I adopt a more hopeful attitude, keeping in mind the possible opportunities (specifically opportunities involving a job) in my future.  I encourage you to reflect on and embrace the opportunities that you encounter daily, and realize that despite whatever challenges may come with them, they are a blessing.                  

the best meal I've had in a while

was dinner tonight at Roy's Hawaiian fusion restaurant downtown.  I got "artichoke and goat cheese crusted salmon" and it was amazing.  It came with potatoes and spinach that was seasoned really well.  (I ate all of the spinach which is unheard of for me!).  I also enjoyed a glass of Chardonnay with dinner and the girls I was with shared this incredible chocolate souffle dessert.  The restaurant is on Harbor Drive in downtown San Diego and we had a cool view of the boats in the harbor.  2 thumbs up from Nicole.  :) 

"to pumpkin seeds, music, and friendship"

From October 26th-30th, my friend Trey who I met this summer through the internship program came alll the way from Atlanta to visit me in San Diego.  We had a blast!  I was telling him about how I blogged in Madrid about different trips/outings and kinda vowed to do the same with my normal life back in San Diego because I want to remember... so here is what we did (it was his first time to SD, so I tried to pack in as much as possible):

• Taco Tuesday at Fred's in Pacific Beach the night he got in with Ali, August, Jen, and Cole.  Also saw other friends like Devin, Olivia, and some Spaniards there!  
• Wednesday, Oct 28th: went for a loooong bike ride along the Mission Beach boardwalk and Mission Bay.  The weather was actually gorgeous while he was here (it had been pretty ugly in the prior few weeks), so he got really lucky!  Then I made dinner for us (Giada's chicken picatta) and we decided to carve pumpkins and drink wine.  Trey carved the Atlanta Braves logo (which turned out to be pretty amazing) and I attempted to carve a hand giving the peace sign.  We also roasted the pumpkin seeds!  Up until then I couldn't even remember the last time I carved pumpkins and I'm pretty sure I had never tried pumpkin seeds.  They were pretty good ;) Then we went to Guava Beach, this bar really close to my house, and got their signature "Bionic Beaver" drink.   
• Thursday, Oct. 29th: We went to see Ocean Beach and stumbled upon this Mexican restaurant called Bravo that just so happened to be having $2 fish tacos, $2 draft, and $2 tequila shots specials that day (I now know that they have those specials every Tuesday/Thursday all day!).  So we got tacos and a couple tequila shots (at 1pm... no worries).  We walked down the pier and it was a beautiful day again.  Then I took him to Mount Soledad in La Jolla, which I think provides one of the best views of San Diego.  Afterward we had amazing coffee and conversation at Birdrock Coffee, and then checked out a random bead shop nearby.  The packed day continued as we went to dinner at Casa Guadalajara in Old Town with Ali, August, and our international friends Anna, Hilla, and Stephanie, and out to the Beachcomber bar in Mission Beach.  
• Friday, Oct. 30th: showed him my school, ate at Filippi's in Little Italy, walked around downtown, did a tiny bit of shopping at Urban Outfitters, went to Coronado and walked around the Hotel Del, and chilled at home watching endless YouTube videos.  I would say the trip was a success.  :) 

Ali and Nicole's first joint-prepared dinner together this semester

chicken marinated in olive oil and balsamic, caprese salad, and cabernet :) 

having a "life"

This semester I chose not to do a part-time job because amidst 5 classes and involvement in lots of school activities, I wanted to have more of a life.  I wanted to have time to do simple everyday things that many college students do not have time to do, like watching some TV, taking a nice walk, and preparing a meal.  Since I have nothing too pressing with school this week, I have been fortunate to do so.  Yesterday morning I took a nice long walk on the boardwalk with a friend from choir.  It was moderate excercise and a good time to talk!  After my two classes, I went to the pool complex at school to swim and lay out.  San Diego has been experiencing very warm weather, so what better way to soak it all in?  I spent a good 2 or so hours out there before I went to my friend's room to catch up and sing / play guitar.  Today I went grocery shopping for some essentials after school (something I really love to do when I have time) and made myself an amazing grilled cheese sandwich on sourdough bread.  It was the first grilled cheese I have made in our new place, so it was pretty special.  :)  There will definitely be many more to come.  Then I watched a little bit of Larry King, who I love.  The topic was about America's public school and education "crisis."  I really love being informed and watching the news and programs like these, but throughout my college days I haven't had/made time to be as up on current events as I'd like to be.  All of this may sound silly and basic, but I am happy when I am able to have time for little things like these.   

