Bay to Breakers 2012

This weekend was amazing for a number of reasons, and to kick the weekend recap off with a bang, let's discuss Bay to Breakers!  This is the kind of race that is perfect for the non-athletic type.  Here's how it works:

1) Dress up in silly costumes with your friends.  My roomie's friends had the idea of dressing up as ducks, and we may have played multiple rounds of Duck Duck Goose amidst all the madness.

2) Start drinking at 7 am.  Feel free to ease into it with mimosas, but shots will be consumed before 8.

3) Make friends with everyone you meet.  Everyone is so friendly, and it's amazing to have magical moments with strangers over their costumes.  Seriously, made a new best friend today just because we were both wearing fanny packs.

4) Take a drink with you for the race.  Preferably in a shatterproof water bottle.  These things are freaking genius!

5) Stop for snacks even if you have to wait in line at the mini mart for 15 minutes.

6) Don't feel pressure to make it more than a mile into the race before you lay in a park... and then decide to call it a day.

7) SKIP EVERYWHERE.

This was one of my favorite San Francisco memories by far.  And the recovery nap felt so good.

Ducks in a row. (Pic stolen from roomie's facebook).

Sunshine-y B2B fun.

Love my roomie.

Quack.

So. much. fun.

Pure madness.

Cute pup! So obsessed.

Bay to Breakers 2012. 

Lover of the Light

Have you ever heard of heliophilia?  Apparently it's an attraction or adaptation to sunlight, as the sunflower. I don't think I've stumbled across a word I love so much in a long time.  I live for the sunshine.  Even though I appreciate rain and fog, I think I am even happier and more fulfilled as a person when it's a sunny day.  I bloom under bountiful yellow rays of light, and had no idea such an awesome description of my desire for sunshine existed.  Consider me a heliophile, especially considering sunny days are rare in the Bay area.

Via.

Scene from the weekend. I love that this is basically my backyard.

Cheers!

Two of my close friends from college came up to San Francisco this weekend, and we sure made the most of our time together.  It was a gloriously warm day in the city on Saturday, so we laid out a few blocks from my apartment at Fort Mason with my roomie and another SF friend.  After a shenanigan-filled Saturday evening, we had a lazy Sunday; mimosa brunch, The Lucky One, a quick trip to a suddenly chilly beach, and a yummy dinner.

Love these girls.

My Britt Britt.

All of SF came out to play in the sun.

Fun night.

Hoisting Brittany closer to her man.

In spite of freezing temperatures, I did stick my toe in the water.  That's right, just a toe ha.

The Golden Gate Bridge is somewhere back there.

Yum! Definitely going back to Naked Fish.

Sometimes I worry that I will never be as happy as I was in college.  I made the most of my three and a half years at UCLA, and now that all my friends are all spread out, it's harder for us to all get together.  But weekends like this remind me that my friendships with these ladies and the new memories we make together will bring a new kind of post-college happiness I never imagined possible.

I Could Get Used to This

If every weekend I am here in San Francisco could be filled with delicious food, (multiple rounds of) mimosas, old friends and new friends, and sunshine,  I would be a pretty happy gal.  Here's a little peek at some of the loveliness that was this weekend.

After sharing with me how awesome the Crème Brûlée Cart is, my roomie picked some up for me on her way home from work on Friday.  She is so sweet! Oh, and the crème brûlée was even better than I thought possible.  I definitely recommend checking the cart out if you in the area... you will probably find me there.

Thank you roomie!

The eating continued with a stop at Off the Grid on Friday night. Food trucks from all over the Bay area park at Fort Mason, so you are bound to find something that you like.  It was this close to raining, but we lucked out.  Also, I think half the fun of food trucks are their adorable names; I tried some Indian food from Curry Up Now (ha!).

So many options.

Saturday I had a chance to meet with my cousin for brunch.  Neither of us had tried Nook before, and the breakfast wrap I tried was delicious (and ended up being my dinner too).  After ordering a single mimosa each, we decided to switch to bottomless mimosas – a good decision for sure.  We had a blast catching up and laughing over old family stories, and I cannot wait to hang out with her even more.

