a little situation

Last Saturday we rode 10+ miles in the rain for the little bake sale at Ethique Nouveau. I don't know if it was worth it but this {vegan?} cupcake was really really delish! So fluffy and moist---PERFECTION.


My first day at Gilly Hicks was yesterday. I did markdowns for 3 hours straight. That sounds terrible but it actually wasn't so bad. I saw this zip-up hoodie for only $15!!! Def buying it tomorrow.
Everyone's really laid back and I love the atmosphere of the store.. I'm just not sure I want to work there full time. They want me to sit in on the conference call next week and then I think the DM would interview me again before they officially offered me the MIT position. They have a decent benefits package with health care and stuff but I'm mainly concerned with how much they'd pay...
I don't know. I'm still considering The Limited who will get back to me on Friday with their salary. If I took that position, I'd work around 30 hours a week, keep my DCP position, still be available 2 days a week for Gilly Hicks. That would be ideal I think but it would be nice to have health insurance...

A month in the other windy city

So, I had the 3rd interview with REM for the direct care professional position and I got it! It's part time for now but I can cross-train and cover other shifts later down the road. 

I'm also officially an employee of A&F! Got my associate card today and the rest of my outfit: $100 worth of clothing for F-R-E-E! I've been talking with one of the managers about becoming a manager in training so hopefully I get a phone call this week asking me to come in for an interview. It'd actually be perfect if I worked FT at Gilly and PT with REM. Kinda wanted it the other way around but good enough for now.

It's been exactly 4 weeks since coming to Minneapolis. I feel like I already know downtown pretty well and want to spend more time in Uptown. Our helmets arrived today so I rode around by myself for the first time. Went to the University to see P. His office is 7 floors underground. O_o

Tonight we're going to meet with the Italian group at Sebastian Joe's and then heading over to the Kitty Cat Klub to celebrate P's co-worker's birthday.

bunny slippers. There are rabbits all over this town..

Duck, duck, goose

Creamy masala with tofu--spicy level 5

Almond curry fish

Butternut squash soybean and tomatoes (left) & aloo bodi & raita (behind rice) 

Today was an amazingly warm and sunny day! We went to Namaste cafe for an early lunch today. On one of our first days in Minneapolis, we'd searched online for nearby Indian restaurants and this was one of them. {We ended up going to Dancing Ganesha for their buffet lunch for our very first Minneapolis meal!}

We got there right when they opened (our receipt was printed @ 11:11:11!) and even at 11:30am a bunch of people were already seated. Everything tasted amaaaaazing and I'm actually craving some of my masala curry...Basically, we love this place and will definitely be back soon.

My new bike from Re-Cycle! It's a vintage AMF Hercules..about 40-50 years old.  It's so cute and perfect for me!

Umm, delicious olive break from Wedge that tastes soooo good with that tofutti  cream cheese!

We spend most of our free time feeding the wildlife at Loring Park..

Hand feeding this cutie oca!

Got a phone call today..I got the job with Gilly Hicks!!!
The group interview was with 3 other girls and they were all really sweet and nice. I hope they all get hired, too! I'm going to the mall tomorrow to fill out the paperwork and stuff so hopefully I'll be working really soon! I have 5 other interviews this week..still waiting on the DCP position, though, and that's the other one I want. I can have 3 part time jobs, right? ;)

What to do when you're surrounded by hungry squirrels

We see these 3 rabbits all the time! They're adorable and I love them.

eating a saltine

There were so many..coming from all over the place. Once they saw that one squirrel was getting some cibo, they all wanted to get some!

Someone provoked a scoiattolo and it jumped up and scratched his hand...we still love them! 

Foshay tower -> W Hotel

I hope the interview tomorrow @ Gilly Hicks goes well and I get the job! Otherwise, I'll have to become a full time housekeeper...

Because we ❤ animals

Our beautiful apartment! Ok, so it's kind of empty right now but only because we moved in 2.5 weeks ago. We still need a couch, side table, and some shelves and all the little stuff like flower vases, mirrors, throw blankets, etc.

soggiorno

cucina

Just showing which goodies we buy. P is now officially vegetarian so there is absolutely no meat in our house! Yay! We usually shop at Target because it's right there and they actually have a little section of frozen veggie items like the Boca vegan burgers, Quorn meatless and soyless nuggets & patties, and Morning Star sausage links. There is also this asian style "chicken" which we haven't tried yet. It's really exciting having so many things to chose from. I personally like the chicken and those Morning Star ribs! OMG the ribs are seriously good!