last "first" day, and looking back

Today was the first day of classes of my last year of college.  Here it is: senior year!  I honestly didn't want it to come.  I have had the best times of my life over the past 3 years and I know I have grown in so many ways.  So I do not want to even think about this time in my life nearing its end.  This past summer was amazing as well, so I was sad when it recently came to a close.  I had the opportunity to learn more about and work in the industry that has come to define my hometown of Las Vegas: hospitality.  The people I worked with were great and I was very impressed with the company.  My career goals became a little more clear and I finally feel somewhat at ease about  my future.  I also made a lot of close friends who were fellow interns, and got to experience a whole new Vegas along with them now that I am 21.  Most of my new friends are not from Vegas... they are from other parts of the country like Kansas, Atlanta, New Jersey, and New York.  It was really refreshing meeting and getting to know people that are different from the typical USD student / West coast California type.  I am making every effort I can to stay in touch with them and I have a feeling that some of us will be back together in Vegas to work with the company after we graduate.  :)      

Today also marks exactly one year since I arrived in Madrid to study there for the fall semester.  My senora, Concha, actually e-mailed me today reminding me of that!  She said today is special and that a year has passed.  Thankfully, I am not terribly sad that I am not there anymore.  Last semester was pretty rough since it came on the heels of the highs of my semester abroad, but I feel that I am better adjusted now.  I am thankful that I got to have that experience and have accepted that it is behind me.  The happiness and fun that I experienced in Las Vegas this summer definitely helped.  And my beautiful campus, amazing beach side apartment with my best friend, the lovely San Diego weather, and seeing my friends here has me in high spirits.  Here's to a fulfilling last year of college...         

summer shows

This summer I have been very fortunate to see a lot of shows and concerts!  Since my last post I have seen Boyz II Men, Keane, Ernie Halter / Tonny Lucca, and Ludacris in concert, and the shows LOVE (at the Mirage), Crazy Horse Paris (at MGM Grand), Viva ELVIS (at ARIA), and KA (at MGM). 

On Sunday, July 11th, Zach, Maile, Chris, and I saw Boyz II Men at the Orleans showroom.  This venue was nice because it's pretty small and intimate.  Zach hooked it up and got free tickets.  Even if they weren't free, I think they would have only been like $30, which is really cheap for Boyz II Men if you ask me!  The concert was seriously soooo good.  I have seen a lot of concerts in my day and this was one of the best vocal performances I've been to.  They sang most of their hits, like "On Bended Knee," "Water Runs Dry," "End of the Road," and of course, "I'll Make Love to You" (such a classic!).  When they started singing "I'll Make Love to You," most of the women in the audience, including Maile and myself, rushed up to the stage because they were giving away roses. Unfortunately we weren't one of the lucky ones, but we stayed up there for the rest of the concert and managed to touch all 3 of the members' hands (!!!!).  They also talked about their latest album "Love" that came out last fall.  It's all covers and they performed some- Bonnie Rait's "I Can't Make You Love Me," and Goo Goo Dolls' "Iris."  They also told a story how they got offered a song a while back and decided to pass on it.  A country group took it and it ended up being VERY successful and it was nominated for Grammy award.  The song was "Amazed" by Lonestar from 1999/2000.  Boyz II Men said "this is how we would have done it..." and performed it.  It was really good.  Maile and I both agreed that it wouldn't have been as successful with them, though.  I think part of the reason why it was so big is because it was a country song.  I had never seen Boyz II Men in concert before this, and really only knew the music from their Legacy album.  But after this, I became a bigger fan and was sold.  The next day I went out and bought the album "Love."  :)

After the concert the 4 of us went to TGIFridays in the Orleans to get appetizers / drinks.  Zach and I each got sangria to "celebrate Spain's World Cup victory."  Felicidades a Espana, btw.  I was so happy for my host sisters, family, and the other people I met while I was over there.  And REALLY wished I could have been in Madrid that night para celebrar con ellos!     

On Thursday, July 15th, my family and I went to see LOVE, the Cirque du Soleil show at the Mirage set to the music of the Beatles.  I was expecting a lot because it is clearly a favorite among Vegas show-goers I have talked to.  It was amazing!  My favorite parts were the skaters, the rain boot tap sequence, and the "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" acrobat.  I liked how they mixed it up with Beatles hits and other songs that aren't as well known.  I do wish they would have incorporated "Let It Be" in there, since that's one of my favorites, but I guess it has some religious undertones in it that maybe they didn't want to mess with.

Friday, July 16th: Zach and I went to see Crazy Horse Paris, the topless show at MGM.  I got free tickets.  It might have been the couple drinks I had before the show, but I really liked it a lot!  It was very classy and I liked the special effects- lights, sets, costumes, etc.  100 times better than "Fantasy" at Luxor.  Surprisingly it wasn't crowded at all, even though it was a Friday night.

