you heard it here first

Ahoy,

I vow to never go to a club ever again. That is not something I need in my life. Traumatizing is probably the most succinct word I can think of to describe the experience.

I went out to Vegas with some other friends to go to a bachelorette party. We went climbing in the day which was fun for me. Too bad it ended at a club.

anticipatingly awful,
jt

second brain

Ahoy,

How our conversations go sometimes:

me: Just like that other time... x y z happened...
him: No, that didn't happen. I don't recall.
me: yes, it did. You remember... details m n and o was going on...
him: ohhhhh, yea, yea x y z did happen.

I serve as his external storage. This is how a lot of conversations go. I wonder how they will go when we get old.

bashedly awry,
jt

quiet on the homefront

Ahoy,

There hasn't been much happening lately. A and I went to an Ocktoberfest thinger at the Alpine Village in Torrance. It was not what we expected. There was a stage with some singers and stein holding competitions. It was amusing. There was not nearly as much beer as I thought, or food. The highlight was probably getting vehicular gummies at the German grocery store. They were delicious.

A got a motorcycle. We made a trip to the store to pick up security implementation and I'm pretty sure at some point in that visit he had one of everything in his hand. Security is no joke when it comes to his new girlfriend.

We went to a ballet at my request. A said he liked it more than he thought he would. Isn't that always the case with things I pick to do.

We made another trip to ikea at some point. It's always a challenge because we have limited space in his auto, so I end up riding home with a lot of stuff in my lap. It's a precarious journey.

I've lately added some broccoli and cauliflower to my garden, and it's been quite the struggle keeping the hornworms from eating all of it. This is a long war, and probably unending. I must remain vigilant.

I really miss weather. It's been so hot all summer. I'm so sick of it. I'm ready to feel the bite of a chilly day. I remember stepping into the shower in Chicago winters and having my limbs stinging for a while under the warm water because they were cold before I entered. I kind of miss that sensation. Of feeling the warmth and comfort of a hot shower, getting into cozy pajamas, and tucking into a cozy bed I had to wiggle around in to warm up. I am so over this feeling of having to constantly peel off the layers, and being sticky from sunscreen and sweat. Over it!

delectably munched,
jt

to the south

Ahoy!

Another milestone for me this year is going to the south! Although some folks argue Texas is a whole other category for the south - it's Texas - it's quite possibly the closest I've been at this point in my life. We stayed with friends that say "y'all," who were incredibly kind and accommodating. Our initial goal was to meet up with our cruise director - our favorite Jewish Texan, currently in Seattle. You may know him from other appearances on this soapbox. We love him! And we love his friends! Their house is hugenormous. Although I could never imagine myself in such a house, I do appreciate the hospitality of others who have such gargantuan homes.

Our first stop was for burgers and fries - the equivalent of in n' out in this neck of the woods. The burgers were good; I'm no burger connoisseur. But the fries were way better than in n' out. Now every time I munch on in n' out fries, I'll be thinking about P. Terry's fries. My fry world has been ruined. Austin is the hipster capitol of the south, and I totally believe it. We went to a hipster coffee shop and ate at a homey brunch place in a formerly sketchy neighborhood. Also, we ate at a Tex-Mex place that gave out huge portions, and an amazing bbq place. I prefer American/ Southern bbq over kbbq. Kbbq has never been my favorite. I never want to go, and dread when others request it. It's really out of peer pressure, but such is life. There is no force as strong as peer pressure! It was hotter than a brick over pizza there! We spent part of a day on the water canoeing. We went to where the bats are and we could hear them! Another day we spent at a brewery, and then we came home and A napped for probably more than 5 hours. I love this part because he started out the day really adamant about doing something athletic. Really, really adamant. And then he napped on the couch until dinner. Sometimes the brain wants one thing, but the body wants another.

Our last day we had time to walk around downtown Austin before our flight. We made it out early to try to beat the heat. We saw the Capitol, UT, and made it all the way to the flagship Whole Foods. It was pretty toasty by the time we were on our way to the airport, but we made it before the worse of it. Whew! There was a lot of downtime at the airport, but I was more than happy to be sitting inside.

