romantical.

one of the things i looked most forward to crossing off the 'ol bucket list {version i & version ii} was cavallo point. truth be told, it's one of the most romantical little spots in all of the san francisco bay area, so i highly recommend taking your hunny boo to the outdoor patio and plopping yourself on the couches in front of the fire pit with a glass of vino in hand. i'd go at sunset on a clear night, and i guarantee sparks will fly {bet you didn't think you'd be getting dating advice on this friday morning, did you? well, you are welcome}. if i could add just two more cents, i want to throw it out there that it's the perfect third date in my expert dating opinion.

anyhow, i was lucky enough to have not one, but two dates upon our cavallo point visit and now we can officially go like this...

sit by the fire by the bar at cavallo point

so satisfying!

thank you for coming with me!

lists are a necessary part of my life these days. i opt for the stickies app on the mac so i can easily write random thoughts that pass through my consciousness during the day. or at night when i toss and turn, and open and close, open and close my computer oh so many times. i've always pinned myself for a fairly decent sleeper, but i guess not in periods of stress when the brain simply won't turn off.

what a fun transition phase this is becoming. i feel caught between the present and the future, all the while trying to remain calm and at peace. well, sometimes, it's not so peaceful up in this joint. after all, it's hard to stay rooted when you are in the process of an up-root. oh, the details! and oh the little bumps in the road this universe is throwing at me like stolen wallets and run-ins with the law. i'm trying to dig deep to find the lesson in it all. because, there must be a lesson! 

i remember a dear friend told me once, it's not rainbows and sunshine all the time, geans. well, you're right, it's not. oh life, let's work together, okay? you and me. go team.

so tell me, how do you handle stress?

*photo credit on first photo: all jamie {or are we calling her ansel!?}

create.

we walked. and we walked and talked. we chased the evening light all the way home, but somehow it felt like it was following us. during our last few moments on this clear and still sunday night stroll, she asked me what are you going miss most about your life in san francisco? 

thank you for asking is the first thing that came out of my mouth. because i could genuinely thank minnie for everything she says, since it's all just so perfect.

well, this, for one. and i'm going to miss the simple things. like walks to work. and my daily routine. and yoga. and quality time with the people i love. and my apartment. and just how content my life is here.

and she replied, but you will get all of those things there...

that's when i realized that it doesn't take much to create a content life for yourself. you can take the girl out of her foundation, but you can't take the foundation out of the girl. because all she needs is just a few good friends who nurture her soul. a solid routine filled with inspiring work. a cozy place to call home. good health, endorphins, and love. the thing is, we create the love, don't we? so let's create it, no matter where we are.

*photo taken on my iphone5, enhanced with picfx.

particularly.

i walked my usual route to the bus stop this evening and something felt a little different than usual. no music. no phone calls. just the sound of my boots. click clack click clack. one foot in front of the other.

it's not a particularly scenic walk. in fact, there are parts that are downright sketchy, but something about it charmed me tonight. i found myself getting all nostalgic and thinking oh, i have to try that boba tea place on the corner where all of the cool asian teenagers hang out. 

it's a mishmash of characters, this walk. the artsy cigarette smokers lingering outside of vesuvio. the nomadic guitar player in the alley hoping for some spare change. the backpack-wearing tourists flowing in and out of city lights book store. the franchino himself sitting outside of his restaurant with his feather-adorned fedora and thick italian accent. the late night coffee-drinking lovers at café greco. the many many hostesses greeting every passing stranger: would you like to join us for dinner tonight?

anyhow, i stood on the corner of broadway and columbus and it just felt beautiful. i took in the moment. the tacky neon lights against the clear dusk-ridden sky felt more beautiful than they ever have before. and i felt particularly grateful. like i was really going to miss this place. miss this simple routine walk to washington square park in all it's vibrant and quirky glory. whether i realized it or not it'd become my walk home and very much apart of me.

and so i must ask, is there anything you feel that is apart of you?

