House Hunting in Wisconsin

This past week we had mostly sun so I got to go out driving with an awesome lady at work! After a few days in parking lots, I got to go into subdivisions where very very wealthy people live (: Below are a couple houses I fell in love with ON the lake. Imagine that...having the lake as your backyard. I would like to know how and where people get the money to live like this. Other than that, there's a great Italian restaurant that I dined at this week with work and I went back for lunch with great company and an adorable little baby boy named Alex (:

Distracted Much?

Anyone who knows me can say that I'm always all over the place. On Saturday afternoon Angela and I were craving sushi (which both of us have not indulged in for at least 10 weeks). As a result, we wondered up and down state street...were about to settle for tibetan until we magically found a sushi place we must've passed earlier. We went inside, and Angela made the poor decision to let me sit facing the window. Midway through lunch Angela chuckles and says she shouldn't have let me sit there because my eyes were looking everywhere. A few minutes later I say something on the lines of "Angela how could I not be distracted when things like this are going on outside the window."

Spectacle seen below:

At first I didn't bother pulling out my camera because I thought the line would soon be over after their leader (who was in a wheel chair) passed the entire storefront window. To my delight, the line went on and on and on.

By far the best timed amusement to pass by a window. As if Angela wouldn't be distracted by this...

(:

My very first pig roast

On Friday at work GE Healthcare completed a health and safety audit, and to celebrate we had a pig roast!.... and it was DELICIOUS. It gets even more exciting...they roasted a chicken INSIDE the pig, so the two meats soaked each other up and were so incredibly juicy (:

I also learned that out here you can practically roast anything inside a pig. A woman I work with has roasted brats and that onion side that goes on top of brats (which has a name i can't remember) inside a pig which I think is a genius idea. Below is poor mr. piggy ehehehe. Thanks for a great lunch!

License is on it's way!

...not...well I'm working on it...

So, it's no secret that I'm a twenty one year old who does not know how to drive. As if it's not bad enough to get carded even at the MALL past 6, when I get carded for real people look at me funny for my out of state non-drivers id (yes, they exist...)

Living in Wisconsin without a vehicle is no easy task, but I have been beyond fortunate to make the whole situation work. I work in a department of three people and they knew before hiring me that I was license-less and decided that it would be a good idea to make driving one of my summer goals. What is even more spectacular is that they decided it is a goal they would like to help me reach!

This week I've been out driving over lunch breaks-today I practiced parking and backing out (which I was only partially successful at...but who cares ahaha).

I work for some of the coolest corporate people in America.

Festa!

This weekend downtown Milwaukee celebrated Festa Italiana, the largest American-Italian festival in the United States. Jenn came to visit for this occasion and we had a fabbbb time! Instead of blogging about it however, please navigate to Jenn's blog as she has carefully detailed all of our festivities

http://jkangsbrain.blogspot.com/

Count Your Blessings

This past weekend I was in Boston for a wedding and I called a cab to get from the Milwaukee airport to my place. I have a habit of conversing with cab drivers as I hate awkward silences, even though they get paid to not speak really, but during this time I realized how blessed I have been this summer.

As embarrassing as it may be, I don't have a car or drive, yet somehow, the Lord still made it possible for me to survive out here in the midwest. This opportunity with GE was one I considered a far reach. When I got here and met other interns at orientation, everyone spoke about their interview processes and where they go to school etc. At this time I knew that I had a little help from up there. I mean yea, I'm a good student, but I realized that at no point in time was my gpa ever asked for. Of course I had to send my transcript, but it was not until AFTER I received my offer.

Then I find out Angela also got a fantastic internship offer in Wisconsin in Madison, just an HOUR away. I must not forget about dear friends in Chicago either! which is also just an hour away! July fourth weekend was surreal having so many friends in the midwest.(I know, incredibly cool).

The wedding I attended this weekend was nothing of what I expected. Originally i was even unsure if I wanted to attend as I'd have to take a day off and I was only close to the groom, and it had been a couple years since I had any major contact with the bride. I thought it'd be awkward for the bridal party and I didn't want to be a burden on anyone. As the groom's side are good family friends, I was fortunate enough to fly there cost free. I had to take a 6 am flight on Saturday morning after a Friday working from 5:30-5. I was tired, a tad cranky, and had a layover in Chicago. When boarding I was asked to be switched to a direct flight to Boston as they had overbooked (great news!). As I was given my new boarding pass, the flight attendant says, "By the way ma'am, United would like to provide you with 400 dollars worth of travel vouchers for the inconvenience." Now, I could understand this compensation if I would have had to wait, but I got to switch to a direct flight AND I got to Boston an hour earlier than expected.

The moment I walked into the groom's home I knew I was wrong to have questioned attending, I have never seen or felt so much love under one roof. Though small, the wedding was a great success, and reminded me of the importance of love, even if it means you have to fight for it.

Simon: If everyone thought like you Elyssa, we would've never found America.

Thankfully not everyont thinks like me, and this was seen this past weekend as the entire country celebrated it's so called Independence. It was all quite surreal really, having people visit Angela and I here in the midwest. Our epic weekend started with a delicious breakfast at a bar in downtown Milwaukee Saturday morning called the Hi Hat. We then went to the lakefront where we met Simon, and rented a family bicycle (which is much more difficult to peddle than it seems).

Saturday Dinner- We found a farmer food inspired restaurant on yelp called Machine Shed. The best way to describe this adorable place is everything that Cracker Barrel should and wants to be (and Cracker Barrel is already deliciousss!). There was a little store section in the front of the restaurant and Simon gravitated toward a wall solely dedicated to BACON.

Sunday morning Angela and I took the group to church, lunch at a greek place, to the store to stock up on our preferred drinks (simon: smirnoff ice, angela: honey weiss, me: berry weiss, and of course James had no preference of this sort). Early evening we went for a picnic by the lakefront and then CARRRIEEEE.

Not that any of you don't, but I have some of the most awesome friends in the world!

Carrie loves Milwaukee and we love her too!

Every summer Milwaukee hosts the biggest Music Festival in the World, and goes for two weeks. Summerfest hosts numerous small stages bringing in bands across the country (eg/ roots), but it also brings headliners that perform in the Marcus Amphitheater. Last night Angela, Simon, James and I went to see Carrie Underwoooooodddd and we had a FABBBB timeee (:

She is SO PURDY.

I'm so upset I was too entertained to record Cowboy Casanova...I tried to upload Jesus Take the Wheel....so here is just a little clip of the night.

Enjoy!

Fiesta Waukesha

Last weekend (after my bug bite fiasco) I headed downtown with a friend who goes to Georgia Tech with my roommate. I should preface this by explaining that EVERY SINGLE weekend in Milwaukee or the surrounding area there is some festival. Awesome would be an understatement.

Though Greek Fest was last week as well, I had to resort to Fiesta Waukesha as it would have taken me 4 busses to get to Greek Fest. Regardless, the food was great and it was right by Fox River so it made for a nice afternoon stroll (: