Birthday Celebrations for Ryan

Last week we celebrated my little brother's 21st birthday.  It's absolutely crazy to me that my baby brother is all grown up, as it seems like yesterday that I was peering into his hospitable incubator in my pink puff paint, "I'm a big sister" shirt.  He'll probably never be a "real" grown-up in my eyes, but given that it was his 21st, we definitely had to celebrate.  And since he is living in Chicago this summer, it only felt right to spend the day patio hopping, enjoying the beautiful weather, and sipping some yummy grown-up beverages.

1. Rocking his chambray and looking like a little grownup.  Where did time go?
2. Our first stop of the afternoon was Big Star.  Big Star has been a Chicago favorite for a long time, but I've never had the patience to face the wait.  But on a Monday afternoon, we gave it a go, and I am so glad we did.  Patio perfection!

3. Happy birthday, little Ryan!

4. For dinner, we continued the patio trend at Parson's Chicken and Fish, a new spot in Logan Square by the team behind Chicago's popular Longman & Eagle.
5. I heard about this spot from a coworker, and I'm so grateful.  Their chicken is out of this world delicious, along with their oysters and hush puppies.  And don't even get me started on their Texas Toast!

6. Like any good Chicago patio, Parson's has an extensive cocktail list.  The shining star?  Definitely their Negroni slushies!
7. Ryan topped off the night with a whiskey + pickle shot, on the house.  Cheers to the birthday boy! 

Having Ryan in Chicago this summer has been so fun, and being able to share his big day with him was such a treat.  And for all my Chicago readers, if you haven't been to Parson's, definitely give it a try.  Between the chicken and slushies, you won't be disappointed!

Birthday Celebrations

This past Friday, I celebrated my 29th birthday, woo hoo!  28 was a pretty awesome year, as I finally earned those much coveted three initials, but I have a feeling this year is going to have some pretty special things in store as well.  My birthday was filled with fun surprises all throughout, which in my mind, is the best way to spend a birthday.  Here are a few snaps of my special day!

The only thing I asked for for my birthday was this awesome Texas "home" tee, and of course, my mom totally delivered.  I have been missing Texas like crazy lately, and wearing this tee on my birthday just seemed right.  But given that it wasn't quite work approrpirate, I paired it with a blazer and a sparkly necklace, hoping no one would comment.  And thankfully, my t-shirt wearing ways went fairly undetected.  Birthday outfit success!

My BFF Steven sent me the most gorgeous birthday bouquet from Fleur.  I literally gasped when I saw it, and then proceeded to cry profusely about how wonderful my friends are.  Seriously, I am so blessed.  And of course, no birthday is complete without a morning latte, thanks to a gift card from my sister-in-law, Julie.

One of my coworkers surprised me with a pretty pink cupcake, proof that my coworkers know my personality better than I realize.  This ended up being my breakfast the following morning :)

Our office does the "birthday buddy" system, meaning we each have a surprise person responsible for providing office treats on our birthday.  Thankfully my birthday buddy shares my "birthdays are a huge freaking deal" sentiment, as he went all out with a chocolate raspberry cake.  #dontjudgeifihadtwopieces

For my birthday dinner, we tried out a new-to-us spot, Isla Pilipino, in Lincoln Square.  And oh my gosh yall, I don't think I can even begin to do this place justice.  Authentic, fun, and crazy delicious Filipino food at pretty reasonable prices.  The restaurant only has eight to ten tables, so I'd definitely recommend having a reservation.  And don't let the outside fool you, this place is incredible!

And if this place isn't fabulous enough, it's BYOB.  Score!  We started off with a bottle of champagne (thanks Matt!) toasting to great friends and fun celebrations!

I totally lucked out with this guy in my life.

My amazing friend and fellow postdoc, Ben.  So glad we have each other during this busy and somewhat crazy year!  PS: My dish was so incredible.  I won't even try to describe it, as I won't do it justice.  But if you go, order the Bicol Express.  I promise you won't be disappointed!

After dinner, we headed to Fork for drinks and a surprise dessert.

You know how some people get all embarrassed when they bring out the candle+dessert, complete with singing from friends?  Well, I am not one of those people lol.  I adore birthdays, and I won't apologize for it.  PS: Did you notice the hot pink candle?  Birthday perfection, yall.

