So here’s my list of favorite reads from the last year. These aren’t necessarily the the most high brow literature books, since sometimes my tastes run everywhere from Sci-Fi to contemporary to trashy vampire Young Adult fare. But just the books I enjoyed reading the most.

Cleopatra – A Life
by Stacy Schiff
Brilliant historical account of one of history’s most intelligent, resourceful, and ruthless leaders. And a story that has never really been properly told. As a feminist, this book was a joy to read.
Quote:

“Cleopatra stood at one of the most dangerous intersections in history; that of women and power. Clever women, Euripides had warned hundreds of years earlier, were dangerous.”

Born to Run : A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen
by Christopher McDougall
This book as the potential to be life changing and I think it should be recommended reading for EVERYONE, even if you utterly hate running. Trust me, it’s good.
Quote:

“You ran to eat and to avoid being eaten; you ran to find a mate and impress her, and with her you ran off to start a new life together. You had to love running, or you wouldn’t live to love anything else…We were born to run; we were born because we run.”

Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand
by Helen Simonson
Utterly charming. I could not stop grinning over every dry English quip, each clever turn of words and phrases.
Quote:

“You are a wise man, Major, and I will consider your advice with great care–and humility.” He finished his tea and rose from the table to go to his room. “But I must ask you, do you really understand what it means to be in love with an unsuitable woman?”
“My dear boy,” said the Major. “Is there really any other kind?”

Bel Canto
by Ann Patchett
One of the most lyrical and beautiful books I’ve read in a really long time. Just utterly exquisite and will probably end up as one of my favorite books ever.
Quote:

“Carmen prayed hard. She prayed while standing near the priest in hopes it would give her request extra credibility. What she prayed for was nothing. She prayed that God would look on them and see the beauty of their existence and leave them alone.”

World War Z
by Max Brooks
The BEST zombie book ever. Not that I’ve read a ton, but it was so thorough, almost historical or sociological in its writing. A zombie book with real intelligence.
Quote:

“Most people don’t believe something can happen until it already has. That’s not stupidity or weakness, that’s just human nature.”

Looking for Alaska
by John Green
One of the best Young Adult books I’ve ever read. Just so smart, thoughtful and well written. If I had read this as a teenager, I think it would’ve been like what Vonnegut had been for me at that age, a book that completely helps to shift and shape your world paradigm.
Quote:

“Thomas Edison’s last words were ‘It’s very beautiful over there’. I don’t know where there is, but I believe it’s somewhere, and I hope it’s beautiful.”

“They love their hair because they’re not smart enough to love something more interesting.”

Blind Assassin
by Margaret Atwood
Margaret Atwood is one of my favorite authors, and I think she outdid herself on this one. Even better than my previous favorite, The Handmaid’s Tale. This was like a showcase of truly genius level talent.
Quotes:

“Farewells can be shattering, but returns are surely worse. Solid flesh can never live up to the bright shadow cast by its absence. Time and distance blur the edges; then suddenly the beloved has arrived, and it’s noon with its merciless light, and every spot and pore and wrinkle and bristle stands clear.”

“Women have curious ways of hurting someone else. They hurt themselves instead; or else they do it so the guy doesn’t even know he’s been hurt until much later. Then he finds out. Then his dick falls off.”

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
by Rebecca Skloot
I am not a huge science buff, but despite the plethora of scientific information in this book, I was so hooked. One of those books that I think all people should read, since the history and implications are so far-reaching.
Quote:

“You know what is a myth?” Bobette snapped from the recliner. “Everybody always saying Henrietta Lacks donated these cells. She didn’t donate anything. They took them and didn’t ask.”

Art of Racing in the Rain
by Garth Stein
I love dogs, and so I love books about dogs. Cheesy? For sure. But I can’t help it. Books like this, and Story of Edgar Sawtelle, A Dog’s Purpose, Marley and Me, etc, they all make me weep.

“People and their rituals. They cling to things so hard sometimes.”

Vampire Academy
by Richelle Mead
Yes, I sometimes read trashy vampire chick lit. No, I don’t feel guilty about it. And at least this one has a main female character who is a trained fighter and bodyguard. It’s bad, but in such a good way.

“The only thing better than imagining Dimitri carrying me in his arms was imagining him shirtless while carrying me in his arms.”

The Imperfectionists
by Tom Rachman
I’m not usually a fan of short inter-connected stories, but I LOVED The Imperfectionists. Funny, wry, poignant.
Quote:

“If history has taught us anything, Arthur muses, it is that men with mustaches must never achieve positions of power.”

Unbroken: A World War II Story Of Survival, Resilience, And Redemption
by Laura Hillenbrand
One of the most spectacular true stories I’ve ever read. It blew me away, not just the sheer terrifying amount of trials and tribulations, but the heart and humanity in it. I was sobbing by the end.