Friday, July 23rd: Keane @ House of Blues, Mandalay Bay.  Ali came for this concert / to celebrate her recent birthday.  They are her favorite band / musical artists of all time and as far as bands they are up there for me.  We have seen them twice together.  That was my 3rd time seeing them and her 5th!  haha We ate at House of Blues before, so we got to skip the line and go into the concert hall before the majority of the people.  That meant basically front row center standing room!!  Ingrid Michaelson opened up for them, and I thought she was great!  I have some of her music but became more of a fan after this.  She has a really pretty voice and on stage she is such a badass.  I'm really feeling her song "Maybe" right now.  After some technical difficulties and about 45 minutes of waiting, Keane finally came out.  They sang a mix of old songs and some from their latest EP.  Stand outs for me were "This is the Last Time" and "A Bad Dream."  They omitted one of my favorites, "Spiralling" due to their tech problems.  :(   During the encore, a man jumped onstage and got really close to the lead singer!  Security clearly weren't really doing their job as they could barely catch up.  Someone who was backstage ended up grabbing him and taking him there.  That was a highlight for us!

Thursday, July 29th: Ernie Halter / Tony Lucca @ House of Blues, Mandalay Bay: I've seen both of these acoustic, singer / songwriters twice before in concert and they were great again.  I brought my friends Kelli and Kristen.  Ernie Halter is my favorite of the two and the last song he played was one I requested via Facebook!  :)  Nerd, I know... It's called "Beautiful Ache."  Both artists are really so talented and you should check them out!  

Thursday, August 5th: Ludacris @ Palms Pool.  I went with my intern friends Zach, Tucker, and Trey, Chris, and my high school friend Jamie.  It was a good mix of people.  It was cool because it was my first rap concert and Luda is my favorite!  He did most of his hits, including the recent "My Chick Bad."     

Friday, August 13th: Viva ELVIS @ ARIA.  I was so impressed by the newest Cirque du Soleil addition to the Las Vegas strip.  It was amazing!  I felt that there was something for everyone.  The show has live music and the two girl vocalists are soo good and soulful.  The sets were ridiculous.  The one for "Jailhouse Rock" was so cool.  There was a storyline about Elvis' life, a step number, a trampoline number, a few sexier routines, and of course, an elaborate performance of "Viva Las Vegas," complete with a bunch of colorful showgirl costumes.  My mom thought it was good, but still liked LOVE better.  After the show we went to the Julian Serrano restaurant, which I had been dying to try all summer because of its authentic Spanish tapas and sangria.  Serrano is originally from Madrid.  I got a glass of sangria and I can honestly say that it was the most authentic I have tasted since I have been back in the U.S.  We also got patatas bravas (sooo good), chicken croquetas (very good as well), and 2 other very small plates.  It was a great night out with my mom.  :)     

Thursday, August 19th: KA @ the MGM Grand.  To be honest, this wasn't my favorite Cirque show, but it was still very impressive.  The stage is the most complex/mind-blowing I have ever seen.  It somehow facilitates fire and comes up and flips to a 90 degree angle!  The performers in this show are very talented and do some unbelievable stunts, including real sword/bow and arrow fights.  My mom and I were a bit confused with the story line and didn't really know what was going on the whole time.    

I pray...

that I always have something to look forward to.  

even if it's just a little something.  :) 

Vegas outings

Friday, June 11th: went to Skybar at the top of the Stratosphere with my friend Kelli and a big group of interns.  The view was obviously great, but the bar / area was not crowded at all.  I kind of feel bad for that property because it has been going downhill lately, especially given its location (north Strip).  But the Top of the World restaurant seemed full.  I ate there with a group of girlfriends for our senior prom and it was good!  Very nice experience.  Kelli and I (and most of the interns) got Skybar's signature "Jetfuel" drink that supposedly has 5 shots in it.  It was like $16 so a good deal if you think about the amount of alcohol you're getting vs. buying drinks elsewhere or in a nightclub.  We then proceeded to the Venetian to go to Tao nightclub.  I had my name on the guest list so I thought we would get in no problems, but 3 of the guys in our group of 14 were not adhering to the club's dress code (note to gentlemen: plan on wearing a button down dress shirt and leather dress shoes if you are planning on going to an upscale Vegas nightclub such as Tao).  I do not make the rules, and even though I had a "hook up" at Tao, that doesn't mean you can wear tennis shoes and a t-shirt inside there or any upscale clubs like that.  Needless to say, the 3 guys getting denied by a bouncer caused a bit of drama and the majority of the group decided not to go in.  Kelli, myself, and 3 interns decided to go in because we hadn't been to Tao yet and we were perfectly in compliance with the dress code.  But by the time we got inside, it was super crowded.  The club is HUGE.  It was interesting seeing their famous dancers/models who sit/dance in bathtubs with only flower petals covering their chests.  We danced a little bit in the middle of the floor, but it was just too crowded.  We didn't stay that long but it was still cool to see it.  I will be back this summer for sure. 

