The walking season has begun!

The National Brain Tumor Society just made the Portland Brain Tumor Walk 2012 official!  Yes, it's nearly 5 months away, but I'm excited about participating, getting a team together, raising a lot of money for an amazing cause, and having a fun day with friends!!

Team Sara, Brain and Tall 2011

Blog readers, won't you consider joining my team for the walk on Saturday, August 18th?  Click here to go to the Team Sara, Brain and Tall page to join!  (Psssst...  For a limited time, save $15 off of the $25 registration fee using the code SAVE15.)

And if you're already itching to donate towards my fundraising goals ($5,236 individually and $8,919 for my team, which are both $1 higher than what was raised in 2011), please donate here!!  But don't worry, I'll be soliciting donations via email and on FB soon enough.  ;)

Gooooo team!!!

The hair double whammy

I went in for a haircut on Saturday and, sigh, got some not so great news.  My hair stylist Eric is moving to NYC in 6 months.  He gave me this awesome haircut and is leaving me here alone with it!!!!!  YIKES!  I asked him to help me find someone new that does short hair really well, and he said he'll have to think about that.  There is a girl I've seen on my bus a couple of times with a super cute short cut, pretty similar to mine, and next time I see her I'm going to ask who her stylist is.  While I'm reeeally excited for Eric to go and live out his dreams of doing runway hair and breaking into celebrity clientele, I'm selfishly totally bummed.  I've seen him for years and he is badass, both with scissors and in general.

He did mention that he wishes he'd thought about putting together his portfolio earlier, as he would have brought in a photographer to take pics the day I chopped off my hair.  BUMMER!  How cool would that have been?!  My cell phone before and after pics will not cut it...

The 2nd part of my double whammy was (and I'm not sure I should admit this) getting into my car right after my cut and immediately seeing a gray hair by my ear.  My 1st.  SADDDD.  I do not want to dye my hair but I don't want to look like a grandma either.  To be continued.

Sigh.

I did have a great weekend though!  Crab feed in Puyallup on Friday night, Hunger Games with Brittany on Saturday, hosted a bridal shower for my seester Amy yesterday (post and pics to come!), and a Mad Men premiere party at my friend Sydnie's last night.  So it was a great weekend!  I've just got a little hair stylist searching to do...

Nice little Thursday

After getting the good news from Dr. M on Thursday, I had a lovely little day.  I met my friend Lynn for lunch and some quick shopping and celebratory froyo on Upper Queen Anne (have you tried Homegrown? Yum!!).  I picked up a fantastic new candle and some adorable little earrings at the cutest shop Dispatch.  A couple hours later, I had a 90-minute relaxation massage at Gene Juarez.  I was SO relaxed that I nearly fell asleep on the massage table.  That NEVER happens to me.  I followed that up with a really nice steam shower... ahh...  Then I hit up Nordstrom for triple points and got a couple pairs of sandals (I'm trying to put warm weather vibes out there) and some lady undergarments, if you will.  It was such a nice day.

The other good news is that these MRI appointments are getting easier.  While I was definitely nervous beforehand, I wasn't nervous as early as I have been for past appointments.  And the day of, I was less nervous between my MRI and the results appointment (as we waited about 45 minutes).  Plus, when Dr. M gave me the good news, I did not immediately burst into tears like I did each time before.  (I had promised him last time that I'd try not to cry this time.)  The funny thing is that when I'm not as nervous, the relief does not feel as big.  But I'll take it!!  Less nerves is less stress and that is always a good thing.

This should be a nice week, with happy hour, a Groupon deal dinner, a crab feed, Hunger Games, a haircut, my sister's bridal shower that I'm hosting, and a Mad Men premiere party.  Whew.  I hope everyone has a good week too!

I'm CLEAN!!

Got good news from Dr. M today, no growth!!  Clean scan!!  WOO HOO!  He did mention he could see some congestion in my head, mostly on my left side.  I told him I'm getting over a nasty cold.  Pretty funny what those MRIs pick up on.  :)

To celebrate, I'm treating myself to an amazing 90-minute relaxation massage at Gene Juarez and then doing a little shopping at Nordstrom this afternoon.  It's triple points, yo!  ;)

Thank you all for your positive energy and thoughts and prayers.  It helps!!!  Dr. M asked when I wanted to come in again, and I answered, "Never!"  That is not an option though... :)  So my next appointment is in 3 months on Flag Day.

WOOO HOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rough MRI week

It's an MRI week, as my next one is day after tomorrow (Thursday), so I'm highly stressed.  Luckily the trip to Europe helped distract me, but now that I'm home and it's so close, I'm super nervous.  I also had a really awful day yesterday (terrible day at work, then got in a fight with a friend after work), so I'm just having a rough one.

