You know, God is gracious. No matter where I go, He puts beautiful people in my path. Or maybe it’s because he has changed my perception so that in my eyes, every single person I meet is just so freaking wonderful.
You all know I’m not a party person. In truth, I haven’t attended a lot of events that has been going on around the campus because they just didn’t appeal to me. While a lot of new students have been rushing or hopping around different parties and activities in search of new friends, I’ve shied away to the privacy of my own room.
Yet…I haven’t been lonely. In a wondrous way, God has been sending people to me, linking them to me so that I am actually forming real and valuable relationships with people I can relate to. Can you believe I’ve already met two fellow pastor’s daughters? One is also Korean, and the other is from Ghana! Furthermore, last Sunday, I missed the tram to Target due to Sunday service…and then met a whole new group of Christian people who offered to give me a ride! How incredibly amazing and spectacular is God’s work? 
Another reason I’m so freaking blessed— I feel like I have connections all over the world. Okay, okay, some of you might scorn at my naivety for feeling a connection with bloggers I have never ever met, but there are some kind of… special bond I feel with several bloggers with whom I have interacted for many months. Yes, I have a fierce fondness for a lot of you…I have to admit that the joy that springs within me when you share good news, or the pain that stings me when you are down is very, very real to me.
That said, it is always an extremely nice feeling to be able to place a face behind the person whose blog you have been reading for so long. Yesterday, I got the pleasure to meet two of them— Mimi from Damn the Freshman 15, and Emily from Curly Top.
The moment I saw them, I thought, “Freaking whoa they are so pretty!!!” And indeed they are! 
Look at them, with their beautiful smiles (Mimi to the left, Emily to the right). They’re both quite the fashionistas, too, with cute outfits and accessories. I should have asked them for fashion tips, but that didn’t really cross my mind until…well, now.
But let me backtrack to the beginning…this blogger meet-up was quite a headache to arrange! Here’s what happened in simple steps:
- First off, since neither Mimi nor I had a car and the public transportation in LA pretty much sucks ass, our choices for location was rather limited…
- After much intensive “research”, we decided on the Galen Center in USC’s campus because apparently it’s got good Chilean Sea Bass…and then later found out it was closed on weekends
- I did some more research to come up with several more options, and we chose Warafu Cafe…except discovered it doesn’t do lunch on Saturdays…at the last minute!
- In a frantic I did even more research, and suggested Nickel Diner…and then discovered it was closed (for whatever crazy reason) from Aug 24 to Sep 7!
- Holy shit, shdhfdhosjbdjbf! So I did a final research, and at the last possible minute we came to the conclusion on lunching at the Pete’s Cafe & Bar.
Finally, our headache came to an end. To Pete’s Cafe we go! 
It was a pretty nice airy place with high ceilings, but the interior wasn’t that impressive. What I was impressed with was that there were quite a lot of people even in the late afternoon. Perhaps we made the right choice after all!
One of the reasons we chose this place was because Emily just recently started eating fish, and Pete’s offered an Ahi Tuna Sandwich. Yes, it would be the first time Emily has tried tuna!
She ordered the Ahi Tuna Sandwich, but in salad-form without the bread: 
Seared ahi tuna steak, daikon sprouts, mixed baby greens with sesame rice vinaigrette, and wasabi mayonnaise with a fortune cookie
It even came with a pair of chopsticks! I tried to teach her how to use it…but…let’s just say she ended up having to use the fork after all. No worries, dear Emily, you’ve got that Korean roommate to teach you for four years! 
The presentation was very pretty. “A” for effort on the chef, though they messed up and sent her a sandwich the first time.
Both Mimi and I ended up ordered the same thing, the Smoked Turkey and Brie: &#
160;
Smoked turkey breast, creamy brie cheese, fresh basil, and sweet apples on toasted focaccia. Side of salad greens.
Haha, are you even surprised that I ordered this? The combination of creamy brie cheese and sweet apples was hard to resist! 
This sandwich was, in one word, amazing. The bread was delicious and lightly toasted. Though I did detect a thick smear of mayonnaise, it actually went rather well with the other ingredients. The brie was just the right amount, though of course me being the cheese-whore wouldn’t have minded if it was just a tiny bit thicker. 
I just wish there was more apples though. They served us anorexic apples. Boo. 
Another mention about the service: It freaking sucked. We had to wait a good 30 minutes to get our drinks, and then another 30 minutes for our dishes to be served, and even then they messed it up the first time. It took another good 20 minutes for the waitress to pick up our tab! Okay honestly I didn’t really notice too much because I was busy yabbering away with my dear bloggers, so this won’t be an otherwise scathing review.
At least the bathrooms were nice and spacious! 
After our lunch we set out to Grand Central Market again, which was only about 0.2 miles away: 
Yay cheap fruits! Mimi and I stocked up on our fruit supply happily. She got two packets of raspberries for just a $1! I myself bought blueberries, strawberries, white nectarines, Korean zucchinis, and figs.
I made a terrible choice with the figs though. They were the most expensive…but they tasted horrible. It had no juice in it. It practically tasted and felt like a dried-out sponge. I thought I was gonna cry when I bit into it. Darn it! Anyone ever come across such a damned fig? Yes, damn fig! Grrr….
Okay, think happy thoughts…
Ah yes. The blogger meet-up. Let me just say…I’ve had quite a number of meet-ups already, and every single blogger I’ve met have surpassed my imagination in that they are way more freaking awesome than I even imagined. Who have I met? Hands up, that’s you I’m talking about!
As I said, we bloggers just have a connection. The minute we met, we were just chatting away like old friends. Both Emily and Mimi are absolutely brilliant and stunning people, both inside and out. Emily is really cute and endearing with her petite and bubble ways, and Mimi is witty and engaging with her melodious Texas drawl. I love them!
It was sad to say goodbye to Emily, because she is leaving all the way to the west coast in a week to RISD. She is a smart and talented one, this girl, I know she’ll go far. Watch out for her! She might just be the next big thing in the graphic design and magazine world!
But it was a joyful farewell with Mimi, because tee hee…I’ll be seeing her much often since we go to the same school…
Oh, did I not mention that Mimi goes to USC, too? And that she’s also a sophomore-transfer? And that she’s also a journalism major, and a fellow staff writer for the Daily Trojan, our school student-newspaper?
Yes, how freaking blessed am I to be schoolmates with such a cool person? We’ve got plans to brainstorm for foodie articles in the Daily Trojan, whip up fusion recipes in my kitchen, and just hit interesting places to eat around campus together. Watch out for us, USC!
P.S. I’m sorry we didn’t get to meet many of you LA bloggers…I hope there is a next time!
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Glad things are going so well! And the turkey and brie looks so yummy, love that you are a ‘cheese whore’ !
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I love this post! I’m fairly new at blogging but, too, I’ve “met” some really beautiful women already. Can’t wait to meet them in real time. Thanks for sharing and the pictures you shared are awesome. You made my tummy growl. Time for lunch!
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Awesome re-cap! I had a bloggie meet up recently in Tucson and it was AWESOME! I know EXACTLY how you feel!
-A
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I’m glad you had a good time. The sandwich looks awesome! I love how it’s loaded with lots of turkey. That’s the way a sandwich should be.
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They are beautiful! Meeting bloggers is so fun! I am happy you still had a good time, despite the hassle and bad service!
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