Belinda Dao

*SPOILER ALERT*SPOILER ALERT*SPOILER ALERT*SPOILER ALERT*SPOILER ALERT*SPOILER ALERT*

This is part 11 of my review and summary of Intensely Alice for those of you who have not been able to read the book yet and are dying to know what happens.

WARNING: Please do not continue reading if you do not want to know what happens.

Chapter Thirteen – A Heated Discussion

The following night at the soup kitchen, Justin Collier shows up to volunteer. Alice is surprised because Jill, who is usually with him, was not there. Mark and Keeno also come to perform. At first, not many diners are interested in looking at them as they set up. However, once Mark and Keeno start to play, all the diners begin to enjoy the entertainment and some even sing along. Mark and Keeno are so popular that Mrs. Gladys had to make an announcement that after “Amazing Grace” the first group of diners had to clear out so the second group could come in.

After all the diners had been served and the everything had been cleaned up, the volunteers go out back to reset. Shelley compliments Keeno and Mark and adds in that God was behind their decision to come here. Keeno replies that they were there because they were not successful at the Metro stops. Shelley, however, keeps trying to push her point that everything that happens is part of God’s plan. This angers Mavis and the others try to makes sense of Shelley’s argument. Shelley tries to further explain her piont by bringing in an analogy used by her minister: A tapestry has an image on one side but on the other side are knots and loose threads. To us, all we see is the side of the knots of loose thread. We fail to recognize the side with the image, God’s plan. Although Alice thinks Shelley’s analogy has a good point, Austin and Danny do not think Shelley can conclude that Christianity is the religion. The discussion is interrupted by the loud voices of men in an argument. The five boys run down toward the voices while the girls have their cell phones ready to dial 911 in case of an emergency. The voices grow softer and turns to one of the songs that Keeno and Mark had played earlier. When the boys return, Keeno says the argument was a result of a misunderstanding. Shelley says that God had a hand in calming the argument, but Pamela says there is no way to prove it. This argument continues on a little longer until Austin suggests dropping the discussion that they have discussed. Shelley agrees stating that she has already tried her best and that is all she can do.

In the car ride home, Alice, Liz, Gwen, and Pamela talk about the heated discussion. They discuss what they each believe and why (in brief). Alice then asks Pamela how her mom is doing and Pamela replies that it seems as though her mom has friends. This leads to Gwen asking Pamela how she is doing and Pamela replies she is taking a break from boys for the summer. Gwen then mentions how nice it was for Keeno and Mark to come to play for the diners, but Pamela corrects her and says Keeno was there to play for Elizabeth. Alice then drops the girls off and heads home.

MY TAKE: Again, this chapter was uneventful. Nothing too interesting for me.

Be sure to check out other Intensely Alice updates including chapter summaries and reviews (spoiler alert!), surveys, polls, and more!

2 Comments | In: Books | tags: Alice series, Intensely Alice, Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, review. | #

I want to watch this: (500) Days of Summer. It’s not your typical love story. This is a story of boy meets girl. It stars Joseph-Gordon Levitt (boy) and Zooey Deschanel (girl). It was released in theaters on July 17, 2009.

1 Comment | In: j'adore | tags: (500) Days of Summer, Joseph-Gordon Levitt, movie, Zooey Deschanel. | #

*SPOILER ALERT*SPOILER ALERT*SPOILER ALERT*SPOILER ALERT*SPOILER ALERT*SPOILER ALERT*

This is part 10 of my review and summary of Intensely Alice for those of you who have not been able to read the book yet and are dying to know what happens.

WARNING: Please do not continue reading if you do not want to know what happens.

Chapter Twelve – Shelley’s Sermon

At the soup kitchen, Alice and the other volunteers try their best to please the diners because this meal and the service may be the only positive thing in their day. They are polite and courteous and try to accommodate the diners as best as they can. During their break, Mavis shares with Shelley, Liz, and Alice that she went to Ohio this past spring to help out a city after it had been devastated by a tornado. Shelley takes Mavis’s action as an act of God and tries to convince Mavis that by helping the tornado victims she is serving God. Mavis, however, tells Shelley she was there because she wanted to be there, not because of God. Mavis then declares that she is an atheist. This takes Shelley, and even Elizabeth, by surprise, but before Shelley can argue, Mrs. Gladys (the woman in charge) calls them back for clean up.

