Tag Archives: aggieland

back to college.

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this weekend, i went back to college.

i left on friday after work, made the 3-hour drive to college station, home of my beloved texas a&m university, listening to some pretty sweet tunes [the head and the heart, seryn, summer heart, and matthew perryman jones, to name a few].

my dear friend thomas let me stay at his apartment, which was pretty much my second home during college, so it brought back lots of memories.

i got there around 9, so we had a chance to catch up on each other’s lives before getting ready to go out.

then it was the usual – pre-party, which was at a friend’s apartment, who also lives at the lofts [the complex that thomas lives at],

northgate [specifically mad hatters, our favorite bar and the place that pretty much defines our college weekend evenings],

after-party, at another friend’s apartment,

and finally, chilling at thomas’s, making something delicious to eat using whatever we could find in the fridge+pantry, and talking and laughing until 5 in the morning.

then, it’s waking up at noon, recalling all the funny events of the night before, getting ready for the pool.

some of our friends live at an apartment complex called campus village, and we all went to their pool for a few hours [they have a lazy river], and then headed back to the lofts pool, where we stayed until the 7 o’clock shade took over the courtyard area.

naptime until 8:30,

picked up dinner from rosie pho’s, one of our favorite asian restaurants in cs,

more naptime until 11, when our friend lauren [who is also thomas's next-door neighbor] came in and got us up so we could get ready for northgate.

{left to right, top to bottom:  1. view from the top of the lofts garage.  2. campus village lazy river.  3. guacapotle burger and sweet potato fries.  4. thomas, lauren, and me at mad hatters.  5. my friend carla and me at ng.  6. northgate.  7. thomas and i at the lofts pool.}

even though i only graduated a month ago, i was so nostalgic being back there this weekend.  the feeling of being college is just different – it’s carefree, with the feeling of independence but no huge responsibilities.  what a routine – waking up late, going to the pool, napping in the early evening, going to northgate, staying up late, and then doing it all again the next day!  it’s funny when i think about it, but it was so comfortable, so easy.  when did we have time for studying?! ;)

one of my favorite moments was after northgate on saturday night [it was actually in the wee hours of sunday morning!], we went up to the top of the lofts garage, where there’s a beautiful view of college station.  as i looked out over the twinkling lights and the dark horizon, i kept thinking how special and unique this town and the people in it are.  there is no other place like it in the world, and i feel lucky to have had the opportunity to live there and be a part of such a great community.  it will always hold a special place in my heart.

thank you to thomas and everyone else who made this weekend so fun! xoxo

lately…

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: :  i graduated from texas a&m university on may 11th!  the whole family came down to celebrate.

: :  i’ve been eating a lot of delicious food.

{amazing blue crab with housemade linguini and white wine with roasted tomato sauce, greens tossed with aged balsamic vinegar, pine nuts, and parmigiana reggiano from madden’s in downtown bryan.}

{the best chips and salsa i’ve ever had…fresh sweet potato chips and smoked salsa that’s to die for, from blue mesa grill.}

{flan sampler, also from blue mesa.}

{coconut and lemon cream cookie gelato on the second-floor terrace of central market in dallas.}

: :  my family also helped me move out…

: :  …and i said goodbye to 2535 teal drive.

: :  the next day, they helped me move into my new apartment in dallas (pictures coming soon!)

: :  i received my dad’s toyota camry as a graduation gift (so much better than the 2000 camry i drive right now!!)

: :  …and I start my new job in less than a week!

i feel so blessed right now.  i’m so thankful for my awesome family that has helped me so much in the past week, and i love my dear friends that i met in college.  i will miss them so much.  i’m looking forward to getting to know my new neighborhood and beginning work,  and i should be able to update the blog a lot more often as well!  (that’s the plan, anyway.  haha)

xoxo

end of the year events!