Sunday, June 13th: I played tourist with my friend from Louisiana, Robbie, and her cousin Lindsey.  They were in town for a week with their grandparents.  We went to the Sunday brunch buffet at the Palms, which was small but good, and spent like 30 minutes at the Rio pool (which is where they were staying) because we went out there when it was almost closing.  We took the Rio shuttle to Harrah's at the Strip and then started walking.  We were going to try to go to Diablo's at the Monte Carlo, but then figured it would be more fun to just see where the night takes us.  So we stopped into this new bar called Rockhouse because the promoter outside offered us free shots.  But then when we went in they said we can play a free game of beer pong.  That meant we had to stay in there longer... which is obviously what they want so their place looks like it's fun.  It wasn't that fun and we eventually just drank the beer instead of finishing the game.  Then we stumbled upon Bill's, which has $1 margaritas advertised outside.  Got some of those, contemplated eating in their coffee shop since we hadn't eaten dinner yet and it was about 10pm, but then decided to go to Margarittaville for a more fun experience.  We ordered margaritas on the top floor outside before getting seated and then split a couple appetizers.  I think the food is kind of overpriced there (as well as the drinks), but that's the Vegas strip for you.  We had a really good time.  A couple of Robbie's friends from Louisiana who were in town joined us and at one point we all got up and danced to the live band they had in there.  Then it was more wondering the Strip like tourists.  We went back to Bill's to get more $1 margaritas, then to Bellagio to check out what The Bank nightclub could do for us.  The guys would have had to pay cover and it was about 1am at this point and I didn't think it was worth it.  So we went inside their Caramel bar instead and it was pretty cool and swanky.  Then went outside in hopes of seeing the fountain show, but it didn't happen since it was so late.  Then we went inside CityCenter for a minute and saw some of the cool decor inside of Crystals, the upscale mall in there.  We all ended up cabbing it back to the Rio and hanging out at a casino bar there for a while before calling it a (very late) night.

Thursday, June 17th:  I planned to be somewhat of a tourist again this night because my best friend from high school, Angelica, was in town with her cousin Sharilyn.  Angelica isn't here for most of the summer, so obviously we had to live it up.  We got a room at Excalibur for the night (so cheap- about $55 total) so we wouldn't have to worry about driving.  We started off our evening by having dinner at Firefly with our friends Jamie and Alyssa.  We got a pitcher of sangria (1/2 off!) and different tapas.  I had been there a couple times before, but now that restaurant is a little more special to me after my time in Madrid.  It is based off of the Spanish concept of tapas- different dishes meant for sharing.  I ate patatas bravas (probably my favorite Spanish tapa) and calamari.  Later that night Angelica, Shar, and I went to Cabo Wabo at Planet Hollywood.  It's a Mexican restaurant/ bar with margaritas and it was really good!  I got a mango marg (new fav) and we split some appetizers and bomb tortilla chips (eating again, I know, but the tapas at Firefly were pretty light).  To top it all off, Angelica's dad knows the owner of Cabo Wabo so it was comped.  We just paid tip.  Then we went to the Bank nightclub at Bellagio.  We made it just in time to get in under my name on the guest list without paying.  (Side note: On Sunday night when I went out with Robbie we met this random promoter on the street for the Bank.  Thought it was kind of sketchy at first, but then I thought.. he can only help me / hook me up.  I gave him my number and the Friday after I get about 5 texts from numbers I don't know who are promoting all different clubs pools including at the Palms, LAX at Luxor, Surrender at Encore, and Bare pool at the Mirage.  I was kind of annoyed, but again, it will be to my benefit in the long run because now I have those contacts that will put me and my group on the guestlist and allow the ladies to always get in for free).  Anyways, this was my second time at the Bank, but I think I enjoyed myself more.  It wasn't nearly as crowded since it was a Thursday, and I danced with a cute German who resembled Robert Pattinson.  ;)  Meeting foreign people always makes the night more exciting.  I actually really like the Bank.  They play good music: a mix of the latest pop, hip-hop, and r&b hits, as well as old ones and some classic rock songs like Journey's "Don't Stop Believin' " and Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" that everyone loves to sing along to.  We had a really good time.  We went back to "the Castle" and played a couple dollars in slots and went to bed.  Yes, I had work the next morning.  :/    

