Lots of Smiles

Christmas season is full-force in the city

A very special invitation arrived

Our new neighbor is officially OPEN

Fall mornings in wine country

Irish coffee and father-daughter time

Bikes and sunshine

Holiday High

The last few weeks have been way too much fun. Between my birthday celebrations (which trickled into all of last week), Thanksgiving, traveling up north, family and friends in town, and little celebrations with Felix, it's been really easy to stay busy and distracted. Now that everyone is gone, and things have returned to 'normal,' it's a little bit depressing coming off of such a 'holiday high'. I hate to be such a repetitive negative nancy, but it's especially hard returning to a 'normal' schedule when I don't really have a schedule and routine to return to. These wonderful 2 weeks have passed, and I am exactly where I was when they began; jobless, sitting alone in a coffee shop, waiting for responses from companies. I know it's a temporary post-holiday funk, but it felt fitting to write about on this rainy, gray day. And on that note, I'll try to fight the urge to wrap up in a blanket and eat chocolate and I'll try and cross some things off my list. 

Calistoga, CA

The day after Thanksgiving, the 6 of us headed north for the weekend. First stop was Tomales Bay Oyster Company. We were not the only ones with that idea; It was an absolutely gorgeous day and packed. We picnicked and enjoyed oysters in the sun. A few hours later, we made our way to the northern most town in wine country, Calistoga. My parents have been several times over the years, but it was a first for the rest of us. It is a stunning town, and felt really similar to a small ski town, like Frisco, full of fabulous restaurants and locals who were born and raised there. Our resort was a 10 minute bike ride to Napa wineries, had amazing hot pools, spa treatments, bocce ball/ping pong, and outdoor fireplaces. It was a wonderful few days and we weren't nearly ready to say bye to everyone at the end of the weekend.  

Happy Thursday! It's a wet and gloomy one here today. 

Belated Birthday

Although possibly a temporary solution, the blog is up and running for now. Here are some belated pictures from last weekend in Sonoma with some of my favorite people. I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving with loved ones. We have lots to be thankful for over here.  

25 Years

Unfortunately, because of the exciting weekend, early holiday happenings, and many other excuses, the blog is lacking this week. I'm going to try to finish out the week strong, but truthfully, I am so excited to have my parents in town and to be hosting my brother-in-law and his girlfriend this weekend, that just may not happen. But I'm sure I'll have plenty to write about by next week.

So on Sunday, I celebrated 25 years of life, and 6 official months of marriage. 2 of my best friends flew in from Denver and DC, and we celebrated with some other friends with a weekend of wine tasting, yummy food, and laughs. It was so good to have them out here and share a little slice of my life in SF.

25 is a big one. I am no longer in my early 20's. I am closer to 30 than 20. I feel like I should be an adult, and have more of my life 'figured out.' I've talked a lot about birthdays on this blog. How they're never as good as your expectations. How they're always so built up but end up being very anti-climactic. But this year was an exception. The combination of spending time with some of my favorite people and doing fun activities in my new city, mixed with me knowing I got to see my parents shortly after, made it an amazing celebration. I felt an enormous amount of love this weekend. I am incredibly grateful for the people in my life and for 25 wonderful, healthy years.

Cheers! And happy, happy Thanksgiving!

(The reason for the severe delay in posts: I was notified yesterday that I have hit the limit on my 'free' photo-uploading capabilities on this blogger interface. Didn't even know that was possible! Obviously, a huge part of my creativity and expression comes from my photos, so there will need to be some changes around here pretty soon. For those of you who do read, please be patient and keep checking in! And there will be some massive picture updates soon.)

3 Smiles

Early birthday love from my in-laws

Blue sky, the bay, and boats

An adorable bulldog people watching out his window

Have a great weekend!

Sidewalk Love

Found some personalized cement art today. Happy Thursday!

Neighborhood Envy

On Saturday, we met some friends in Sausalito for the afternoon. It was a stunning California day, and even more beautiful while enjoying drinks on the water. The sun was out but it was still pretty chilly. We sat outside under some legit heaters and ate amazing pizza at Bar Bocce. 

On Sunday, we met some new friends at Dolores Park in the Mission, and for the first time, we experienced some serious neighborhood envy. The park was packed and full of energy. We barbecued and met some really nice people. And the entrepreneurs were in full force - trying to sell everything from edibles and jello shots to miniature guitars and hula hoops. Dolores Park is such a colorful slice of San Francisco. The coolest thing about this city is that every neighborhood is so different from the next and they all have their own character. And since the city is only 7x7 miles, every neighborhood is so accessible. So while we may be a little jealous, we were happy to come home, with serious plans of visiting Dolores Park again soon.

