Stanford | Taiwanese Night Market | Umami

Yesterday was our first Greg Chi Fan Club meeting. This club meets spontaneously to celebrate our wonderful Greg Chi, who is an all around magnificent person. (And who also happens to be attending Stanford as a member of the Class of 2019! YAY GREG!)

There was a Taiwanese night market happening on campus, so Clarisa, Helen, and I decided to go (mostly because Greg and Chris were going)…there was a lot of food and some performances. It was fun…but truthfully I would rather go explore downtown Palo Alto (which we did). The night market was really crowded and the vendors (because it was a fundraiser) ran out of food relatively quickly. So instead of staying, we wandered around the university campus , (which is beautiful, I might add), and took a lot of photos.

YAY GREG! 

Finally a good picture with Greg!! PC Helen :)

Greg channeling his inner Abercrombie model.

Clarisa took my camera while I laid on the grass, then I had a laugh attack.

E Con = Econ = Economics (This is the Economics building at Stanford, where greg will be studying)

Stanford is just really pretty

Pillars, vines, and whatnot

I love candid photos

So after taking a bunch of pictures around campus, we took an adventure to downtown Palo Alto and went to Umami Burger on University Avenue. The ambiance of the restaurant is quite unique…it's a very small place, bookshelves everywhere, and there are a few menu items with truffles. And by truffles, I don't mean chocolate. 

 Downtown is reallllllllllllllllly beautiful! So many little restaurants and cafés with tables spilling out onto the sidewalk. There are lights wrapped around all the trees, and the street really glows. You won't just find food, there are also many shops!

Before going home, we ducked into a little chocolate shop with the cutest seating and chevron patterned wall. It was called Timothy or Thomas something… can't remember.

Love, Marissa

New Friends Day

Marissa's note: typed on a tiny iPhone screen! Please forgive typos and confusing sentences. 

I spent today talking to students from Northeastern and BU. Went to Northeastern first, and talked to my aunt's friend's daughter Ashely. She's from Texas and a fifth year student studying chemical engineering. 

(Geese)

(Museum of Fine Arts is on the way)

(Building in front of quad)

(Took a photo in front of the college I was admitted into)

After that, I went back to Warren Towers and met Valerie, a grad student in public health; Kim, a sophomore in Questrom; and Abra, a sophomore in CAS on the premed track studying something about molecular biology. They were all soooooooo nice.

Went back to Northeastern to talk to Monica, a third year journalism student; Beth, a first year pre nursing student; and Robert, a first year engineering student. They were all really cool as well. Also, excuse my wind blown (it is windy in Boston like you wouldn't believe!!!!!) hair and awkwardness, but I took a picture with Robert because he has the exact same hair and preppy style as my friend whose name is also Robert!!

 

I'll be making my decision tomorrow! 

Love,

Marissa 

#thiscouldBU ... But Not Yet

Marissa's note: typed on a super tiny iPhone screen, so please forgive all spelling errors and confusing sentences. Remember a picture speaks a thousand words.

Today I took an admitted student tour for... Boston U! And I made a new friend. 

Her name is Francesca and she's from Boston. She's super cool and nice and she's going to be a political science major. 

We were both admitted into CGS (College of General Studies) so we're going to complete the core curriculum first, plus we get to take electives. After two years, she's going to CAS (College of Arts and Sciences) and I'm thinking of a dual degree in Questrom and the the School of Communication, and minoring in French and sustainable energy. Too much knowledge and not enough time :( 

Padre and I are staying literally next to Fenway park (a baseball thingy?) so there it is in the picture above!

For dinner Padre and I went to Legal Seafood! It's recommended by the locals, and it is REALLY good.

The brand has been around for over 100 years, and started out as a grocery store.

The clam chowder is the same clam chowder that is served at every presidential inauguration, so I ordered that (it was yummy). padre opted for...oysters...

(The oysters in all their glory)

Dad also ordered the Lobster bake, so he was given a bib :)

(One very happy Padre)

I got grilled shrimp and scallops, along with filet mignon. If you ever find yourself in Boston, eat here once. 

Across for the restaurant is the wharf!! Not Fort Point, but the view is still pretty!

Now I'm lying on my bed, writing when I should be studying. Goodnight friends, I'm going to Northeastern tomorrow!!

Love,

Marissa

Today Was A Wet Day

Marissa's note: typed on tiny iPhone screen. Please forgive typos and confusing sentences. 