We did a lot of fun things, and ate yummy food, but Austin was so incredibly toasty! I really thought it would be normal by September. I don't understand how anybody goes anywhere for more than half the year. It's amazing. I would not make it out there. I would not.

determinedly climate controlled,
jt

fried chicken party

Ahoy!

Some really good fried chicken from Hawkins in Watts! Totally worth the trip! I promise.

the trip that didn't go

Ahoy,

Last year over labor day weekend, we went to Chicago. I had this big plan for a family road trip to Toronto, but my mom wasn't being helpful with her requests, and my brother started new work, and the RRS got sick. Such good timing. This year, I thought I'd go ahead and just plan it to Michigan just for A and I. We started out going first to Ann Arbor, where we stayed at an airbnb near campus. It was forecasted to rain, and rain it did. A said he had never seen so much rain, most epic storm of his life. What a milestone. It started pouring immediately after we paid for parking at the garden. A was a trooper and took off his shoes and socks to walk around the garden paths, which all happened to be grassy. The garden looked pretty big, but we hustled out of there after about an hour and a half. On the way out we saw sprinklers simultaneously going off while it was raining. More water than all of the east coast.

We spent a day at the Henry Ford Museum. A day. It was open for 8 hours, and we spent 8 hours there. And it was definitely not enough time. It's a lot like Disneyland because you spend all day walking around looking at attractions. Apparently Henry Ford was buying anything folks were selling back then. Edison's workshop and house, Wright brothers' store and house, Robert Frost, Noah Webster, plantation/slave owner ranch, George Washington Carver's house, and so many more. All these old houses he had had moved to his property. It was amazing to step back in time like that. We ended up with less than 2 hours in the museum. Why is it I always feel like we are just running through a museum trying to look at everything as the clock ticks down to closing time?

We stopped in Detroit for a hot second because the RRS is a pansy. I'm not sure about his street cred a lot of the times. We got mini burgers at a hipster place and saw an old art deco building. Detroit used to be the NYC of the midwest until manufacturing and industry in the States declined. You can tell it used to be grand. So much of Detroit has become run down and abandoned that it is now ripe for hipsters to invade. I look forward to that process. It will be an incredibly interesting case study.

We met up with my mom and brother in Grand Rapids, MI, the 2nd largest city in Michigan. Perhaps it was because we were there on a weekend, but it seemed like a much quieter, smaller town than I was expecting for 2nd biggest. The highlight was the garden, one of the biggest in the area and well curated. It was an incredibly hot day. What else is new?

Our last stop was St. Joseph, MI, a happening little beach town on the other side of Lake Michigan. There were a lot of people out probably because it was a holiday weekend. We walked through, walked by the beach, picked up some ice cream, and continued our journey back to Chicago. Chicago is still my favorite place on Earth.

finally homebound,
jt

other August trips

Ahoy,

I was super excited to make it out to Seattle because our Seattle friends are the best! We always have so, so much fun, and weather is always great! This time around, we played board games at a cafe because it was pouring, made it to the museum of flight with about 2 hours to look at everything. There was a whole other wing we didn't make it to. Must definitely go back. We went on a hike to a waterfall. There was more water in that fall than all of California. Everybody got schnockered at a brewery because they give free tasters. It was like our glasses were bottomless. We went on a chocolate factory tour, which was delightful because it was chock full of samples. Anybody that tells you they don't love samples is a liar. Also, at the Chihuly museum - I didn't break anything. Some amazing super cool stuff there. That's a whole 'mother demographic than my normal in that museum.

