another relaxing weekend....

I must admit that I have rarely felt as relaxed and happy in life as a I do now. It's not that I've had such a hard life up until this point but rather that law school & the bar exam really put things into perspective. I just didn't know how good I had it before law school. So what have I been doing with all my new found free time? Friday: DC United soccer game with some friends. Saturday: Pick-up soccer in Georgetown with friends, reading / napping on the national mall, aperetif in Chinatown and watching Milk (great film!). Sunday: girls' day with Anne (see Albany post) who's in town for a conference and then a crepe dinner with Anne and Sohail. I hope you're all enjoying life as well. For those of you in school or under other pressures, don't despair! All that schooling is going to make your life better than ever before once you're done.

Napping on the National Mall

View from the blanket.

I really liked the look of this tree...

Joyeuses Paques!

Happy Easter! Sohail and I didn't have big plans for today (other than eating chocolate) but we did dye eggs and get out the enjoy the cool but still spring weather at the zoo and then on a terrace.

Dyed

DC is in bloom.

A cheetah at the National Zoo

Having aperitif in Woodley Park after a stroll at the zoo

Sohail enjoying the sun

Sworn in

I just got back from a wonderful weekend visiting my friends and former roommates Anne & Ben Ben was my roommate in Costa Rica, then Anne and I lived together in DC and then we all lived together in DC. But I also went to Albany to get sworn in to the bar. I didn't realize I was signing up for two trips to upstate NY when I signed up to take the NY bar but it's been great seeing Anne & Ben on a regular basis. Plus we got lucky with wonderful weather.

Getting sworn in. The main swearing in is in January so this was the more intimate (30 second) version andI really enjoyed it. It's a great feeling to have all that behind me.

One of many dinners with Anne and Ben. These were fish tacos.

Anne & Ben!

Anne & Ben are running a marathon in a few months so this was their preparation for a 17 mile run!!! I joined them for the last 2 miles...

On a girls day of shopping and chatting in Saratoga springs.

And HAPPY NAWROOZ! Last week was Persian New Year (it's always on the first day of spring) and a few weekends before we went to a Nawrooz event at the Freer and Sackler (Asian Art) Galleries. Here are the photos from that day.

Enjoying the spring weather with our friends Kwame and Kim

Police on the National Mall

A Persian guy celebrating Nawrooz

Sohail brushing up on his history

Snow

Monday was the biggest snow DC's gotten this winter and it was wonderful!

I woke up to this view from my window and hoped for a snow day but didn't get one...

But I did see this guy on his skis on my way to work.

And this beautiful view

And the guy with his skis again. Apparently he must work with me since he took off the skis just before crossing to my building.

All day I looked forward to getting home to make a snowman or possibly even go sledding (something I've never done) but by the time I left work it was so cold outside and I wimped out.

Dad & Joanne are in town!

My Dad & Joanne are in town for their spring break (I miss those!) and it's been wonderful. Yesterday we spent the day walking around with Joanne's cousin from Buffalo (who now lives in Baltimore) and her family. Mostly they talked about their childhood growing up Italian American in NY which included great stories about the chickens and goats in the basement, the macaroni making uncle, and the fact that one of their cousins makes her pasta with no eggs - just flour and water. I felt like I was transported to another world. Today it was snowing - much to Dad & Joanne's delight - so we spent the day at the American history museum. It just reopened after being closed for several years but, aside from one exhibit, I really don't see much difference... you're taxpayer dollars at work. At least it was good before it closed and it's still good now. Other than that we've just been catching up (usually over a good meal). I can't believe the weekend's already over.

Joanne & her cousin

Dad looking over this guy's shoulder

Joanne taking a picture of Dorthy's shoes from the Wizard of Oz

Dad & Joanne lamenting that everything they had as kids is now in the museum!

Dad & Joanne having afternoon tea

friends & family... my favorite!

Sohail and I just got back from spending the weekend in New York. We went to see Shirin who was there to help her childhood friend Lisa move but we also managed to make a pitstop in Princeton to see a good friend of mine from law school and some of Sohail's family.

Sohail with his cute little cousin (who knows all the Blue's Clues moves by heart!)

Sohail & his uncle

With Tara, a good friend from law school. Notice how much healthier and happier we look compared to the post on taking the bar...

Sohail and his aunt and cousins

Lady liberty.

Getting to NY. I love this city.

Lisa and Dan who just bought a new condo.

With Shirin in NY. Since graduating, I think we've seen each other far more often in cities / countries where neither of us lives than in our own towns.

Sohail & his sister Sara. He's apparently telling her something of the utmost importance (probably about the eggs benedict...)

update

Wow, so much has happened since the last post... I guess it's a good sign that I'm too busy having fun outside of work to get on the computer. So here's an update in photos:

Christmas in Charleston:

At an Oyster roast with Maman and Derek

Addy & Max having a blast at Folly beach on Christmas Day

Derek at Folly

Visiting Shirin, Cyrus & Sarah

Cyrus & Boston

New Years + 3 weeks in Mexico & Guatemala:

the most beautiful sunset

San Cristobal de las Casas

Looking shocked that there's a waterfall crashing right on our heads...

Happy 2009!!!

Tulum

Obama's Inauguration:

We celebrated with tequila - the same way we celebrated everything else in Mexico...

Watching the inauguration at our hotel

While I cannot show in a photo how much better it's been with Obama, I can say that I feel like I live in a brand new city. I'm now proud rather than fuming when a motorcade drives by, I'm happy almost all the articles in the NY Times are on issues about which I care deeply, and I even caught a glimpse of Michelle Obama as she was driven into the White House one day.

Chinese New Year Parade:

I finally made it to the Chinese New Year parade this year! Post-law school life is wonderful.

Noodles

Girl watching the parade

Unfortunately the festivities were cut short before the huge firecracker display because of a gas leak...

Maman's visit to DC on Presidents' Day weekend:

Celebrating Maman's birthday (about a month late but better late than never!) Just before this we'd been to an amazing Flamenco preformance.

Contra Dancing with Maman & Rebecca

Exploring Capitol Hill

To those of you who are still in school, hang in there. Life gets so much better after graduation! In the meantime, I'll try to be better about posting to fill your 10 minute breaks...