The day was a really wonderful combination of so many things I love.  We had small celebrations sprinkled throughout the week, and I capped off the week of fun with a Saturday spent in my sweatpants, drifting in and out of naps.  It was sheer perfection, after a delightful, yet busy week.  As always on my birthday, I can't help but reflect on how many wonderful blessings I have, most notably the incredible, loving, and fabulous people in my life.  They are truly the best gift of all.  So cheers to another year; I'm gonna do everything I can to make it a good one!

Graduation

Graduation day has come and gone, and I have to be honest, it was every bit as awesome as I dreamed.  Since I started my Ph.D program six years ago, graduation day has been a warm and welcome thought, a day much anticpated.  But for the past three years, as graduate school got signiciantly harder, graduation day has been the thing getting me through the tough moments.  When things got rough, I thought of graduation.  When I doubted whether I could get through this degree, I closed my eyes tight and imagined graduation.  During the emotional and self-doubting moments, I imagined myself surrounded by friends and family, walking across the stage, breathing a huge sigh of relief.  So to have the moment I've dreamed about for so long become a reality...well, it was amazing.

If you follow me on Facebook, you've already seen a sneak peak of the big day, but if not, here are more pictures than you could probably ever want to see :)

Fancy gown, check.  Much coveted hood, check.  Piece of paper proving I really did it, check!

It's pretty impossible to locate me in this picture, but I'm in the second row, near the top.  I wasn't sure I'd be able to keep it together on graduation day; I was certain I'd be a big bawling mess.  So when we walked out into the arena, with Pomp and Circumstance playing, I let myself get swept up in the moment, waving wildly to my family and friends, and of course, shedding a few tears.  It was that magical moment I've been dreaming of for so long!

Matt snapped this picture from crazy far away, so its a bit hard to see, but this is me being hooded by my chair, Dr. Castillo.  I have been so blessed to have such an amazing advisor.  She embraces "girlpower" in every sense of the word, empowering her students to go out there and kick some major ass!

Blurry but oh so thrilled.  In my best Elle Woods voice, "I did it!"

I finally earned those three little initials I've been working so hard for!

Hooray...I'm DONE!

The only thing better than achieving a life long dream is having your family there to celebrate the moment with you.  I'm so grateful for my incredible support system; I never could have done this alone.

My amazing aunt and uncle flew in from Atlanta for the weekend.  They're crazy fun and always up for a celebration!

My little brother, a constant source of encouragement and inspiration.

Four of my favorite Ph.Ds!  I would not have survived graduate school without these people.  (PS: You can see pictures from Matt and Miguel's graduation last year here.)

Despite crazy busy calendars, my brother and sister drove down from Dallas to watch me cross the stage.  They had to head right back after the ceremony, but it meant so much to share this special day with them.

My best friend Steven and his boyfriend, Jesse, also drove in for the big day.  Steven and I have been friends since high school, and he never fails to recognize the little things in life.  He has definitely been one of my biggest cheerleaders throughout this crazy journey!

Matt's parents also flew in from Arizona to celebrate, reminding me how lucky I am to have such thoughtful in-laws.

My dear friend, Norma, one of the best sounding boards and voices of reason I know.  But not too reasonable that she can't grab a glass of wine and complain about ridiculous graduate school woes :)

My lifetime cheerleaders.  Without these three people, I would never have survived or even dreamed this journey.  They are unfailingly supportive, and I am beyond blessed to have such an amazing family.

My man, my rock.  It is crazy to think that when we started graduate school six years ago, we didn't know each other, and now, as I finish graduate school, I can't imagine my life without him.  He is without a doubt, my greatest graduate school discovery :)

I dont' think words can ever express how much these people mean to me.  I think I said it best in my dissertation dedication, which you can read here.  They are the reason I got this far!

And for a little Instagram action, a quick snap right before the ceremony!

