A few weeks back I head up to good ole Montreal to celebrate the wedding of Nadia and Simon, two lovely friends I know from Hong Kong. While New York was melting in 100+ degree humidity, we were fighting rain and cold in this northerly Canadian ville.

The rain managed to hold off for the ceremony but dumped pretty much the rest of the night. How beautiful are Nadia and Simon!?

This was definitely one of the best looking, youngest, and most international weddings I have been to. You had people from Canada, Hong Kong, Lebanon, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, and Andy and I rep-ing from the US. And those were just the “kids.”

What was really amazing was how well everyone got on. There was a crew of guys that grew up in Montreal and knew each other, but the rest of us only knew a couple of people. We all met up Friday night the day before the wedding at an Airbnb apartment and bonded over “Never Have I Ever” and a ton of beer and wine. Andy and I hit up Queue Cheval after for a superb late night steak  dinner where our waiter gushed, “I shouldn’t say this, BUT, Jamie Kennedy is at the table next to yours!!” Who? before heading out to another club. I called it at 2, but the boys kept on well past 3.

The only picture I have of me from the weekend was killing time getting my hair done while all the men slept off their hangovers….It was an epic weekend with lots of dancing and new friends, and despite not seeing much of actual Montreal, I’d like to go back and make another weekend of it. If for nothing other than the accents.

The following weekend I met up with a ton of JMUers. Reed is in town from Hawaii so we all congrrgated at Jorge and Danna’s before heading to the Brooklyn piers to play round 2 of volleyball. It’s a pretty  sweet set up where winner stays on and losers cycle off. I have dramatically improved since my first venture and am fairly certain I have a bright volleyball future ahead. Check out that dive.

How gorgeous is New York? The weather has been absolutely spectacular this past week, although everyone else keeps complaining this is the hottest summer on record. I don’t know if it’s my acclimatization to Hong Kong or if it’s because I spend 8 hours a day in a 67 degree cellar, but I think it’s been just lovely.

Last weekend Kurosh came to town! I’ve known Kurosh since we were 5 and once upon a time in DC we were hanging out all the time. It’s crazy to think it’s been 3 years since I saw him last, and crazier yet how we fall right back into it.

We went over to Brooklyn (again, I feel like I live there. Maybe it’s a sign…) for Kimchipalooza 6 which I had read about on The Skint. Palozza not so much, but they did have this:

Arrogant Swine with some pretty ridic BBQ.  Brandon came and joined us and the two of us shared this monstrosity of gluttony. Coleslaw, cheese sauce, pork, mac and cheese waffle (!!!), ribs, sriracha, and cornbread.

Yeah, we’re definitely in Brooklyn. We stayed for a bit of live music but the rain and the itch to get back to the island eventually drove us to the Dead Rabbit where we enjoyed their newly conceptualized Q3 cocktails. Brandon’s onto something here…

Best Irish coffee I’ve ever had. Big. Words.

I’m not sure why this is showing up sideways, but you get the idea. New York is pretty. I met Erica and her husband down in Tribeca the other night for an alfresco dinner on the water before peddling my CitiBike home. ❤ my commute.

I have also just signed up for the Brooklyn Rock n Roll Half Marathon this October 8th. While out running yesterday morning, who do I run into but Allison. We met in Hong Kong years ago, she moved to Japan where I visited her several months ago, and now she’s in town for work and I quite literally ran into her on the Chelsea Piers.

So we met for breakfast this morning. Allison, not yet 30 and a partner in a VC fund, is always inspiring and full of young wisdom.  It was awesome to hash it out about being an expat, work and relationship struggles, all the while enjoying a tasty pistachio butter toasty egg breakfast at Cook Shop. This is just further proof that New York is indeed the center of the world. 

And most importantly, my sister STACY AND RUSS GOT ENGAGED!! June 10th, 2010. Woot!!!!!

PLEASE HELP:

I am running the BK half in support of St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, and although you don’t have to run, I would mucho appreciate your support, too:

You can donate here:

http://fundraising.stjude.org/site/TR/Heroes/Heroes?px=4099978&pg=personal&fr_id=55527

Thanks!