*pictures all taken on the iphone5 and edited via picfx.

love letter to san francisco.

not too long ago there was an email exchange with my very talented friend lisa. it started something like this...

can i hire you to do a photo shoot on it's all happening?

and then i found out i was moving for sure and it turned into a happy memory shoot caught on video about all of the places i heart {literally} in san francisco... the ones that have been important to me over the past five years. we'll call them heartmarks {aka landmarks}.

we planned in advance to shoot on a saturday afternoon, and even had a very important early morning business meeting to sketch out our ideas like actual creative bloggers. it felt like the real deal!

so, i can't wait any longer to share this video with you, my beloved readers. without further ado, here it is in all of it's glory...

you can find my written love letter to san francisco here, but, see, in this post i really just want to thank lisa. we are so different, and yet, inherently so so similar. those are the most interesting and unique kinds of friendships, don't you think? i feel obligated to share an email written to her from her own dad upon sending him her latest work: the love letter to san francisco video...

monkey,
this is absolutely fantastic!!!!!!!!! probably the best work you have ever done. it captures the theme, mood, joy, and excitement with superb photographic background and soulful music. this video should serve as ample proof and demonstration of your ingenuity and creativity. keep it as a reference model - it shouts out professionalism. it's unbelievable that you did this by yourself. i would guess that another shop would charge $5,000 for this kind of work and probably use a lot of clip art. no doubt in my mind that you're destined for some aspect of film/video making. i would like to see you pursue this path. look up some schools - i'll pay the tuition.
lots of love and admiration,
dad

you can't beat the words of a proud father. is it just me, or does this note bring you to tears? it so perfectly sums up lisa's talent and selfless nature. i am beyond grateful that our careers brought us together on this so-called life path. lis, you choose your friends wisely, this i know for sure, and i am so lucky that you put your kind energy and attention into me. i can't thank you enough for this brilliant work of art you've created that i will absolutely cherish forever and ever. thank you for being brave enough for all of us and pursuing your own creative path, and for continuing to inspire me to push my creative limits {no idea is a bad idea, right?}. the world doesn't know what it's in for yet, lis. you've only scratched the surface of sharing your greatness with the world. please remember, no matter where life takes us, i will always be one of your biggest fans.

all my love and {like your daddio} admiration,
elks

ps. see more of lisa's videos here.

merrymaking.

so i wrote this bucket list {see here & here} not too long ago and, boy, does it seem like it's becoming a mad race to the finish line {february second, by the way}. actually, no, i take that back. not too mad. more like a game i kind of wish i had been playing all along.

i am in absolute awe of how many takers i have willing to participate in this bucketlistgame with me. if this was the game of life, my car would be squeezed full with pink and blue heads. they'd have to double buckle! i'd even want to put in a special request for a super stretch limo. but you know what they say? the more the merrier. and, i am so incredibly content merrymaking my way through san francisco. and see, that's the lesson in the bucketlist. the one i want to stick with me {and all of us} forever as we open new chapters, start new years, and, well, wake up every morning.

life is too short not to merrymake. find people who you love doing it with and who love doing it with you. the ones who should be by your side, will be. it's that simple. don't worry about the rest.

so, dear lovely red-lipstick wearing and martini-drinking ladies,

thank you for accompanying me on a night out on the town at bix. it's official, we can do this now: martini's and dinner at bix {can you tell i love the strike out!?}. and i have you to thank for it. thank you for pretending we were in an alleyway in paris. for the gabbing over cocktails {of course i got the manhattan!}. for indulging in history lessons from stuey. for sharing bites of your truffle burger. and, most of all for loving me. somehow i got lucky enough to have you three as guardian angels. each protecting me in her own unique way.

i do not say this lightly. i say it with full, genuine intention... what would i do without you?

all my love,
geenz, sweetie, puddin'

bucket lists volume ii

happy twenty thirteen, loves.

somehow i've been busy with what i'm referring to as bucketlisting. the act of crossing things off one's bucket list. it's rather fun, and i truly can't believe it took me this long to write one. i am so grateful that the anticipation of moving has made me embrace life a little more fully. funny how when things become impermanent, venturesome spirits are born. see, turns out i am already learning oh-so-much and i'm not even in the big apple yet.

let's get down to business. where are we?

volume i.

adventures done and done:

a proper day in the wine country
hike the tennessee valley trail again {not on the original, but should have been}

dine about town done and done.

a cozy night at tony's pizza

speakeasy style at bourbon & branch

additions to the bucket list {volume ii}

row a boat in stow lake

sit by the fire at the bar at cavallo point

okay, i think that does it. if i can cross volume i and ii off i'll be one lucky girl. and, might i add, none of this would be possible without the amazing people i have in my life. to you, i am forever indebted. and i can't thank you enough for wanting to spend time and play.

bucket lists volume i

in light of some big news happening in this neck of the woods, i decided to make an sf bucket list.

here are some initial items jotted in the 'ol iphone notepad {why haven't i caught on to evernote yet?}. some are repeats, some are never been done. many more to be added i'm certain of it.

adventures:

ride a party trolley with all of the bests i've ever had in san francisco {might need more than one!}

a proper day in the wine country

steal a kiss on the golden gate bridge

the alcatraz night tour

a picture perfect picnic in front of the painted ladies in alamo square

long overdue slumber parties with a few besties and the littles

dine about town.

a cozy night at tony's pizza

saturday afternoon high tea at love joy

martini's and dinner at bix

speakeasy style at bourbon & branch

help me cross them off, will you? and until then, to be continued...

*pic: one of my very favorite weekends in san francisco circa 2009 

big news.

so i'm moving to new york.

wait, what? excuse me?

yes, my sweets, it's true. i'm making the big jump to nyc. a move my scared-to-go-away-from-home younger self never thought i could do.

i think if you and i have been acquainted for a while now, this may come as absolutely no surprise to you. i began questioning my long-term relationship with san francisco a few months ago. see, there's nothing wrong with us. we're content. we're comfy. we get along great, san francisco and i. we get each other. but, i have this deeply inherent feeling that there's something else out there. somewhere else suited for who i am at this present moment. not a place that is necessarily better, just new and different and challenging. we all need a good challenging change every now and then, wouldn't you agree? especially when things get a bit stagnant.

california has always been my home… my one true love… everything i know. moraga is filled with blissful childhood memories, santa barbara is filled with the very first tastes of true independence, and san francisco is filled with a pretty darn beautiful coming of age story i've written here on it's all happening. a story of growth in which i would not re-write one.single.word.

twenty twelve quickly became the year of trying out new places to live. as i visited new york, san diego, austin, and london i went in with every intention of seeing if i could actually live there. could i crawl in and get comfy and stay a while? and, all i learned is that yes, i could in fact live here. i can find happiness anywhere.

so the story goes that in early august i got put onto an advisory board for the women's lifestyle team at aol. a relatively new team that is responsible for the success of five female-focused platforms {stylelist, kitchendaily, homesessive, makers {also here}, and stylemepretty - yes you heard that right. my favorite wedding blog!} under the aol umbrella and a team full of really rad women. and then the queen of rad in charge of this feat came to the san francisco office and my jaw hit the floor as i experienced this stuff live and i thought to myself, i need to be on this team immediately. these rad gals {and guys!}, see, they speak my language. as a blogger and consumer of thousands of blogs, i belong in this space. my brain is full to the brim with ideas that are going to make these platforms do great because they have oh-so-much potential.

so one thing leads to another and i learned how good people can be. like how inherently good people are. and how for some reason they've invested in me and my future and want to see me succeed. how did i ever get so lucky? the head of aol on the west coast is infamous for saying that we must all form our own personal board of directors. well somehow in my short year and a half at this company, i had more board members than i thought. more people advocating for me than i ever thought possible. so off i go to join this dream team of mine. a role that is completely in line with my passions and my strengths and exactly where i envisioned my career heading, but at the same time where i never thought it could possibly go.