The following day, Shelley tells Mavis that she is praying for her. Mavis does not understand why Shelley is so concerned that she is an atheist, but Shelley tells her that she would feel horrible if she were in heaven and Mavis wasn’t because she didn’t do anything to save Mavis. The others immediately question Shelley and her beliefs, but Shelley is prepared for the discussion. The argument gets a bit heated before they have to leave.

In the car ride home, Alice, Liz, Gwen, and Pamela discuss the question of who is right about God. Although they do not answer the question, they do tell Gwen about a twelve-year-old Elizabeth who wanted Pamela to get her breast blessed by a priest after Pamela’s encounter with an older man on the their train ride to Chicago.

The next day, Mark and Keeno come by the soup kitchen an hour before closing and report that their outings are becoming less successful. Mavis recognizes them from TV and Mrs. Gladys invites them to perform the next night for the diners. Liz encourages Keeno to do it so Mark and Keeno agree.

MY TAKE: Personally, this is an uneventful chapter in the book. I get that Mrs. Naylor is trying to introduce a topic of controversy, religion, into the book, but I could care less for it. To be quite honest, I do not read Alice for controversy. I read it because it is funny and I feel as though I have grown up with Alice for a majority of my life so I enjoy reading about Alice and her life. I understand that Alice is growing up so the topics in the book will be more mature, but this is a chapter I could live without. Am I right or am I right?

Be sure to check out other Intensely Alice updates including chapter summaries and reviews (spoiler alert!), surveys, polls, and more!

No Comments | In: Books | tags: Alice series, Intensely Alice, Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, review. | #

Santana Row is your typical upscale shopping area with high end shops and eateries. It reminded me of a mix between South Coast Plaza and Fashion Island minus dogs dressed in clothes and Botoxed women (or maybe it was too early in the morning). I did not bother to go into Gucci or BCBGMAXAZRIA, which are out of my current price range, but I did love love love their Urban Outfitters and The Container Store (first time visit!). From UO, I got a black Silence and Noise dress, a cute pair of loafers/flats, Ecote sandals, and a Deena and Ozzy purse. From The Container Store, I got an introduction to a store that I will be visiting quite frequently in the future.

No Comments | In: Shopping, Travels | tags: Santana Row, Shopping. | #

*SPOILER ALERT*SPOILER ALERT*SPOILER ALERT*SPOILER ALERT*SPOILER ALERT*SPOILER ALERT*

This is part 9 of my review and summary of Intensely Alice for those of you who have not been able to read the book yet and are dying to know what happens.

WARNING: Please do not continue reading if you do not want to know what happens.

Chapter Eleven – People Care

Mark and Keeno continue to get buzz with their Naked Carpenters bit and decide to continue. Liz occasionally comes along to help with their equipment. Meanwhile, at the Melody Inn, Ben is looking for a replacement for David who is heading off to Georgetown and Pamela is visiting her cousin in New Jersey. Alice herself is busy catching up on stuff after her trip to Chicago. She knows Patrick does not like small talk so she keeps her emails to him brief, but the email exchanges are cute (or so I thought) like “Loved your scent on the pillow” and “I could smell your shampoo on my towel“.

On Saturday, Gwen calls Alice to confirm that she’ll be helping out at the Montgomery County soup kitchen next week. Alice agrees and the conversation turns to Mark and Keeno’s new gig. Alice remarks that Mark is a different person ever since Brian stopped hanging around all time the time. She says Mark used to be in Brian’s shadow, but now he’s becoming his own person.

The next day, Alice, Gwen, Liz, and Pamela hang out on Alice’s porch. Alice sees that Pamela is growing her hair out and recalls the infamous year of the gum incident. The conversation then turns to Liz and her latest interest in Keeno. Liz admits to liking him before Pamela asks Alice about her visit to see Patrick and her trip to Chicago. Alice tells about the bachelorette party (Liz proclaims she does not want one) and the places she went to with Patrick. Elizabeth then asks about where she slept and Alice explained how she slept on the couch. The girls are disappointed, but Gwen sees past it and asks Alice what happened before she went to sleep alone on the couch. Alice’s face turns red and Pamela asks her what exactly happened. Not wanting to have her night with Patrick dissected by her friends, Alice chooses to remain coy saying it was a nice night that she spent in Patrick’s arm, but she does confirm she did not go all the way (Elizabeth’s question). Alice does, however, tell her friends about the airplane ride and Doug Carpenter’s wandering hands.