So delicious.

No description needed.

Sunday brought the return of glorious SF sunshine, and may have included another brunch with some new friends.  Weekends like this will definitely be the norm the summer.  Hope you all had a fabulous weekend too!

Run, Run

I have a love/hate relationship with running.  My favorite way to work out is definitely in an air-conditioned gym, on an elliptical, with the amazingness that is Bravo on a TV in front of me.  But with scenery like this, I think my outdoor running adventures are going to begin again. 

Slice of the city.

Seeing the Golden Gate Bridge will never get old.

Running in style.  Ha.

Happy Monday!

Spotted

Walking through Noe Valley over the weekend, I saw this amazing jungle house.  I am all for embracing your passions and sharing what you love with the world, but this took it to another level.  How bold and wonderful are these folks for turning their house into a jungle mural?  I couldn't find too much info on the house, but this post indicates it's been painted for over 20 years.

The detail was stunning. Welcome to the jungle.

Meow!

"Freedom lies in being bold." - Robert Frost

If you are ever in the Noe Valley area of San Francisco, this house is located on Church Street between 23rd and 24th.

Hustle and Bustle

I have depended on my car for years and years, living in suburban Fresno and sprawling Los Angeles until about a year ago.  I was lucky enough to take a car to college my third year, and it opened up huge doors for work opportunities and made it convenient to explore even more of L.A.  Living in the South Bay the last year, it made it easy to get to my job and drive my fam around when they visited.  I really did love the freedom that came with having my own trusty vehicle. 

But I am so excited to stop depending on my car while I live in San Francisco.  I won't need it to get to work and I won't use it to do errands in the city; public transportation just makes more sense here.  I want to learn how to use the bus and take BART to visit my sissy.  It feels a little bit like I am giving up a security blanket of sorts, but I think I will end up gaining a fuller experience of the city. And the car will be here for the occasional trip or necessary errand.

Quick snap while walking to my apartment.

Via.

 Via.

A little adventure goes a long way!

Thank Goodness for Dads

Seriously, I don't think this weekend would have gone as smoothly as it did without my amazing dad.  He arrived in Mountain View with the moving truck early Saturday (after driving 2.5 hours from my hometown), we packed up all my stuff, moved it into my new apartment in San Francisco... and then he literally had to turn around and drive the moving truck back to Fresno.  The parking sitch in SF is abysmal, and it would have been impossible for us to park the big truck.  I think I was speechless for a few moments when I realized the enormity of the task we had just completed, and how selfless my dad is for helping me do this.  All to jump back in the truck without so much as a hug and a kiss goodbye.

Obligatory beer the night before the move as I finished up packing.

Driving behind my dad on the way to SF!

Sissy also came to help.  Love her!

My friend Ashley stopped by too.  She happened to be visiting SF with another friend this weekend, and brought me the most thoughtful housewarming gift.  Now she is officially off to her own adventure in grad school!

I cannot wait to show you guys more of SF... but I wont be able to post pics of the apartment until it is all done :) Lots more unpacking and organizing to do!

Times, They Are a-Changin'

When I was a 17-year-old high school senior, I wanted to attend college in Southern California so much.  I had the hardest time choosing between UCLA and UC Irvine, but Cal was quickly nixed after I visited them campus.  Cal may be one of the best public schools in the country (along with UCLA!), but I didn't think the Bay Area was for me.  I craved sunshine, bright lights and big dreams; all things I didn't think Cal held for me.  Los Angeles was where it was at, and I am so grateful I got to attend UCLA for three and a half magical years.  It was everything I wanted and so much more.