so to conclude this long-winded story, i was running out of my apartment the other day and stopped dead in my tracks to read my crayon artwork goal sheet i have hanging on one of my many bulletin boards. well it turns out that the sun directly above my head reads "live in another city at some point - nyc, san diego, sb to pursue school or other career" my twenty two year old self, she knew what she wanted. and now my twenty seven year old self, she's finally believing that it can come true.

then i got to thinking about the power of the universe. you know how they say when you put it out there, it will come back to you. ask and you shall receive. if that's not living proof of trusting that the things we put out in the universe will come true, i don't know what is. and i'm not just talking about the little things, but the big things. the important things. like adventures and careers and falling in love and creating families. it can happen, it can all happen. put it out there in that universe. and give it everything you've got.

so, thanks for listening. many more thoughts on this BIG news to come. like things i'm afraid of and people i'm going to miss so much it pulls so so tight on my heartstrings. for now, though, i'm so thankful nyc gets to be apart of my story, and i can't wait to write to you.

*pics: nyc | sf

words.

her life really was an open book. blank pages ready to be filled with adventures and read aloud to the world.

use your best words she thought to herself. the kind that leave people never wanting to put you down.

happy weekend, lovlies. may it be filled with beautiful words on those blank pages of yours. xo.

*photo: art installation on columbus and broadway, san francisco, ca -  my instagram.

on being brave.

everywhere i turn these days i continue to witness my dearest friends braving it out. seriously, whether it's moving or breakups or separations or new jobs or quitting jobs or death or injuries or new beginnings, i'm blown away how each and every one digs deep to channel their tallest selves to stand up to any tribulation. it's truly inspiring. i can't help but think of this saying...

you are only as good as the company you keep.

true that! let's keep the brave ones, shall we?

i've never pinned myself for being all that brave. small acts of bravery, yes, but big huge leaps, not exactly my forté.

but lately, i'm surprising myself {maybe it's all of this brave company or maybe i'm just a late bloomer}.

i think the best kind of bravery is the kind that sneaks up on you when you least expect it, allowing you to prove yourself wrong. the kind that makes you stop in your tracks and say to yourself, wow! i never knew i was capable.

life can be scary. sometimes we are not completely sure of ourselves {who am i kidding, most of the time we are not completely sure of ourselves!}, but we must roll up our sleeves, trust, and be daring. because usually when we listen to that voice coming from somewhere deep inside of us that says, i can do it, it's right.

*photo credit: lbo photos. an afternoon at treasure island staring back at our city by the bay.

apartment 24.

i thought i'd take you on a little tour of my humble abode. over the past {almost} three years, i've put a lot of heart {literally} and even more soul into my space, so it's time i share my haven with you {as vulnerable as it makes me feel}. i think it's oh-so-important to make our home sweet homes our sanctuaries. spaces that make us thrive and offer nothing but refuge.

oh, welcome. so nice of you to drop by.

come on in.

make yourself right at home.

need a nap?

or feel free to put your feet up and take in the view.

if you need a snack you can help yourself.

or how about you stay for dinner?

feel free to use the restroom.

and don't miss some of my favorite details like roses and hearts and g's and lucky number fives...

thanks for stopping by! come back any time.

xoxo, g.

solstice.

someone told me that the veils between the earth are the thinnest during the summer solstice. so, what you ask the universe for, will be easily heard. now is the time to call upon your greatest wishes.

i wish for...

although it might be summer, it doesn't feel like it in sf.
once june twenty-first hit, in rolled the fog.

the coldest winter i ever spent, was a summer in san francisco. ~mark twain

i vow to still love you, fog an all... 

