I talked about the Past. I talked about the Future. You know where this is going. Time to talk about the Present.
I’m not actually in the right mind and attitude to talk about the present, because I’m still all hyped up about being back in school. I’ve missed everything about USC—its beautiful, red-bricked, Greek-style campus… 
…its gorgeous, 9-storey library… 
…the crowd of multi-racial, multi-talented diverse mix of students walking/ biking/ skate-boarding/ roller-bladding to and fro… 
…the tiny sweltering lecture halls with 180 students and 180 cups of coffee… 
…the frat boys playing Frisbee in the lawn (sometimes shirtless)… 
…and even the gorgeous blonde Fashionistas sauntering across with special-effects wind-blown hair… 
I’m really, really glad to be back. I’m not blonde, nor beautiful, nor a beach-lover, nor any of the other criteria meeting the Southern Californian stereotype, but I feel like I fit right in. Because this is college. Nobody “fits”. We’re all here to make the college fit us.
So far I like all my classes, though I can spot out a few that may be tough and challenging. It’s only been two days, and I’m already running around like a harassed chicken, trying to adjust to the weight of work piling up exponentially. Today, I have my first quiz, and tonight, I have to attend a film screening and then turn a review in to the Daily Trojan the following morning. Tomorrow, I have to take my second quiz and then grab myself an “authentic Chinese” student to interview. The next day, I have to start working on my next column, and finish up some shopping.
Truth be told, I’m not exactly looking forward to tackling that workload. I said I’m glad to be back, but that doesn’t mean I’m glad to deal with work after work again. But hey, that’s what the present is about—living in the present. Whatever the present is, I need to simply do my best, and enjoy it.
I had my moment’s pleasure yesterday afternoon with my ol’ buddy ol’ pal, Mimi: 
There’s my little red-headed blogger-turned-close-friend! She finally got her own little camera, too, so with our blogger-weapons in arm, we took a metro ride down to Downtown LA for a lunch date.
We visited the place we’ve been promising each other to visit ever since we first met—Mendocino Farms: 
Mendocino Farms is an environmentally-friendly “fast food” sandwich cafe that uses primarily local and seasonal ingredients. But that wasn’t what attracted us to this place. It was the sandwich menuCu they showcased: the most fascinating, drool-worthy selection of gourmet sandwiches—ever. 
To accommodate their hip and modern twists on classic sandwich interpretations, they went the whole urban feel on their interior design. As in, they left their ceilings half-finished, probably to exude an “urban-loft” feel…Ooh look at us, we’re too cool to have ceilings. Yeah, not getting it. 
However, I did love that they put big bright-colored ceramic pots out in full view, kept warm over the stove. It kind of gave an unpretentious, homey ambience.
Mimi and I had already studied the menu like a manuscript, and knew exactly what we wanted. We decided to split our sandwich into half so that we could try both sandwiches. The first one we got was the Curry Chicken Salad: 
Roasted chicken breast with green apples and dried cherries in a light yogurt mango curry dressing, cucumber, organic farmer’s market greens, cranberry chutney, red pepper compote on Curcama Hazelnut bread. 
Is that not the most amazing combination ever? But wait, check out the other one, the Highway 128: 
Roasted chicken, Herbes de Provence marinated Cypress Grove’s goat cheese, ancho chili cranberry chutney, organic farmer’s market greens, and green apple on Buckwheat bread. 
Oh. My. Gawd. The first thing I noticed was the cheese. Do you see that layer of thick, creamy, white goodness in there? No anorexic teaspoon of sparsely crumbled cheese here! 
Mendocino Farms really knows how to build the perfect sandwich. It offers the most imaginative creations. It doesn’t skimp on the good ingredients. It expertly blends the sweet and savory. It features fresh, flavorful produce. It uses honest-to-goodness real, fantastic artisan bread. Our curry chicken salad sandwich’s Curcama Hazelnut bread actually had whole hazelnuts in there. 
Not a hazelnut. HazelnutS! In my half sandwich alone, I crunched on about 5 whole hazelnuts, wonderfully toasted and seasoned. The only downfall of the sandwich was that the chicken wasn’t as juicy and tender as I would have liked, but at least it wasn’t dry and rubbery like this sandwich.
