KDDC

Wedding and New Blog

2008-10-20T11:00:00.008-04:00

The wedding was great! We had such a blast and we were so happy to celebrate with our close family and friends. We're finally recovering from the wedding and the honeymoon. It only took a week, the Korean Spa (more on that later) and a weekend of sleep! Below are a few photos from the wedding and we'll post honeymoon photos shortly.

Since we have now "officially" started our new lives together we thought we would change our blog to the superior Wordpress. We transferred everything this morning and we'll be updating the look over time. You can access the new blog and ALL previous posts here or by going to kddc.wordpress.com.

Enjoy and thanks to everyone who occasionally checks in on us!

Pouring the rice wine

Sealing the vows

The infamous Petron shots at the After Party

No … Daniel didn't just see a ghost

Congrats Appa!

2008-09-23T10:37:00.007-04:00

Yesterday, at 11:00 a.m., appa (dad) took his Oath as a U.S. Citizen. It was a long process but well worth the wait. Everyone went up to Baltimore for the ceremony. It was perfect timing being right before we all leave to CA for our wedding. There is so much to celebrate this week. We are so happy and proud of him!

Umma and appa after the ceremony

Outside following the ceremony

Outside following the ceremony

Flowers

2008-09-19T23:54:00.006-04:00

Our final wedding flower choice was sent to our florist a few weeks ago. I can't wait to see them next Saturday.

Our florist made the centerpiece while I was visiting her in downtown LA's flower district

My bouquet and Daniel's boutonniere–I love Cala Lilies

Wedding party flowers

Ring bearer's flower pillow & the corsage for our parents and grandmother

Wedding Cake

2008-09-19T23:28:00.008-04:00

We probably went to 6-7 different bakeries to try wedding cakes. We both love cake and we definitely took advantage of cake tasting. Cake House in LA's Koreatown has the best fruit cake I've ever had. It's so moist and the frosting is so soft. It's not too sweet at all, which I loved.

Left: we picked the design with silver balls as decorations; Right: flower design inspiration on the cake for our florist (photos from projectwedding.com)

Our cake toppers–Korean Bride and Groom

Bridal and Groom Suite Sign & Reserved Seat Sign

2008-09-19T23:07:00.007-04:00

I will have a pretty authentic bridal suite at Yamashiro so, of course, I need custom decor for that. ^^ I had dinner place mats that I got from IKEA a while back and, again, it was only 99¢. We actually haven't used them and they are the perfect decor for our Asian theme.

The reserved seat signs for our family at our ceremony are very simple menu cards with little bamboo that I've been using for all the other materials.

I love the cropping of the type

Tying a branch with orange hemp

Tying the branches together

Attaching the paper to the place mat

I love the branches attached to the door knobs

The same bamboo from the rest of our stationery

For all of our family

East Meets West

2008-09-19T22:52:00.007-04:00

I wanted to create nice signage for the table that our guests will see as soon as they enter the ceremony. I found dark brown baskets–only 99¢–at the Crate and Barrel outlet right by my work. I started playing with it to see what I could come up with and that was it! I had the cool signage that I wanted. I had only gotten two, so I went back to get one more and it was sold out. I was so upset and sad. The regular price for the baskets is $15 so I had to go with an alternative option.

Beautiful dark brown basket with my leftover green paper

The middle one is wallet box that I turned into part of our decor

The tiny pearl pin is added to secure the green paper

I used "Delta" for the wording

"Meets" still bothers me but oh well …

Our wedding theme, "East Meets West"

Table seating

2008-09-18T22:59:00.012-04:00

Folding origami has come natural since I was young. When my friends and I played together at home or even at school, we learned how to fold cranes, boats, roses, animals, etc. It was a way of spending time together while talking and laughing. Folding 1,000 origami cranes means a lot in Korea. They believe it represents longevity, loyalty, and love. When I told Daniel about it, he started folding cranes. He said he wanted to fold 1,000 cranes for my mom when he went to meet her for the first time. It was so thoughtful. He couldn't quite make 1,000 cranes, even with my help, but his effort and his patience was what mattered.