With our last open weekend in August, we took the opportunity to visit friends who had just moved to San Diego. The Saturday am drive was horrific. But traffic in San Diego is truly a blessing. I will say the sandwiches, climbing and beer were pretty worth it. Their climbing gym is connected to at least 2 other breweries, which is every climber's dream, I'm sure. Bonus, you get a discount at one of the breweries if you came from the gym. The next day we hit up the beach and brunch. It was a totally easy-going, relaxing weekend. Sometimes I do feel like that is very nice to have no particular timeline or rush to go anywhere. It's nice to have the freedom to do nothing.

incoherently distracted,
jt

a garden, a concert, and bikes

Ahoy,

It seems like August has flown by in the blink of an eye. The RRS flew up to the Bay for a grand total of one day in early August. I spent the day with some friends at a Japanese garden. I was honored to be able to spend some time getting to know a very wise man. It was very much a day of stories. The garden felt like a secret garden. It's an excellent respite from the calamity of the world. I love the calmness of Japanese gardens. It is not my usual state to tune into the quietness that is deafening in a Japanese garden. I feel all the carefulness and attention that this garden exudes. Japanese gardens are marvelous living artforms, continually growing and changing - yet the artists/gardeners are eternally in this struggle to balance the growth/wildness with maintaining a picture moment suspended in space and time. You have to respect somebody who has dedicated their life to a losing fight. You have to admire the process.

That evening we went on to a free concert downtown. It's an interesting observation of mine that people are so amazed when there is a public free event. They happen so often in Chicago. I guess it's easy to take public goods for granted. My favorite part is snacks. I was expecting it to be at the park where you set up a picnic, but it was a plaza type location. We sat on lawn chairs and ate snacks strewn about.

The following day, A and I prepped for our 3rd annual ciclavia patio bbq. We made the grocery run and hopped on our bikes to check out the festivities. Since I had recently sold A's bike (at a profit), he had the honor of riding the cruiser. Our landlord found it tucked in the bushes on the property one day and reported it to the police, but no one has claimed it - so it is the community bicycle. I use it mostly. The food got cooked and people ate. We really do need to start the fire earlier. I always think it takes less time than in reality. It's always great when ciclavia goes through Culver because our friends show up on bikes. Good reward for biking, no?

sizzlingly tamaled,
jt

news in mobility

Ahoy,

So we completed our motorcycle class at the beginning of August. We both passed. It was shocking! I was shocked. I was so nervous and terrified on that piece of machinery. I still can't believe I passed. We still need to make DMV appointments to get our motorcycle license, but the RRS has been researching motorcycles nonstop since. I'm sure he dreams about them now too.

The class ate up time over the course of 3 days, so he owes me so much ballet, and shows and stuff he didn't think he would have to do to placate me. I cannot remember how many times I stalled, but I definitely dropped the moto exactly 2 times. It is so scary to try to control a 300 lb machine that is out of control. I did not ever think this would be my life.

bogedly aghast!
jt

a video I watched on the plane

Ahoy,

I watched this video on the airplane ride from Seattle back to LA. 

Something I took away was when Joseph talks about what he wants to do with his life. It was very well put: I don't want to spend my life making my life better; I want to spend my life improving others' lives. Something to think about.

furtively contemplative,
jt

risky maneuvers

Ahoy,

On our latest trip to Home Depot we bought a plank of wood 12"x48"x1". It didn't fit in the trunk, so I had to ride with it in my lap with one of the ends at my feet and the other end near my neck. I'm sure you can imagine the worst case scenario might be something out of Final Destination.

So practical, his car is. Really. And his next toy will be a motorcycle. Just increasingly practical.

decidedly opposed,
jt

sea caves!

Ahoy,

Channel Islands! I made reservations a while ago for Channel Islands National Park and the buildup was mounting. We went with our friend J who would be departing shortly for the other side of the country so this was a sort of last hurrah to trap spend time with her. The day started off incredibly early out to Ventura for our ferry boat ride. On the boat we saw some whales, dolphins and seals. We started preparing for the kayaking to look at sea caves and set off. The caves were really cool. Some were smaller, some bigger and a lot were like tunnels you could go in one side and out another. The day was perfect as far as island weather goes. It was as warm, clear and calm as we could've hoped for.

We munched immediately after because we were starving. And there's the 45 minute rule, but we threw caution to the wind and geared up and went in for snorkeling without waiting. It was definitely one of the highlights for the RRS. I had a lot of fun too, but I had only ever snorkeled in the Bahamas so that was where my expectations were. We saw stingrays, sea slugs, garibaldis and a bunch of other things. The island doesn't allow fires so we just brought our stovetops and dinner happened much faster than usual. We had some time to kill while we waited for nightfall so we could go look at the bioluminescence. It was the RRS's first time. Bioluminescence is amazing every time.

