Pho Weather

Some of my favorite memories center around sharing a bowl of pho with a close friend.

I was first introduced to pho by my Springfield homies. From then on, it became the best comfort food, especially on a rainy day.  In college, whenever there was a drizzly day in the Burg, my biffles and I would look at each other with a smile---"pho weather!" and hop over to Saigon Pearl.  Saigon Pearl had the best/only pho in Williamsburg (sadly it's closed now apparently because some local mafia got jealous of the business it was taking from them...colonial mafias?! woof).

Our routine was an order of the fresh spring rolls, a bowl of pho and the occasional taro bubble tea. Pho is such an interesting dish to share with people. No two phos are the same. Each person can make it their own. How someone flavors their pho and how they eat it is really a fun personality indicator. One of my biffles always keeps it super simple, sometimes just adding a little bit of lime and Sriracha. A true purist. Another one would add a dash and drop of everything, but nothing in excess. Some would use chopsticks for the noodles, some would just use the spoon to shovel it all in together. I would always be notorious for eyeing the jalepenos and dousing it with an unhealthy admirable amount of Sriracha.

Long pho meals are the best combination of food trolling and good conversation. Pho soup for the soul :)

Today was the epitome of "pho weather" in Budapest. Joyce and I trudged through the cold, gray rainy day, made even more dreary by our ravenous post-run hunger. Now, "pho weather" is a concept that I have only shared with those I am closest to. As we walked home, contemplating what to lunch on, in my mind I knew it was just perfect "pho weather" time. Should I bring it up? Take our friendship to the "pho" level? After deep pondering, I timidly said--"you know what would be perfect now? Pho..." and to my joy, she gave a nod of understanding and agreed. So we ventured off to find some pho.

I was a bit skeptical whether we would be able to find good pho in Budapest, but I was happily proven wrong by Funky Pho---

word.

Delish

"Street art"--notice Moulin Rouge? homage to French colonialism in Vietnam?

It had a perfect street food vibe and the pho broth (the true indicator of a good pho) had a wonderful flavor. We sat there until it cleared out basically, savoring our pho and life musings. Another lovely pho memory. I would intermittently think of of my other biffles who I had shared "pho weather" moments with and wished they could also be there for this particular one. As we were leaving, a certain song came on...

One of my closest pho friends/music guru had just gotten me listening to Milky Chance nonstop. The combination of the song and the pho made me super nostalgic and I so wished that all the black hole/time travel shiz could be figured out so I could just teleport her there right then. Distance from those you're close to is always the hardest part about living abroad. But it always makes "reunion pho" that much more special :)

Run, Forrest, Run!

Remember that epic scene when Forrest Gump starts running to escape the bullies, his splints break off and then he just proceeds to run everywhere? And then later on, his run across America-

(notice the epic Nike product placement? ha--funny what details you catch onto later in life)

The freedom of running just to run. Unfortunately, I'm not as self-motivated to run with as much gumption just for the heck of it. But I do love how it clears your head and the awesome endorphin kick after. So in order to make myself actually stick to running and make it more of a regular part of my life, I signed up for a half marathon.

April 19 is the day of the full on 21.1 K. A little less than 12 weeks to go! My goal is mainly to finish without being picked up by the sweeper bus before the 2.5 hour limit.

Now, I've never been a runner. In fact, my athletic prowess was quite limited from childhood. P.E. was indeed my worst subject at one point--the only B tainting my nerdy middle school report card. It was such a glorious moment when we no longer had to take P.E. after 10th grade (at which point I gained like 20 pounds that I later shed during the grueling and physically intensive, letter-jacket worthy sport---marching band....oyyyy :-P)

Anywho, it's a challenge I'm looking forward to. The hardest part right now is the cold weather. With temperatures in the 30s (F), running outside is quite daunting. I started off the week with a nice 5k on the treadmill, thinking I may continue on that route until it warms up a bit. But then I read the  winter running post on Garance Doré's blog and figured I could give it a shot. 

So last night night I did a little loop along the Duna. Was I wheezy, teary-eyed and seriously contemplating what I would do without my hands once they would inevitably have to be sawed off due to frostbite? Yes. But only for the first few minutes. After the first mile, my body warmed up and I began to focus less on the cold and more on the gorgeous surroundings. A little glimpse--

Hungarian Parliament building

Széchenyi Lánchíd

Last leg of the run

Nice finish back at CEU

Verdict: Outside running for the win. I think the cold actually motivated me to go faster and it was always nice to pass the other handful of runners with a smiling nod acknowledging--"yup, it's cold as balls, but you got it dude!" So here's to running to beat the cold (and the sweeper bus ha).