Today was a wet day. I also learned- actually, no- I affirmed my weather wimp status. I'm actually really sad, because I was determined (last night) to not be a weather wimp. All the college admissions peeps from the east coast make fun of Californians for being weather wimps... I said to myself, "I WILL NOT BE SHAMED!" But then we came to Boston, and it was cold and rainy, and I reluctantly put on my ski jacket. Weather wimp. How will I survive?? Actually, I probably won't. 

It's also RAINING. How does that much water come out of the sky?? Actually, it's the most rain I've ever seen, and the puddles are absolutely glorious!!! Dad forgot an umbrella though, so we were stuck sharing my dinky minion umbrella... I'd say we were wetter than we hoped to be after walking in the rain...

We found a barbecue restaurant (that is also a sports bar) that is really good. It's called Sweet Cheeks! (I'm typing this on my phone, so I can't link you, but Google the restaurant in Boston.) I think the thing that won me over was the mason jars.

Also, Padre is on this trip with me instead of Choom, so here is a picture of Padre and fried okra... Which was pleasantly delicious, I may add. Salty, but good. 

We ordered brisket, pulled pork, and ribs to share. Baked beans and potato salad on the side. I really did like it! I think we're going to find seafood now though, because Padre really really wants seafood. 

I'm visitng Boston U tomorrow, going to the admitted student day. For now...good night!

Love, 

Marissa

CALIFORNIA DECA STATE CDC

Hi Ye Ye!
A couple weeks ago, I went to the state conference for DECA. My friend Clarisa made this video. Hope you like it!

Love, Marissa

Naples and Pompeii

On Saturday we took another high speed train to Naples! We had a private tour of the city as well as of Pompeii. Our guide's name is Elisa, and she was really nice! I would recommend a tour of any sort, because unlike with Florence, I didn't have any idea of where to start in Naples.

Elisa took us to the historical center of Naples. It is quaint, with its narrow cobbled streets and tall, tall buildings. A lot of the architecture looks like what you'd find in Paris, and that's because parts of the city where demolished after a cholera epidemic. It was rebuilt in the current European style of the day. There are so many shops and street vendors and places to eat! Clothing here is relatively inexpensive; I found a sweater for €15.

The first place we stopped at was a little food shop called Decumano, 31 Via San Biagio dei Librai, Napoli. 

They have homemade potato chips! I am never eating an American potato chip again!! 

If you face this shop and walk to your right, you'll find a lovely soap shop! There was an array of colors and scents to choose from: cinnamon, lemon, orange, lavender and fruit!

The shop is called Margherita, address 35 Via San Biagio dei Librai, Napoli. It's literally a few meters away from Decumano. 

The lemon soap is in the shape of a lemon!! And the scent is really strong. But strong in a good way.

Each bar is €2.80, but if you buy in threes  they are €2 each!

This shop is the oldest pastry shop in Naples. Everyone else beat me to the goodies so I didn't try anything. It's located in Piazza San Domenico Maggiore, and the piazza is really small so you shouldn't have a problem finding it.

This was our last stop in the historical center. It is supposedly the best place for chocolate. But what do I know? I had the gelato, and my parents bought chocolate.

The address is 61 Via Benedetto Croce, Napoli. 

Travel Tip

In Naples, just walk! No metro, taxi, bus etc. Everything is so small and close together and the streets are so crowded, walking is the fastest way to get around. In Rome, use the metro and walk. In Florence, walk. If you must use a car, get a taxi. Don't drive yourself. I promise you it will be the most bewildering experience of your life.

We made our way to the city center to meet a bus that would take us to Pompeii. On the way there, we saw A LEGIT CASTLE.

It was built by a French royal family in the 1200's, and the arch was added later by other people. 

 It takes about 30 minutes to get to Pompeii, and Pompeii is huge! Mount Vesuvius is an active dormant volcano and it is overdue for another explosion! Did you know that it wasn't Mount Vesuvius that destroyed Pompeii!? It was Moubt Suma, the volcano next to it that people mistook for a mountain!!

Fun fact: the people of Pompeii were really short! This was due to lead poisoning, because their water came out of lead pipes!! I guess that's not really fun though, so I guess it's a sad fact. 

Traffic was so terrible that we walked to the train station. If you think that city traffic is bad, Italy is at least 3x worse! 

That's all for now friends!

Love, marissa