So there you have it, more graduation pictures than you could ever care to see!  After graduation, we headed back to Houston where my parents threw me a rockin' graduation party.  (Read: personalized napkins/cups/plates, yard signs, a full Tex-Mex spread, and a margarita machine!)  One of my parents' neighbors asked me at the party if I felt different.  I think at the time I said "not really," but as I've thought about that question the past few days, I think I do feel a little different.  And its not just the extra initials after my name(though those are pretty cool), but its the realization that I did it.  I pushed through all the obstacles and self-doubt and did something I've dreamed of for a long time.  I put my mind to something crazy hard and did it.  And for that, I'm really proud of myself.  So this week, I'm walking a bit taller, knowing that with the support of friends and family, I endured six tough years to reach my dream.  And that, is pretty cool.

*A special thanks to all my readers who have encouraged me along the way.  From comps, to dissertation drama, to internship stress, yall were cheerleaders each and every step.  Your comments, emails, and Facebook posts mean more than you know.  You rock beyond belief!

Internship Graduation and Celebration

Thank yall so much for your kind words on Tuesday's post.  It's an exciting time around here, and with graduation just a week away, I'm in official party mode.  The last week of internship was pretty laid back, and the four interns did our best to celebrate together.  Here are a few pictures from our last week together...

Last intern coffee date!  And as my friend Christa pointed out, its fitting that the we've got both coffee and Advil on the table, as both were necessary survival tools for internship :)

Tuesday, the four of us played hooky and went for pedicures and cocktails.  Luckily, we found a spot that allowed us to do both at the same time!

Cheers to surviving a crazy year!

I spent the night before my last day camped out at Starbucks, given that I had no food and no furniture left in my house.  I also took advantage of the time to write thank you notes to a few special staff members who made my year on internship particularly memorable.  PS: I snagged this "dream big" stationary at Michaels, and I really love it!  I'm trying to reduce my stationary stash, but I might just have to have seconds of these :)

On our last day, the staff had a mini graduation ceremony for the four of us.  Though each of us will have our own official graduations at our degree granting institutions, it was a fun way to commemorate the year we spent together.  Our training director said sweet things about each of us, assigning each of us a color to match our personalities.  (Any guesses what my color was?)  We also had a huge surprise of being serenaded by the university's acapella group, and they rocked some funky acapella Adele and Florence and the Machine.  Oh my goodness, they were amazing!  It was particuarly sweet to share that experience with students, because as much as I love my coworkers, I truly love what I do because of the students.   

Hooray, we did it!

Matt was able to come down for the celebration, and it was awesome to have him there.  As my grad school journey draws to a close, I can't help but think how blessed we were to have met each other during this crazy experience.

So long Student Services Building; it's been real.  Though I won't miss my insanely long days and eating all three of my daily meals at my desk :)

Later that night, the entire staff celebrated at our training director's house, and we snapped our last picture as interns.  I can't believe we survived, hooray!

Next Friday is my official graduation, and I'm getting the party started early Monday with a sibling roadtrip.  Since I have the next few weeks off, I decided I would drive to Texas, and when my brother told me he was going to be in town this weekend for Lollapalooza, we realized it was the perfect opportunity to make the drive back to Texas a little more fun. We're stretching the trip over three days, making stops in Memphis and New Orleans, both cities I've wanted to visit for a while.  Matt is flying to meet us in Houston, and then from there, friends and family are scheduled to start arriving.  I'm definitely looking forward to sharing this experience with the people nearest and dearest to me, because let's be honest, I never would have made it through without them!

PS: If you have any suggestions for food, drinks, or to do stuff in either Memphis or New Orleans, please let me know!  Yall came through in February with the Vegas recommendations, so I'm eager for your suggestions again.  Cheers to the weekend; I hope it's a fabulous one however you choose to spend it!

Anniversary Dinner at Saigon Sisters

Last Saturday Matt and I snuck in an early anniversary celebration with dinner at Saigon Sisters.  I first heard about the downtown hotspot through Gilt City, and given that Matt and I had several special occasions coming up (both of our birthdays, anniversary, graduation, etc.), I figured we could spend one of them celebrating at Saigon Sisters.  I wasn't in the mood to lug Cameron around, so instead, I snapped pictures with the oh so adored Instagram.  Here is a peek into our fun night!

All smiles and ready to celebrate!