Library-Bangs

Illicit encounters between the library stacks? Ha...no.

Today I got a library card and a haircut (bangs).
My first library trolls started when I was five. Everyday after school, I would walk there with my mom and just lay out a spread of books. I couldn't read or speak English yet, but something about the library atmosphere and the feel of the pages had me hooked. Growing up I always idolized the quintessential bookworm character (Matilda!) and spent hours devouring books. I went through various phases from mysteries to the classics and of course the Harry Potter rush. My childhood dream was to be a jockey based purely on my 3rd grade obsession with Black Beauty and other horse books (my first actual horseback ride was at age 22).

When I entered college, the library also became a notable study haunt.
Swem Library and its classic floor breakdowns:
1st floor: where you went to "do work" but really hang out and socialize
2nd floor: casual everyday studying with some light chit-chat
3rd floor: get-shit-done--not a pin drop or flip flop to be heard (or so they say...)

The best was when the library opened up 24 hours during finals. The line outside on the first day was longer than Black Friday sales and once the doors opened, it was every man/woman for themselves. You claimed a space and marked your territory. Mattresses, lamps, posters... I may have also built a fort in there at one point...

Needless to say, libraries are one of my favorite places to explore and settle down in. As I'm currently working remotely, I figured the best new setting would be the local library. All morning I hummed my favorite Arthur song in anticipation of my new library card--

And here it is--my new library: Fővárosi Szabó Ervin Könyvtár 

Library facade

Entrance foyer--love the architecture here

Staircase in the modern part

Wandering into the classic area-part of a 19th century palace

Wall of philosophy books, spiral wooden staircase & comfy couches with a fireplace to the right. 

Excited for the new office :)

And then I wandered over to get a haircut. All my pictures from the age of 5 to 10 involve awkward straight across bangs complementing my soccer/football chubby face. But I wanted a change and thought maybe I can try it out once more...Well, I walked out looking a bit like the Wicked Witch of the West with all the "trendy styling" and shocked myself whenever I passed a mirror. A change to sleep on I suppose. 

Birth

Hello world--a new blog is born. The Ishita Operation is conceived by Joyce Oh (copyright) hehe.

Setting for Initial inspiration: An afternoon study session at Espresso Embassy, a cozy Budapest coffee shop. Joyce and Ishita sit in the window stools--looking hip and artsy and reflect on the fortune of the view and great atmosphere (while suppressing the thought that it's a bit uncomfortable to have their knees bumping against each other/the wall and the sensible tables would be better but not as cool looking).

Ishita: [glances behind at the sensible benches/tables when a particular person catches her eye and quickly turns to Joyce] Yo, I think the guy sitting at that table behind us went to William and Mary!

Joyce: [looks back to check him out] I don't recognize him, are you sure?

Ishita: Yes, actually 100% sure. I didn't just see him around, he was good friends with my senior year roommate and we even met on a couple occasions. I think he would even visit our room...

Joyce: We should say hi!

Ishita: ....umm...maybe we can rather talk really loudly about things from William and Mary/Williamsburg instead and he will overhear and realize we went to the same school?

Joyce: [gives incredulous look, like of course you're not serious]

Ishita: [speaking a few decibels louder] So Joyce, this cafe, so nice.. doesn't it remind you of AROMAs? You know, that was my favorite cafe in WILLIAMSBURG and

Joyce: [hastily interjects before the spectacle goes any further amid giggles of disbelief] Oh my gosh stop stop, I'll just go say hi. [turns around to the guy and casually says-- Hey, did you go to William and Mary? to which the guy responds eagerly and excitedly Yes! and a regular conversation ensues about the oddities of meeting up in a foreign city, small world etc.

Ishita: [gazes in wonder and amazement that such a bold move has been taken with no awkwardness and turns around like she just noticed was happening] Oh heyyy, fellow William and Mary!
the guy says hello and even recognizes her as her former roommate's friend and normal conversation continues with plans to have a Budapest-WM reunion and well wishes for continued studying.

_______

If it weren't for Joyce's unfathomable bold moves, the scenario would have likely ended quite differently with an obnoxiously loud homage to Williamsburg being proclaimed boldly and unnoticed by the fellow W&M member for whom it was intended. Followed by a stealthy escape and avoidance of future visits to Espresso Embassy in fear of future chance encounters.

My name is Ishita and this little "operation" is a chronicle of my daily activities and musings while starting a new year in Budapest. I tend to always shy away from public attention and have many of the aforementioned awkward tendencies. I'm not exactly sure what this blog will be. There isn't really a set theme or purpose or change the world mantra. Just going to do things and share some tid-bits. Word.