Brazil, China or Argentina?

I submitted my application for study abroad during the Fall 2011 term and am currently playing the waiting game. My first choice is Sao Paulo, Brazil for so many reasons: the emergence of its economy, the culture, the food, music, beaches, etc.

China would be quite interesting because it's poised to overtake the US as the number 1 economy in our lifetime. I'd love to learn how to successfully interact with Chinese businesspeople. There's also a spiritual component to studying and living in such an old world that intrigues me as well.

Argentina would be a CHALLENGE since the instruction will be at the graduate level in Spanish. My spanish is good but I'd feel a bit inadequate in the midst of such talent. However, if that is indeed my destination I'll certainly make the most of it and emerge stronger than ever.

Crossing my fingers for Brazil!

Full Time IMBA @ Pepperdine

So I quit my job and transferred into the International MBA program from Pepperdine's Fully Employed MBA program. It's completely different in that I actually have time to study! My monday's are fairly busy. My day starts at 6:15 where I commute to Malibu from Hancock Park in time for my Accounting class (8-12). From there I work out at the gym on lower campus for a couple of hours (right now my focus is cardio and getting rid of these love handles, ha!). Then I get some studying in before I go to my Business Law class with Dr. Baumgartner....The BEST professor ever. I am literally on the edge of my seat from 6-10pm. Maybe it's because I considered law school at one point and am fascinated by how laws can be interpreted. Tuesday and Wednesday I'm off but get in some good studying and workouts. Sometimes I go to the beach. Thursday mornings are spent with my Economics professor. Another interesting class that serves as a tremendous base asset in my graduate education. My 3 and a half day weekends are a bit misleading since I have two classes to study for on the coming Monday. The SECOND term in the trimester is going to be veeeery busy. But it's only 14 more months!

The most gangster breed of dog..........ever.

Ei Deh Shoma Mobarak!

Happy Nooruz/Nowruz/Nawruz or however else it's spelled!!

For all of you indecisive LA diners...you're welcome.

So I decided to put together a list of my personal favorite restaurants in LA based on the following criteria: quality of food, price and experience factor.

(in no particular order)

MEXICAN FOOD: El Compadre - Hollywood - ok so this place has the best margaritas and they have a live ranchero band that plays so you kind of feel like you're in Mexico for a hot second.

ETHIOPIAN FOOD: Messob - Fairfax - you can sit in these traditional huts while u eat with your hands. I recommend my personal favorite, Doro tibs or quanta fir fir.

PERUVIAN FOOD: Los Balcones del Peru - Hollywood - if you haven't tried peruvian food you are missing out. TRY IT. End of story. Ambience is ehhh but the food is GREAT. Try the Lomo Saltado.

RANDOM FOOD: Luna Park - Mid Wilshire - try the goat cheese fondue and the pizza is excelente. Ambience is dope but make sure you get reservations. They even have trippy original paintings that look awesome after two or three cocktails.

HEALTHY FOOD: Bloom - Mid City - Smoothies, cucumber water, turkey burgers, wraps and the best french fries if you are tired of your diet.

GREEK FOOD: Papa Cristo - Near Downtown - Greek salad is my favorite with a lamb and chicken skewer...with some yogurt. (salivating)

JAPANESE FOOD: Shabu Shabu Yaaaaa - - Hollywood/Highland - Novel Concept: Pay to cook your own food! j/k It's a good restaurant. Trust me.

SOUL FOOD: Philips BBQ - Leimert or Adams - Hot links, short ribs and "cone bread wit a lil bit a gray-veh".

PERSIAN FOOD: Pars Persian Cuisine - LAX - Not the best location OR ambience but the best persian food in LA in my experience (and i've been to quite a few spots)....but if you're looking for ambience then go to Shah Abbas (la cienega/san vicente).

BREAKFAST FOOD: Cafe Verona - La Brea/2nd - Think sunday morning brunch. I get the turkey sausage, and either an omelette or the french toast. Sooo good.

Again, you're ALLLLL welcome!

This only adds to me hating V-day!

Ok, so let me preface this by saying I should have paid off my parking tickets a long time ago. With that said, about a week and a half ago I did pay them off thru the DMV, got the updated registration and all that. I wake up on Valentines Day..its a sunny day, nice and all..bout ready to get my day started and I walk out to my car in the process of being BOOTED! You should have seen the horror in my eyes but I thought my smooth talking would get out of it. WRONG. Even after I showed her proof that the tickets were paid off she said, "well my system shows different and since I already started it my supervisor said I have to finish the job." And since Monday is presidents day I have to wait till Tuesday to get this stupid boot off my car. Unbelievable...you couldn't write this type of bad luck.

Costa Rica, Doug, bifocals and bungee jumping.

Ok, so several years ago I studied abroad in Costa Rica. We got a group together to go bunjee jumping off of this old, rusty bridge. It was a gloomy day and very wet. I went first and yes it was very scary, but I'd do it again. Eventually its my boy Doug's turn to jump. So he says, "hold my bifocals dogg, I'll be back." He steps up to the plank and because he's SOOOO blind he can't figure out where the edge of the plank is. We start counting down and he gets nervous and when the count hits zero he jumped straight up, slips on the plank WELL before the edge and hits his shins. We were cracking up laughing and I just so happened to catch it on film. Ahhh good times.
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