The next day was our hiking day. We woke up to begin the trail to Smuggler's Cove. The RRS started the pace too fast and I got hot and whiny. J saved the day. She soaked this towel that stayed cool and put it on my neck. I was much less whiny after that. There was a pretty steep downhill we enjoyed down to the cove, but we would also have to go back up. What a drag. Smuggler's Cove is on another side the island that receives a lot more wind, resulting in bigger waves and choppier water. It was a nice lunch spot overlooking the ocean. We ate a packed up back up the hill. More folks were on the trail by now and I was glad to knock it out before it would get much hotter/sunnier.

We lingered in the ranch houses and beachside before we boarded our ferry back. This ride back we saw more whales and hundreds of dolphins, seals too. It was amazing! What a lovely farewell to a fun filled excursion. We zipped up to Santa Barbara for dinner and ice cream. In Cheryl Strayed's book Wild, she eats a burger at every rest stop she makes. So I think it's very fitting whenever we get a burger first thing back from camping.

happily munching,
jt

stateside birthday

Ahoy,

This venue provides a really good place for me to keep track of the events of my days, but in order for that to work - I need to type it up.

I'll mention our 4th of July weekend first. It was a kind of last minute, split second decision to go somewhere that weekend. A wanted to take advantage of his long weekend, but any flight out was completely overpriced. And I feel like a sucker when we make last minute flight decisions that are overpriced.

We ended up heading out to the Palomar Observatory to camp for 2 nights. The Thursday we departed happened to be the premiere of the minions at McDonald's, so I made sure to remind the RRS frequently on our way to the campsite. Traffic is bonkers towards Long Beach from probably 2pm-7pm and we had the opportunity to experience that. We made it to the campsite around 8pm and set up and cooked mostly in the dark. The fire-making was much more successful than usual, to our surprise.

The following morning we rose to hike to the Observatory. It was relatively early for a family campsite I guess because we didn't see too many others on the trail that morning. The Observatory had a separate museum to inform us of the facility and history of stargazing, etc. Definitely interesting, but we were pretty sleepy in there. We picnicked outside atop a rock and the RRS slept.

It was an incredibly slow camping day, not a ton of excitement as far as our typical camping regimen goes. We took our time hanging around the Observatory and getting back. I have to say it's a nice contrast to our other trips. It was refreshing to be outside and not feel like we have to rush from trail to trail hoping to get a parking spot in order to pack in all the park attractions we can.

We departed on Saturday pretty early. One of the traditions we have been trying to squeeze in is a stop at a fruit stand, and it's one of the highlights for me. Also, it's always quite the challenge fitting in more stuff on our way home. We made a quick stop in Carlsbad to visit some friends and a brewery. Houses there are huge!

It wouldn't be right to conclude 4th of July without a barbeque. And we are so fortunate to have friends that tolerate us and feed us. It is increasingly apparent to me how fortunate I am to so many options for exploration in CA. Camping has opened up a whole new world of adventures.

fascinatingly aslumber,
jt

minion mania!

Ahoy,

As you all well know, I have a bit of an obsession. We went to the drive-in to watch the Minions and Inside Out back to back. Double feature, folks, is very worth it. I was so excited to collect all 12 minions from McDonald's. Probably the highlight of my year. Poor A indulges my childish discretions. I'm so fortunate to have someone to minion hunt with me.

hastily cornered,
jt

graduation, again

Ahoy,

Three years after I received my masters, the Resident Rocket Scientist has finally received his! Although I will admit he is a much more productive member of society than I. His family rolled into town, and per usual, A got home too late to have dinner. We spent the night packing for what we now know was a logistically unrealistic plan of action. We thought it would be fun to go camping after his graduation.

