Weekend Wrap-Up

Friday: Went to a nice Shabbat in the Sukkah. "Fun Joel" organized this one. I wanted to go to the YABA Sukkah Shabbat but because I was leaving early to pick a friend up at the bus station, I opted for the more casual potluck Shabbat. :) Joel has great friends and great energy, the Shabbat was lovely.

I left to pick my friend up only to find out, when I called her, that she was at the wrong bus stop, which ended up working out just fine.

Saturday: We started by going for some breakfast at Fred 62 where we indulged in the "Hunka Hunka Burnin' Love Pancake" (yes that's the name). This pancake should be illegal stuffed with peanut butter, chocolate chips and bananas, topped with syrup and whipped cream. Y U M :)

We spent the remainder of the day doing a driving tour of LA (sort of). I told my friend we'd see whatever she wanted so we went and walked around Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills for an hour, viewed the La Brea Tar Pits, and drove through Hollywood and the Fairfax area where she "needed" to stop at Canter's Deli for pastries. I suggested waiting and going to a real kosher Jewish bakery, but this was what she had her heart set on. :) Afterwards we ate at one of my new favorite restaurants "Truly Vegan" where we both got soup and shared a wrap...again YUM :)

After a long day we went back to my apartment to relax and freshen up for a get together one of Joel's friends was having. The people there were nice, the beer was good (as it should be), so a relaxing evening was had by all. We finally made it to bed at 3am! I realize when I do this that I am no longer in my twenties and 3am is an evil hour of the morning :)

Sunday: We headed out to an event thrown my Nexus. This is a social group of young professional Jewish people, well and some not so professional I am guessing. We had a bagel brunch and shmooze at the Skirball Museum which I had never been to. We didn't go in and explore the museum but I saw the gift shop which was lovely and where I scored a great deal on a really cool star of david necklace made of glass, silver and rhinestone beads. The charm is round with two circles, one inside the other. There is a small star that spins when the charm moves, in the middle circle, in the outer circle there are about 5 rhinstone beads that move around. It's really cool and there was a small flaw and I got it for 13 dollars!! Half off!! Whoopiiieee!

After the get together, which I have to say, if it wasn't for the location...well...let's just say there are many strange and nebbish Jewish singles my age....where was I? Oh...after the get together my friend, myself and three of the guys at the event that we had met previously, went for lunch.

I brought my friend back to the bus station, which was an adventure in and of itself. My car was on E and we drove around skid row looking for a bus station that wasn't. If you've never been to downtown LA's skid row...don't. It's quite disgusting, dirty, scary, and most significantly, sad. It's an amazing sight.

I rushed to get gas, and then home to change so I could make an appearance at Rabbi Korf's Sukkah Party - Pizza in the Hut. I was there for only 30 minutes because a friend from the event earlier was coming to take me to yet another sukkah party :) We drove a bit of a distance, only to find out that this party was also at a Chabad rabbi's home. That was amusing to me. I had a nice time, the people were friendly and we went out for a very late dessert afterwards. "We" meaning, about 15 people.

All in all I had a great weekend, very busy, not home much. Today I am headed to get my stock of kosher bagels for the week and to try (argh) to get some planning for school done. I go back to work, more or less tomorrow. Tomorrow is a workshop/outing day...it's optional but we get paid to go so I think I'm going. Wednesday I have to go to work for a "pupil free day" which is sort of silly because I have no access to my room until next week anyway (another teacher is using that one). Thursday I will finally have students again; however, I'm told that with a two day week, many kids feel school is optional and I shouldn't plan on teaching anything seriously until Monday. SIGH...it's sort of a gift but still frustrating that kids just think they can decide when they "show up".