Midweek Dates

Weekends are a given; they are almost always fun. Meaning, even if you have nothing planned, they still end up being a good time - they are designed for excitement and relaxing. I think it's important to frequently make plans in the middle of the week. It gives you something to look forward to in a busy week of 'work.' Schedule drinks with a girlfriend, plan a unique date with your significant other, or go get dessert in a new neighborhood. Doing something fun that's out of routine can breed extra productivity and motivation and also significantly boost your mood. 

Yesterday, knowing I would be having happy hour with one of my best friends literally got me through the day. It forced me to make some big checkmarks on my list because I knew that in a few hours we would be drinking cheap wine and eating bar food. Making midweek plans helps you slow down the week and can make an average weekday feel extra special.

{The creepy owl that watched over our booth last night}

Walk It Out

As much fun as it would be to write a post about this ridiculous DJ Unk song and soundtrack to my freshman year, this post is literally about walking it out.

Taking a walk is the most soothing and calming activity. When I was young, my dad used to carry me outside to the driveway and walk me around to calm me down after temper tantrums. And while I throw far fewer tantrums these days, (ha) taking a long walk at night still instantly soothes and relaxes me. Whether I'm upset, stressed out, or just tired after a long day, a nice walk can be so clarifying and relaxing. Lately, we've been taking walks at night to get frozen yogurt or to go see the Bay Bridge all lit up. And the air has been especially chilly lately, so spending 30 minutes outside at night time is even more refreshing. 

3 Smiles

Fresh flowers making the apartment smell fabulous

Nerdy mirror picture on the way out for a midweek date night

Pretty post-storm clouds 

His and Hers

Today is a cold and gloomy day in the city. I've managed to stay in my sweats all day, and I justified it by being semi-productive on the job front. But really I've just watched a lot of Sex and the City. 

To force myself out of the apartment at least once today, I signed up for this business/networking event through the company I've recently teamed up with for part-time work/income. It's a skincare company called Rodan+Fields, and they offer a kick-ass anti-age/reverse line (same doctors who created Proactiv) through a multi-level marketing setup. If you're anything like me, the word that naturally comes out at the end of 'multi-level marketing' is scheme. But I signed on as a consultant because honestly, I had nothing to lose, and I've been pretty surprised with the results. Not only are the products awesome, but it forces me out of my comfort zone with the business model and into the city to meet other consultants at these events. It's not something I want to pursue full-time, but it is helping my mind stay active and bringing in a tiny bit of money.

So anyways, Felix and I have been using the skincare line for the last month, which means we get to do his and her face masks every night, which has been pretty amusing. And it got me thinking about how fun it is to have routine and tradition like that with your significant other. We like to work out together, and then go eat a really big breakfast. We also have his and her matching coffee cups and black leather jackets. And we have his and her blue running shoes.

I think having routines can make usually mundane tasks, like washing your face and working out, much more fun! Happy (late) Wednesday night!

Zanzibar, Tanzania

The first month I spent in Africa was in Summer of 2010. After Felix and I backpacked through Europe for 6 weeks, we had planned to meet the group we'd be touring East Africa with in Rwanda. And on the way, we figured we would use the few extra days we had to make a stop in Zanzibar, Tanzania. It may seem backwards, planning a few relaxing beach days before beginning an intense trip focused on destitution, poverty, and sustainable development. But I wouldn't have done it any other way. I think one of the reasons I was so deeply affected by Rwanda and Uganda was because my first few days in Africa were spent at a beautiful resort on Zanzibar. Beautiful is an understatement. The water couldn't have been any more turquoise. The sand couldn't have been whiter or cleaner. And the locals couldn't have been more kind and welcoming.

It was an amazing 3 days, full of snorkeling, swimming, and napping on the porch. It was the perfect way to prepare our hearts and minds for what the next 3 weeks would be like. Because those next 3 weeks were absolutely life-altering, and Zanzibar was the perfect place to start. These shots come nowhere close to showing the beauty and serenity that is Zanzibar. 

Happy Election Day, everyone.

Drake's Bay Oyster Farm

On Saturday, we spent the day at Drake's Bay with a big group of Zoosk friends. Even though I'm not a huge oyster fan (although I like them much more now), it was such a fun day full of sun, food, and drinks. We're already planning to take our family back over Thanksgiving.

We set up camp at a picnic table with a perfect view of the water. As a group, we went through 10 dozen oysters, along with burgers, sausages, beer, and wine. It was a beautiful Saturday - and we left Drake's Bay a little bit sun burnt, full, and happy.

And to top off a good day, our favorite friends from Napa (and their cute dog) came down to the city for dinner. I hope everyone had a great weekend!