Good Eats - Lorenzo's

The birthday boy had a craving for a slice of Lorenzo's, so a few of us made a 10 pm run down to South Street for a couple slices of their infamous pizza...delicious!  What's interesting is that they DON'T allow any toppings on their individual slices, their pizza is that good with just your basic ingredients: dough, cheese, and sauce....and if you dare to ask for a topping, be prepared to be treated like the soup nazi from Seinfeld!

Lorenzo and Sons Pizza Inc

305 South St

Philadelphia, PA 19147

(215) 627-4110

http://www.lorenzoandsonspizza.com/home.html

And if you're wondering why I'm writing a post about pizza close to 2 o'clock in the morning....that would be thanks to a lack of sleep secondary to the scary stories my friends decided to tell tonight....I just need to remember: Jesus always wins! =P
 
Good Night!

2010 International Philadelphia Flower Show

We got an early taste of spring while attending the Flower Show this year.  This year's theme was "Passport to the World". The flowers and arrangements were of course beautiful, and the frangrance was even more divine....

                                               

Remind me to live here :)

http://www.theflowershow.com/ShowInfo/index.html

Good Eats - Penang

Dinner Tonight: Malaysian Cuisine in Chinatown

                     

HOURS: 7 days/week (11:30AM - 1:00AM)

ADDRESS: 117 N. 10th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107

TELEPHONE: (215) 413-2531 & (215) 413-2532

http://www.penangusa.com/index.html

Quotable Quotes

If you found a cure for cancer, wouldn't it be inconceivable to hide it from the rest of mankind? How much more inconceivable to keep silent the cure from the eternal wages of death.

— Dave Davidson

Don't Stop Believin'

TGIF!
It's been a long day to end a long week,
and I'm more than happy to be sitting at home this Friday night relaxing to a retro favorite  . . .



Does anyone else get a rush when they hear this song??  I don't know what it is, but I always do.

What makes you cringe?

I’ve been following the Olympics pretty religiously over the past week. I find myself coming home from work, plopping myself on the couch, and rooting the Olympians on as they do their thing. I love listening to the cheesy back stories they do on the athletes minutes before they’re about to race…being reminded over and over again of all the years of training coming down to this one moment. The bell rings, the race starts, the athlete begins to cruise along beautifully…and then it happens: a fall, a simple misstep that leads to a horrible crash. And what do I do?

I cringe.
I cringe at their pain.
I cringe at the disappointment they must feel in themselves.

Do you ever find yourself cruising through life and then taking a misstep? Are there moments in your life you look back on and just cringe? Do you have flashbacks to your past and think “Oh God, What the heck was I thinking?”

No matter how smart or logical you think you are, no matter how much you’ve “trained” yourself to act and be a certain way, there are those moments where your words and deeds don’t match the perceived reality of yourself.

Here is the reality: We are all sinners.

I am a sinner.

Let me say that again……I am a sinner.

Here’s the catch, the beauty I really see in that statement:

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. -2 Corinthians 12: 9

I’m glad I look back on moments in my life and wince, because I know the Lord is convicting me. He’s convicting me of my weaknesses, of the fact that I am a sinner and even more of my need for His grace. His grace reconciles me, not my works or lack thereof, but His grace, that’s it, that’s all. I would be more concerned if I didn’t feel the weight of my sins, not as a burden to bear, but as a reminder that He needs to be ever present for any hope of transformation. It’s not enough to know his Word, for even the devil could spit out the Lord’s words in verbatim…the Word has to penetrate, penetrate enough to cause change.

So unlike those athletes whose careers may be over after one horrible fall, our lives don’t have to be defined by our missteps. In fact the harder we “fall”, the greater the conviction that nothing can save us except for Christ…

Because Christ’s grace is sufficient…

Christ’s grace is sufficient for me….

Anytime I look back and cringe, I need to remember…

Christ’s grace is sufficient.

Good Eats - NYC Edition

Some good eats from Valentine's Day weekend in NYC...
Saturday Dinner:

MXco

1491 Second Ave. at 78th St,

New York, NY 10075 

212-249-6080

and a fabulous Sunday Brunch:

Penelope

159 Lexington Avenue

New York, NY 10016-8154

(212) 481-3800

My meal: Pumpkin waffles with apple butter.....soooo good!

http://www.penelopenyc.com/

Valentine's Day Weekend

I’m going to be bold here…
And mention Valentine’s Day…
As an unmarried Indian woman in her 30’s…(please sense my sarcasm here =P)

All kidding aside it was a great weekend spent with my best friends in NYC. We started off Valentine’s day with church at Redeemer Presbyterian and hearing a sermon by their senior pastor Tim Keller. I’ve been listening to his sermons online so it was a great pleasure to hear him in person for the first time.