Saturday, June 19th: Onto another night of clubbing with the girls.  They also went to LAX @ Luxor the previous night and LOVED it.  Said the music was the best.  I'm still dying to try it but haven't been yet.  I was too tired to join them.  This night we decided on Tryst @ Wynn.  The Bank promoter was able to get me on the list there, so we were able to skip right past the line.  :)  Kelli and our friend Thomas also joined us.  Ladies got free cover, but Thomas unfortunately still had to pay $30.  We danced for a while in the middle of the floor, but we weren't really feeling it for some reason.  Kelli's and my feet started hurting after a while due to wearing heels, and I wasn't really into the crowd.  I also noticed that the lighting in there is pretty bright, which is odd for a club.  Nightclubs are usually pretty dark and I prefer that.  The club was nice though.  Someone told me XS is like Tryst on steroids, and I can see that now since I had been to XS before.  There is a cool waterfall that says "Tryst" in lighting right outside near the dance floor.  It seems like they have sooo many tables though.  I'm not a huge fan of that because I like more emphasis to be on the dancing like it was in Madrid, but I guess that's just how it is in Vegas.  Tryst seemed to have a noticeably larger amount.  Tom and I played some slots, and he got lucky sitting next to me I think on pennies!  He turned $20 into like $55 so basically he got his cover charge back!  So then I didn't feel so bad that he had to pay.  We eventually left Wynn and Angelica, Shar, and I went through the drive through at McDonald's (had to hit that up while Angelica was in town).  That was an interesting experience.  THEN we decided to drive to the "Welcome to the Fabulous Las Vegas" sign at the south part of the Strip and take pictures.  That is something, as a local, that I actually have never done so it was fun.

Tuesday, June 22nd: Our internship program had our program day (a day of VP speakers and an amazing 10-course lunch at the Pub) at the Monte Carlo.  A group of us decided to get a drink at the Pub for happy hour afterwards.  I must say that they have a great happy hour.  They do 2-for-1 drinks from 5 to 7pm I think and ladies drink free from 6 to 7 and later 10 to 11!  I had a really good time catching up with some of the interns and talking to some new ones for the first time.  I met Hugo, who is Mexican, and we spoke some Spanish.  Speaking Spanish honestly makes me so happy, especially since I haven't really had a chance to do it much lately.  So I was very happy and had a great time.  :)  Then we went to Bar Louie in Town Square for their $1 burger night.  It's pretty cool: you just have to order any beverage (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) and you get a burger for $1.  A lot of the interns got $3 margaritas, which is also a good deal.

Thursday, June 24th:  "Sake Sessions" @ the Tropicana pool.  This was an awesome event with FREE Sake tastings.  It was really nice to have more of a low key/ bar type setting than a nightclub for a change.  I tried a lot of different kinds of Sake for the first time, and some Sake bombs, and I really liked them!  I think I may have found my new favorite drink.  ;)  After it ended at 10pm, we headed to McFadden's bar at the Rio.  They do $1 drinks for ladies after a certain time.  I think ladies even drink free at one point in the night.  The bar was pretty fun and they had a DJ so we danced a little.

Friday, June 25th: Stoney's, a country bar that is really popular with locals.  It was $5 cover charge but free beer until midnight.  It was pretty different from any bar I had experienced.  They do all different kinds of line and country dancing (most of which is choreographed) as well as some more well-known dances like the cha-cha slide and cupid shuffle.  Toward the end of the night they played some top 40 and hip hop that we were able to dance to without knowing the moves.  I had a really good time. 

Saturday, June 26th: Fantasy strip show @ Luxor.  A lot of us interns got free tickets.  I brought my friend Kyle and went to dinner with him and his family beforehand.  The show honestly was pretty terrible.  It was my first time to that type of show, so again, interesting experience.  There were some good parts though, like this black co-host comedian who was hilarious and one of the dancers who did some crazy Cirque du Soleil ribbon acrobatics.  Then I went to ARIA to see my friend Andres who was in town for bachelor party.  Got to practice some Spanish with him and we went to the nightclub, HAZE, with Bart, Samantha, and her friend.  I had a really good time at HAZE this night- moreso than the first time I went.  I danced a little on the platform and there was this crazy good dancer doing gymnastics on the pole.  As I was experiencing HAZE I thought that it kind of reminded me of the club Joy Esclava in Madrid, or at least the closest thing I have come to it so far in the States.  It's funny, I kind of hated that club at the time, even though I ended up going like 4 times, but now I kind of miss it.  AND, HAZE played "When Love Takes Over" which was pretty much the epitome of my clubbing nights in Madrid, so that also brought back memories.  Fun, eventful night overall. 