I couldn’t really decide on which sandwich I liked better. I loved the curry chicken one for its bold, zesty flavors, but the Highway 128 had that awesome fat layer of goat cheese. If I could just transfer that cheese layer into the curry chicken salad sandwich, then we have a winner. 
If you’re into fancy sodas, Mendocino Farms also has a fountain beverage selection of pure cane sugar sodas—no preservatives or artificial coloring. 
Mimi particularly liked their diet Root Beer. I wonder what kind of artificial sweeteners they use on that, though. But I thought it was cool that they weren’t just limited to diet coke. They also had diet black cherry, though sadly, no orange soda. I guess they would have had a tough time making it look orange without the artificial coloring.
Needless to say, it was a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon. We had a lot of catching up to do, though I believe there will be more catching up done in the future.
But that’s the future. And as awesome as it was, that was the past. Now, the present? Getting some work done, as soon as I hit “publish”. And I promise you, I’ll try to enjoy it as much as I enjoyed those delightful sandwiches.
Question of the Day: What are you enjoying in your Present right now?
P.S. I’ve finally finished all my unpacking and furnishing. Will show you my new home soon! 
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What gorgeous sandwiches…hazelnut bread?! Wowwww. Let’s see well in the very present I am enjoying a delightful cup of coffee, blogsurfing and not a care in the world for the next…four days until I have to turn my brain back on and get cracking on my senior year of college
oh my, I would have gone with the curry.I love curry! I am currently enjoying more time with the hubs since he’s been home and cooking wonderful meals for him. hehe.
You may not be blonde, but never say you’re not beautiful!! You are lovely to the core.
I never thought I would say this, but I’m going to miss walking around a campus, hurrying to my next class: I found out last week that I had actually earned enough credits to graduate. I am waiting on final word from my college but it looks like I am officially a Summer graduate!! Woo-hoo!
It’s wonderful that you continue to enjoy your college experience – USC looks like a gorgeous campus. And Mendocino Farms is going at the top of my list of places to eat the next time I visit LA!
Glad you’re back to be back. I have to say, I felt a little pang of emotion in my chest when I read your post. I like being an adult and in the real world, but college will always hold a special place in my heart. I apologize for being forgetful, but I cannot remember if this is your senior year. Regardless, make sure you take some time to savor the present. That is my one big and only regret from college. I was always so focused on where I wanted to take my career and ensuring I would be successful in the future that sometimes I failed to just enjoy college. Definitely easier said than done, but sometimes, don’t forget to relish the fact you can nap in the middle of the afternoon, skip class on a whim to do something silly (okay I never did this so maybe don’t listen to me on this one), and just have that feeling that all the opportunities in the world are ahead of you. Good luck!
Oh and how badly do I want to eat at a sandwich place that has cypress grove goat cheese!
yummy yummy sandwiches
i’m starting to get jealous of all the people going back to school. i like doing this whole “real life” working thing but i totally loved school!
oh god, i love hazelnuts! do they sell franz bread in CA? (It’s Portland based, so it get sold everywhere I’ve lived, but that’s probably because i refuse to leave the NW) they make hazelnut bread and i love it… although i haven’t had it in forever! must fix that.
I cannot resist a good sandwich shop. It seems like Cali is the place to go for that!
I’m glad you’re living in the present. It’s so important, but easy to lose track of. Presently, I’m working on regaining my health and trying not to worry about the future and what I’m missing out on now. Instead, I’m thinking about the steps forward I am making today!
i just checked and there is a location in marina del rey…i am SO going there soon! that second sandwich looks awesome; i am a huge fan of the cypress grove goat cheese and especially when its piled on like that!!
i really really enjoyed this post. and i can’t wait to see your new digs!
in my present i’m enjoying…eggs! eating them right now. :] though the salmonella scare has got me a little nervous about them…but i’ll be fine. right?…right?
Ah…I want to be a uni student again! I love your campus, and your lovely friend with her jazzy nail varnish
What am I enjoying in the present now? Art, art and more art!
Sarah x
Not gonna lie. Usually when I’m reading blogs, I’m eating something
Right now I’m enjoying a egg and cheese omelete!
