Doan Chung-Hernandez

For my birthday this year we played it low key. For lunch we had sushi at Maru in Austin.

So far it’s the best sushi I’ve had in Austin.

After lunch we lallygagged around, shopped at the mall and when dinner time came around we went to the Melting Pot.

Heard a lot of hype throughout the years about this place and after today I can say with 100% certainty that it’s overrated and over priced at that.

But at least now I know. If I ever come back here I’m definitely coming having dessert first.

Well happy fucking birthday to me. I promise next year I’ll have a more exciting story for you.

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Recently I’ve been feeling unsatisfied with life, with me, with just a lot of things. I’ve decided that 2010 is the year that I start to invest in myself. I have so many passions and hobbies that I’ve always planned on being skilled in but things haven’t worked out according to plan for me. I’m ready to make things happen. Of course I would love to knock out everything that I ever dreamed of doing, but lets face it, I have freaking expensive passions, not to mention I don’t have enough time in my week to take it all on even if I wanted to so I’m taking baby steps and the first one is Beginning Sewing Class at Austin Community College. I’ve always wanted to learn how to sew, not because I want to be a fashion designer or anything, but really just for me. I can’t tell you how many jeans I have in my closet just begging to be hemmed.
On the first day of school I took a picture of my teacher’s sewing machine. Can you believe how old it looks? Crazy! Well as soon as I learn how to whip my sewing machine into submission I’m going to sew me one of these fancy aprons.

Seriously how darling are these! I can just see me slaving in the kitchen now. Can you say domesticated diva!

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Tonight is the National Championship game. I don’t know what that means but I do know that Andrea is having some people over for a pot luck to watch it. Luckily, for me, Ray briefed my on football the other day. I’ll get it down one of these days, or maybe I won’t. It’s hard to try to learn something you really don’t give a damn about. The only reason I give two shits is because my husband wants me to learn so I can watch the game with him and I like making my hubby happy. I’m really looking forward to going to Andrea’s not because of football, obviously, and not even for the food, I just miss her. We use to work out together at Catz, but we both stop going so then we got together once a week to go jogging but for some reason we stop doing that as well, I think it got too cold. Who knows. Anyhow, it was great to catch up with her tonight and we even made plans to do a spinning class together next week. Last time I did a spinning class with her my crotch hurt for like 3 days. Oh boy.

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I can’t believe another year has come and gone. It seems as though it was just last year I was living in Hawaii. It’s so true, the older you get the faster time just passes you by. When I was little girl a year would seem like a decade to me. Well this year I must be getting older because I really just wanted to take it easy. To tell you the truth staying home didn’t seem so bad. It’s just that it is new year’s eve which means I don’t want to be the loser starting off the new year staying home while everyone is out. I mean what if I curse myself for 2010.

Our first stop was dinners at Dondra’s.

My baby looks so sexy tonight. After Dondra’s we made our way to Katie’s.

And After Katies we headed to Amanda’s.

Where we finished off her jello shots and played beer pong.

Ray’s getting good.

My pre-new years kiss.

Winners and Losers.

Ray shot it in our mouths.

And then I gave it to Dondra.

And then I gave it to Lauren.

And that’s basically how I started off 2010, getting it in my face and putting it in others. Happy New Year!

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Sometimes I feel like I need a good cry.  Like how some people need the city every once in while, I sometimes need to cry. Crying reminds me that the compassionate part of my soul, well she’s still in tact.  I cry when I see other people happy and I cry when I see other people suffer. When I cry I feel beautiful and that makes me proud of who I am and reminds me that I deserve all the life has to offer.

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Luckily when we got back our friend Shane was still in town. You remember Shane, our roommate in Hawaii. We tried to get in as much Shane time as we could before he headed out to Dallas.

Later that night we decided to go watch Ninja Assassins but before we did Shane and I had a bet. I bet him that Brad Pitt was in this one movie and he said he wasn’t. Well, turns out I was wrong. Seriously, I don’t what I was even thinking betting Shane on a movie fact. He’s like a walking movie encyclopedia. Anyhow, since I lost I had to dress up like a ninja to watch Ninja Assassins. The thing is I kinda secretly wanted to dress like a ninja anyways so really I won.

Shaners is too excited to watch Ninja Assassins.

Ninja Assassins is a documentary about my family.

So we walk up to the window and it’s not playing here anymore. WTF! Ray check the movie times and it said it was playing at Tinseltown but it’s the Tinseltown in Austin not Round Rock. I swear these guys are probably thinking what kind of uber ninja nerd are you? At least come when the moving is still playing.

Well since we missed the movie we decided the next plan of action would be to go back to our house. Chris was lame and decided to go back home while Shaners spent the night at our house. He fell in love with my snuggie.

So the next day we take Shane to Firehouse Subs before he heads out to Dallas. Firehouse subs is Ray’s favorite sub shop and he has hyped it up so much. Shane admitted that he wasn’t all that excited about having a sandwich for lunch but after having a sub from Firehouse Subs he has crossed over to the other side. It was delicious.

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Good morning Christmas. I don’t know if it’s because we’re in California or because it’s Jesus’s birthday but it is a gorgeous morning. I woke up early and finished my book. I’ve been obsessed with reading lately.

We started our Christmas morning off with a family hike.

How pretty is it here!

It was a perfect 3 mile hike around the lake.

