10 years already?

Saturday night was my 10 year high school reunion.  Wow.  Way to make a girl feel old!

I was actually really looking forward to going.  I mean, sure we all have facebook now for optimal photo browsing stalking.  But keeping tabs on your classmates’ latest status updates is very different from reminiscing in person about everything from hideous prom dresses (and prom dates) to cramming for AP Bio tests the period before they happened…

My best friends are still very much in my life, but there were others who I am sad to say, I wasn’t as good at keeping in communication with.  Are you still close with friends from grade school/junior high/high school?  I’m still close with several girls I’ve known since I was 4 years old.  Many were at my wedding and a few were my bridesmaids 🙂

Needless to say, I was pretty excited to see some friends that I hadn’t kept up with as well. 

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Before I go into all that, I’ll just share a quick build-a-sammie recipe.

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Toast bread and mash half with avocado.

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Crack two organic free-range eggs into a PAM-ed skillet and cover with a lid to let steam cook the top while the rest fries.

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Spread hummus layer on top of the avocado.

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Slide eggs from pan to toast, folding them in half to fit on the bread.

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Apply top layer of bread and cut in half. 

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I think you know what to do from here…

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No better sweet ending than a just picked Golden Delicious apple

Now back to my 10 year.

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Alene and Lauren met at my house first so we could head into the city for dinner together first.  My house was always the meeting place for me and my friends before events (dances, birthdays, field trips, whatever), and that still hasn’t changed.  

Wanna see some REALLY old school pics of the three of us? 

Elise,Alene,Lauren soccer

Me, Alene, Lauren – yes, I’m aware that I’m swimming in my uniform and yes, I’m aware that even though this is my freshman year of high school I actually look 8 years old.  What can I say, I was what you’d call a late bloomer.

Elise & Lauren

Me and Lauren – band geeks!

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And here are the 3 of us senior year.  Ok, so maybe I can believe it’s been 10 years 😉

I’m not sure why I’m posting these, but I found them hilarious, so maybe you’ll get a kick out of them too.

After taking BART into the city, we headed to the Embarcadero for dinner.  Our reunion was in Pier II, so we kept it close by.

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Chaya Brasserie has 4 locations throughout California, but I’m pretty sure this is the most scenic. 

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I feel like I was just here…oh wait…I was!! 

For those who don’t recognize this view (or don’t know where Pier II is, it’s next to the Ferry Building, which was where the Foodbuzz Gala was held).

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The menu was fairly diverse, but we all wanted sushi, so that’s the only menu we bothered with.  

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Well, except for the wine menu, that is.  This Pinot Noir was perfect with the sushi. 

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SUSHI!!!!

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We ordered:

Red Dragon Roll – Spicy Tuna/Snow Crab/Cucumber/Avocado

Vegetarian Caterpillar Roll – Asparagus/Avocado/Cucumber/Yamagobo/Kaiware & Spicy Ponzu

California Roll – Crab/Cucumber/Avocado

San Francisco Roll – Crab/Shrimp/Cucumber/Avocado/Tomato/Asparagus/Soy Paper

Hamachi Crunch Roll – Spicy Hamachi/Cucumber/Tempura Flakes

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The Vegetable Caterpillar roll was my favorite because anything topped in MORE avocado wins my heart over.  The California roll was also good (yes, a bit boring, I know).  The spicy roll was definitely spicy, and the sauce on the side of the plate was only tolerable in small doses.  I didn’t think it was too spicy but I had to pound ginger in between bites for sure.  The San Francisco roll was unique, but the tomato was kinda off in my opinion.  They get points for originality, though.  In the end it was all quite tasty, and I left full and happy.

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I would love to go back and try the other (non-sushi) parts of the menu.  The service was great, and the ambiance was nice.  The price was a bit steep, but given the location, it’s to be expected.  They have a happy hour menu and the rest of the menu looked tasty, so I recommend Chaya Brasserie for sure.

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The rest of the night was SO fun (in my opinion).  There were certainly a LOT of drunk people (not that I’m excluding myself from that, because I was rocking a good buzz throughout the night) but I definitely wasn’t in the stumbling-around-the-bar category.  Turns out, switching types of alcohol four times over the course of the evening isn’t so smart.  Sunday morning was rough to say the least.  I may have been able to function without issue back in my college years, but nowadays I’m a wreck after nights of drinking.  Again, signs that 10 years truly have passed.  I’m old.  :( 

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One of the things I noticed was how hot the girls looked, but how NOT-hot the guys looked.  Seriously, 10 years seemed to take a toll on the men much more so than the women.  The girls (as a whole) looked pretty smokin’…whereas the men just appeared older and fatter.  I swear I’m not superficial, I’m just stating what the general consensus was.  Naturally Kyle was the exception to this rule ;)  …but his 10 year HS reunion isn’t for another 2 years, so I guess he has some time, haha. 

