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Family Visit pt 2



Sorry for the delay in posting! But you know life is life. Anyway here are the rest of the very few pictures I took when my family visited. Of course we rented a car and made our way to John Muir woods, which I hadn't been to, and it was magical! I absolutely love redwoods, I think this is on eof my favorite things about California so far, the woods are like stepping back into time. It was also the first time I got to drive across the Golden Gate bridge. Earlier this year I had a walk across date on the bridge, but driving across is much different. On the way back we of course had to stop and take pictures. Times like this, looking down on San Francisco makes me really excited and re-energized about living here, especially when I don't often get into the city.





On our way back to the hotel and the East Bay we drove along the coast and stopped by Sutro Baths and Ocean Beach. I wish I was able to see the baths when they were first built, the images look amazing. But it's neat to have Romanesque ruins along the coast.






After the beach we went to Trader Vic's in Emeryville for dinner and cocktails. This place is awesome and a staple of the bay area mainly since it was the first Tiki bar started by some servicemen after the second world war, and started the tiki bar craze.

Flash forward a couple days, one of the last evenings we all met at The Top of the Mark, another famous place in San Francisco. It's the bar/resturant at the top of the Mark Hopkins Hotel and was known as the place to meet up and dance and drink for sailors before they were shipped out during WWII. It was great, my friends met up with my family there, and a very special friend happened to be in town from Brazil as well. My friend Guilherme, who I've known since highschool when I lived in Brazil, just happened to be SF for an astrology conference and he was able to meet up with us that night and another time before. My family hadn't seen him in years (he also did an exchange in the US and lived with my dad, so he's like a part of our family), and I hadn't seen him since college. My friend Marlee who I've known since junior high and been living with also came out, another familiar face to my family that they hadn't seen in a long time. It was great having my family, past friends and current friends all at on table sharing laughs and drinks.






Of course this group shot doesn't really show everyone, but I think it is a good example of the fun night we all had. My family being here was so rewarding and it was amazing sharing a glimpse of my new life here with them.
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 In July I had the excitement of some of my family visiting me out here in California. I hadn't seen anyone other than my father in almost a year, and to make it sweeter it was my mom's first time to California and my nephew's first airplane ride! I was so enthused to have my mother, step-father, sister and nephew out here to show them a bit of how I've been living. Of course the week or two before is when my stupid car finally gave up on life, so I had to teach them all about the wonderful thing we call out here public transportation. I mean we have "public transport" in the midwest, but is it efficient? No. They were amazed by all the modes of getting around, so much so we all almost thought we were in Europe! No... I lie, my family isn't that dumb, but honestly Dayton, Ohio doesn't know what good bus schedules are, and the family of car sale people and GM employees scoff at buses. Again, I lie.

Anyway, the visit was filled with hugs, tears, laughs, giggles, tickles, gossip, and terrible faces. My mom was able to meet the group of boys I rabble rouse around town with... Not sure if that was a good thing or not, I really need to make some girlfriends.


The trip started out with time around fisherman's wharf and walking around the city. Day two started at Civic Center then to the painted ladies, a quick lunch, then time in the Castro, ending in the Mission at Dolores park and shopping. So hip, it's awesome. On Tuesday my step-father rented a car and went to golf, so we went to the Legion of Honor for lunch then got picked up and drove across the Golden Gate (first time driving across for me, yeah I'm real lame) and went hiking in John Muir Woods... which were magical! Then we drove back stopped for some photo-ops at Sutro Baths and Ocean beach and ended with dinner and drinks at Trader Vics! Then I went back to work for the rest of the week (as a salaried employee, whomp whomp!) and the family continued to have tons of adventures. On Thursday night we all met at Top of the Mark for farewell drinks.

It was a gloriously wonderful time, albeit stressful as hell. I loved having them here but trying to entertain three generations with car stress was about to make my head explode... of course for family I welcome that.

I'll continue the photos in the next post!

Love ya!
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life in instagram | pt 3

John Muir Redwoods hike with my sister and nephew.
Bonfire on Ocean Beach.
Tubing on the Russian River.
Bikes, sunset and the bay.
Washington Square Park.
Parklife.
Beachy times.
Morning Commute.
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life in instagram | pt 2

Photoshoot with my friend Kathryn.
Waiting for dinner reservations on the sailboat.
Tripp sailing.
Mike up the mast.
Dolores Park in the Mission.
Drawing at work.
A random outfit.
Legion of Honor.
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life in instagram | pt 1




So starting out of course you all know my proud pooch Tripp, he's still hanging around just a little rounder. 
At my job at minted many lunches were spent in the park. 
Sunset at the Berkeley Pier. 
Hiking in the Oakland Redwoods City Park. 
Old coworker Lizzy's bday in Golden Gate park. 
My boys sailing and looking manly. 
At the motorcycle races with the boys. 
And Marlee and Zoe waiting for food at homeroom, an awesome mac and cheese joint. 

Here's the first installment of what I've been up to in instagram format, you can follow my adventures, or lack there of, my name is sparrow_urchin.