Flags hanging at Sutro Heights Park

When we visited Leh, Nik and I were both taken by the prayer flags hung by pilgrims at temples to bless the surrounding land. They stood for so much, but they were also stunning. The red, blue, green, yellow and white flags strung between peaks flying in the wind created a magical scene.

Fast forward a year or so to Nik and I trying to decide how to make our wedding ceremony special. We had already decided to have it at Sutro Heights Park looking out towards the Pacific Ocean, which is quite beautiful all by itself. But it needed something special. Something that would make it more than a couple in love standing in a park.

We could use flowers, or construct some kind of archway. But I wanted something simple that wouldn’t take very long to set up and something that we could keep to remember our day. When I thought of prayer flags, they made sense on several different levels. One, they are gorgeous. Two, I could sew them myself, and might even be able to convince some friends and family members to make some too. And finally, nearly all of our guests will be traveling…or making a pilgrimage…to share in our day.

Above, you see the first sample of our flags, and below are instructions of how to make them. It is super simple, and the results are amazing. Seeing the little one above hanging on one of the most gorgeous trees ever at our wedding site made me giddy…I cannot wait to see a couple 50 foot long strands flying in the wind on our wedding day!!

White Wedding Prayer Flags

White Prayer Flags

If you would like to make prayer flags of your own, here is a little tutorial:

Prayer Flags Tutorial Diagram

To download the tutorial in pdf form for both 60″ fabric and 44″ fabric, click the diagram above.

Oyster Shells at Drakes Bay

For the past two weekends, Nik and I have hit the roads and the trails of Marin. Last weekend we rode up to Bolinas, drove through the quaint/crazy town, and then took a nice coastal hike to Bass Lake. Then this weekend we took a shorter ride to Tennessee Valley, and hiked up to Pirate’s Cove. But this time, after the hike, we weren’t ready to go home so we kept riding north to Drakes Bay Family Farm to have fresh oysters. It was the first time I had ever tasted FRESH raw oysters, and I loved it!!! Nik wasn’t a fan, but I’m proud of him for trying.

Lately, I feel like we have been taking advantage of our surroundings and making the most out of life. It’s a good feeling!

Did you know that the best frozen yogurt in the land can be found in a little convenient store at corner of Union Street and Fillmore Street in San Francisco? I did. And the frozen yogurt’s flavor is peanut butter. Try it. Get the kid’s size. You will thank me.

The goddesses atop the Palace of Fine Arts were built to watch over throngs of visitors at the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition. Today, they watch 20-somethings living their lives in the Marina.

Given my recent absence here, I am going to simplify things. Rather than post multiple photos at a time with detailed descriptions, I am going to move in the direction of some of my favorite photo blogs. I will post one photo at a time with the hope that I will post more regularly. Ideally, I would like to post one photo a day, but we’ll see.

Here’s to balancing blogging and working 40+ hours a week!!!

2010 will always be known to me as the year we moved to San Francisco. It will be the year after Shanghai. It will be the year before we were married. It will be the year we searched for and found, searched for and found, and searched for and found jobs. It will be the year I started working at P&T. It will be the year Nik bought his navy blue scooter. It will be the year of our first apartment in America. It will be the year we caved and bought iPhones. It will be the year we flipped on trampolines. It will be the year Mom & Dad, Michael & Leslie, Chris & Maurene, Jon & Moranne, and Daniel & Kelly came to visit. It will be the year we spent a month in Dallas with Nik’s parents. It will be the year we went to Sequoia National Park. It will be the year we started volunteering for the National Park Service. It will be the year we met Maggie, Rebecca, Neal, Karrie, and Wayne. It will be the year we indulged in gourmet ice creams. It will be the year I worked a few Outstanding in the Field dinners. It will be a year that is remembered fondly, and for visual reference, here are a few photos…

In January…

we stayed for a couple nights at the Hotel Santa Fe in Austin,

we frolicked on the beach in Galveston,

and we explored the island of Kauai with Nik's family.

In February…

we took a one-way flight to San Francisco (!!!),

moved into an apartment in Hayes Valley,

and started to explore the streets with gusto.

In March…

we searched for hilltop views,

I started volunteering at the Gardens of Alcatraz,

and we discovered a Blue Bottle Coffee in our neighborhood.

In April…

I continued to explore the city as Nik worked,

we took a little trip to Montara,

and I participated in the "I Live Here SF" project.

In May…

we spent a summery day (one of only two summery days all year) at Baker Beach,

I worked at a few Outstanding in the Field dinners,

and we found OUR apartment!!!!

In June…

we became one with the Richmond neighborhood,

we explored near and far on the scooter,

I took a quick trip to Denver to see my big brother,

and we perfected our people watching skills at Delores Park.

In July…

we spent July 4th weekend with the giant sequoias,

Nik took me to a Giants game for my birthday (We had no idea we were watching the future World Series Champions),

and I started working full time.

In August…

I started taking photos with my phone,

we saw dolphins swimming near Fort Cronkhite,

we ate sliders,

and my parents came to visit.

In September…

we drove the scooter up to Pt. Reyes for the first time,

Nik and Val perfected their feather skills,

and we explored the depths of Golden Gate Park (also known as GG Park).

In October…

we hiked through the Marin Headlands,

and we saw the inside of Fort Point for the first time.

In November,

we took a little road trip and found hundreds of pumpkins,

we biked across the Golden Gate Bridge,

and we explored ancient cave dwellings while visiting Nik's sister in Santa Fe.

In December…

Nik sold his old Portland scooter,

and then we went home to spend the holidays with family.

Happy New Year Everybody!!!