His message was entitled “The Mocking and the Spitting” based off of Isaiah 50:4-11 and was the third sermon in a series called “The Songs of the Servant.” After his sermon which focused heavily on the torture of Christ before crucifixion he says (and I’m paraphrasing here) : “Don’t think I forgot about Valentine’s Day…..who else would love you enough to be tortured and killed just for you.” What a great reminder of a love with absolutely no limits especially on that day.

Quotable Quotes

"Sometimes you put walls up not to keep people out, but to see who cares enough to break them down."

- quoted from the soon to be famous Grace J. (who got it from a FB friend, who got it from ??... ultimately from Unknown)

The Road to Reward

A snippet from this week's The Weekly Walk :

You and I have got to conquer. Jesus said, "The one who endures to the end will be saved" (Mark 13:13). People who aren't really saved give up and quit. The truth is, we will all experience tough seasons in our lives. We will experience hard weeks or even a rough month or year. But we get moving again. Endurance doesn't save us, but it does prove our salvation. We have to finish strong. We have to pick up the pace as we get older. A real Christian says, "I love Him more and more. 'I press on' (Philippians 3:14) to be sanctified day after day, growing in Christ." That's the life of a believer - one who conquers. Conquerors get the rewards. Rewards will not go to the quitter. They will not go to the "I-tried-it-and-couldn't-do-it" type of people, nor to the "faith-was-just-a-phase-I-went-through" kind of people. All those people? Not conquerors.

"The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life." The book of life is the volume containing the names of all the people alive on the face of the earth. If they die outside of the Gospel, without receiving the gift of eternal life that is found in Christ - their names are blotted out of the book. They're not going to live forever...

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow . . .

One for the record books...

It’s the second biggest snow storm of all time in Philly (28.5 inches).
It’s the second major snow storm of this winter season.
It’s the second time we’ve had to shovel about 2 feet of snow.
It’s the second time we’ll be stuck indoors for 2 days straight.

I love the snow, but I SECOND the decision to end the winter weather already and bring on the springtime warmth and sunshine….one can dream, can’t they =)

PS - Oh and I forgot, there’s another major snowstorm scheduled for this Tuesday…..eek!

“Can I ask you for some advice?”

Where do you seek wisdom from? Where do you go to get advice?

I’m thinking about this because I’m half-way thru the book of Proverbs and I’m amazed at how this book gives wisdom on basically every facet of human life…

From how to deal with finances, to courtship, to sexual ethics, to disciplining children, to how to speak, act, think, how to labor and how to love, how to choose your friends, how to obtain joy, on finding contentment….and the list goes on and on (and this is only from the first half of Proverbs.) I often make the Bible out to be such a “mystical” piece of literature, when it’s much more of a “let’s get our hands dirty with the nitty-gritty of everyday life” type of book.

Now I know that God should be the ultimate from whom we seek wisdom, but let’s face it, when something is going on in our lives it’s natural for us to seek advice from the people that surround us. A good friend once told me, be very careful who and what you listen to, especially when your heart and mind are in a vulnerable state. I don’t think I thought much of it at the time, but recently I’m seeing the validity of that statement.

As I’ve grown up, I’ve experienced the importance of surrounding myself with people that speak God’s truth. I find it very easy to be swayed and seduced by the ways of the world and I have found that in those moments when I’m not thinking clearly and looking for direction, the words and prayers of a person rooted in Christ is the ultimate blessing.

And you know who those people are and aren’t. You know who to approach to get sympathy, or who to see when you want someone to revel in your anger, or who to find when you’re looking for affirmation, but do you know who to go to when you’re really seeking the Truth?

Those are the people I want to go to and ask, “Can I ask you for some advice?”

Say - John Mayer

An old favorite I currently have blaring . . .



 . . . I just love John Mayer

Groundhog's Day

In my 4th yr rotations, the stars were aligned and I happened to be working out in the boondocks of Punxsutawney on Groundhog’s Day one year. I was kinda excited to be around Gobbler’s Knob because apparently they celebrate this "holiday" hardcore and it’s considered a BIG deal in that city.

Can I just tell you, the whole thing was a bit weird…a little freaky actually. When I had some down-time that day, I stepped out of the office to see all the hoopla. It was like a carnival atmosphere in frigid cold weather complete with ice sculptures, carnival booths, people with groundhog’s hats and big flasks of beer walkin’ around drunk and happy….all for a rodent!

I guess I can’t blame them, there’s not much else going for Punxsutawney, PA. =P

So the prediction was:

Happy Groundhog's Day!

S-l-o-w-i-n-g Down

It's been a busy week....and sometimes I come to the end of a week and wonder, "How did I get here?"

How is it already Sunday?
How is it already the end of January?
How is it that it's actually 2010 already!?! (I could of swore I was just listening to Prince's Tonight I'm gonna party like it's 1999 and wondering what that would be like ...sheesh!)
Where did this week, month, year, decade go?