Sunday morning we woke up way early and hit the road to drive back to Santa Monica.  It was a miserable drive.  I forgot my sunglasses, I had a headache that refused to quit, and the 1-5 was filled with too many angry and unsafe drivers returning home after the holiday weekend. 

No matter, we are now safe and sound in So Cal.  Who’s been to a reunion?  Did you have fun?  Thoughts on how people (including yourself) have changed?

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Comments (0)

  1. kissmybroccoli

    Love that red skirt on you girlie! Super cute!

    Nice flashback pics…I love looking at old pics of my little group of friends and seeing how much we’ve changed over the years. I have noticed the same thing about the men vs the women tho…older, fatter, and going bald! It’s only been 7 years since we graduated, isn’t it a little early to be losing hair?! Haha

    The sushi looks amazing…especially the caterpillar roll-how creative!

  2. Katie

    There was a 5 year reunion last year, but I didn’t go. WAY TOO SOON!

  3. Amanda

    Haha that’s so funny (or sad) about the guys. Maybe they recuperate starting in their early 30s? I’m thinking positive here!

  4. coffeeandthepaper

    Ah fun reunion pics! Next year will be my 5. You’re right, it does make you feel older!

    Hummus and eggs is an unbeatable combo.

  5. Damaris @Kitchen Corners

    My husband only eats sandwiches that have eggs on them. And as for your question, I do keep in touch with a lot of friends from high school, I wish I kept in touch with more. I’m really looking forward to my high school reunion.

  6. spabettie

    I went to my step sister’s 10 year, as she was one year ahead and I had many friends in her class… most of my friends in my class I still see a lot…

    it was SO MUCH FUN… it was great to catch up and see everyone, and how we had changed.

    and that sushi??? looks SO good. I’ve been craving sushi for a while.

  7. Carbzilla

    Those pics are so cute! I love that you’re in the same lineup.

    I have always noticed that too about reunions. Thank god for make-up and hair color! I think the guys also don’t care so much. Not like they’re going to go on a diet because they’re reunion is coming up. It’s so funny because most of my classmates have aged and then some look EXACTLY the same. It’s weird.

    I had no idea there was a Chaya in SF. My old roommate worked at the one in Venice for a long time and I used to live there on the weekends. Their sushi’s always been excellent (and ps I love a good California roll!).

  8. Katie

    That sandwich looks killer! I might have to make that for dinner.

    And I keep up with 90% of the people I went to high school with, but I still have another 3 years until my 10 year – so maybe in that time people will change/fall out of touch and it will be fun to see everyone again!

  9. cbrady3

    My high school was all girls, so I guess everyone will be hot at the 10 year reunion:) I’m still super close to all 11 of my best girlfriends from high school. We all talk every day!

  10. Jess

    I’m close with my swimming friends ,who I met when I was about 12. 🙂

  11. CJ

    I read this on the bus on the way home and then stopped to buy bread, hummus and avocados…yum!

    My 10 year will be next year but I’m not going to go…it’s too far to travel 🙁

  12. Gabriela @ Une Vie Saine

    I just posted about my high school actually….those girls are the best and truest friends I’ll ever have. I won’t have my first reunion for a few years, but over the weekend we were already putting bets on who’d be first to get married.

  13. Paula

    I’m glad you posted about your 10 yr reunion! I had mine back in July – I was Sr. class president so it was my responsibility to plan the whole thing. It was fun but a lot of work! So I really like to hear about other people’s reunions!

    It’s funny, at our reunion the consensus was generally that everyone was the same! Most everyone hadn’t seen each other since high school (no one seemed to keep in touch except with maybe one or two close friends) so it was fun yet weird to be around a bunch of familiar faces who were basically strangers! Of course everyone got sloshed and out came embarrassing stories, confessions and declarations – very entertaining!

  14. julie

    i’ve never been to a 10 year reunion! haha obviously. but i’m hoping that by the time i get there i’m not living with deej anymore. “hey it’s good to see you, yes i’m still living in the same house you came to have cookies and milk in”

    hahaha anyways glad you had fun! it’s so cute to see pictures like that 🙂

  15. Maryea @ Happy Healthy Mama

    I hope none of the dudes from your high school read your blog!! 😉

  16. elise

    hahaha…me too!

  17. Anna (twelve22)

    I had my ten-year reunion in October! I kept seeing people who I thought looked old, and I then I’d realize I was the same age. Whoops.

    Also, I’m a fan of the avocado and egg sandwich — I usually scramble mine, though. Yum!

  18. Pure2raw twins

    My HS 10 year reunion is this summer…I cannot believe it.

    All my best friends are from HS. I just love my girls!!!
    ~Michelle

  19. BroccoliHut

    I’m actually super sad that I missed my high school’s informal 4 year reunion over Thanksgiving. I guess there will always be more in the future!

  20. actorsdiet

    reunions are so much fun – think you’re old?! i just had my 15-year one LAST YEAR! it was great to see everyone, though.

  21. Holly

    yes to those overalls in high school. i love it.