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i know it’s been ages since i’ve posted, but i will admit that i have wanted to savor every last bit of being a college student and have been busy doing exactly that!  most of my time is being spent with my dear friends – laying out at the pool, having wine-and-Jenga nights, going to end-of-the-year events, bar-hopping on northgate, studying for my one and only final of the semester.  (tough life, huh?!)  but now that all my classes and schoolwork and exams are over and done with, it has finally hit me – i’ll be leaving the little college town that i’ve grown to love so much over the four years that i’ve been here, and even more significantly, many of the people in it who make it so special.  it’s a lot harder than i ever thought it would be.

but i am very excited to see what direction my life will take these next few years, and i can’t wait to move to dallas and start my job!  i know i’m going to have a great time.

in the meantime, though, i will be living up my last days before graduation!  a big ol’ loud-and-proud Aggie WHOOP to that!!

and of course i wouldn’t post this without some pictures!  so here are a few of the events i’ve been to lately:

rec sports banquet with thomas.

{with my friend ciara}

ring dance with kyle.

and delta gamma formal with jonathan.

{all those lovely delta g’s!}

{with my friend lindy}

i was lucky to have such handsome men to take as dates, and more importantly, they were sweet, charming, and so much fun.  and who doesn’t want someone like that on your arm?! ;)

the update.

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a lot has happened since i last blogged, and i’m sorry for being so out of touch!  here’s the update…

: :  i had my second-to-last test of college.  unbelievable.

: :  i gave a presentation in my food seminar class on food styling.  and i actually enjoyed it!

: :  we’ve had beautiful weather lately [for the most part].  here are a few photos i took at wolf pen creek park one evening this week:

: :  i went home for an interview last weekend and left my charger at home, andddd…

: :  …on that same day, my laptop charger died.  so yes, i was freaking out.  this was NOT the week i wanted to be out of touch with the world.  lucky for me, i have two super sweet roommates whose devices have the same chargers!  [my phone charger came in the mail on wednesday thanks to my parents, but i ordered my new laptop charger on sunday and it still isn't here. :(  i'm getting frustrated...]  but i did survive the week!

: :  went to an old favorite, blue baker, yesterday for lunch with my delta gamma family [yep, i'm in a sorority.  new fact about jessica].  i feel so old now that i have a great-grand-little-sister!  here’s a picture of the four of us from last semester, in our typical sorority attire (!):

anyway, it was probably one of our last times to have a family dinner together, since i’m graduating in less than 3 weeks!  we had such a fun time – i love these girls so much, and we have a lot of great memories together.  of course, i wouldn’t forget to take a picture of my lunch – i got a 9″ neapolitan pizza, which was delightful.  i had been craving pizza this week for some reason, and the best part is, i have leftovers for today!

…AND, i saved the best news for last:

: :  i got a job!!!!!!!!  it’s actually an internship – i’ll be the food supply chain intern for brinker international; you know, the company that owns chili’s?  but i’m just happy to know what i’ll be doing, and the opportunity for a full-time position with the company after the internship seems promising.  they told me that every day will be different [which makes me extremely happy] and that they really want to expose me to all different areas of the company.  i start may 21st, and the internship is in north dallas, so i’m going to be living with my roommate now [who also has an internship in dallas] at the village.  i. can’t. wait.

so my life is finally starting to fall into place, and i’m pretty much coasting now until graduation.  and i’m looking forward to some exciting events coming up, so stay tuned!

SBXII: Documented by Food

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wanna know what i did for my last spring break of college?

…i spent a little time in lots of places – at home in mansfield; in austin; in dallas; in libertyville, illinois; in houston; and in college station

…i hung out with my family and also visited my friend angela

…but mostly, i ate.

lots and lots of good food.

from start to finish, it was one yummy meal after another.  i didn’t plan it like that, but that’s just kind of the way it turned out.  and being the self-proclaimed foodie that i am, i’d say it was quite a fabulous way to spend my break!

so to sum up sb 2012, here’s a collection of photos of the treats i indulged in over the course of the week:

anddd now it’s time to hit the gym!