*photo found here.

doors.

i come up with my best blogging material while i am walking the streets of san francisco. the solution to any form of writer's block... walking shoes and an ipod. sometimes i think, if i could adventure every day, what thoughts would pour out into words...

undoubtedly it's when my head is the clearest. my thoughts are the richest. life makes sense, and everything is as it should be. walking is the cheapest therapy there ever was, and as silly as this sounds, i never want to take my own two healthy legs for granted. they sure do get me around town.

the other eve ago i took the chinatown route home, and as i walked uphill {of course} behind two elderly asian women walking hand-in-hand {yes i was moving slower than they were} each disappeared behind a door one block after the other. i started thinking about the lives behind those doors and that amos lee song came to mind. do you know the one? shout out loud.

 a thousand empty windows

and only half the lights are out

i wonder what these people's lives

what they might be all about

do they got a lover

and could they have a family

could it be their just as lonesome 

as you and me

 i wanna shout out

shout out loud

why don't you all just come on out

and we can tear it all down

it's about people living in different houses in between walls and behind closed doors. think how many different lives there are in one city. thousands... millions, even. then multiply that by every city in the world. billions of stories and worlds created behind these doors. and yet, while we are separated into our own living spaces, we unmistakably endure the same emotions and life experiences. we are isolated and unified all at once.

if only the walls could come down and we could shout out loud.

wow, that's hard to articulate. whether i got the point across or not, somehow it's beyond fascinating in my head. i decided being perfectly articulate is the true art of a good writer. but man, it's tough sometimes.

*vintage sf photo {route of my daily walks} found here. 

spectacle.

the golden gate bridge turned seventy five this past weekend. they threw her soooome birthday party, let me tell you. i hope if i'm still kickin' at that ripe age, i'll get fireworks too.

spectacular doesn't even begin to describe the magnificence that was the performance. the picture does not do it justice, but the most breathtaking part was the waterfall that so gracefully began the show to when the lights go down in the city. this spectacle took the long weekend turned staycation over.the.top.

and here we are again, yet another reason i am grateful for san francisco. you must be thinking... is this just a blog about san francisco? how boring! i promise i'll pump the breaks. that's all for now.

staycation.

so, i've never really done a true staycation before. have you? oh, i highly recommend that you give it a whirl! treasures are unveiled before your very eyes on your home turf.

well, dolls, we stuck right down to the definition and in essence, were tourists in our own city, visiting the east, north, and south bays. it's amazing how each one has something just as good as the other to offer. us northern californians are oh-so-lucky.

just a few snapshots for you...

so nice to have my long lost friend in town. dinner on fourth street in berkeley followed by an impromptu concert with a new fave, cris cab {he's about to go big, people!}.

angel island hiking adventures... it's the perfect hike, i swear. a five mile loop with three sixty views of the bay area. at the highest point you can see three bridges at once: bay, richmond-san rafael, and golden gate.

union square shopping interrupted with a quick break at the starlight room, one of san francisco's signature experiences at the top of the sir francis drake hotel.

...so grateful for three day weekends!

be amazing.

the other day ago {gosh i've always wanted to say that. it makes me feel all wise and grandmother-y} i paid a visit to one of san francisco's little hidden gems. nothing like a good gem. chambers in the phoenix hotel. not in the nicest of areas, but well worth the trip.

i've had this photo pinned on my "i'm in love" pinterest board for almost a year! and, whaddyaknow i could recreate the act right here in my very own city!

i must admit, it's the most inspired i've ever felt in a bar. ever.

and, you know me, i do love my positive affirmations... as i sit here beneath the word D R E A M adorned to one of the four walls that surround me...

sweet {and amazing!} dreams to you. xoxo. 

breakups.

every time i contemplate living in a different city {which is becoming increasingly more frequent} i have an adventure day and i am reminded how lucky i am to be in one of the best places on earth.

let's just hop on the bus and go... 

it's one of my most favorite things to do. ever. to explore. to gallivant on new stomping grounds. no agenda. just you, a pal, and the whole the day ahead.
 

i had a thought... i am in a very committed relationship with san francisco. it's an unconditional and forgiving love, really. there are good days when the sun is shining and everything fits to perfection. and you think to yourself, it can't get much better than this. and there are bad days, too, when that fog never lifts and just about everything seems annoying. you find yourself shouting, why do you have to be like this? but, see, at the end of the day neither of us can imagine life without the other.