I'm hoping for positive news on Thursday from Dr. M, and then I can release all of the stress and worries and negativity that I'm carrying.  Because when you get news that you can keep living (like literally living), it makes everything else, all your other worries in life, seem so small.

Please send positive thoughts, vibes, and prayers my way on Thursday morning.  I'll post my results on here as soon as I get home.

Amsterdam observations

I made it back home and have been enjoying my bed, my electric toothbrush, and getting back to normal life.  Still recovering from the Dutch flu/cold I caught, but feeling much better.  At this time last week, I was in Amsterdam, hanging out with friends and helping to celebrate one of their birthdays!  I had a great time, and love Amsterdam a ton.  It was my 3rd visit there, and I am always so happy to get back to the city.  It is perhaps my favorite city.  Here's what I noticed:

• In case you don't know this already, the Dutch are TALL.  Like, the world's tallest (seriously).  I get my own height from my Dutch heritage on my mom's side.  And I blend in there!  I love it.  These are my people.  We did spend some time at a bar though that seemed to be the anti-height headquarters in Amsterdam.  We went to a bar on Saturday night where I was the tallest person there for almost the entire time.  It was very confusing.  I kept waiting for my tall Dutch man friends to show up, yet they didn't.  I'm still confused.  (They did show up everywhere else, though.  WHEW.)

With my friend and fellow Coug Ryan, at the notorious short height bar

• I stayed with my friends Courtney and Karl for the weekend, and the apartment they live in (besides being really cute and much larger than I expected) was built for tall people!  The bathroom alone blew my mind.  The toilet was so high that my heels dangled off the floor.  No joke.  The countertop was tall.  The giant rain showerhead would have fit someone 7'0" under it. I even think the doorknobs may have been higher.  Reason #435 why I need to live in Amsterdam.

With the birthday girl Courtney in the "Secret Garden"

• One new thing I learned this trip is that a ton of shops and restaurants have a resident cat.  The cat hangs out, wanders around, is fluffy.  Once Courtney and Karl mentioned it to me, I feel like we saw cats everywhere.  And not stray cats, but cats that live in stores.  It was kind of awesome.
• I've been keeping an eye out to the fashion trends in each European city I've been to, as the residents all dress a little differently in each city.  In Amsterdam, I couldn't help but notice colorful sneakers everywhere.  Everywhere!  Bright, neon, so fun.  If I lived there, I'd definitely take my sneakers up a notch.  Courtney was already sporting some sweet turquoise ones (as seen in the pic above).
• One of Amsterdam's somewhat famous foods is their pancakes.  They are GOOD.  They make pancakes that are sweet or savory or both and you can put just about anything in them.  I had mine with cheese, bacon, and apple.  Court's had a huge piece of goat cheese and herbs.  And it totally hit the spot!  Mmmm.  Get some pancakes if you go to Amsterdam.

I wish I had one of these RIGHT NOW

• The Dutch also love fruit smoothies.  They were on most menus.  They were really good!
• When I asked at the short bar if they had cider, the bartender looked very confused and said, "Cider?  Like apple cider?"  I think that Amsterdam may be one of the few European cities that doesn't serve cider.  Bummer.  I think this is the first reason I've uncovered to NOT live there.
• As you may have already heard, the Dutch ride bikes everywhere.  Amsterdam is a city with more bike lanes than roads for cars it seems, and literally everyone is on a bike.  Everyone rides old cruisers, as owning a new bike is the fast way to get it stolen.  Courtney and Karl borrowed an extra bike from a friend that I got to ride, and it was fantastic!!!  I felt so Dutch.  Although my butt did not love it as much as the rest of me did; I was a little sore for a while.  We rode to dinner and the bars on Saturday night, and then rode home again afterwards (which was one of the more fun bike rides I've been on) and to and from breakfast on Sunday.

Court and I, riding home from her birthday party

I had a fun time hanging out in Amsterdam with Courtney, Karl, Ryan, and new friends!  I hope to get back there again someday soon (for more than just a weekend visit).

Munich observations

Before I start, let me just mention that I cannot WAIT to get home to Seattle this Friday.  I've been sick since Sunday and have hardly left my hotel room in Paris.  I want my bed, my food that I don't have to go out at buy at each meal, and my medicine with packaging in English.  :(

On a brighter note (*sarcastically*), let's talk Munich!  As you may know, I did not have the best of times when I visited Munich for 4 days last week.  I was alone for most of it and had a freakout about my poor navigating abilities and essentially kept myself confined to work, my hotel, and the walk between.  Not so fun.  So what did I notice while I was there?  Not much.  But here goes...