We decided to put our guest names on the wings of our origami cranes. They not only look good but also it's our way of showing how our different cultures can merge into one great idea.

5"x5" makes a pretty good size crane

There are two different ways to fold cranes and I do it my favorite way

Folding

Body part is almost complete

Making wings

Origami is so intriguing

How precious

Marching cranes

I love how it all came out

100% Complete

Table Names Two

2008-09-18T22:36:00.010-04:00

Playing with candles was so much fun that I decided to make another set with square candles that we had in our bathroom. Daniel said we won't have any decorations left at our place after our wedding. : )

I was going to use the previous ones for both our ceremony and reception but I'll just use this set for our ceremony and the other set for the reception.

Daniel was so shocked how perfectly I can cut circles by hand

Making sure that I tilt the x-acto knife so that the paper will be tilted when I insert it

Securing the paper with a glue gun

Little branch to cover up the mess

Sturdiness test

Again, our top five favorite fonts

Little rocks will surround the candle table names

Table Names One

2008-09-14T13:38:00.004-04:00

I wanted to incorporate some aspects of graphic design since we're both graphic designers. We decided to pick our top five favorite fonts: Avenir, Bembo, Helvetica, Fairfield and Delta. I was able to use some candles that I got from Pier 1 a while ago for only $.75 each. I've been using a lot of items that we already had. I'm pretty happy with the way they came out. I normally don't like ribbons, but in this case, it adds a nice final touch.

Everything probably cost only $6 (I'm all about budget-friendly planning)

I've been doing a lot of wrapping lately

These candles have different width on the top and the bottom so I had to make sure that I folded the rice paper as I was rolling it

Sticking the pins

The pins came in handy to attach the paper to the candles

Hiding the pins with my favorite green paper

The final touch

It'll be placed with our favors and cranes

Pretty cute

Our reception tables are named after our favorite fonts

Cocktail Flags

2008-09-10T20:27:00.001-04:00

I decided to throw in a little fun—and education—at our wedding reception. These cocktail flags will teach our guests how to say "Thank You" in Korean and "Cheers" in both Korean and Italian. Korean: Thank You = Go-Mop-Sum-Mi-Da; Cheers = Ganbae. Italian: Cheers = Cin-Cin. Hopefully, our guests will enjoy these and it will add some culture to our wedding.

Sticks from Michaels

My little flags

These will be a nice photo op at our reception

Wedding Programs

2008-09-10T20:20:00.001-04:00

The DIY Programs were as fun as the invitation! We're not having a traditional ceremony so we only mentioned the names of our parents and wedding party. When we bought the green handmade paper from PUA Naturally, the lady wrapped the paper with a lot of rice paper. It came in handy for our programs.

The rice paper was all cut by hand with a ruler and it wasn't so easy

Attaching it to the brown paper

Orange hemp is stitched to hold the rice paper

The fun begins …

Wrapping the orange hemp secures the rice paper and reveals the info underneath

Our Asian Card Box

2008-09-08T21:33:00.003-04:00

My mom has two Korean sewing kits with Asian fabrics on top. The green one is a little too forest green but still looks very nice next to its sign. Our guests will open the top and place their card, if they brought one. I was glad that I didn't have to make anything other than the little signage.

Our card box and its sign

Our card box and its sign

Reception Table Decoration

2008-09-08T21:14:00.004-04:00

The handmade paper that we got from PUA Naturally is not being wasted at all. I used some leftover paper to decorate our reception table. IKEA seems to have the cheapest tea light candles.

Bright orange paper is being wrapped

Takes only 10 seconds

Ta-da!

Tea light candles from IKEA were $1.99 for 100

30 completed (6 per table)

After the big news …

2008-09-07T00:33:00.014-04:00

Kellyn and I decided to celebrate over dinner. We ended up going to 1789 Restaurant, away from all the hustle and bustle of M Street. It was a very quaint place in an area of Georgetown you rarely see. The food was good (not great) but they had great service and we loved the ambiance.

As we left, the roads were getting drenched with rain from Tropical Storm Hanna. Now, this may sound crazy, but it was beautiful. Not to mention romantic! After Kellyn taught this former Californian the proper way to hold an umbrella in crazy tropical weather, we strolled down the street avoiding puddles and holding onto each other.

1789 Restaurant

The largest shrimp I've ever seen

King Salmon over roasted peppers

Mmmm … chocolate

Waiting for the bus

Georgetown on a beautiful, rainy night

2008 American Graphic Design Awards

2008-09-06T23:57:00.015-04:00

I'm pretty sure I emailed everyone in my address book—then later found out Kellyn texted everyone in her phone—but in case you didn't hear …

My design won two 2008 American Graphic Design Awards! We entered the print collateral and website I did for NAFCU's Annual Conference in San Diego this year and really didn't have any expectations. So that would explain my sudden burst of excitement as I left work on Friday night.

You check out the award-winning website here.

1 of 4 Variable Postcards

Mailer

Brochure

Website

Reception Table Seating Cards+Wedding Favors

2008-09-06T23:42:00.016-04:00

Our wedding favor will hold a folded crane with our guest names. 2 in 1. The best way to save money.

Leftover paper from our invitation and glass candle holders from IKEA

Wrapping the candle holder

Double-sided tapes do wonders

Candle holder got face-lifted

So easy to make

The cranes will have our guest names on their wings

WMATA

2008-09-03T13:08:00.018-04:00

I was on the way to work this morning and it popped in my head that I should post on the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), or as us locals say, Metro. While I waited for the Orange line to arrive and take me a couple of miles down to work in Clarendon, I started to think about how wonderfully convenient this system is. My friend, Amber, who's currently on the journey of teaching English in Buenos Aires, Argentina, just recently posted on her experiences with the Subte. I guess I take my inspiration from her.

I have been on many subway systems here in the U.S., as well as abroad. DC is definitely one of the best out there. It rivals London and Madrid for cleanliness. There are no bathrooms and no eating or drinking. Although the lack of bathrooms can be a pain at times, the fact that it doesn't smell like pee when you head down the escalator speaks volumes. It is also almost always on-time unless there is work being done or unforeseen delays. There is even a great website, Meenster, that allows you to quickly check when the next train is coming. This really comes in handy during off-peak times when trains may be 15-20 minutes away.

It may be that I head the opposite direction, into the suburbs and not into DC, but I don't feel smashed like I do in other underground systems. I've felt like a sardine on the way into DC after a day's work, but nothing will ever compare to Rome's subway system. And DC's Metro is clean. Did I mention that? Yeah, probably, but that is a great feature and I hope that doesn't change as the system gets older. Not feeling like you're about to walk into a dungeon is a big plus (i.e. Boston's "T")!

The Washington Post has also started publishing the free Express newspaper. I can get all of my news in quick, to-the-point stories and go online if I want to read more. Sometimes I hold onto it and read it back-to-back. From my understanding this is a very new addition to the Metro. Kellyn and I have just arrived in DC at the perfect time!

The domes present in all of the Metro stations

Orange line arriving at Rosslyn station

Inside of the train

Dancing on the way home

Red Eye Rant

2008-09-03T12:51:00.006-04:00

Some of you were lucky enough to get the full, unedited version of what I'm now dubbing my "Red Eye Rant." For all others, here's the G-rated version …

To: Undisclosed Recipients
Subject: 03:39 EST

The exact time I started this email. So I'm obviously getting no sleep and I'm WIDE AWAKE. Luckily, I remember telling my boss I'd be in late morning. Maybe I'll get a few hours of shut-eye at home before heading in.

This led me to ponder the fact that I'm getting older, amongst other things. Not because I can't sleep on this damn flight. I can never sleep on flights. Yet, I still take red eye flights. Why? I'm big on saving time. I hate wasting my day on planes, trains and automobiles (no pun intended). I can't tell you how great it feels not having a car! Yes, a car gives you freedom but so does not having one. I'm rarely stuck in traffic and if I am I don't care because I'm not driving. I'm reading the paper and listening to music. Don't get me wrong I miss it and drive into Maryland about once a month. Sometimes in a pickup and sometimes in a hybrid. If I want to pay a few bucks more I can hop in a BMW and look like a total douchebag. How is that not freedom? I'm now adapting to the urban lifestyle I've always wanted. I'm the quintessential "city boy."

Daniel, why the hell are you emailing me? Consider this an open journal entry, killing time or maybe it's just a rant. I really have no idea why I'm putting it in an email and why I'm doing so at this bloody hour while everyone around me us snoring, as I'm sure you are too. It would probably be better on the blog and now I'm thinking I might just put it there. Mainly just because I can, but most likely because I'm so addicted to this friggin' iPhone. It's funny really. I had never spent more than $50 on a cell phone because I felt it would be a waste. I spent—no I take that back, Kellyn spent—10x that on this AND I waited in line for 3 hours. I hate lines. I will tell you this though: it was worth every penny and every millisecond. The best device/present I've received ... ever. I had high expectations too. They've far been surpassed.

Farting. (Sorry, you'll have to contact the poster personally to get the R-rated transcript.)

jetBlue. What a great American airline. There's nobody that's better to fly. I've always received non-stop and almost always get a good deal. Even when I don't it's totally, 100% worth it. DIRECTV. XM. Legroom. Leather seats. Great customer service. Smooth flights. And the flight attendant just came by and gave me a warm towel! They have a wonderful brand and they definitely deliver on their promise.

Not sure why, but it's been on my mind so much lately. I'm back to the age thing. And, yes, I know I'm only 27. Maybe it's because I now have astigmatism, I'm married, I get up earlier and follow politics. Maybe it's not that I'm not getting older, just smarter. More mature. More responsible. Yeah, that's it. Getting older really is a good thing. Every cliché and overused quote on age rings true … at least for me.

Shit! Already making final decent. It's been fun. 04:59 EST.

Daniel

:: Sent from my iPhone ::

Me right after the the Red Eye Rant

Final decent into Washington Dulles Airport

Waiting for the 5A bus to take me home for much needed sleep

Beautiful Rosslyn in the early morning hours before all the hustle and bustle

View of Turnberry Towers (our future home) shot from the front of our apartment

Post-Bachelor Party Weekend

2008-09-03T12:40:00.006-04:00

I flew in yesterday morning on a red eye from southern California. It was a great, long weekend and a much needed mini-vacation. There was lots of eating, drinking and bitching … just like old times! It was great to see everyone—most of whom I haven't seen in over 6 months—and catch up.

Thanks to everyone for such a great time—especially Angelo for his hospitality—and Kellyn and I will see you in a few weeks!

Don't worry … photos are on the way.

Man on Wire

2008-08-10T22:20:00.008-04:00

While it is not my intention to use this blog for movie reviews, it has just been that kind of day. I will soon launch a new one dedicated to just that, but in the meantime …

Kellyn and I went to see Man on Wire this evening and it did not disappoint. I had high expectations—as the trailer gave us both goosebumps—and usually that's room for disaster. That was the case when I saw The Dark Knight. A fine piece of filmmaking but nowhere near brilliant.

However, this documentary was everything I expected and more … Brilliant! Spectacular! Mesmerizing! Unbelievable! Exhilarating! Astonishing! Inspiring! Beautiful! (Insert emphatic statement here __________ )! You get the point. There isn't one word to describe it.

The story of this tightrope walker, Frenchman Philippe Petit, and how he schemes to walk across the two towers of the WTC takes you further than you might expect. Although being an American you can feel it, there is no mention of 9/11 and there shouldn't be. This is about one man—not as crazy as you might be quick to assume—and his dream. How can you cover 90 minutes about a man who walks between the WTC towers? You reenact the scenes leading up to the event, explain every detail, and cut between interviews and old footage. We were fully engaged and wanted more. Even if you know how it ends, you can't help but feel goosebumps at the moment you see him up there. Kellyn cried. My eyes welled up. It was beautiful and totally unexpected.

Watch the preview and go see it.

The poster does not lie

Step Brothers

2008-08-10T15:13:00.005-04:00

While Kellyn was out shopping for wedding shoes, I decided to do one of my favorite things in the world: watch a movie.

After a good review from a friend—on a film I would have waited for on DVD—I made the choice to see Step Brothers with Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly. Both fine comedic actors. This is a must for fans of either actor. I have been a John C. Reilly fan every since Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (which is, in my opinion, the best satire in the last decade).

Is it stupid? Childish? Raunchy? Over the top? Yes! But, is it funny? Hell yeah … on the border of the "pee in your pants " kind!

The movie poster (Admit it … you laughed!)

St. Michaels

2008-08-10T14:45:00.008-04:00

On Friday, I was one of the lucky few to board a million-dollar boat and cruise to St. Michaels—on the Eastern Shore—for a crab feast. Here's how it happened …

The former Chairman of the NAFCU Board of Directors, John Milazzo, bid on and won this trip for 18 people at an auction supporting the Children's Miracle Network. He then graciously gifted it to NAFCU and they drew names the old fashioned way: out of a hat. I was the second backup and lucky for me that was exactly how many people who were unable to attend.

It was a beautiful day—as you can see below—and 100% on NAFCU. I am very grateful to have had this opportunity. It was a relaxing ride out and my first time eating a crab … Maryland style! The only thing that could have made this better was if Kellyn was there. A trip is already in the works.^^

**On another note, I have to say I am very pleased with the quality of my iPhone camera. Just look at the photos below! I made a slight contrast correction in Photoshop, but the rest is all the camera. This was initially the least appealing feature to me on this phone, however, it's proved to come in handy quite well.**

Dock on the way to boarding

It's waiting for me

My mug on the way to St. Michaels (about 45 minutes)

The other lucky ones

Almost there …

St. Michaels Island

The Crab Claw Restaurant

Argentine Gelato?

2008-08-09T02:39:00.004-04:00

It is true. The Argentinians make gelato and it's damn near perfect!

On the way back from our picnic in DC, we headed to Georgetown to go grab dessert at our favorite bakery, Patisserie Poupon. But, alas, it was closed! Then we stumbled upon DolceZZa across the street. When you order peach gelato and it tastes like you just bit into a peach … heaven. No other way to describe it. This is the best gelato I've had in the States and it makes me long for Italy. A couple months to go …

Outside the quaint DolceZZa in Georgetown

Adam Express

2008-08-09T01:12:00.008-04:00

Adam Express has become our favorite Korean take-out restaurant. You wouldn't think that much of it just by looking outside. In fact, you might try hard to avoid it. The decor is very old and the place is tiny. But what this small mom and pop restaurant can do is amazing.

We both love sushi. We've tried the cheap, expensive, good and bad. Adam Express is THE BEST sushi place and it's very cheap! Their spicy tuna roll is so tender it melts in your mouth. It's also one of the few spicy tuna rolls that is actually spicy! The California roll is very fresh and they don't skimp on the ingredients. The Bibimbop was good but I was a little let down by the Tang Su Yuk. It tasted more like Chinese than Korean.

It's about a 30-minute Metro ride from where we live, but Daniel was craving for it so much that he went all the way there after work on Thursday to pick it up. That's how good it is! We met in DC and had a nice picnic at the Navy Memorial.

Adam Express, Mt. Pleasant, DC

Happy to dig in

Enjoying the best spicy tuna roll

Spicy tuna roll, California roll, Tang Su Yuk (Korean fried sweet and sour chicken)

9 minutes, 27 seconds later...

Happy Hour at Waterview

2008-08-09T00:53:00.009-04:00

The Waterview building is one of the many new buildings popping up to form Rosslyn's skyline. The city of Rosslyn, where we live, has happy hour Wednesdays in the summer. I have never enjoyed summer this much. It's my least favorite season, but this year it's been full of fun.