fuego

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fuego tortillo grill  is definitely a favorite among texas a&m students and one of the best taco joints in town.  open 24 hours a day, it’s the perfect place to satisfy a case of the midnight munchies or an any-time “i want tacos NOW” craving.  (happens to me a lot.  don’t judge me.)  everyone raves about their breakfast tacos, but the all-time best thing to order on the menu is the rotisserie chicken taco (topped with a huge dollop of fabulously fresh handmade guacamole if you’re into that.  i definitely am).  now, to start off, i’m not really much of a chicken eater, but this taco is to die for.  it is so moist and flavorful and juicy; i honestly have never tasted chicken like this.  ever.

once they bring out that divine tortilla-wrapped wonder, you go to the condiment bar, where you can dress up your taco with lettuce, pico de gallo, jalapeños, salsa, cilantro, salsa verde, sour cream, onions, limes, lemons, hot sauces galore, or just about anything else you can think of.  you could pretty much order the same taco every day for like a month but make it taste different every time, just because of the huge assortment of toppings.  they also have this really good cucumber salad – i always get a plate of that stuff.

because they’re so big, one taco plus some cucumber salad is usually enough for me.  BUT if you’re still hungry, their white and creamy queso, made with pepper jack cheese and roasted poblano peppers, is a lovely indulgence.

anyway, i’m a huge fuego fan, if you couldn’t tell.  if you’re ever in the bryan-college station area, i’d advise you to stop in and have a taste for yourself!

The Village Cafe

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My new favorite place in downtown Bryan is The Village Cafe, which I tried last weekend for the first time.  This little eatery emphasizes everything local – local ingredients from local farmers, local art, and local music.  They share their space with the Art 979 Gallery, and the beautiful, vibrant works can be admired throughout the restaurant.  Live music can be enjoyed on weekend evenings, and they even have Salsa Night on Wednesdays!  (On my to-do list!)  As for food, The Village serves breakfast, sandwiches, soups, and salads.   Everything is fresh and organic, and the coffee is glorious (from what I hear).  I ordered the 100th Monkey Sandwich and Tomato Soup, and they did not disappoint!

{Bold, bright colors}

{Comfy chairs}

{Mural: “Dance is the hidden language of the soul”}

{Piano}

{100th Monkey: Turkey and roast beef with raspberry chipotle mayo, avocado, tomato, lettuce, roasted red onion, and goat cheese on whole wheat bread}

{Sandwich + Chunky tomato soup}

{Outdoor seating…always a plus}

I also discovered that they have great fresh-squeezed mimosas, as I went there again on Sunday with my friend Thomas!

{Mini-brunch, taken with my Android phone camera}

Will be going back soon!

Reflecting on 2011

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Because my family didn’t get home from visiting relatives in Chicago until New Year’s Eve, it wasn’t until the last few days that I’ve had the chance to reflect on 2011 and the events that made it what it was.  Here are a few things that stand out:

: : I turned 21 in February…finally legal!

   {Celebration champagne with the parents!}

: : To celebrate my birthday, I went to Austin with some friends and experienced the famous – or infamous – 6th Street for the first time.  It was wild, to say the least!

 {Not pictured are two of my guy friends who came along as well}

: : My sweet brother Mike turned 18 years old in March – another milestone birthday.

 {Happy Birthday to Brother Bear!}

: : I went to Scottsdale, AZ to my friend Laura’s beautiful family summer home in the desert with her parents and one of our other friends for Spring Break.  We had an absolute blast!

 {Enjoying the pool in our own little oasis!}

: : We watched our women’s basketball team BTHO Notre Dame to win the national championship this year!  Those girls got some game!  Way to go Aggies!

{Photo from SportsDayDFW, www.dallasnews.com}

: : My parents and grandparents made the trip to College Station to see me get my Aggie ring – and dunk it!

 {Ring Dunk – Not pictured!!}

 

: : In May my parents celebrated their 25th anniversary – still going strong!  Mike and I are so lucky to have them as role models.

{Still living happily ever after!}

: : Mike graduated from high school and had the privilege of speaking at his graduation ceremony to over a thousand people (I can’t help but brag on him a little!).

 {Saying the Pledge of Allegiance.}

: : I moved to the fabulous city of Milwaukee for the summer…

 {Gorgeous view}

…And interned with Taste of Home magazine as a food stylist!  What a neat opportunity that was!