The following Monday, Gwen picks up Alice, Liz, and Pamela and drives them down to People Care. There are other youth volunteers including Austin, Danny, Shelley, and Mavis. The volunteers are split up to set up the dining area and to prepare the food. As Shelley, Mavis, and Alice are arranging the food, Shelley asks Alice how she came to People Care to Volunteer. Alice tells her Gwen heard about it at her church. Shelley says she heard about it at her church too and asks Mavis if she attends Gwen’s church. Mavis tells her that she does not go to church. A bit shocked at first, Shelley extends an invitation to Mavis to attend her church anytime, but Mavis tells her thanks, but no thanks. Mavis says she decided not to go to church because she thinks the church will not answer all the questions. Shelley bets her that her church probably can, but before Mavis can respond, she sneezes. Alice does not want to get into this conversation at that particular moment.

MY TAKE: Alice and Patrick are just too cute together. I like how they have a long (well for their age) history together and Alice knows Patrick’s personality yet there are still some things they don’t know about each other. I also think it was wise of Alice to keep private her moment with Patrick and her friends to respect that boundary. As for the soup kitchen scene, I found it a bit on the boring side. Although I highly encourage helping out the poor and giving back to the community, I could see Mrs. Naylor’s point of this storyline and the direction it was heading.

Be sure to check out other Intensely Alice updates including chapter summaries and reviews (spoiler alert!), surveys, polls, and more!

No Comments | In: Books | tags: Alice series, Intensely Alice, Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, review. | #

I’m not sure if it was the two weeks (actually ten days over a two week period) of Bikram Yoga or if it was my ab roller and push-ups or a combination of both or even my low-fat/low-carb diet (doctor’s orders which I was semi-successful at), but sound the trumpets and sing Hallelujah!  I have made great progress this past week.  I was actually quite disappointed during my two weeks of Bikram Yoga because my weight went down only a pound or two while fluctuating up a pound or two as well.  Then, last week I went on vacation that was semi-unhealthy (think fast food/eating out) making me think all my hard work was going to waste.  However, when I got home Sunday night and I stepped on the scale, lo and behold I lost more than a pound or two.  Don’t worry.  It’s not a fluke.  My weight has maintained itself these past couple of days so I know this dream must be true.

I feel like this journey has taken a long time, but I’m finally reaping the reward so yay me!

(I know I said last time I would tell you about my Bikram Yoga lessons this time around, but please be patient.  I will get to it soon!)

Current Weight: Driver’s License + 10 pounds
Weight Difference from 03/03/03: -7lbs

No Comments | In: Pounds | tags: Bikram Yoga, exercise, weight. | #

Wahoo’s Fish Taco is so yummy. It’s simple food that tastes good. I’ve already eaten at the Wahoo’s located at Fashion Island, South Coast Plaza, and Costa Mesa 2. This past week I was able to try Wahoo’s outside of Southern California at the San Jose location of Wahoo’s at Santana Row. As usual, I got the Maui Bowl, which is carne asada marinated in Teriyaki over steamed, seasoned white rice with black beans. It also comes with salsa on top of the carne asada, but since A does not like salsa we opted to get it on the side in a bowl. A, my cousin D, and I shared an order of jumbo fries and a Maui bowl. It was absolutely delicious and filling. From my experience, the good thing about the food at Wahoo’s Fish taco is it always tastes the same, something I can always count on.

This is how it comes…

with the salsa on the side…

but I love mixing everything together!

Absolutely delicious.

No Comments | In: Food, Travels | tags: Asian, Hawaiian, Mexican, Santana Row, Wahoo's Fish Taco. | #

*SPOILER ALERT*SPOILER ALERT*SPOILER ALERT*SPOILER ALERT*SPOILER ALERT*SPOILER ALERT*

This is part 8 of my review and summary of Intensely Alice for those of you who have not been able to read the book yet and are dying to know what happens.

WARNING: Please do not continue reading if you do not want to know what happens.