Waterview building nearby our apartment

80's themed happy hour

Key Bridge and Georgetown behind us. It's a real treat to live so close to the Key Bridge. Jogging, beautiful sunsets and watching the planes fly overhead …

Coldplay Concert

2008-08-09T00:08:00.007-04:00

Daniel got us tickets to Coldplay back in April for our anniversary. They ended up changing their schedule to August and it was totally worth the wait! They played in Chinatown at the Verizon Center. I was jumping and screaming and realized my teenage side start to show. I think it shocked Daniel.^^

Waiting for the concert and Daniel showing off his new specs

Thousands of fans

Lights during "Yellow"

Awesome show

Dramatic lighting

They setup acoustic and played "The Scientist" right behind us ... AHHHHHHH!

Butterfly confetti

Finale

Screen on the Green

2008-08-08T23:36:00.013-04:00

We recently found out that DC has outdoor movies playing every summer. It's really awesome and, best of all, free! The District offers a lot of free outdoor activities in the summer and we've definitely been taking advantage of them. For the last two weeks, every Monday night after work, we have met at the mall with a picnic blanket and snacks.

On our first outing, we brought leftover Kimbop (Korean Sushi) from dinner the night before, movie "junk," took a short nap, and anxiously awaited the movie which started just as the sun set. Frank Capra's Arsenic and Old Lace with Cary Grant screened, but it felt a little "dated." This past Monday we went for Daniel's birthday and I picked up dinner at Whole Foods (aka Whole Paycheck). Billy Wilder's The Apartment was screening and reminded us how film should be. This pitch-perfect romantic comedy stars Jack Lemmon and Shirley Maclaine and I would highly recommend it. I'm looking forward to the last movie this summer, Superman. We'll post on that and let you in on a little secret: the infamous HBO Dance. Stay tuned!

For our picnic, I made Kimbop (Korean Sushi) the night before

Rolling ... Daniel's actually better at it

I'm getting better at cooking

Around 5:30 pm, people start to grab their spots in front of the screen

Our favorite picnic blanket. You have to admit it, our blanket pretty much rocks!

Waiting for sunset while listening to music on Daniel's new iPhone, a birthday gift from me

Our decoration pillow came in very handy for Daniel's nap

Sunset behind Monument in Washington DC

It's about to start …

Birthdays and Bulgogi

2008-08-07T00:44:00.001-04:00

The weekend before my birthday, Kellyn's mom came over to cook Korean BBQ. She makes the best bulgogi (marinated beef). They stopped by to celebrate mine and Kellyn's sister Julia's birthday. She was born just a few days before me. As if food wasn't enough, they got me a beautiful orchid! I'll try not to kill it. Thanks Umma!

Beautiful purple orchid

Umma (Mom) enjoying cooking for her Sahwee (Son-In-Law)

BBQ bulgogi with broccoli and asparagus

Gotta have your veggies!

Mmmm … that's good!

"Ganbei!" ("Cheers!" in Korean)

Ready to make a wish?

Blowing out the birthday candles

Appa (Dad) had a little too much fun

Posts Comin' At You!

2008-08-06T23:47:00.008-04:00

We've been super busy over the last few weeks! Everything from wedding planning to DC's array of great summer events. We've also been unexpectedly given some beautiful fall weather (knock on wood!) a little early. It seems to have started to die down after the departure of our "Second Visitor." You do the math.

So, it's time to let you guys catch up with us. Lots more on the way, depending on how much more I plan to deprive myself of sleep.

July sunset from our apartment

Our Second Visitor

2008-07-21T23:12:00.004-04:00

John came to DC on business for a week and then spent the weekend with us. Jennifer, John, Daniel and I went to Mai Thai in Dupont Circle, bars on U street, and matchbox in Chinatown for mini burgers.

