Saturday, February 23, 2008

Spring Break and Photos!!

A few weeks ago was Spring Break, and it couldn't have come at a better time for me. School has been intense because my "Law Office" and I (a group of 12 students) are trying to finish up a project that we have been working on since the first week of January for a real client. Our client is Community Catalyst, an organization that advocates for fair billing practices in hospitals. We are helping research and propose legislation in five states--all which are very different. The project states range from Massachusetts (socialized health care) to Arkansas and Texas, which are are the other end of the spectrum. I have really enjoyed the project so far, but working for a real client is definitely more demanding than working on hypothetical cases in class. The project should go well--we are presenting to the client in a few weeks, and somehow I got roped in to being team leader; so, I have got to pull it off.

Ben and I went to San Francisco and Napa/Sonoma Wine Country for a week to celebrate time off from school and to get an idea of whether we might want to move there next! Ben has a few good friends who work in the Bay area at biotech/pharmaceutical companies and have been encouraging him for a while to come work with them. I have no complaints about heading West; so, we may very well make that move in a few years.

Our trip was amazing--we spent a few nights in the city, then headed to wine country for a few days, and then spent to last night at my old roommate and friend Cara's house in Mill Valley! It was so much fun! I will post photos of the trip soon.

The highlight of the trip was definitely touring the Sonoma Coast, and visiting a winemaker who lives off the grid and runs his entire winery using solar energy. It was so inspirational! I was impressed by how much the wine industry advocates for using environmentally friendly production practices. We met some true stwards of the earth on our trip, and I will forever be a consumer of their products (vote with your dollar!) Since I'm on my soap box, if you come across Wild Hog wines, try the Pinor Noir or the Zinfandel--they were the best wines we tasted on the trip. Cakebread Cellars was a close runner-up. :-)

Another highlight of the trip was dinner at Bouchon in Yountville/Napa. It was the best meal I have ever had. The food was so creative, and the wine pairings were right on--I didn't want it to end. Bouchon is the little sister bistro to French Laundry, which is consistently ranked the best restaurant in the country. Both are owned by chef Thomas Keller, and they are located right next door to each other. French laundry is in an actual old French laundry building--it is so cool! The only downside is that you have to make reservations 6 months out and it is pricey. Ben's friend Jeremy used to cook there; so, we tried to see if we could make our way onto the list based on his good word, but the raurant was already entirely booked when we asked him 3 months in advance of our trip! Oh well--there will be a next time!

I have had a few requests for recent pictures; so, I was able to dig up a few (I have not been taking as many as I should!).


My "Law Office" (the group of 11 students I work with most often)

Ben, Christine, and Me on our Ski Trip












Frozen trees!





Ben's Work Holiday Gala

Monday, February 18, 2008

It has been too long!

Hey friends!

I'm not even sure if anyone still reads this blog, but I have decided that going 6 months without a posting is not going to cut it, so I promise that I will be posting more regularly!

Law School has been an incredible experience so far, and it has definitely kept me busy over the past 6 months. I feel like I have learned more in 6 months than in 4 years of undergrad, and I am meeting a lot of wondeful new people, too! I am still leaning toward practicing environmental law at this point, but I have been considering taking the Patent Bar since I have the requisite number of science/math/engineering hours to sign up. I am also interviewing for my Fall Co-op jobs soon; so, hopefully I will know where I will be working within a month or two. My goal is to to clerk for a judge, but since positions in the Boston area are competitive, I might have to postpone the idea.

Speaking of Boston...winter has been MUCH easier this year than it was last year. I am not sure if it is the fact that we have passed the time taking advantage of cold-weather activities, or if I have just surrendered to the fact that I live somewhere cold, but either way, I have managed to survive the winter. ;-) I am actually starting to think that the snow is beautiful, and skiing has now become my favorite pastime, regardless of the lack of Colorado "pow pow" as our friends from Colorado (and Ben!) affectionately call the powder snow. Ice here is hard and crunchy, which has made me learn to be a better skiier to keep from falling on it! Ben and I went skiing with our friends Brian and Christine in Vermont this weekend, so I will post pictures soon.

I hope everyone is doing well, and again, I apologize for my 6 month hiatus! I blame it on law school...any free time that I have when I am not reading 100s of pages a night, I try to spend with friends and Ben, who has been the best husband in the world this past 6 months. He deserves a medal for putting up with me through the first semester of my 1L experience. Kudos to you, Ben! I love you!