All posts in: San Jose

07 Aug 2016

Monday Night Workshop

You guys, I finally did that thing that I’ve been putting off since January. A couple of weeks ago, Jessie and I finally committed to going to Monday Night Workshop – a 2 hour hip hop class in San Jose from 9:30-11:30 PM. For years, since I moved here, I started researching which places I should go to and what class might be a good fit for me. I’ve been following Monday Night Workshop on Instagram for awhile and was pretty sure that I had found the one. Lucky for me, Jessie, my co-worker had also heard about it too and had been interested in trying it out. So back in March, we put it on the calendar. But for whatever reason, kept putting it off – things kept coming up, we had to work late that night, we were lazy, it was a Monday, the excuses were never ending.

Growing up, I always wanted to take hip hop classes. It wasn’t feasible for me as a kid and when I got to college, I started going to my university’s gym where classes were being taught, but similar to now – it was hard for me to remain committed. I just wanted to get really good, but how can you be good if you stop showing up? Monday Night Workshop is late and Mondays are our busiest days so I knew it was going to be a struggle! I had nerves the morning of class and because of this – savaged my body with an Egg McMuffin and hashbrowns that morning to calm myself. I wanted to take this class for a few reasons:

I wanted to get good. I wanted to continue going and work my way up towards becoming better
This was the hobby that I always wanted and it wasn’t too late for me to take it on. I thought it would be both fun and relaxing
Dancing isn’t easy; you need to focus and you have to pay attention to the details (things that push me every day in my work) and I wanted that challenge

So this class is no joke. Everyone here is as good as a Jabbawockee and while everyone was a 9-10, I felt like I was a 4. I probably only got every 3rd or 4th step which made me insecure at first, but then I quickly recognized that it’s not like everyone comes out of the womb being a good dancer. It took work and I’ve been out of it for years so while I can pick up some things, I shouldn’t have expected that I could go to one class after a long time and be as good as everyone else. The choreography, the song, the instructor – all met my expectations. It was exactly what I had wanted, but 9:30 PM for a start time is rough after a long working day. Everyone was so talented though and I think that’s something I enjoyed watching. This kind of dance is beautiful and mesmerizing to me. Would I go back? Probably, but I’m still a little bit shy to be doing this in front of everyone else so I think if I can make the time for it, I’d like to set up just a couple of private lessons before heading back. I’m glad we finally took the plunge!

If you’re interested in seeing the piece we learned – here is a video of our instructor Deziree doing the choreography to it at the end of class. She’s amazing. The song is PARTYNEXTDOOR – Persian Rugs.

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20 Sep 2015

Bay Area Eats:

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I’m not even lying to you. As I’m writing this post, I was thinking about what I was going to have for dinner tonight and thought about just aborting this post and going to get myself a Poki Bowl! Then I remembered, I couldn’t leave in the middle of the Emmy’s Red Carpet. It will just have to wait. Poki Bowl just opened in San Jose earlier this summer and I made a stop here about two months ago after work for a dinner date with a friend. When I arrived, the line was out the door. There wasn’t any seating inside or outside because it was so crowded and I’ll admit, I was a little bit nervous that I wouldn’t be able to order before they closed. Was it worth the wait though? Of course. You can order in two different sizes and because this was my first time, I stayed safe and got the regular. For this bowl you get three scoops of fish! WHAT?! I chose a scoop each of tuna, salmon, and yellowtail – all my favorites and a side of crab meat, avocado and spicy mayo over rice. It’s a hearty meal so if you eat here, you better make sure you come hungry.

Style

20 Aug 2015

How Do We Get These Walls

Black sleeveless blouse – Madewell / Back pants – Uniqlo / Booties – Munro via Nordstrom / Purse – Vince Camuto

My friend Sandeep just returned from an extravagant European vacation so after her and I caught up over a Thai dinner a couple of weeks ago, we decided to venture out over to the nearby Santana Row. I didn’t think that we were going to be able to find a nice backdrop for a photo, but this was a hidden gem. Doesn’t it look like we travel really really far away to some place amazing instead of an outdoor shopping mall?! I’m donning my usual uniform this summer – mostly all black and that wavy hair that I just can’t stop spending an extra 15-20 minutes on every morning.

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29 Jun 2015

Katie in the Kitchen

About a week and a half ago, my team took an offsite to Savory Kitchen in San Jose for a cooking competition and an early dinner! I’ve been on a few offsites with my team now, but this was probably the most fun. Plus, we’ve grown a lot in the last year so there are a lot more people to get to know. I wasted no time putting on my apron and promptly asking for a chef’s hat so that we could take this picture!

Our challenge? To construct a delicious flatbread. My team wasn’t very good at listening to instructions so instead of making one flatbread like every one else did, we made two different kinds. Maybe we thought we were bettering our chances, but it’s likely that we just misheard the instructions. Secondly, it is very hard to make a good flatbread with a glass of wine in hand. Even though our team lost, I was pretty happy with how tasty our flatbreads were. I would probably eat it again.

Currently Drinking:

I’ve already been to 85C in San Jose three times now in one week. I’d say we have a problem. I was actually planning on writing a post this week about the different ways that I’ve been saving my money lately and one of those things is because I have stopped drinking Starbucks every day on the reg and instead drinking the Blue Bottle Coffee that is now provided at work. I had a good thing going for me for the last couple of months… until this past week. On Kevin’s last day, we went to 85C for breakfast and I was caught in a whirlwind of delicious and warm pastries, a variety of desserts I could only dream of behind glass cases, and best of all – the sea salt iced coffee. This thing is heaven. I typically don’t drink coffee on weekends because I’m not working as hard and don’t need it, but I found myself making the drive to 85C on Saturday AND Sunday just so I could get this iced coffee. It’s all downhill from here…

I would drink this everyday if I could. There goes that whole saving money thing I established.

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01 Jan 2013

Happy New Year!

Welcome to 2013 y’all!

Your girl is back.

I hope all of you had a wonderful and safe holidays this season. I spent the past four days adventuring in the bay area and for the first time ever – celebrating New Year’s Eve in another city – San Francisco! I’ve always loved the area and have been very fortunate this year to have visited three times. It reminds me so much of Seattle, but is also so different and unique at thee same time that I am fully aware that it is just nothing like home.

Boy took me to see Santa Cruz this time around and I loved the beachy vibe that kind of reminded me of a Southern California city. Along the trip, we traveled around San Jose, had a shopping excursion, AND had In N’ Out – my favorite. it was nice to have a little getaway, but I am so happy to return to the comfort of my own home and to be blogging in my office – the corner of my sectional with my Pendleton blanket.

While I was gone, I happened to miss that Kim Kardash and Kanye got pregnant! Thanks Jeanette for informing me! I’ve got the best friends looking out for me while I am disconnected.