I think it's so funny how perspective can change over just a few short years.  While applying for jobs a little over a year ago, I honestly would have moved to the most podunk-y of towns so long as it came with an awesome job. When I accepted my job, I was nervous about moving to the Bay Area, wondering if I would fit in with everything I imagined the it to be.   I've lived in Mountain View (about 30 minutes south of San Francisco) for the last year, and have fallen head over heels in love with this area - San Fran especially.  I am so excited for the opportunity to actually live in such a fantastic city, the cultural heart of the Bay area.
 
I love how that SF is a city of acceptance, a city of delicious food, and a city where folks actually use public transportation.  Four years ago, I never imagined that I could accept a place so wholly and completely.  My greatest desire has always been to love my life as I am living it, and I am excited for the new adventures this move will bring.  A move of 32 miles will bring an adventure the Bethany of today is ready to embrace.

New Home!  Via.

Source Unknown.

Via.

SF Saturday

My aunt and uncle visited the Bay this weekend, and I went to San Francisco on Saturday to meet up with them and a cousin of mine that lives in SF.  My cousin Jeannie arranged for us to take a tour of the TCHO (pronounced CHOE, apparently) factory on the Embarcadero, and it was like a comedy show, a science class, and a chocolate tasting combined into one.  I  highly recommend taking the tour if José can be your guide, not because the chocolate isn't reason enough to visit, but because he was one of the most outrageous guides I've ever had in my life.  From his stories about wielding a machete during his childhood in the Philippines, to his encounter with an elderly lady who orders Coca (cocaine-infused) tea on Ebay, to his vast amount of chocolate knowledge (seriously, so brilliant!), he made this tour so so fun. 

After learning how chocolate is made and nomming on a ton of samples, we walked down the Embarcadero to Delancy Street Restaurant for lunch.  I hadn't been here before, but the food is delicious (and decently priced for SF!) and all the funds from this restaurant go to their foundation.  My cousin also let me know that the folks that work here are very much in need of a fresh start.  Good food and a great cause?  Definitely going back (especially considering the price of their mimosas). 

It was such a beautiful day by the water, and we also had a chance to walk through the Ferry Building and the Farmer's Market. My aunt and uncle have always made an effort to visit their nieces and nephews that live across the US, and it was great to see them and catch up with my cousin.

Ferry Building.

Beautiful flowers at the Farmer's Market. 

Jeannie and I trying to be cool like Lucy and Ethel.

Learning more about how chocolate is made.

TCHO flavors; all delicious in their own unique way.

Yummy chocolate.

Jersey Friday

My dad used to have a job where he wore a suit almost every, single day.  The only day he didn't have to dress up?  Casual Friday, baby. Instead of casual Friday, my team currently has a Jersey Friday theme.  And considering my teammates are from nearly every corner of the United States, it's fun to see what teams they choose to represent.  My professional sports fandom is a little limited (as well as the number of jerseys in my closet), so my participation is a little sparse.  Nonetheless, go Giants!

Snapshots of NYE

I had a blast in San Francisco this weekend watching the Bruins play in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl and ringing in 2012 with my friends Ashley and Jo.  After the game, everything we did was so spontaneous and made the weekend even more exciting. Here's a few highlights from our fun-filled time in the city!

Ashley and I hung out at an Irish bar before the game that even featured a confessional booth.

We got to walk on the field to get to our seats at AT&T park.  Needless to say, my dad was jeal.

Country cutie Hunter Hayes sang the national anthem.  He is so adorable!

Go Bruins!  Such a close game :(

Kicking off the festivities, my brave friend Jo opened our champagne.  I think Ashley and I might have a dozen pictures of her hard at work between the two us.

Free drinks at The Holiday Inn Bar.  Enough said.

We got to celebrate our friend Danielle's birthday too, making a fun stop at her apartment.  We officially welcomed in 2012 at a karaoke bar, and it was such a neat experience counting down to the new year and celebrating with two really great friends, some new acquaintances, and everyone else at the bar.  The feeling in the air was magical!

A pizza brunch was the first meal we ate in 2012. Such a great idea Ashley!

This fantastic weekend makes me so excited for future NYE celebrations.  2012, I love you already!