Friday, July 2nd: BACKSTREET BOYS concert @ Mandalay Bay beach.  I had never been to a concert out at this venue before, but it's really cool and unique!  They have a stage on the left side of the wave pool.  If you want to be in the 'standing room only' section, you stand in front of the stage in about a foot of water.  The ambiance is really pretty out there at night with the different lighting and tropical feel.  The concert was great!  I had trouble finding friends that were willing to throw down $50 for a ticket, but I honestly would have paid up to $80 for the Backstreet Boys.  They are one of my favorite bands of all time!  :)  I met up with Rachel and Lisa, who are crazy BSB fans.  They were in line for like 2 hours before the show, so we were able to be really close to the stage.  It was the closest I had ever been to BSB in person, so I was stoked!  There are only 4 still rockin' (Kevin quit like 2 albums ago), but they still got it 'goin' on!'  They came out singing "Everybody (Backstreet's back)," and sang quite a few songs from the latest album, This Is Us, as well as medleys of older hits.  After the concert I went to meet up with Kelli & friends at Ellis Island, this off-Strip casino.  They have a karaoke bar and lots of good food/drink specials that are popular with the locals.  Compared other venues I have been frequenting this summer, I thought it was pretty ghetto, but definitely an interesting experience.  And honestly I would go back for the specials and maybe to do some karaoke.      

experiencing Vegas

Since I’ve turned 21 I’ve enjoyed really experiencing what my hometown has to offer. I especially like trying out the different Las Vegas nightclubs. My first Vegas club experience was XS as the Encore and I have to say it was amazing! The atmosphere is beautiful and you can look out to the pool and waterfall. The dance floor is pretty big. I was floored though when I ordered a drink (sex on the beach) and it was $14 (+tip). That’s just how it goes in Vegas though and now I usually don’t buy drinks at clubs. The Vegas club scene took some getting used to since my first real club experiences were in Madrid, and that’s what I became accustomed to when I studied there for a semester. The major difference I would say is that there is more of an emphasis on dancing in the European “discotecas” and more of an emphasis on expensive bottle service here in Vegas. There is nowhere to sit in the clubs unless you reserved a table and shelled out at least $300 per bottle. In Madrid there is bottle service but not as much, and there are “public” couches, seating, etc. In January I went to HAZE at ARIA (one of the newest clubs here) for John Legend’s birthday. It was a really cool club with a good-sized dance floor. I don’t know what I was thinking when I had hopes of maybe meeting him or getting anywhere near him, but I learned that those places keep the celebrities’ areas/tables very private. He did go up on the stage area to sing “Ordinary People” a cappella and then “Greenlight,” which is his club hit. In April when I was home for Easter Break, it was my best friend’s 21st birthday. We went to Margaritaville and then Lavo nightclub at the Palazzo. Margaritaville is a fun atmosphere. They have music video screens that play the latest hits and also live bands. The food is ok; I think it’s overpriced, but I guess average for anywhere you eat on the Strip. We weren’t inside Lavo that long, but the dance floor seemed small to me.

And now, summer has rolled around and I am home for 3 full months, doing an internship with a big hotel-casino company! I will be interacting with consumers on social media websites, often writing about what I experience, so I’m trying to go out and experience a few different places each weekend (or use my job as an excuse for doing so..?). The internship program is really cool; there are about 35 other interns and most are not local so they go out all the time. I started going out with them the weekend after my first full week of work. On Friday, June 4th, we went to Blue Hour at the Signature and The Bank nightclub at Bellagio. Blue Hour is like a cocktail party in the evening at the hotel pool. It wasn’t crowded at all, which was nice. Also, locals get ½ off drinks so I only paid $5 + tip for my favorite. (And yes, only one since I had to drive home later that night. That’s the one thing that kind of sucks about living here). Then, since one of the interns had a connection at the Bank, 14 of us just strolled on in passed the line without paying cover (which would have been $30 for guys). I thought the club was really nice, but was surprised at how small the dance floor is. It was great being able to go in before the bulk of the crowd because we all had plenty of room to dance. After the evening went on, it started getting really crowded with people pushing their way to get passed you (including service staff delivering bottle service), to the point that there was barely room to dance and it wasn’t fun anymore. On Sunday, June 6th, I went to Mandalay Bay Beach with the same group. It was my first time there and I had heard nothing but good things about it. We frequented the lazy river and the wave pool, which are fun. This day was already really hot and it is impossible to walk on the sand without burning your feet. For some reason I wasn’t blown away by Mandalay Bay Beach, maybe my expectations were too high? It is really big though so I can’t complain and we spent about 4 good hours out there.  I don't mean to sound negative, I'm just giving my honest opinions/critiques.  And I've been having a blast so far!  More posts to follow on more Vegas nightlife experiences...

song of the moment

Ali has requested that I post a new entry since it's been a while.  I have a really good one in store with my latest Las Vegas outings.  It will be coming soon, but until then, a simple note:

My favorite song of the moment is "Diplomat's Son" by Vampire Weekend, off their latest album, Contra.  The whole album is great and has been playing on repeat in my car, but "Diplomat's Son" is by far my favorite track. 

