OK… so I am still playing catch up. I was just looking at my menus and how “lazy” I’ve been about cooking but as I put the pictures together and looked at the calendar… we’ve been Very Busy! First – GRAD WEEK
Day 3: Sunday, May 6 – GRAD WEEK: Recess – we wanted to give the graduates time to Play so there were double dutch jump ropes, 4-square (the picture above), dodgeball, and kickball. They could “color” their class t-shirts and the food was pretty “simple”… pizzas and sodas and chips & salsa. Also, sweets like they would get in their lunchbox.
Day 4: Monday, May 7 – GRAD WEEK: NYC – Once again, Grad Week finds us up to watch the sunrise over the campus. This time to take a Coach bus of seniors off to the Big Apple. It was perfect weather… cool but not cold and nothing falling from the sky. One of my oldest and dearest friend’s lives in NYC and, if he can escape from work, he spends the day and plans stuff for us. Today, after a morning meeting my Heart had setup in SoHo, found us wandering the streets of Manhattan including walking part way across the Brooklyn Bridge (something we had never done) and in a bar overlooking the new September 11 Memorial. A lovely day!
Day 5: Tuesday, May 7 – Baccalaureate – The Senior Council (the members are in the picture above) and I have been working on this ceremony since about November including the Theme for the Class: Start Your Journey * Be The Change – This is one of my favorite events on-campus (even before I started helping plan it) because it is organized by the participants and the Seniors so it is very personal and different each year. This year’s was definitely one of the BEST!
The ceremony ends about 8pm and I expected to come home and just make some scrambled eggs or ramen but my Heart surprised me with this delicious BLTA “sandwich” (it is on toasted corn tortillas) and was perfect and totally hit the spot!
Day 6: Wednesday, May 8 had three shuttles heading out for Orioles Stadium at Camden Yards – Unfortunately it POURED. We had seats on the Picnic level which includes AYCE baseball chow: hot dogs, nachos, peanuts, popcorn, soda, etc. We stuck it out until they called the game, which meant everyone could turn in their ticket and come back on a different day!! You can see that the Seniors were “representing” Stevenson in their Mustang ponchos!
Day 7: Thursday, May 9 – the Final GRAD WEEK event – the Alumni Happy Hour.. this year with a Fiesta theme. The food: chips with salsa, guacamole, cheese sauce, wings, quesadillas, and churros. There were several tables to play poker and a roulette wheel and lots of prizes. This isn’t a late night event because everyone graduates the next day in one of the two ceremonies (10am or 3pm).
To put GRAD WEEK into perspective – that is 7 days / 7 events – More than 150 seniors participated in at least one of the events and approximately 100 seniors stayed in the Residence Halls. The Senior Council work for the entire year for this event, including fundraising so that the cost is very very affordable, and I think that it was very successful – they had a great time and everyone seemed happy!
Friday, May 10 – The final farewell to the Class of 2012
And then a celebratory drink (or three) at Don Pablos – a crazy busy LONG week but so worth the time and effort!!
Saturday, May 11 – Our friends were having a House Warming which included a fire pit out back… my Heart throwing some “fuel” on the fire!
Sunday Roast, May 12 – Mom’s Day – My kids decided to do the cooking – first we went lunch and then home for a wonderful Korean dinner (they decided to make something that I would not make because if they “tried to do anything I did make it wouldn’t be as good as what I make”… quite a compliment!) So dinner was made up of my favorite dishes including chap chae (this was the first time my son’s girlfriend had made this on her own – it was Perfect) and Sundubu Jjigae: a soft tofu soup with seafood… totally my Favorite! Dessert: my choice so Adult S’mores – always fun!
Fish Monday, May 13 – Baked Costa Rican-Style Tilapia with Pineapple, Black Beans & Rice and I actually ALMOST followed the recipe. Definitely a dish we will make again.. maybe for Sunday Roast.
Tuesday, May 14 – Chicken Tacos – this was so amazingly easy but very satisfying: store bought Roasted chicken (warmed and shredded), store bought HOT pico de gallo, fresh avocado, creamy Mexican sauce, shredded Mexican blend cheese on toasted corn tortillas. SUPER Simple but the flavors all work and it was delicious.
Wednesday, May 15 – There was a plan for dinner but our Mustangs were in the semi-finals so we were off to a night LAX game. I thought we were going to run out to grab a bite before the game but my Heart surprised me with a pizza: Imitation crab, black beans, sun dried tomatoes, bacon, mozzarella – really hit the spot !
Thursday, May 16 – Pizza was so good the night before.. my Heart got creative again – Imitation crab with tomatoes, chopped peppers, and mozzarella and BBQ chicken with chopped peppers and Mexican blend cheese. I Love Pizza Nights!
Friday, May 17 – My Heart was off to Boston for the weekend at HealthFoo Camp so I took myself out to dinner at a local sushi place we hadn’t had a chance to go to. J&Y Sushi is a bit of a whole-in-the-wall place in the town of Eldersburg (which is where we go grocery shopping every Sunday). We hadn’t tried it but my boss said it was really good so.. what the heck. The gyoza was nothing too special but the sunomono (picked octopus “salad”) was some of the best I’ve ever had.. there were paper thin slices of lemon between each substantial piece of octopus and a lovely subtle vinegary sauce,,, delightful. The Chirashi was completely unique to any I have had. Chirashi is a personal favorite – it is specialized to the sushi chef so always different and can be Very creative. This was almost “deconstructed”.. more like sashimi with rice “on the side” but the quality of the fish was excellent so I wasn’t disappointed. They also bought two pieces of maguro (tuna) sushi as a “sample”… which they do with everyone. We will definitely be BACK!
Saturday, May 18 – With my Heart away and my son’s girlfriend starting her first internship for the summer.. it seemed like good timing for a GIRLS’ Day – first Toes then lunch (our favorite Chinese buffet) then off for some Retail Therapy. It was a Great day!