It is humming random tunes happily, easily amused and distracted by everything that pops up on my Macbook.

You wanna have super sensitive sense? Just be in a state of procrastination. Your senses get strikingly heightened when you really, really don’t want to do what you have to do right now. Observe my self-conversation within an hour’s span:

“My head hurts…I think my head hurts…yes, it does! It’s hurting! I need a rest, yes I do!”

“Hark! Is that my housemate returning home? I wonder if his visitor from Mexico is still here…he was pretty darn cute…”

“Hm. My stomach…something is weird. I think I need mint tea. I can’t work with a bloated tummy.”

“My throat’s dry. I need ice-cream.”

“Oooh! A new email! Ooh! A new facebook status! Oooh! Christina just tweeted about sweet potato bread! Ooh! Alda’s on Gchat! Wheee!”

I’m at the point of the semester where my brain is all fizzed out, I can’t get enough of Grey’s Anatomy, and I’m manically singing “Que Sera, sera, whatever will be, will be” to the fact that tomorrow will be a day of Exam Hell.

I need a break. A real break, not this limbo stage of impending doom; I can watch a 8-hour marathon of meaningless TV drama, but I can never relax completely because I know that on December 14, I will be stuck in a 11-hour exam marathon.

But yesterday, I actually got a break. Thank God, Hallelujah for Jackie. The girl drove more than 2 hours from San Diego just to meet Mimi and me.
Jackie, if you remember, was my roommate during the Foodbuzz Festival. She, Mimi, and me shared a stinky, stuffy hotel room together and totally bonded over sweltering air, mating cranes, and clogged toilets. When we separated, Jackie promised us that she would come visit us sometime, and yesterday, she fulfilled her promise (I made sure of it).

It was…beyond amazing to meet her again. I realized how much I missed her the moment I saw her waving fanatically in her little white car.

It was pretty late in the afternoon when we met up, so we went to someplace closer in downtown. We went to Syrup Desserts:
I visited here once before, and fell in love with its sweet grilled cheese sandwich. I really don’t have much love for desserts, but Syrup Desserts is the dessert hot-spot to go even if you have a strong savory tooth with its fantastic sweet and savory combinations. It’s a popular place now, which is no surprise because it even has a little loft upstairs stocked with board games and free wi-fi:
The decoration is uniquely adorable and each item is thoughtfully placed to create this trendy, yet comfortable and welcoming atmosphere.
The only problem I had was that the lighting was really dim, but that’s just the food blogger in me speaking.
The bakery case is like an art exhibition. Just check out some of the gorgeous baked goods in there!
And these have a whole orchid on top! How cool is that!
We were here for their main menu, however. Which is freaking fantastic. Just look at the crepe I ordered, called Sweet Italy:
Mixed berries, blackberry jasmine tea ice cream, mascarpone cheese, squeeze of orange juice, topped with whipped cream.
I knew I wanted this as soon as I peeked at the menu, because of the Blackberry Jasmine tea ice-cream and the mascarpone. When else can I get mascarpone cheese?
I won’t say the crepe itself is the best I’ve ever had, but the combination of the cheese, the fruits, the orange juice, and ice-cream just made is stunning. Especially because they stuffed the crepe while it was still warm from the pan, the cold, smooth mascarpone just oozed like butter cream.
And I’ve raved about the blackberry jasmine ice-cream, but I will rave about it again. Fan-freaking-tastic. Fruity, yet rich and creamy.

Jackie got the Sweden Grilled Cheese:
Lingonberries, brie cheese, blackberry, on a light flaky Cuban bread 
This was teeeeny! I got a grilled cheese the last time I was here, too, but I don’t think I recall it being this small. It was prettier in presentation, though.   

Mimi got Apple Pie By Grandma:
Grilled apples, dulce de leche ice cream, cheddar cheese, cinnamon, caramel
How gorgeous is the plating? I stole a couple bites, and really liked the hot apples in there, but thought it could use a bit more cheese. The light dusting of cinnamon sugar was a nice touch, though.
I had complained to the management last time that the place was freezing, and it seems like they have adjusted the temperature. Jackie, Mimi and I were able to sit there for about 2 hours just chatting like old friends without me having to rub my butt to unclench it.

We reminisced about the old times at San Francisco together…and got excited about the future as well. Jackie will be making some big changes in her life soon, and her blog will be taking a new direction.
Meanwhile, my baby sister Mimi is all grown up and flying off to study abroad in London soon…
As for me? For once, I forgot all about the future and just relished the cozy camaraderie I shared with my friends.

After all, the 11 hours of cram/exam/cram/exam tomorrow will be gone and forgotten the moment I hand in my last exam. But the few last hours I spent with my friends?
…I’ll cherish forever.
Including that last bite of wonderful Sweet Italy crepe. Thanks for giving me such a perfect break, Jackie!