Axis Bar & Grill on U Street in DC

Our Wedding West Invitation

2008-07-21T22:32:00.022-04:00

Our DIY Asian-themed invitations are complete and they're in our guests' hands. It took a couple of weeks of paper research and probably 10 different design ideas. When I first saw this paper at PUA Naturally in Chinatown, DC, it was my "invitation dream" come true. It was the perfect paper.

Daniel and I dedicated an entire weekend to finish them up and it was all worth it. We had so much fun in our little assembly line. Daniel told me I wouldn't be a good manager since I micro-managed every single step of the process.

I want to thank Daniel for putting up with my obsession and craziness about our invitation and helping me with assembling everything.

What we used

Getting ready to assemble

Getting ready to assemble

I tied two small branches with orange hemp

My little branches

Daniel putting double-sided tape on the back of the invitation

Making sure everything aligns

I put holes with needles and tied the branches with response cards

Almost complete

My little knots

Ta-da! It's complete!

The front of the invitation

A few of them complete

Stacking them up as we finish each one

The entire set of invitations – 31 to be exact!

July 4th in DC

2008-07-21T22:23:00.012-04:00

Seeing fireworks in DC together for the first time was awesome! It rained right before the fireworks so it was very cool and enjoyable weather, unlike the usual hot and humid summer weather. Fireworks in DC always "Wow!" me.

Daniel and I waiting for the fireworks in front of the Washington Monument

Fireworks in DC

Fireworks in DC

Fireworks in DC

We did it!

2008-06-08T23:04:00.009-04:00

Daniel and I participated "Susan G. Komen National Race for the Cure® 5K Walk/Run" on Saturday, June 7, 2008 on the National Mall.

It was a very special event that I wanted to participate in and I'm so lucky that Daniel came to join me. My mom's oncology doctor told us they still don't know what causes breast cancer but what they do know is they have more patients each year.

We had the names of my mom, Daniel's grandma, and his aunt on our t-shirts. It felt great to cross the finish line! Thanks so much to all of you who supported us!

National Memorial Day Concert

2008-06-08T22:31:00.011-04:00

Thanks to those who have sacrificed their lives for their country.

Daniel and I at the National Memorial Day Concert

So many people at the National Memorial Day Concert

Jennifer and I at the National Memorial Day Concert

National Memorial Day Concert

The Capitol at night

Race for the Cure

2008-05-22T07:24:00.008-04:00

We have decided to run for breast cancer at the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure on June 7th in DC. This is for a great cause and we're excited to be a part of it. As many of you know, Kellyn's mom recently underwent breast cancer treatment and she's doing great! The doctors have even talked about putting her on TV! To make a pledge to either one of us, click one of the links below. Thank you for your support!

Pledge to Kellyn
Pledge to Daniel

Taste of Arlington

2008-05-21T22:13:00.003-04:00

This past Sunday we walked to Ballston for the "Taste of Arlington." OMG! The food was mouth-watering. BBQ and hummus and crab cakes … Mmm. This will no doubt be on the "must-do" list every year. No photos to post as it was raining on the way there. But, of course the sun decided to come out once we got there without the camera.

Fiesta Asia

2008-05-21T21:10:00.014-04:00

"Fiesta Asia" took place near Capitol Hill and the Newseum in DC. We enjoyed good Asian food, a concert, and dance performances. But, it was very disappointing that they didn't have any Korean food. Dance performances from each country were on a stage facing the Capitol building. I became very emotional while watching the Korean traditional dance. It made me miss Korea so much, as it's been 10 years since I left. When will I have time to go back and visit?

The Newseum—DC's newest museum—looks like a huge stack of newspapers

"Fiesta Asia" with the Capitol as a backdrop

At "Fiesta Asia"

Korean traditional dance being performed in a Hanbok. It was so beautiful I couldn't help but cry.

Korean traditional dance. She made me miss Korea so much.

Daniel very happy at the Beer Garden

Kirin in one hand and Tiger in the other. I prefer the light flavor of Kirin.

Honeymoon Flight Booked!

