Nap Time in the fancy chair

Today I went to a movie in a fancy mall downtown, and this gentleman was sleeping right outside of the fanciest of fancy department stores. It’s just a great juxtaposition of life happening here in the big city.

Today marks a milestone in my life that will seem insignificant very soon. Today, I took the written test that will soon lead to having a proper California Drivers License. But there’s more. Not only did I take the standard class “C” vehicular test required, I also took the “M” class motorcycle test!!! I took it for the heck of it, and failed. When I saw that I failed, I could have walked away and said, “well I’ll just take the regular one.” But no. Instead I picked up a study book for the motorcycle test, found a seat at a café near by, and read it cover to cover. Then I waltzed back into the DMV, told the proctor I was ready, and took the test again. This time I passed with flying colors.

Now, I have to do the scary part and actually take the driving test. I am still a little frightened by driving a scooter/motorcycle, but I think that it is a fear that can be conquered. I have no intention of purchasing a motorcycle, but since Nik and I’s only vehicle is a scooter, I figure I might as well learn to drive it.

Today marks another milestone that will never seem insignificant. Today I am officially looking for new opportunities to propel my career and life in new directions. I do not know what the new opportunities will be, but I know they are out there. I have had so many day-dreams, and now I am going to try to make them happen!!!

In the mean-time, here are my snapshots from the past month or so…

Today's sunset over the ocean that hosted a big surf competition last week

The Ferry Building...a favorite spot of mine despite the tourists!

The cinnamon currant loaf hiding in this bag is one reason it's a favorite.

Homemade pizza...sausage, spinach, salami, cheddar & blue cheese, rosemary, tomato, garlic, onion.

Irises to make a few days brighter

A cool kid from the other side of the world!!

Banana milkshakes...like we used to get in Thailand!

My green Azuki finally has a friend because Nik finally got a bike!!!!!! We've been riding everywhere.

Beignet Sunday from Devil's Teeth Baking Co.

Runners in GG Park

His pride & joy

The gorgeous pelican

Saturday morning pancakes

A church that will soon have new life

Everything has been pretty normal in the 8+ hours of work five days a week kind of way. That means I don’t have too much to share other than a few instagrammed photos that were taken of the few fantastic and mostly every day moments of  life. These twenty-four photos span three months here in San Francisco, and they capture what I love about this town, and city life in general. On any given day, there are literally hundreds of beautiful, quirky and amazing things to see, eat and experience. You also have to realize that I am a little bit of a recluse. I don’t seek these things out as much as I think I should, but I go at my own speed and try to do at least one thing a week that I couldn’t do anywhere else. So far so good!!

Breakfast alone while Nik was out of the country

Infinite City, a fantastic book of San Francisco maps and stories

My birthday breakfast!!! Best french toast ever

St Mary's Cathedral, a building I have always wanted to walk into

And I did! It's the first building that has awed me in quite a while.

Birthday dinner at Delfina

A Saturday bike ride past the Conservatory of Flowers

On Bart riding across the Bay to meet friends to go pick peaches and plums

A little backyard concert. This guy's voice is amazing.

A pit stop in Prague (Nik was there for work, so I went for a weekend)

My daily commute while Nik was away

The bandshell at Golden Gate Park during the weekly concert

The new Exploratorium at Pier 15 (under construction)

The unicycling wonder-boy

Our Labor Day road trip to Big Sur

Quite the sandwich

Walking through the Broadway Tunnel

Dinner at Outlanders with a favorite dinner-mate

Riding the choo-choo

A Giants game with coworkers

Sing-A-Long Little Mermaid...F A N T A S T I C

The gears that pull the San Francisco Cable Cars

A favorite work-day lunch perch on the Vallejo steps

Santa Monica Peir last Sunday

Last weekend I learned a lesson:

NEVER TAKE A TRIP ON A HOLIDAY WEEKEND WITHOUT RESERVATIONS.

The Pacific Coast

It was Labor Day weekend. Nik and I headed south towards Big Sur with a plan to camp at the first-come-first-serve campsite at Kirk Creek by the ocean that has about thirty camp sites. We left San Francisco on Saturday morning.

If you live in the Bay area, you probably recognize all the flaws to our plan. First, it was Labor Day and everyone and their mother, sister, aunt, uncle, cousin and brother want to camp. Second, the camp ground only has 30 sites and if we thought there were only 29 other groups interested in being by the ocean for the long weekend, we were kidding ourselves. And finally, we left on Saturday morning. Yes, the traffic would have been worse on Friday evening, but there was no way that any campsite would still be empty by the time we made it to Big Sur Saturday afternoon.

In the end, we punted. We drove straight through Big Sur and past the over priced San Simeon motels to Lake Nacimiento. It wasn’t the ocean, but it was water and it was cheap. For thirty dollars we pitched our tent just after dark and built a campfire. We ate smores and gazed at the stars while loud families enjoyed their outdoor adventures near by. It was not exactly peaceful, and not exactly what we wanted.

Hills just east of San Simeon

On our way back to San Francisco Sunday morning, we stopped in Cambria to check out the car show. My father will be proud!!

1930s Ford V8 Tudor

1950s Chevrolet Nomad (I think they had one of these on Home Improvement)

In the end, it was a frustrating trip. But we were together and we learned lessons!!

My husband and the blue skies that decided to join us

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This weekend we opted for local adventures. Saturday morning we hopped on the Vespa and headed east across the bay to Berkeley. We stopped at the Cheese Board for pizza and then wandered to the hills with no final destination in mind. When we found Tilden Park we were delighted. The 2,000+ acre park has a beautiful winding road that overlooks the expansive nature preserve with turn offs here and there touting lakes, merry-go-rounds, botanic gardens, picnic areas and steam trains. What? Steam trains? Yep, that’s right, steam trains!!!

All aboard!!

The Redwood Valley Railway is a small scale locomotive that carries about 75 passengers at a time through the wilderness of the park. Basically, it is like living in a fairy tale!!! The ride costs $3 per person, and lasts about 15 minutes. Nik and I were definitely the only adults there without children in tow, but I think we enjoyed it just as much as the 3-year-olds!!!

The railroad trestle

Nik made a little video of the ride:

The best swing in California

On Monday after the wedding, we had a picnic with our families at Kirby Cove which is a small campsite just on the other side of the Golden Gate Bridge. In addition to car-camping, they also have a day use area that you can rent from 10am-10pm, which is exactly what we did.

We used the picnic as an excuse to pack up everything left in the fridge, devour the rest of the wedding cake, drink a couple more bottles of wine and to swing over the bay!!! It was the absolutely perfect picnic day, and everyone was pretty impressed with the view and feeling that we had our own private beach with such a commanding view of San Francisco.

Chris (brother-in-law) and Keith (brother) discussing in their shades

Mom taking in the view

Keisha & Michelle in the sun

I see you too

Watching her tracks

Uncle & Niece running from waves

and twirling

And they say they never have good photos taken

The natural vases