My last supper(s)

I'm sitting here, 8 hours before my flight, completely packed and extremely antsy to get going. I'm very excited but I have also had a nervous stomach all day; something about the unknown gives me an overwhelmed feeling. I have also had moments off and on all day where reality sinks in a bit and the feeling I get in my chest takes me breath away. This mixture of eagerness, excitement and anxiety is making me crazy and I'm sure all my emotional meltdowns are proof. Haha, thank god my mom has the patience to deal with me because I have been driving myself nuts. Everything I have worked for in the past 2 months has come down to now and all my preparations will be put to the test. No pressure or anything...;)

But what stands out most in my mind over the last few days are the moments I had with friends and family. Whether it was hanging out or saying goodbye, I saw a lot of true color and character come out of people. And in all these moments, food was the common denominator! I have eaten so much in the last week (and gained a few pounds), but I also had a lot of quality time with the people that I love.

I dined at Pizzeria Mozza with my mom and dad for lunch on the 29th and then Osteria Mozza for dinner on the 30th. The Mozza family took care of us and between the abundance of food, wine and hospitality, my family was able to relax and enjoy the each others company. I had so much pride in showing my parents where I had worked for the past year and a half and how much of a support team they were and still are.

I also got together at a local Mexican restaurant with some of my oldest friends and fellow girl scouts(yes, I was a girl scout). Over our fruity margaritas and crispy flautas, we caught up, reminisced about the old days and created dreams and future plans for each other. Katrina, do not abandon our bachelorette party plans for you. And Micaela, I will be front row at your first show in Seattle. :)

For New Years, dressed in our sequin dresses, my best friend from high school April and I hit the streets on Santa Monica. We had a great dinner at Sushi Roku, where the black truffle sushi roll was the hit, and then we had drinks at one the bars we used to frequent some time ago. Spending time with her was cherished as always since she lives in D.C. now, but what sticks out most in my mind from that night was sitting on a bench at midnight on Venice Beach, sipping champagne out of the bottle and eating tacos. From the food, to the company, to getting caught by the police, that is definitely a story/moment to add to our collection.

And then there was tonight. My last night with the family. I HAD to get In N Out! Of course! And as we all sat around our living room inhaling our burgers, we talked, laughed, cried and took in the moment. The food was great of course, but it was the comfort in the situation that made it complete.

I guess my point is that food is what brings people together. It's comforting, it's fun, and it's inspiring. And over the table, it doesnt matter what you talk about if you even talk at all. What matters is being together and embracing the moment. I don't know how many times I joked around and said "oh, it's like my last supper here!!"... A lot. And it wasn't ever true because I'll be back. But after all the meals I had and all the moments I shared with people, food was the glue to the situation. And I'm excited to adventure out and have new moments with new people over new food. It will still be as comforting to me as it is here.

Cheers!!!

T-minus 7 hours!!