“Dignity is as essential to human life as water, food, and oxygen. The stubborn retention of it, even in the face of extreme physical hardship, can hold a man’s soul in his body long past the point at which the body should have surrendered it.”

The Sweet Life in Paris
by David Lebovitz
I picked this up as a nice easy read, from one of my favorite food bloggers. And it ended up being a witty, funny, and supremely informative book on all the joys, frustrations, and quirks of being an American living in France.
Quote:

In a country where there’s such an emphasis on fine dining, whose good food is celebrated not just here, but around the world, it’s stupefying why Parisian coffee is so vile that fed-up French food writer Sophie Brissard described it as “donkey piss.”

Bossy Pants
by Tina Fey
Not only is this book hilarious, but Tina Fey’s humor is just so intelligent. So sharp, and quick. And rooted in so much common sense.
Quote:

“Some people say “Never let them see you cry.” I say, if you’re so mad you could just cry, then cry. It terrifies everyone.”

Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea
by Barbara Demick
I have a strong interest in North Korea, not just because my Grandpa was originally from North Korea before he escaped during the Korean War, but because I have always had a fascination with dystopian society. This was an incredible and haunting look into the lives of defectors, both in North Korea and out of it once they escaped.
Quote:

Dr. Kim couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen a bowl of pure white rice. What was a bowl of rice doing there, just sitting out on the ground? She figured it out just before she heard the dog’s bark. Up until that moment, a part of her had hoped that China would be just as poor as North Korea. She still wanted to believe that her country was the best place in the world. The beliefs she had cherished for a lifetime would be vindicated. But now she couldn’t deny what was staring her plainly in the face: dogs in China ate better than doctors in North Korea.

The Night Circus
by Erin Morgenstern
Enchanting is the only word for this book. But do yourself a favor, stay away from reading too many reviews beforehand!

“The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it, no paper notices on downtown posts and billboards, no mentions or advertisements in local newspapers. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not.”

And because I actually wrote up a post a year ago and never posted it, here’s my list of favorite reads from 2010.

Never Let Me Go
The Book Thief
Ender’s Game
Water for Elephants
Suite Française
Pillars of the Earth
Hunger Games Series
Dune
The Namesake
Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
Medium Raw
The Glass Castle
My Life in France

And a shoutout to the worst books I read in 2011, Ready Player One, Inheritance, The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake.

Here’s to another year of great books. What have you been reading lately?

So much to eat, so little time. And since I haven’t done a food photography post in awhile, here’s a little glimpse into some of the great food we had while in the Big Easy.

At John Besh’s Restaurant August…

At the famous Cafe du Monde…

A lot of people have been asking how it all went down, so I figured that if there was ever a personal thing to blog about, this is it!

Things to know about me:

• I adore dogs. I mean, really really love dogs. Especially my dogs!
• Lake Tahoe is one of my favorite places in the world. It’s just spectacularly beautiful there.
• Apple cidar is my favorite drink eveeeer. Forget wine or beer or soda, bring me a bottle of apple cidar (I don’t even need a glass) and I’m good.
• Tony and I met because of our mutual love of video games, but my primary objective when playing games is pretty much to FIND THE TREASURE. I love treasure. I want to become a treasure hunter one day.

How it Started
I had been away on a girl’s trip up to Mendocino from Sunday through Tuesday. And when I got home on Tuesday, I found my apartment filled with balloons. This led to a scavenger hunt that Tony had arranged. The scavanger hunt was in the form of puzzles, and after I finished the puzzle, I was given my prize: A trip to Lake Tahoe!

I was so giddy with excitement since Tony had been working so hard lately, and I’d been wishing he would take a sick day or something. So the fact that he took 3 whole days off work to surprise me with this trip blew me away.

In Tahoe
Tony treated me to some of my favorite things. An hour long couple’s massage, a massive lunch of TACOS (my favorite food!), and then finally took me up on a hike to this gorgeous view of the lake. He had brought up a bottle of apple cidar and it was amazing sitting on top of this mountain, overlooking the most gorgeous lake and having that spot all to ourselves.

The Proposal
He asked me if I wanted a present, which got me super alert (and a little tense) and then preceded to crack me up by reading a poem I had asked him to write weeks ago titled “The Hair on My Head”. I sometimes request random and silly poems for him to write, the other assignment I gave him recently was to write something called, “Where has all the Poop gone”. I was laughing, HARD. And I thought, “Huh, so he was just tricking me, I guess he’s not proposing!”

At which point he brought out a scrapbook called “The Adventures of Tony and Hannah” that he had been spending months putting together. It chronicles our whole journey from our very first date when we watched the worst movie in existence, The Legend of Zorro (the movie had a horse running on top of a moving train. I mean, really) and all the places we’d gone, the things we’ve done, the food we’ve eaten.