• The rudest cab driver on the face of the planet lives in Munich, and he picked me up from the train station when I arrived.  According to him, stupid Americans like me (not his words) need to know to always give a street address while in Europe and not the name of the destination, like your hotel name.  (Apparently I've never been to Europe before.)  After I told him the name of the hotel and went to pull up the street address on my phone, he freaked out at me so much for not having it straight away  that I nearly got in another cab (and I wish I had).  I was almost crying by the time I reached the hotel because he kept going on and on (and I was afraid to talk back for fear that he'd kick me out, in the dark, at night, in BFE Germany).  Long story short, Munich did not get off to a good start. 
• But it did get better!  The office I worked at was nice (in the PwC building, of course...!), and the conference room had the most amazing windows I've ever seen.  We were sitting there when the sun came out from behind the clouds.  All of a sudden, the window blinds on 2 sides (we were in a corner of the building) started automatically descending.  When they got to the bottom, they did a quick FLIP and turned just the right amount to keep the sun from being too bright.  And the light in the room adjusted based on brightness as well as movement in the room.  I think this is what the future is like, friends!
• In the office, it's not all work and no play.  Behold the world's tiniest ping pong table!  We attempted to play but could only go back and forth about 3 times before overhitting.

Care to volley?

• My colleague and I went to lunch at a nearby burger restaurant, where every single person (minus me) proceeded to eat their burgers with a knife and fork.  No picking it up with their hands like this crazy American!  But what is the point of the bun if you're not going to use it as a burger handle, I wonder...?
• And speaking of food, I went to a Thai place for lunch the next day by myself, where every single other person proceeded to eat with (you guessed it!) a knife and fork.  I was literally the only person in the place to use the chopsticks that were supplied on every table.  It was a proud moment for me.  :)
• When you arrive somewhere in the morning (like an office, for example), everyone that you walk past greets you enthusiastically with "Morgen!" (or "morning" in German).  Even people you've never met before!  So friendly.  I felt very welcome.
• In Munich they like their steaks COOKED.  And by that, I mean well done.  I ordered a steak at the hotel restaurant for dinner and asked for it medium.  It was totally well done.  The following night, I heard someone else order the same steak, and the server goes, "Well done?"  It seems as thought that might be the only option.
• We went to dinner the first night at the Augustiner beer hall, just down the street from the hotel.  I had a delicious radler (half beer, half lemon-lime soda) and tried the wienerschnitzel... which was delicious!  That traditional German food isn't half bad.

Prost!

Aaaand... that's all I've got.  Like I said, I didn't really "do" much while in Munich, unfortunately.  But I did have a fantastic time there a year and a half ago for Oktoberfest, so I definitely don't have a bad taste in my mouth for the city.

Slightly more fun in Munich, with Syd and the gang: September 2010

Nighty night!  Let's hope that my sinuses are happier in the morning...

Save the date: 2012 PBTW!

The National Brain Tumor Society just announced the date for the 2012 Portland Brain Tumor Walk.  Drumroll, please.....!  Saturday, August 18th!  Woo hoo!  Mark your calendars.

Once the site is up and running, I'll create a team and anyone and everyone is welcome to join Team Sara, Brain and Tall.  Last year I only really asked my Portland friends if they were interested (because I wasn't sure about the level of interest), but this year I'd love to have as many people participate as are interested.  Come one, come all!  Let's raise some serious funds for the NBTS!

We're considering a dance party theme of sorts, where we perhaps stop along the way, turn on a boombox of sweet jams, and have a mini dance party.  The walk got a little slow at times last year, and we talked about how this could liven it up.  To be continued!

Zurich observations

A week ago I had the pleasure of visiting my friends Jen and Jeff for the weekend in Zurich, Switzerland.  And I loved it!!  Zurich is a really cute, charming, clean, friendly, well-behaved, crime free city that seems very livable (although EXTREMELY expensive).  I would love to spend more time there and am putting it on my list of European cities I wouldn't mind living in someday (along with Amsterdam, London, and Copenhagen).  So what did I observe, you ask?:

• First of all, this place is just adorable.  I want to put it in my pocket and take it home with me.