Chapter Ten – Boots and Butts

After a shower, Alice does a little campus tour of her own. She finds herself at Rockefeller Chapel where a wedding probably took place the night before. She stands inside the chapel wondering if Patrick and she will ever be standing there one day. When she returns back to Max P., Patrick is waiting for her with a cab ready to go. Relieved to see her (she was four minutes late), he kisses her goodbye and tells her he’ll remember this visit for the entire summer. On the cab ride to Water Tower Place, Alice closes her eyes and remembers it all.

Before leaving for the airport, Alice, Ben, and Sylvia have lunch with Uncle Milt and Aunt Sally. Aunt Sally asks Alice about her visit to the university and Alice accidentally lets it slips that she was visiting a boy. Although Ben tries to divert Aunt Sally, she still questions Alice, especially about where she slept. Alice teases Aunt Sally by saying she slept in the guys’ suite, but adds in she was sleeping alone on the couch. Aunt Sally is exasperated that boys and girls are in such close proximity these days saying things were much different in her days.

When Alice arrives home to Silver Springs, Elizabeth immediately calls her and tells her that she must come with her to the Metro. At the Metro, Alice sees Keeno and Mark in only jockey shorts, painters’ caps, and work boots with “Naked Carpenters” painted on the seats of their undies. Mark is on the harmonica and Keeno is playing a long saw with a bow (musical saw). Alice and Elizabeth cannot help but laugh along with the people getting off the train. Elizabeth explains that Mark and Keeno got the concept from the Naked Cowboy in Times Square figuring they could make money for the car they want to buy. After forty minutes, Alice tells Elizabeth she is hungry and that they should get home to see if the boys made the news. Liz, still entranced, agrees but does not make an effort to leave. Alice notices Liz sharing a moment with Keeno (exchanging looks). On the way back to the car, Alice questions Liz about her new found interest from “Is it the underwear?” to “The attraction” to “The muscles? The boots? The saw? The butt?”. Liz admits its “all of the above.”

MY TAKE: Aunt Sally is so traditional that it is funny. Alice’s conversations with her are for the most part hilarious because it’s the past trying to understand the present. Oh, how Aunt Sally reminds me of the older people in my life. When I read the second part of the chapter with the Naked Carpenters, I, like Alice, was at first was incredulous at what I was reading, but then I began to laugh at what I was reading. As for Elizabeth, it is nice to see her moving past Tom Perona and Justin Collier (who I had liked when he was first introduced back in the eighth grade) although I never expected her to take interest in Keeno.

Be sure to check out other Intensely Alice updates including chapter summaries and reviews (spoiler alert!), surveys, polls, and more!

2 Comments | In: Books | tags: Alice series, Intensely Alice, Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, review. | #

*SPOILER ALERT*SPOILER ALERT*SPOILER ALERT*SPOILER ALERT*SPOILER ALERT*SPOILER ALERT*

This is part 7 of my review and summary of Intensely Alice for those of you who have not been able to read the book yet and are dying to know what happens.

WARNING: Please do not continue reading if you do not want to know what happens.

Chapter Nine – The Night in Max P.

After dinner, Patrick gives Alice a tour of the University of Chicago. At the bookstore, he buys her blue marble earrings as a gift. They then walk to Reynolds Club, Hutchinson Commons, C-Shop, Cobb Hall, etc. until they find an empty bench in front of Botany Pond. Alice asks Patrick about living away because she has never been on her own before. Patrick tells her it becomes something that one becomes accustomed to and it will all seem normal after awhile. When Alice asks Patrick if he would ever have a traveling job like his father, Patrick says he is unsure, but he knows that he does not want to be alone to which Alice agrees.

Later into the night, on the bench in front of the Botany Pond, Alice and Patrick’s relationship moves beyond just mere kisses. Although they do not go all the way, their physical relationship definitely moves up level. Afterwards, while they are still sitting/lying on the bench, Patrick asks Alice what she is thinking and she tells him how wonderful the moment is for her and how she is happy to be there with him. In return, Alice asks Patrick what he is thinking. He tells her he always wondered if/hoped they would reach this point in their relationship. Patrick then realizes the time and tells Alice they should get back so she could get some rest. Realizing she still does not know where she will be sleeping, Alice asks Patrick about her sleeping arrangement. Patrick tells her they will head back to Max P. and check to see if his friend found her a bed. Alice is shocked that she has no definite place to sleep. Patrick, on the other hand, does not think it is a big deal because he can sleep on the couch in his suite if his friend cannot find an extra bed for Alice. Seeing her reaction to his solution, Patrick assures her that they will find a bed for her. He continues to tell her he was afraid she would not come if she knew there was no definite bed for her. Patrick then tells Alice he has something else he has not told her yet. Alice immediately thinks Patrick will tell her he has a girlfriend at the university (Fran possibly?), but instead Patrick says he has class at nine the next morning which means he cannot spend anytime with her the next day except for his lunch break to walk her out to get a cab. He figured having her for half a day was better than no day at all and lets her know he wanted her to come so he could show her around the school and do everything they did together. Alice is bummed that his schedule is so tight, but accepts it and lets him know that she was glad she came for half the day, especially the night.