but {there's that but}, i still think a healthy break would be a positive thing for the both of us. to spread our wings. to see what else is out there. as the saying goes... we don't know what we have until it's gone. well, who knows, my darling city, we may find our way back to each other. maybe it's time to breakup... i just can't decide because oh how i love you so...

the view.

reading a good book is a gift, don't you think? i must admit, i have trouble fitting it in. between hectic work days, being active, writing, socializing, and getting enough sleep, i find myself only able to squeeze in a quick twenty minutes while in transit. which doesn't pan out so well seeing as though it turns out that being prone to car-sickness translates to bus-sickness, too. who would have thought?

anyhow, there's no real point to this post except to say that i'd like to take advantage of my reading nook more. see, i have this little day sofa that folds nicely down on both sides. it so perfectly fits at the base of my two large windows that overlook none other than the bay herself. and that bridge. and alcatraz. and even the top of the palace pokes her head through.

  
how did i end up here? i think to myself.

it's important to stop and take in the view, yes? i frequently recall the ending of one of my favorite books by anna quindlen, a short guide to a happy life. 

i found one of my best teachers on the boardwalk of coney island many years ago. it was december, and i was doing a story about how the homeless suffer in the winter months. he and i sat on the edge of the wooden supports, dangling our feet over the side, and he told me about his schedule, panhandling the boulevard when the summer crowds were gone, sleeping in a church when the temperature went below freezing, hiding from the police amid the tilt-a-whirl and the cyclone and some of the other seasonal rides.

but he told me that most of the time he stayed on the boardwalk, facing the water, just the way we were sitting now, even when it got cold and he had to wear his newspapers after he read them. and i asked him why. why didn't he go to one of the shelters? why didn't he check himself into the hospital for detox?

and he stared out at the ocean and said, 

"look at the view, young lady. look at the view."

 and every day, in some little way, i try to do what he said. i try to look at the view. that's all. words of wisdom from a man with not a dime in his pocket, no place to go, nowhere to be. look at the view. when i do what he said, i am never disappointed.

may you find the time to indulge in a good book and no matter where you are, take in the view. hugs! 

*reading found here.

glue.

do you have a friend that is the glue that holds the group together? well, i do. you might know the kind... the bringer-together-er... the come on guys let's go to brunch motivator... the orchestrator of many-a-plan. 

see, my very special, exceptionally strong glue moved away and, oh how i miss him so.

he graced sf with his presence this past weekend and it was - snap! - back to old times. easy peezy. i don't know how he does it, but he truly has the gift of connection. it must be his passion for quality time with those he loves. and that, my friends, is one of the best traits to embody in all the world.

come back soon, please. i miss you already. so grateful for our little group whom, we decided on saturday, almost perfectly resembles the friends crew. we each bring to the table our unique personalities that ordinarily may clash, but instead harmonize oh-so-wonderfully. 

so much love.

lucky saturday.

so, hypothetically speaking here, if you asked me to close my eyes, click my heels together, and wish to be in any moment, it'd always be a saturday between the hours of eleven a.m. and four p.m.

{it's when i am at my happiest}.

the morning would have been filled with yoga and friends and a delicious orange. the sun is shining. it's time to go on an adventure.

no matter where i was in all the world, i'd choose this time of the week. agenda-less. just the rest of the whole, entire afternoon ahead of us.

i realized that some of my best memories in san francisco happen in this window of time. there's an effortless, free-spirited, comfort that happens in which it's beyond easy to just enjoy life. to soak it in. be my blank canvas and i'll bring more colors and brushes than you could possibly imagine.

one particular favorite adventure happens to be the farmer's market at the classic ferry building. coffee. good company. brunch. flowers. fruit samples. fresh air. walks. freedom. people watching. music. love.

how lucky to be alive saturday afternoons make me feel. may you find your absolute luckiest time as well. xo.