me time

I am currently in the midst of a very stressful time.  Final exams are coming up, but before I can even think about those, I have 3 papers and a portfolio due in the beginning of next week!  Today I had a group presentation and felt very relieved after we finished (and killed!) it, to say the least.  I am very thankful to God that I was able to dedicate the rest of my day to "me" time.  When I got back to the beach after class, Ali and I signed our lease for next year (exciting), went home, made our own dinners (mine was Giada's chicken picatta with rice), and ate together outside on our big balcony.  Thankfully the weather has been very nice lately and the sun was shining today all the way until 7:30ish.  After this, I rode my bike along the boardwalk and sat watching the sun go down as I caught up with a friend on the phone.  I was even able to (get this) do laundry!! and then watch American Idol.  (Mike and Lee were my favorites tonight).  To top it all off, we went to get fro-yo at Yogurtland.  So now it's after 10pm and I have yet to take a shower and start some research for a paper... but I am calm.  Because my stuff is not due tomorrow.  In fact, nothing is really due until Monday.  Sometimes you just need some me time to maintain your sanity and happiness.  :)      

Behind the Swoosh

Behind the Swoosh: Sweatshops and Social Justice

            As part of "Life Week" at USD, Jim Keady gave a great presentation tonight about the injustices of sweatshop worker wages, focusing on Nike.  Keady was hired as the soccer coach at St. John’s University, but when they signed a $3.5 million endorsement deal with Nike, he resigned.  He refused to wear Nike because of what he knew about the unjust treatment of their factory workers, which he believes contradicts the principles of Catholic social thought.  He traveled to Indonesia and lived on a Nike factory worker’s wage of $1.25 per day to understand their living conditions.  He has spent 13 years researching and speaking about the injustices of sweatshops and Nike. 

            Keady said, “there is no way you can live on $1.25 a day and maintain your human dignity.”  This was the overall message of the presentation.  Workers should be given livable wages to meet their basic needs: food, clothing, shelter, healthcare, and means to provide for their children, ideally with education.  On $1.25 per day, these workers have to make tough decisions on which of these needs they will not be able to meet.  He gave the example of the woman that travelled with him and got sick.  Because she was also living on $1.25 per day to experience how the workers live, she had to choose between buying cough syrup and vitamin C or food for the whole day. 

            These workers want rights, but they do not want to risk losing their lives.  Because their wages do not fulfill their basic needs, they often beg to work overtime in order to earn more money.  Keady discussed endorsement deals with professional athletes, specifically Tiger Woods.  With his $100 million endorsement deal with Nike, we are saying that this individual is worth more than 700,000 people.  This is just ridiculous and I think it is just plain greedy.  Unfortunately, in America’s capitalist society, the ideology of maximizing profits and efficiency takes precedence over equal rights and dignity for all people.  Nike is a $19.2 billion transnational empire that produces products in over 160 countries.  With my recent travels during my semester abroad, I got to see firsthand how huge the brand is in other countries.  I could not believe the statistic he provided about how much a pair of Nike Air “Jordan’s” cost.  It costs Nike $16.25 to make a pair of shoes that it sells for $220!  Only $2.43 of that cost is labor expenses.  This is unbelievable, and a terrible injustice.  Nike can definitely afford to pay their factory workers more.  Keady said, “Labor is not just a commodity.  Labor is people.”            

            Keady calls for a modest approach for change that can be adjusted, scaled, and replicated that could potentially build a global labor movement.  He wants to achieve living wages and union contracts for the workers.  He is not trying to attack Nike, but he aims to make a point about sweatshops and initiate change.  He said that 95% of what we are wearing was produced in sweatshops and most other big brands like Adidas, Puma, clothes from Macy’s, JCPenney, etc., use this form of production.  Nike is one of the largest companies to do this, so he hopes that getting Nike to make changes will be an example for other corporations. 

To learn more about Jim Keady's project and become involved, go to teamsweat.org.  He also encouraged students to e-mail the CEO of Nike, Mark Parker, at mark.parker@nike.com, urging him to do something about worker wages.       

J

is what I would choose if I were for some reason forced to pick only one letter of artists on my ipod to listen to for the rest of my life.  John Legend, John Mayer, Jason Mraz, James Morrison, Jamie Cullum, Josh Hoge, Jennifer Hudson, Justin Timberlake, Jennifer Lopez, Jay-Z...  How can one letter own so much talent? 

lately I've been listening to

Regina Spektor's latest album, Far.  When we were roommates two years ago, Ali used to play some of her older stuff and I was not into it.  I guess since then I have acquired more of an Indie taste.  Regina has some weird lyrics, but she actually has a very powerful voice and a unique sound.  Some of my favorites are "Blue," "Dance Anthem of the 80s", and "Riot Gear."  In Blue she sings, "blue lips, blue veins, blue the color of our planet from far, far away. blue...the most human color."  I guess that's something to ponder.  We always end up laughing in an attempt to interpret her lyrics.         

tough questions

Yesterday I had an interview for an internship position, and I'm not really sure how it went.  I usually feel that I do pretty well at interviews.  I'd like to consider myself  a good conversationalist and an honest, open person.  But yesterday some of the questions were hard.  The two that were the most challenging for me were something like this:

• Describe a time of failure and how you dealt with it.  
• What would be your ideal/perfect job/career?  

