Left Right WINNER!

Here I am back in New York and I have to say that it was quite the accomplished trip home. For one, I came back with three times the amount of Trader Joe's Candy Cane Joe-Joe's than I had before (thank you to my mom, my dad and Aunt JoAnn!!) and secondly, because I FINALLY WON LEFT RIGHT CENTER!! I immediately wrote it on my bucket list and then crossed it off. What a dream come true!

What can I say other than my time was chock-full of friends, family, memories and fun. I got to see everyone I set out to see, and more. It's a lot to re-hash, so in times like these, I like to express myself in pictures:

Meeting baby Izaak for the first time!

Making my "famous" bacon-wrapped asparagus whilst drinking an Uncle Carl

Look at the intensity in our game!

Typical photoshoot

Photoshoot continued

The other side of the family's Christmas gathering

Kathleen's Pikachu graveyard where I slept most nights

Cuddling with little Zug-Zug

My best friend's two-year-old baby James

My best friend's three month old daughter Chloe

A beautiful night in Riverside: dinner, drinks, and the sights

...like the Mission Inn with lights!

Ahh the Mission Inn

The Mission Inn

Can you tell it's still the Mission Inn?

Visiting friends in LA

Contemplating my next move for Jenga!

My New Year's Eve at a friend's house in San Diego

Pickleback shots on the last day of 2012!

My New Year's Day was spent in and around San Diego, including the harbor 

...and the Gaslamp

The Inland Empire looking more beautiful than ever

And the love of my Californian life... DEL TACO!!!

As usual, leaving was quite hard. I took a red eye on Wednesday night which actually I quite enjoyed. The airport was empty, security a breeze, the flights quiet and restful and very fast! The problem was getting in at 5:30a.m., hitting morning rush hour on the subway with a broken suitcase and 25 degree weather. You can imagine that I was not exactly the radiating glow of cheerful energy at work that I might usually be. I actually had a breakdown in the back room where some co-workers found me and in their attempt to comfort me, somehow came to their own conclusion that I was upset about turning another year older in two and a half months. It was so off-kilter and ridiculous to me it actually made me laugh and I didn't bother to correct them.

All I'm gunna say is... if it's going to be so cold, can we at least have snow?! Can't wait for that Irish party I'm planning with my bar friends! Vive le New York!