If you’d like to see a few pages from the book, you can do that here: Scrapbook

But it wasn’t until I got to the pages about our dogs that got me crying. My beautiful dogs, such a huge part of our lives and our familia. They couldn’t come with us to Tahoe, but I’m so glad they were in the book.

That’s when Tony brought out the treasure box. This adorable little thing that he had spent so long looking for because he knew it would be perfect for me. Waaay better than a regular box, a Tiffany’s box, any other box in the world. And inside was the most stunningly gorgeous ring.

Everything about the proposal was perfect and so in tune to who I am and who we are as a couple.

We were crying and laughing and I nodded my answer yes. I’m so grateful that we were able to have that amazing moment to ourselves. Almost as soon as we were done wiping away the tears, these two older ladies came hiking up the hill, saw us, and offered to take our photo. What great timing!

Still enjoying the post-engagement bliss and trying my hardest not to worry about all the stuff that’s going to come after (wedding planning, ahhhh!). I’ll be writing about all that stuff in the months to come. In the meantime, thank you all my dear friends, family, and my wonderful clients who have shown so much happiness and support for this new development in our lives. You’re all the best.

I’ve been busily making crepe flowers and fringe streamers, following the tutorials by these two lovely ladies: A Field Journal and Oh Happy Day

Slowly putting together the pieces for a belated birthday BBQ.

To all the people who wished me well on my 25th birthday, thank you so much. It means the world to me!

For myself, my business, my photography, my clients, my family and friends. I am going to work hard and be kind, and as the wonderful Mr. Conan O’Brien assures me, amazing things will happen.

Here’s to a bright and shiny future. Happy New Year!

Turns out, we couldn’t have picked a better time to visit. The colors! Reds and golds and greens. I was blown away by how beautiful the natural surroundings of Korea were, and I was like a kid in a candy shop oohing and ahhing and snapping photos left and right.

Yes, a mosquito stung me in the eye, yes we caught the swine flu, and yes my cousin forced me to eat raw crab meat, but my overwhelming memories of this trip remain firmly rooted in the intense beauty of this country. This is only my 2nd time visiting and it definitely won’t be my last.

Enjoy!

More photos to come!

Not sure why we named such a girly looking tree Mr. Smith, but I think it works. Our last tree was named Annabelle. I hope all my lovely blog readers have a beautiful holiday season full of snug blankets and mittens, hot chocolate, presents wrapped under the Christmas tree and as many tacos as your belly can hold.

I’ll be out of the office until January 2nd, so stay happy and warm my friends and I’ll see you next year!

But sometimes, sometimes I end up getting it right. The mess is still there, but at least the end results are pretty!

So I’ll share with you all a quick and easy Christmas ornament project I undertook on a whim. I bought some clear glass ornaments (50% off right now at Michaels), some dried stardust gypsophila and baby’s breath (fake) flowers, and a bit of string to tie it all together. Take one ball, stuff it full of the flowers, and voila, perfectly wintery homemade ornaments. Simple and beautiful.

Happy Holidays!

I’m thankful for my family, even with all our little dysfunctialities. I’m Thankful to my lovely friends, who brighten up my days in so many ways. I’m thankful for the two most beautiful doggies in the world. And I’m thankful for my amazing Boyfriend, who makes me better, makes my life better by being in it. While I was being crushed under the weight of having to create a Thanksgiving feast and basically freaking out because OH MY GOD, where is the rice pilaf?! He was there to ground me, look me in the eyes and convince me that the world wasn’t going to end.

But mostly this past Thanksgiving I mused on how grateful I am to all my past and current clients who let me into their lives and allow me to be a part of such an important day. A day full of love, laughter, joy, and CAKE! What could be better? I’m doing what I love and I can’t believe how lucky I am. I am surprised and humbled by how Bay Area brides have welcomed me with open arms into this new unfamiliar (and colder) part of California. Who have given me helpful tips on where I can go to find Korean BBQ and shown me new and beautiful places around the Bay as we shoot engagement sessions together.

I have only 1 more wedding left for 2009 (looking at you Min!) and then I’m launching full speed ahead into 2010. I’m so incredibly excited for the coming year, and I have lots of ideas brewing in my head to benefit me and my clients. I can’t wait.

And one more thing I was especially grateful for this past Thanksgiving. A warm happy kitchen full of family and friends with Me and the Boyfriend excitedly dropping little pillows of dough into piping hot oil and watching them magically turn into crispy, sugary beignets. What fun, what deliciousness. Thank you Paula Dean.

Some of my favorite photos from the trip came from the Instax. The thing I always loved about Polaroids and what I love about these cute little mini instax photos is the singularity of each photo. Makes them seem all the more precious.

Full blog post on my trip coming soon!