Back at Max P., Patrick finds a note from his friend telling him she was unable to find a bed for Alice so Alice and Patrick head up to his suite. There, they find Spence, Patrick’s other roommate, sitting on the couch. Patrick politely tells him they’ll need the couch for Alice’s bed. As Alice settles into the couch/her bed for the night, she is disappointed, but realizes that she must make the best of the situation. She had after all invited herself to see Patrick and, although this day was not ideal for Patrick with his class starting the next day and no extra beds, he was making the best of the situation. As she turned on the couch, she smelled Patrick’s scent on the sheets and pillow. She realizes Patrick had given her his bedding leaving himself with nothing. Trying to fall asleep, Alice recalls her day with Patrick.

The next morning, Alice finds that no one is in the suite when she wakes up. As she uses the restroom, she notices that someone has used her towel as a bath mat. When she returns to the living room, she sees a note from Patrick. He tells her he couldn’t bring himself to wake her up, but he would be back at lunch to see her off. Not wanting to follow the directions to a breakfast place Patrick had drawn out for her, she settles for someone’s sandwich in the mini-fridge along with vanilla pudding. She figured whoever had used her towel as a bath mat owed her that much.

MY TAKE: I think this chapter was a long way in the making for Alice, Patrick, and especially all the faithful readers of the Alice series.

Be sure to check out other Intensely Alice updates including chapter summaries and reviews (spoiler alert!), surveys, polls, and more!

No Comments | In: Books | tags: Alice series, Intensely Alice, Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, review. | #

dra-ah-ma

I was at Urban Outfitters at Santana Row and I cannot believe what I saw. I’ll preface it with A in the fitting room.

While A was trying on the sale clothes I picked out, a girl (Shoplifter 1) came in and started to bang on the outside door of the fitting room next to A. (When I say bang, I mean banging/pounding/abusing the door.) The UO worker at the fitting room asked SL 1 if there was a problem (I’m thinking he’s thinking “WTF is wrong with you psycho girl” — or that is at least the expression his face gave away) and she said her friend, Shoplifter 2, was in the fitting room. When the fitting door room opened, SL 1 looked embarrassed and told the startled shopper “OMG sooooo sorry I thought you were my friend.” SL 1 then continued to disrupt the atmosphere of UO by calling out for her friend. “SL 2, SL 2, where are you?” SL 2, in a different dressing room, opened her door and said, “SL 1 I’m right here”. SL 1 then joined SL 2 in her fitting room. I did not think much of this as girls tend to do this sort of thing.

Fastforward to checkout.

As A and I were waiting in line to pay for our good finds, SL 1 and SL 2 walked by us. When they passed through the security detectors, it went off. BEEP BEEP BEEP. The cashier went over to SL 1 and SL 2 and made them pass each item in their purse through the security detector. From my point of view, it looked like everything in their purse was from UO. I saw them pass their wallets through and other UO looking items through the detectors, but nothing beeped. However, when one of the girls passed her last item through, I heard BEEP BEEP BEEP. The cashier looked perturbed and instructed the girls to head upstairs to what I assume was the office.

I’m not sure what happened to them, but the cashier who caught them asked my cashier for a phone number, which I presume was for security because on my way out security officers entered UO. I do not understand why those girls shoplifted. First, they should not have drawn attention to themselves. Second, they should have just bought something so it would not look suspicious when the security detectors went off. Third, they just should not have shoplifted.

Like I said. Dra-Ah-Ma.

No Comments | In: Happenings | tags: Santana Row, shoplift, Urban Outfitters. | #