Sometimes I just need to slow down...not necessarily in what I'm physically doing, but in my mind and thoughts.  My mind has a tendency to race through life, and when I do that, I run the risk of missing all the great things happening along the way.  I need to slow down enough to really savor the many moments that make me smile and pay attention to the things that make living this life so worth-while.

Slow Dance

Have you ever watched kids on a merry-go-round,

Or listened to rain slapping on the ground?

Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight,

Or gazed at the sun fading into the night?

You better slow down,

Don't dance so fast,

Time is short,

The music won't last.

Do you run through each day on the fly?

When you ask "How are you?", do you hear the reply?

When the day is done, do you lie in your bed,

With the next hundred chores running through your head?

You better slow down,

Don't dance so fast,

Time is short,

The music won't last.

Ever told your child, we'll do it tomorrow,

And in your haste, not see his sorrow?

Ever lost touch, let a friendship die,

'Cause you never had time to call and say "Hi"?

You better slow down,

Don't dance so fast,

Time is short,

The music won't last.

When you run so fast to get somewhere,

You miss half the fun of getting there.

When you worry and hurry through your day,

It's like an unopened gift...thrown away.

Life isn't a race,

So take it slower,

Hear the music,

Before your song is over.

- David L. Weatherford

Good Eats - Bistro 7

So it's restaurant week in Philadelphia! That means time to hit up the really expensive restaurants for some good food at a reasonable price :) I wasn't able to get reservations to a restaurant I've been trying to go to for awhile now, but Bistro 7 came in as a good substitute....a small intimate restaurant with simple, tasty cuisine.

BISTRO 7

7 North 3rd Street

Philadelphia, PA 19106-4506

(215) 931-1560

http://www.bistro7restaurant.com/

"Bistro 7 is an elegant, food-first American BYO bistro located in the heart of Philadelphia’s historic Old City section. Chef/Owner Michael O’Halloran (formerly of Fork and the White Dog Café) relies on a network of local, organic farmers for the pristine ingredients that form the basis for his eclectic American bistro dishes, and the ever changing menu reflects the best that the season has to offer"

Adele - Chasing Pavements

Listening to some real soulful music tonight. . .
Love the sound of her voice and the song:

Patient Encounters

A couple days ago on a busy workday, I had a 23 yr-old patient come in for a routine eye exam.

He looked a little rough around the edges, didn’t crack a smile, and clearly wasn’t interested in engaging in any sort of conversation when I attempted to make small talk.

About halfway thru the exam he suddenly speaks and asks,
“How old are you anyway?”

I look up from writing my notes, probably appearing slightly annoyed by the question and hesitantly answer, "I’m 30."

At which he says, “you look like you’re 23 or something.”

I started laughing…..he still didn‘t crack a smile.

At a time where I’m feeling every bit my age, and contemplating the expectations I have and haven’t met in my life, I needed to hear that on that day.

Yes, age is but a number...and lately I’m being reminded that it’s not about HOW LONG I’ve been living on this earth, but HOW WELL I’m living on this earth.

Didn't think this kid would give me something to think about, but he did.

Nice kid.

Remembering 2 years ago today...

I'm waking up with the sun shining brightly through my window on this beautiful Saturday morning, and I think...what could be more fitting of a tribute than a beautiful day for a beautiful man that we lost 2 years ago today.

A loving man who truly came to serve his church.
A man who personified the words humbleness and graciousness.
A man of few words, but of larger more poignant actions.
A man who loved and led his family by example.
A man, who in is his short time in Philadelphia, impacted lives more than he probably ever imagined.

As painful as that time was when we lost him suddenly, I thank God for allowing us to come across a soul who so clearly loved the Lord.

Houston Trip / Good Eats

It’s been a great past few days visiting with some dear friends in Houston along with 2 friends from Chicago and New Jersey. It’s hard to believe it’s been 5 years since we graduated from optometry school and that the 4 of us (our little grad school crew) are all doing our different things living in 4 different states. But despite time, distance, husbands, kids, etc., we have remained as close as ever and have consistently met up once a year to catch up…and when we do it’s just like old times.

So although we had all these great plans to see the sights of Houston, a lot of times we would end up just sitting, eating, and talking for hours, which is usually what happens when you get 4 girls together who haven’t seen each other in awhile! It also fit in nicely with our new mantra in life which we decided was “we just want to be fat and happy”…forget about this whole optometry business…haha :)

So that brings me to the food in Houston, good places we ate at and worth mentioning are :

Uptown Sushi

Zushi Fusion Cuisine

1131 Uptown Park Boulevard

Houston, TX 77056-3227

(713) 871-1200

http://www.uptown-sushi.com/

We also walked around Rice Village, a cute artsy part of town, and had a great lunch here before heading off to the airport:

La Madeleine

Country French Café

Rice Village

6205 Kirby

Houston TX, 77005

713-942-7081

http://www.lamadeleine.com/

Good times!