My dad was explaining to me that he loves mountains and lakes.

And then my mom chimes in and says she loves cars and money. She’s such a comedian.

We had to stop at least once for a group photo.

And of course I had to get one with my baby.

After our hike we were all so ready for some dim sum.

And tea.

After dim sum we made our way to Ranch 99. Oh how I wish Austin had a Ranch 99.

And then back home we go. I love this photo of my dad that I took.

I also love this photo of my mom checking out my dad be a photo-whore.

Selena and my dad goofing off after dinner.

Lana and Kevin are such a cute couple and this photo describes their relationship perfectly.

So the next morning Ray and I felt guilty for not working out the whole time while we’ve been here so we went out for a morning ride. It was ca-ca-ca-cold.

And when we got back we all went to Star Bucks.

I love my dad.

Afterwords we went out in search of some Uggs for my mom because tonight we are throwing my mom a surprise birthday party. Her American birthday is December 29 and since they are driving back tomorrow we decided to celebrate it tonight. We also got her a couple of Star Bucks gift cards and made the boys make a secret stop by The Cheesecake Factory to get her a cake.

All that shopping built us up an appetite. Pizza is the next stop and Lana knows the perfect place.

Hi dad.

So since we are celebrating my mom’s birthday tonight we decided to do up a special dinner for her, hot pot style. I miss hot pot meals. We use to do them all the time but I don’t ever remember having this grill in the middle of the hot pot. How cool is this.

A total Asian meal. I love love love it.

A special dinner for my beautiful mother.

Ray is tweeting about his first hot pot experience.

Hot pot dinners are fun, interactive, and healthy.

My favorite part of this photo is Kevin’s chopsticks skills in the background.

After dinner we sang happy birthday to my mom.

I haven’t seen her this happy in a long time.

Make a wish.

Look at that, she got Star Bucks gift cards.

And Uggs. Even though she knew we got her Uggs I still wrapped them up because there’s just something magical about unwrapping a gift.

Her hard working hands are filled with blood, sweat and too many tears. I wish I could give my mom more happy days like today.

My mom and dad are leaving today. Boo.

I’m not going to lie, I got my photo-whore gene from my dad.

One more meal before they leave.

My dad stuffed a bunch of quail eggs in his mouth and got scolded my Lana. She’s like, “dad, you better not put those back in the bowl. Now you have to eat them all.”

After lunch my parents and Selena packed up the car and headed south back home and since it was our last night we headed for the city. Ray was determined to get a burger from In and Out but never got a chance since we were so busy all week. Lana heard he wanted a burger so she drove us to Mels Diner for a “real” burger. Ray being too nice didn’t want to say anything and I just thought it was funny.

After Mels we got some drinks.

And after drinks we got some donuts.

And the next day Ray and I packed our bags and headed to the airport. Wow, what a fun and busy week. I miss my family already.

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This year for Christmas we are heading west to my state California. I have a T-shirt that reads, “I left my heart in California and that couldn’t be more truel. The rest of my family resides in California and they are definitely a part of my heart. Ray and I flew out on the 21st and we’re coming home on the 28th. That’s a full week with my family. I’m so excited!

We’re staying with my older sister and her husband in Walnut Creek, about 20 minutes from San Francisco. I love Walnut Creek. Did a lot of partying there in my younger days and every time I come back it seems like the town just gets better and better. The first night we went out for some Vietnamese and then headed to a dive for for drinks.

Ray and I have this favorite sushi restaurant called Nara. Every time were back in the bay area we always meet up with a bunch of our friends for sushi there. It’s nothing fancy, just really good and affordable. Also, I have fond memories of that place because when Ray and I first started dating we use to go there often. Tonight Lana and Kevin came out with us and the funniest thing happened. Lana was talking to me in Chinese, thinking that no one could understand her but hello, we’re in San Fransisco, where the Chinese dominate.  and Soo Hoo is sitting right across from her who happens to speak fluent Chinese. It was awesome. After sushi we headed to a nearby bar.

Ray and his best friend Chris. I know Ray misses him. Oh, and tonight we got the news that Marci, Chris’s wife is preggo. I couldn’t be more excited and jealous.

These are the guys that Ray use to work with when we lived here. I totally wishes I would have called my friends to come out to play tonight too but I figured there would be plenty of time, us being here a whole week and all, and let Ray have tonight for his buds, but there wasn’t enough time and now I’m regretting it.

One last photo before we say good-bye.

My parents will be in town later tonight so in order to mentally and physically prepare for them we went out and got massages. I already made it tradition to get massages with my parents every time we visit them in Southern California but I think after today I’m going to extend this traditions to all the Chung’s.

After massages we got pedis.

And then we stopped by the building. I wonder how Mel is doing?

We retired back home where we awaited for my parents and Selena’s arrival. Kola can’t wait to see them too.

My mom and her daughters minus my oldest sister Lien, she was in Vegas with her family.

Dinner time.

My dad brought us back these sexy pj’s from China.

My dad literally flew in from China yesterday and the next day they drove up to Walnut Creek to see us. Talk about jet lag. I was so so excited to see him.

This is my mother. My heart misses her everyday.

We definitely drank a lot of wine on this trip.

Well that concludes the first half of our trip. It was an amazing Christmas Eve. Hope you all are having as much fun as I am.

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