The restaurant itself was pretty small, with about ten tables total.  With tall ceilings, a chalkboard wall menu, and fabulous bar pendant lights, it was the perfect atmosphere.  Simple and special, yet not overdone.  A definite win for ambiance!

We did the chef's four course tasting menu, which was over the top delicious.  I felt a tad bit gluttonous, but looking back, I'm glad we were able to try a little of everything, since we don't eat Vietnamese food very often.  The first course was a green papaya salad with citrus shrimp, homemade five spice jerky, pork belly, fried shallots, peanuts, and thai basil.  The second course was pan-seared walleye over mustard greens and forbidden rice in a Kimchi butter broth.  So so good!

The third course was duck ramen soup with duck breast, poached eggs, bok choy, and eryngi mushrooms with a spicy sauce and lime on the side.  This was Matt's favorite course, though we were both so stuffed at this point, neither of us could finish our bowl!  The fourth course was chocolate ganache with a black pepper funnel cake and a housemade tea ice cream.  And though I was stuffed, you better believe I ate all of this last course :)

Our conversation at dinner might have been one of my most favorite conversations of ours.  It was just us two, thinking about where we've been and where we're going.  There was lots of talk of the future, which is always exciting!

And for those of you wanting outfit details...

Dress: Rebecca Taylor
Blazer: Tahari
Necklaces: Ann Taylor
Bracelet: Ann Taylor
Ring: David Yurman 

It was such a fun night and probably my favorite anniversary celebration yet!  I'm so very blessed to share my life with such an incredible and supportive guy, and I am so grateful that God brought us together.  (PS: if you're new to the blog or curious about how Matt and I met, you can read about that here.)  A big thanks to all you sweet readers who wished us happy anniversary on Tuesday; each and every wish brought a smile my face!  Happy almost Friday, everyone!

Insta-Birthday

As promised earlier in the week, here are a few more birthday weekend snaps...

1. I started my birthday off right with a trip to the gym.  (Are you impressed I'm semi-sticking to my refocus?  Me too lol!)  When I checked in at the desk, it must have alerted the guy that it was my birthday.  After he said "Happy birthday," he asked, "How old are you?"  When I answered, he looked horrified, saying "No offense, but I don't think you look that old!"  I chose to take that as a compliment :)
2. Birthday manicure: pink on pink!
3. Birthday cake Oreos (aka the best invention on the planet!)
4. Oreo birthday cake, made by my sweet husband.  That cake was the epitome of so good, yet so bad.  I could literally feel my bloodstream freaking out from all the sugar lol. 

5. Navy Pier Ferris wheel.  (See the rest of the trip here.)
6. An unexpected drop in temperatures had me cringing at the thought of pulling my coat back out.  Naturally, I reached for my favorite vest instead :)
7. Mr. Cool himself.
8. Now or never, here we go... 

9. It was worth it; we got a fabulous view of Chicago.
10. Cute parents + sunnies.
11. I totally thought I lost these sunglasses, but my sweet dad found them in the trunk of my car.  Birthday karma!
12. Lunch in Chinatown.  PS: I highly recommend Lao Sze Chuan!  Though if you're not one for spicy foods, beware of what you order :)  

13. Birthday cheers at one of my favorite tapas restaurants, Meson Sabika.
14. Sibling love.
15. Birthdays always make me smile, as Matt and I's dating sparks started over a birthday :)
16. This year my wish felt extra special, though my lips are definitely sealed! 

17. Sunday was nice and sunny, making the Chicago springtime tulips look their very best.
18. With the sun, came a lot of patio time.  It was so peaceful to float between the patio and the living room just laughing and chatting with my family.
19. My dad is literally obsessed with popcorn, especially the Chicago mix (carmel+cheese).  Every time he comes to Chicago or I go to Texas, it's expected that Chicago mix popcorn will be exchanged :)
20. Though I was sad to see my family leave, the celebrations continued into the next week with my intern friends.  My friend Christa cooked up a fabulous meal, complete with a longtime nickname shout out!  I answer to "Neebs," a childhood-college nickname, almost as easily as I answer to "Allison."

So there you have it...my celebrations welcoming year 28.  And if this birthday was any indication, it's going to be a really fabulous year!  Thanks to all of you who sent birthday wishes my way; I really appreciate it!  Happy weekend!