Sooo European

With Jen at the coolest viewpoint above the city

• People are nearly as chic as in Paris but with a slightly edgier, street vibe.  More combat-y boots, more color, more unruly, more trend than classic.  I liked it. 
• Switzerland does have a military, but they are not as rigid as America's (I presume).  I saw a guy in his military camo strolling through the train station, smoking a cigarette.  I think that someone in an American military uniform would be in big trouble for smoking in public... but I could be wrong.  So it seems a little more laid back than at home.
• Everyone follows the rules!!  At a crosswalk, you wait until it says to walk, even if there isn't a car or tram in sight.  A beggar was looking for change at a tram stop; she apparently found it, as she actually used the money she got to buy a ticket aboard the tram.  Beggars in Seattle would just hop on without paying!  When we were running behind for our dinner or brunch reservations, only by 5 minutes, we considered calling to tell them we were going to be late.  In Paris, they told us that if you show up within half an hour of your reservation, you're good.  As a person who appreciates following the rules, I liked this aspect of Zurich (although I DID want to cross the street when there was nobody coming...).
• The weekend I was in town it was Carnival!  I wouldn't have guessed that Zurich had a connection to Mardi Gras and Carnival and whatnot, but what do I know.  There were these fantastic funky informal marching bands all throughout the streets, playing music and posing for pictures.  Plus Zurich, which is normally spotlessly clean with street sweeping zambonis making regular rotations, seemed to be covered in confetti for the weekend.  I'm sure the zambonis cleaned it up first thing Monday morning. :)

Rock out with your bumblebee out

Evidence of a good time

• The people of Zurich are very trusting and trustworthy.  At brunch, when we were finished, the waitress asked us what we had eaten to tally up our bill, instead of looking at her ticket.  Jen told me that young kids ride the trams alone and it's normal to teach your kids how to get around by themselves at a young age.  It's unspoken that everyone will look out for the kids and make sure they get around okay.
• Zurich has some tasty food!  We enjoyed fondue, which is a very Swiss meal.  It came with bread, potatoes, gherkins (mini pickles), pickled onions, and pineapple.  So good, so rich, so Swiss.  We also stopped by Sprungli, which is a well-known spot for sweets in Zurich.  We enjoyed their Luxemburgerlis (like mini French macarons) and trademark hot chocolate.  It was sooo good!  I bought some of their hot chocolate mix to bring home with me, and it isn't powder, it's chunks of chocolate!  Who wants to come to my place for special hot cocoa?!

Hot chocolates with champagne, pistachio, and chocolate Luxemburgerlis

• Zurich is freaking expensive!  The cheapest and smallest item on the Starbucks menu was 6 Swiss francs (or about $6.50 USD).  A 1-time tram ticket is 4 francs (or about $4.35 USD).  I saw some fake (yes, FAKE) Converse in a store window selling for 140 francs!!!  And I tried to buy a wooden cow Christmas ornament (as Switzerland is known for their cows, and I collect ornaments when I travel), and it was 39 francs (or $43 USD).  Uhh, no thanks!
• There are a couple famous chuches in Zurich, and while I'm not a churchy kind of girl, I did love their stained glass.  One has windows specially made by Chagall that are just beautiful, and the other has slices of agate incorporated into the glass.  So beautiful.  They didn't allow cameras in either church, so I've borrowed these images from more gutsy travelers (those rule breakers!).

Chagall's windows at Fraumunster

Agate at Grossmunster

• Like a lot of European cities, eating outside of cafes is something everyone does.  Even though it was late February, we were able to sit outside in Zurich.  The difference?  All of the chairs are covered with big faux furry blankets, which makes it cozy and really, more fun.  :)
• Everyone talks about the Alps in Switzerland, but it was pretty foggy and gray the weekend I was there, plus it was dark on my train rides to and from, so I never saw the Alps.  Or alleged Alps, as I prefer to call them.  It's the 1 bummer for the weekend.  The closest I got to seeing the alleged Alps was while doing THIS:

Newport News!  My signature pose

• Those Swiss can get a little crazy.  We stopped in a shop with tons and tons of assorted alcohols that you could put into bottles of your choosing, and we stumbled across this blue Viagra vodka.  Dare you to try it!

Little blue... liquid?!

• Want the tastiest street food in Switzerland?!  Might I recommend a hollowed out pretzel bun, filled with ketchup and a tasty snappy hot dog?  YUM.

All it was missing was cream cheese

I had a really nice time in Zurich, and it was sooo good to see Jen and Jeff again!  Hopefully I can return the favor when they want to come to Seattle and need somewhere to stay.  :)

MUCH better

I have mostly recovered from my little meltdown in Munich, as I've arrived back in Paris tonight and am in a familiar hotel with a colleague from Seattle.  Plus I know how to get to and from work and where to go for coffee, lunch, and dinner.  Thank you to the people that reached out to check on me; I hope I didn't freak anyone out too much!  It was just a very uncomfortable situation that made me feel trapped in the hotel and really afraid of leaving.  I did not like it one bit.

I'm behind on my observations posts, as I have both Zurich and Munich to do (plus I'll have Amsterdam after this weekend).  They're not as real time as I'd like, but when you're an international jetsetter like me, what can ya do.  ;)

I'm off to bed.  Talk to you all soon.