Your campus is so beautiful! How could anybody be in a bad mood in such a place?! It looks like everyones about to burst out into song and dance Ha!
<3 Tori
i loved this post, except I have a MAJOR issue with something.. you ARE beautiful. repeat after me, “I AM BEAUTIFUL”.
p.s. that bread looks SO hearty and delicious
Present…nothing much
Just PACKING!!! aaaaaaahhaha
Cannot wait to see your new space! And geez, USC is soooo beautiful! Wowwwwww I’m obsessed with that library.
I’ve heard of the place, but haven’t been there myself. The sandwiches do look mighty tasty though.
Welcome back to LA!!!! We’ve missed you over here on the west coast.
Right now I’m enjoying a nice day off from work. It’s been a much needed one!
OMG I want that sandwich! Why are sandwiches here so boring compared to those? Hazelnut bread. I need to make that. Immediately.
I’m so glad to hear you’re getting settled! School starts for me next week and I am NOT looking forward to it!
I am so happy for you! I could sadly eat neither sandwich due to braces! but they look delish!
I am cleaning up from a dinner party last night, I am worn out!
you are straight trippin sophia! you are beautiful!
I never knew how gorgeous USC campus is! I’m really jealous of the real campus experience you are having. I went to NYU and there was no such thing there.
P.S. That yogurt mango curry dressing in the curry chicken salad sounds AMAZING!
Those sandwiches look amazing!! Wish we had a place like that around where I live…I’d be trying every single sammie they make!!
Good luck with the new semester
I think it’s such a blessing to be in the present moment and be able to be happy and content with your life just as it is in that split second. I sort-of miss my college days — I feel like I wished them away too quickly! I’m glad you’re enjoying college life.
I miss college!!!!! Those sandwiches look awesome!!
I feel like all I ever do is talk about my baby, but right now in the present I’m enjoying being pregnant and feeling his cute little hiccups!!
Ha – I remember feeling very, very out of place when I lived in Orange County and LA..no tan, crazy red hair and the body of a gangly teenage boy!
I’m enjoying being on the road at the moment – new places every day or so. Last night I slept in a cabin behind a 200 year old farmhouse in the wilds of Massachusetts. Fell asleep to rain on a tin roof – my personal soundtrack of choice!
That campus looks gorgeous! My uni building is contemporary and so “modern” – I LOVE the classic archiecture. It seems like more of a “real” university ;P
I love reading about your foodie adventures – you don’t apologize for anything you say or your opinions, and unlike SO many recovered/recovering food bloggers, you don’t skimp on the good stuff! That big layer of cheese looks AMAZING!!!
Right now I’m enjoying work and savouring the remaining days of summer vaycay before the ratraces begin again.
izzyy
xox
i also had to comment re: your BEAUTY, chica!
in this present moment i am enjoying unwinding on the couch with my overflowing g.reader. and my pager has been silent for the last 30 minutes at least — woohoo!
Another great post Sophia! Everytime I finish reading your posts, I can’t help but think how random mine are. I’ve sure got a lot to learn from you on writing something that actually flows. Anyways, wish you lots of luck with the workload you have at present and in the future. That’s quite the load!Those sandwiches are amazing!
Heh, the beginning of your post is similar to how I think every time I hear snippets of the “California Girls” song. It’s like, what about the millions of women in California who are 100% not the Katie Perry/Snoop Dogg version of California girls? Ridiculous!
In the present I am enjoying my new soccer cleats! I am playing ultimate frisbee for the first time (in a league, no less) and it is frightening (because everything is so new) and exciting at the same time. You can only learn a new sport once!
Dear God. That sandwich. Hazelnut bread. Yes.
You eat the best food in the WORLD. The best. I wish I could spend a week as your taste buds. That’s not weird, is it?
In my present I am loving:
- My organization at home and work
- That going back to work is not so bad when you have awesome people to work with
- My confidence when it comes to approaching new tasks
- My blog!
Those sandwiches are crazy! Their creator deserves a gold star for creativity and genius.