 {The start of a big adventure}

: : My lovely Aunt Carol (or Aunt Whoa as we call her) married Greg in July (on the same day as both his and her birthday!) and is now living her fairytale romance.  We couldn’t be happier for her.

 {The adorable couple with my mom, the Maid of Honor, in the background.}

: : In August, I started my last fall semester at Texas A&M, while my brother started his first semester at University of Texas, my rival school!  Luckily, we’ve managed to stay friends. ;)

 {Hook ‘Em vs. Gig ‘Em!}

: : I learned how to roll sushi when I started working at How Do You Roll in September!  Preparing sushi was awesome, but I have no photos of me in my work uniform, for a good reason!  Let’s just say brown T-shirt + hair in a bun + brown baseball cap = not Jessica’s best look…haha.

: : I went to my first A&M vs. UT game, which happened to also be my last football game as a student and the last “Lonestar Showdown” game, at least for a while.  It was bittersweet, and although we didn’t win, we played a great game.

 {My friends and I tailgating before the game}

: : I’ve enjoyed my last holiday break as a college student…

 {The fam}

…And received a pretty sweet Christmas gift from my wonderful family!

 {Photos from my new Nikon coming soon!}

2011 was also the year that I discovered Pinterest, my laptop got a fresh start (thanks to my brother), and I started a blog!  Best of all, through all of these memorable experiences and many, many other less memorable-yet-still-equally-important events, I did a lot of growing up this year.  On a sadder note, my dad’s uncle passed away a couple weeks ago, thus explaining the chaos in our lives these past few weeks.  He was eighty-nine years old and was not in pain, and we’re thankful that he lived a long and happy life.  Events like these serve as reminders for us to live in the moment and savor each day, each year that we have.

Looking forward to 2012, I feel mixed emotions of excitement and anxiousness, of nostalgia and excitement.  I have no idea what’s in store for me, no idea where I’ll be in six months, yet I have faith that wherever it is, it will be where I’m supposed to be.  I’ll remember the good times I had with my friends and family, and I’ll venture out into the world to make new memories.  That being said, I’m ready to enjoy today and see what the year has in store for me!  Cheers to 2012!

Thankful

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Happy Thanksgiving!  My laptop has been messing up (it’s kicking me off the internet every time I try to open a new tab or go to a new site) so this is going to be short and sweet until I can get that problem fixed.  This Thanksgiving I stayed in College Station to cheer loud for Texas A&M at our last game against UT, which will be at 7pm tonight.  It’s kind of our last hurrah with UT since we’ll be in the SEC next year, and it’s actually my first time to ever attend one of our big rivalry Thanksgiving games versus Texas, so I’m pretty pumped.  Not to mention that it’s my last football game as a Texas A&M student (tears!).  The time went by so fast!  Needless to say, the game is going to be crazy, as are the loyal Aggie fans as we cheer on our beloved team.  The 12th Man is going to be a powerful force today – I can feel it.  I’m excited to see how it goes.

{Last year when we rushed the field after the Nebraska game}

Tomorrow morning I’ll be heading home to have Thanksgiving dinner with my family.  I’ve missed them and can’t wait to spend time with them, and they’re the sweetest to postpone Thanksgiving so that I could go to the game!  I know there’s a fabulous meal to look forward to, and best of all is the company that I’ll enjoy it with.

God has blessed me with such wonderful people who fill my life with love and laughter.  I’m so lucky to have such amazing friends and family, as well as my faith, my education, and the many opportunities the Lord has given me.  I don’t want to ever take these things for granted.

I hope everyone is having a lovely day full of family, friends, food, and football!  WHOOP!

And GIG ‘EM AGGIES!

 

Back in Aggieland

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Between moving from Milwaukee back to Texas (driving), having one day to spend with my mom before I go back to college, and starting sorority recruitment, I haven’t had a moment to blog.  I’m exhausted so I’ll post more later.  As a quick note, I’m finally moved back in to my College Station house (well, somewhat), and while I do miss this:

…I must say that I’m happy to be back here:

There’s just something about Aggieland that will always feel like home to me.