2008-05-14T00:09:00.011-04:00

We're happy to say that we booked our flight—through British Airways—for the honeymoon today (mmm ... I guess last night). We'll be in Europe for almost two weeks and plan to travel in London, Paris and northern Italy. The exact itinerary is still a little blurry. One step at a time ...

Chef Daniel

2008-05-13T23:47:00.013-04:00

Kellyn has been working really hard at her new job—putting in 10 hour days her second week! The best part ... she loves it. Lucky for her (and me), I have been in cooking mode since Mother's Day. I made Mexican food yesterday and today I had chicken salad, baked potatoes, carrots and spinach ready for her when she got home. It's the least I could do, since we've been here for nearly three months and this is the first week I've cooked. I didn't even cook for myself when she was in CA. Ha!^^ You'll also notice our dual Martini-Wine glasses. These are only available for those adapting to small living spaces. Or, at any Pier 1 store.

Baked Potato alla Daniel

Black Pepper Ginger Carrots

Almond Chicken Ginger Salad

Vinho Verde in our Martini-Wine Glass

Happy Mother's Day

2008-05-11T23:17:00.008-04:00

Just wanted to take a moment to say Happy Mother's Day! We took the Metro into Maryland and made a salmon dinner for mom. Mmmm … mmm … good! She's doing GREAT and we enjoyed cooking for her. They loved it! On another note, this blog thing is becoming addicting!

Mom and Dad (Daniel calls them "umma" and "appa." ^^)

Mother's Day 2008

A Weekend in New York

2008-05-10T15:26:00.016-04:00

We took BoltBus to NYC last weekend to meet up with our former coworker, John D, and my cousin, Jin. We saw Phantom of the Opera on Broadway (I cried), met John and Mark at Don't Tell Mama, and ended the night (well, morning) with drinks at the Simone Martini Bar in the East Village. It was supposed to rain all weekend, but the weather ended up behaving quite nicely. It was sunny on Sunday so we changed our plans of going to museums. Jin, Selena, Daniel and I went to brunch at Rue 57 and took a stroll through Central Park. It was such a nice getaway.

Jin and Selena, thanks for letting us crash on your couch!

Central Park

My cousin, Jin, his girlfriend, Selena, Daniel and I in Central Park

Daniel, John and Mark at Don't Tell Mama in NYC's Theatre District

Kellyn in CA

2008-05-10T14:28:00.011-04:00

I went to California to finish up planning for "Wedding West" a couple of weeks ago. All of our good friends gathered at Lori and Ana's place to hang out with me. It was a lot of fun and I really miss everyone. Thanks guys!

Special thanks to Amy, Lori, Ana and John for making my stay more pleasant.

View the images
(pictures of Vito's newborn baby are included)

Our First Visitors

2008-05-10T13:58:00.011-04:00

Elizabeth, Paul and Cecile stopped by to visit us during their business trip at the beginning of April. It was great to play host and show them around DC. We wore them out walking around the National Mall and view the cherry blossoms along the Tidal Basin. When will you be here?

View more photos

Paul struts his stuff while the other two struggle to keep up

World War II Memorial – Washington DC's newest memorial

Apartment View

2008-05-10T12:35:00.014-04:00

I know, I know … we have been asked numerous times for a photo of our new place. The spring cleaning hasn't started yet, so all you get is the view of the outside. You'll notice the views look drastically different. Northern Virginia is funny that way … you can be right in the heart of the city, walk a block, and be in the 'burbs!

View to the West

View to the East

Our Blog is Born!

2008-05-10T00:07:00.027-04:00

This is all new to us, so we're not sure where to start. Screw it! Here it goes …

Welcome to our blog.

Old Town Alexandria

We've talked about creating a blog since we moved to the DC area nearly three months ago. And what better way to launch it than in conjunction with our wedding website: www.mywedding.com/danielkellyn

We've been married for nearly six months and have now managed to put a website together for our wedding. We'll have "Wedding West" in California on September 27th. This blog will be a great way for us to keep our friends and family updated on the wedding, as well as our new life in the city.

We'll try our best to post often. Leave comments and come back soon!