Your present sounds so busy! My present is sort of busy but nothing like yours. Right now I’m liking the weather, that I’m getting lots of hangout time with friends, that I’m being more spontaneous, that I finally finished an extremely boring and long part of my holistic nutrition course.
That sandwich looks OUTRAGEOUS! I must try to recreate a version of this.
welcome home! those are amazing looking sandwiches, i love it when a place isn’t afraid to pack on the ingredients! i love the simplicity of our present right now, playgroups, family dinners, kindergarten, it’s all very simple and i love it!
Hi sweetiiiieee,
If i don’t know what things i will meet in my future, i can’t know why all the things happened in my past, as a result, I can’t know what the meanings of all the things I meet in my present are, also I can’t know what things i have to do right now.
All of the answers are in Jesus Christ. He is not only our savior, but also is the designer of our lives, IN HIM, we can walk step by step to the future with perfect assurance and peace in the present!
Beautiful sandwiches! Right now I’m kind of in love with my gastronomy class.
Oh.My.Gawd is right! Wowza! Look at those yummy sammiches! I want to grab it off the computer screen!
I head back to school on Sunday and class starts Monday. Where has the summer gone!?
Wow your campus is soo pretty and your pictures are great…so clear and pretty! Hope school goes well! Love your blog!
Wow, you are up and running, aren’t you? Good luck with your staggering workload – I guess that’s all part of being an involved college student
I’m glad you’re enjoying your time back at school!
Looks like you and Mimi found a jackpot of a sandwich place. That goat cheese layer … now THAT’S cheeeez. Nothing is better than a delicious layer of cheese on a thick slice of bread. More restaurants should adopt that philosophy. Enjoy your first week at school!
im enjoying my dad right now, hes made some strong decisions to try to work on his alcohol dependency and when he feels convicted, strong, directed…i feel it as well and i am happy to be available to support him. love my dad!
also enjoying fall-like weather today.
Very exciting to be back in college! Good luck with all your work! Those are awesome sandwiches!
I love all of these back to school pictures. I love going back to school (after the initial shock of waking up early and having somewhere to be) the energy in the air is amazing!
I need to get a sandwich with a layer of cheese like that! holy you know what!
Man, I have been hungry for the past hour and trying not to snack before I go to bed but your sandwiches just kicked my appetite into high gear! DROOOOOLLL! I can’t wait to see your new place. Presently, I’m enjoying the smell of baking zucchini bread. Yes, I’m baking at 11:13 at night! I am entering millions of food contests at the fair and I’ve only got two weeks left to bake and freeze as much as possible. I now have two full time jobs–data entry and baking!
Hee hee, if only my full-time job was baking as well. You can keep that data entry job, though. ;-p
Once I baked at 4am in the morning!
Oh man those sandwichs look like the bombb. And i love breads that have lots of nuts/seeds, not A nut or seed. And seeing your college campus makes me wonder about the quality of the colleges near my home :s
Its a bit of a challenge when you hit earth full on after a nice relax & getaway. The first thing you gotta come to terms with is the fact that “the pace” which seems daunting is (once you get there) your usual cruising altitude (well…., that’s what I tell myself anyways
Vacation cruising speed….. easy…….. Normal altitude… frantic.
those are great looking sandwiches!!! i wish i’d find a good place that made delicious gourmet sandwiches in my area! right now im enjoying one of the rarest moments for me…free time to unwind!
Gah! Two of my favorite women, dining and dishing. LOVE it.
Right now, I’m enjoying the last few days of summer, and anticipating my return to school this weekend. I can’t wait to be back in my city!
Oh mannnnn, that goat cheese sandwich looks seriously incredible!
Those sandwiches look just…perfect! Just the way I like them: I want one NOW!
Good luck and Sophia: remember to have fun and breathe between all the busy stuff and things. Not everything has to be perfect, you’re only human. I know you will do great this year, but please make sure you’ll enjoy it too:)
xxx Julia (Taste of Living)
I’m so glad you’re liking your classes, I hope this is a great semester for you! And that food looks deeeeeelish! What I’m thankful for right now in the present is NORMALCY! I haven’t had that in a while and I am relishing it!!
Those are some drool worthy sandwiches daaaahling. Got any for me?
Cant wait to see your new home.
*kisses* HH
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