Normally at interviews we try to focus on our strengths and positive qualities, not our weaknesses.  I'm not perfect by any means, but I seriously struggled to think of some sort of "failure."  And then, for the second question, I said "honestly?  A singer.  American Idol winner actually..."  Because that is what I would do if I could.  I think he appreciated this answer but later went back to the question and was like "but seriously, aside from the American Idol thing... what would you want to do?"  I explained some areas that interest me, like journalism, P.R., and Spanish, but the truth is I don't know.  I know a lot of college students don't know what they want to do with their lives, but I just feel like I should by now.  I will be graduating in just a little over a year and it's really stressing me out!  I think that I am pretty driven and ambitious, but I guess I just don't have an ideal job or position.  Maybe I should create my own..

"I guess being back in San Diego is starting to be ok"

-said Ali, as we sat on the boardwalk of Mission Beach eating frozen yogurt and people watching.  It was a beautiful sunny Sunday afternoon with weather at about 75 degrees.  We rode our bikes from our place in South Mission to Pacific Beach and back 3 times, and had breakfast at Olive Cafe in the morning.  It took me a while to be fine with being back in SD after the high of Madrid and my abroad experience, but how can I complain?

I love the smell of

sunscreen

It makes me think of sunny days, summer, being outside at the beach or the pool, field days in elementary/middle school.  Basically fun, happy times :)   

All our lives are a mystery; we see not where they lead.  We are asked now to trust you, and we know we must believe.

from the entrance song we sang at mass tonight called "In This Place"

I find the words comforting in the midst of all the uncertainty about the future.

cooking and family dinners

Cooking and watching people cook has become my new favorite past time.  I am obsessed with the Food Network, specifically Simply Italian with Giada de Laurentiis, Barefoot Contessa, Paula Deen's Home Cooking, and Down Home with the Neely's.  I really enjoy trying new (fairly easy for now) recipes when I have time.
My roommates and I have started the weekly "family dinner night" tradition in which one of us is responsible for buying/cooking/preparing dinner for everyone once a month.  I did the first one and I made Giada's "Chicken Picatta" and Rachel Ray's "Roasted Asparagus Tips" (recipes from foodnetwork.com).  It came out great, and I've made the chicken recipe a few times now!  The following week, Rachel made chicken adobo (a Filipino dish), and provided Filipino bread, egg-rolls, and rice.  Ali made penne pasta with olive oil, tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella, as well as a salad.  Carey did chicken skewers with rice and salad.  I just did my second one, and I made chicken parmigiana, pasta, and asparagus.  So far we have all been successful with our family dinners and I am loving the tradition!  

new place

One of the main reasons I was looking forward to returning to the U.S. was living at Mission Beach for the first time this semester.  One of my roommates, Carey, found this great place with 3 balconies!  I really love the house and the location, and am trying to cherish living at the beach because who knows when else in my life I will be able to afford to.  The weather hasn't been super nice so far, with rain during 6 out of the last 8 weekends in San Diego, but I have really enjoyed riding bikes along the beach and bay.  I got a good deal on a used cruiser from Ray's Rentals.  Another good deal I scored was a used desk for $25 on Craigslist (yes that's a 240-pack of red cups next to it).  My roommate Ali and I made a "Shrine of Friendship" on a wall in our bedroom with 20-something pictures of us from the past 2 and a half years we have known each other.  I also printed select scenery/monument pictures from my travels abroad and put them up with clothespins/string (stolen idea from our neighbor, Sadie).

continuing

Hi, I'm Nicole.

I have recently returned from a semester abroad in Madrid, Spain, where I took up blogging for the first time.  I really enjoyed journaling about all of my experiences and liked how blogging gave me an opportunity to share with others.  I made myself keep up with my blog and finish my thoughts even long after I returned to the States because my time there and what I went through meant a lot to me, and I wanted to be able to look back on it.  But I also realized that I can and should value the rest of the days of my time in college/even just days of my life back in my normal situations just as much.  I vowed to try to journal, or even blog, about experiences, differences, changes, challenges, and highlights as I continue my journey.  Everyday events and weekends probably will not be as exciting and cool as everything I blogged about in Europe, but I will occasionally write about "noteworthy" things I am thinking about or experience.  Thus, "Nicole's Notables."