Lund's is over the river and about 30 minutes walking but they're opening one in downtown in June so it'll be a little closer! That's where we buy special items like kale, sushi and pompelmo. Speaking of sushi, I really miss Minado in Natick, MA! :(
But, yeah, we buy those Morning Star ribs at Lund's. They're really delicious and I would recommend them to everyone!

Vanilla almond milk & chocolate soymilk
V8 juices
Fake bologna & bacon strips! So good!

We just bought this Tofutti cream cheese yesterday and half of it is already gone. It was sooo delicous--like better than real cream cheese! It tasted perfect on Wedge's olive bread.
Wedge co-op is another store we shop at. It's about 35 minutes walking. They have so many vegan/veggie options to chose from! We've tried Daiya mozzarella cheese, this amazing "roast beef" thing {I forget the name and already threw away the wrapping}, and the products from Lightlife.
Wedge sells local products, has a bakery which sells vegan desserts!, and has radiatore pasta. It's almost like the queen of grocery stores it's so amazing!

These are from the Wedge. We tried the fish fillets last night. They tasted just like fish sticks! 

Since coming to Minneapolis, we've purchased products that are more natural and do not test on animals.

From Wedge, the peppermint smells wonderful and it's very moisturizing.

Also from Wedge, it's a so-so conditioner. I wouldn't mind something more hydrating.

 These next 3 were bought at Target.

totally vegan

Uptown girl

 

Woodchuck along the Mississippi River!

Loring Park... where all the happy squirrels, birds, and ducks reside. I can't wait until the weather cooperates so P and I can do picnics and lazy days by the lake. There are Lake Coulhoun and Lake Harriet which take about 30 minuti biking. I really need to get a bike, though. P just bought a used Raleigh yesterday and I want to buy a used bike because it's more ecological and the vintage ones look cool but I think I'll just get a Magna from Target. I'm so short that normal women's bicycles are still too high for me. :/

My favorite pizza: BBQ sauce with meatless and soy-free chicken!

Anyway, I had my second interview with REM Hennepin yesterday. I think it went well and now I'm waiting for the supervisor of Bloomington's branch to call me. I hope this is it! I've seriously applied to so many jobs in the past 2 weeks that there's nowhere else to apply. Soon I'll have to go around to restaurants asking for a waitress position! Nooooo!
But, yeah, my interview was in Brooklyn Center and while I was waiting for the bus a school bus passed and someone threw a plastic container of applesauce at me. Yeah..And it was literally freezing yesterday. It's time for spring and 75 degree weather.

P and I were recruited at the Mall of America for Gilly Hicks last Saturday. P declined since he's a full time researcher... but I was excited and have a group interview this Friday. I will cry if I don't get that position. Seriously, since graduating university, retail has been my life--how could they not hire me!
Rumor has it that Gilly Hicks pays for your "outfit" and the discount is 30% off at A&F/GH but apparently they don't give raises...I don't know. I'm kind of desperate for a job and wouldn't mind working for the company. Maybe come December I'll be able to get a transfer and work at the A&F in Milano! Yeah, that would be amazing actually. Northern Italia is where P's going to find a job so it'd be perfect.


We took the bus to Linden Hills near Lake Harriet and, though it was nighttime and couldn't really see anything, it was a cute little neighborhood that I'd like to explore more of. Just need to get that bike first. Then I'd also go to Uptown. Uptown is way more exciting than downtown Minneapolis. There are grocery stores, shoppes, and life! A lot of Thai restaurants to chose from and it's right next to the lakes.

Realllly wanting that warm weather.

Downtown Minneapolis from the Convention Center

The BIRD MAN

 The first picture of Minneapolis. This is in downtown near our first hotel was. There are actually quite a few skyscrapers around and they all look new and shiny~all glass and reflective. It's kind of nice looking.

 @ Government Plaza Station
The city is usually empty like this. At first I thought it was really strange but as we've been here for almost 2 weeks, I'm noticing that not so many people walk around and if they do it's on Nicollet Mall.. Just yesterday, we walked to Wedges Co-op grocery store and barely saw anyone until we hit Loring Park. Complete opposite of Italy.

 We passed this guy while crossing the street. I had no idea who he was but P did so, naturally, we ran across the street to catch up with him for a photo shoot. !!! His team was playing in Minneapolis the next night.

 I've never seen anyone in this square. Maybe it's the time of day I pass by?

Loring Greenway to get to the sculpture garden.

 Apparently this is a famous piece. It is kind of cool. That's the Minneapolis skyline in the back.

 First time we'd ever seen a gopher!!! They are soooo cute! They kind of look like chipmunks. We looked them up and found that they are striped gophers (aka thirteen -lined ground squirrels).

 Where the gophers go for a little stroll.

Che carina!!


















I hand fed a squirrel yesterday in Loring Park. It looooved that foccacia.