His ceremony began at half past noon and didn't finish until almost 5pm. There are so many engineers at UCLA! We ate an late lunch/ early dinner immediately after and made our way to Las Vegas where his sister was house-sitting for a family with a pool (!!!). Somehow I contained my excitement. I approach pools with the same zest and enthusiasm as when I was a kid, but more responsibly conscious of my spf.

We spent a little over half a day walking through the hotels in Vegas. It is such a strange land of excess and consumerism. All things bad are somehow encouraged here. Such a strange land of surreality. We made it back to LA at about 1am, which was not my preference. I think A and his family had a good time together. I look forward to the rain check on that camping trip with his family.

fiercely aflame,

jt

perfection

Ahoy,

I made it out to Chinatown one day to meet my best friend. I joined her daily ritual of yoga during a late lunch break at the park by the river. Everything about that experience was perfect. The way the breeze was coming through. The shaded spot for me and sunny spot for her. The seemingly private corner we had because there just weren't a lot of people out. The way the grass tickled my toes. Everything was perfect. I thought to myself, "I could do this every day. With you." I could have this lifestyle and be happy. I could live close enough to see you frequently enough to the point where you become sick of me. And it breaks my heart that that lifestyle is not within my grasp at this point in my life. It tears me apart, yet fills me with joy to revel in these moments.

"I sing it because my best friend lives far away."
- Marcel the Shell

delightfully tragic,
jt

birthday workout

Ahoy,

On K's birthday, he so graciously used a personal day so we could go kayaking. It was a super hot day, the first of the year to hit 90 and then keep getting hotter. We also enlisted our cousin to go with us. I have to say I was impressed to decided to join because of the times we've invited her to do things involving physical activity- she typically declines. Hooray for a double birthday celebration!

The location was amongst an industrial district in the North Ave area. I was not impressed with the facilities. They also stressed to us that the area and city is dangerous and we should not leave things in our cars leading me to believe they are from the suburbs. Automatically I distrust your advice. They proceeded to give us an orientation on how to kayak while we were standing on land. You can't expect me to take you seriously at this point in the game. The stretch of river from North Ave to downtown is mostly industrial and probably boring if you're on your own. I had a fun time with C & K, but I think we could have had a better time with a different company and location. We used vouchers that were discounted, but I wouldn't pay full price.

Chicago is incredibly picturesque to see from the river, but I don't think this took full advantage of the beauty of the skyline. We made my 2nd trip to Maxwell's of the week and called it a day. I was really happy to be able to spend some time with C. She is always so busy. And super stoked to make K go on an adventure on his birthday. That is the nature of our relationship.

stiflingly afloat,
jt

level of supervision

Ahoy,

We have long been discussing the need to repaint our garage. Over the years, there has been a bunch of graffiti painted on and painted over on the wall, but the color was mismatching and you could tell only the graffiti parts had been painted over. So this project has been a long time coming. I put on my bossypants (did I ever take them off?) and commissioned the siblings Tam to get this done! It faces the street so you too can spot our house as you stroll the residences of the Bridgeport neighborhood.

My mom walked outside to find us in the middle of painting our Batman mural. She asks, "What are you guys doing?"

This, my reader(s), is the level of supervision my brother and I have had our whole life.

judiciously accomplished,
jt

summer is here

Ahoy,

I went to Chicago for my brother's graduation and his birthday. I brought a friend and gave her a tour. She speaks Mandarin so I knew she would get along with my mom. We arrived super duper delayed on a Thursday evening/ Friday morning. It was kind of not my favorite time flying. It was warm and humid in Chicago, if a little chillier than that time of year.

The following day I took my tourist friend wandering downtown. We walked a lot. She was mega-pooped at the end of the day. We hit up Chicago Cultural Center, Millennium Park, Maggie Daley Park, Daley Plaza, Chicago French Market, a Rick Bayless place, a Stephanie Izard place. And I feel like there was more. Maggie Daley Park is so fun, I highly recommend, and there is no age limit on the playground! I made the call to go home to bother my brother because he didn't want to come out with us. Per usual. Weather was blustery and overcast this day, uncharacteristic for the time of year.

The following day I had to drag A out of bed to get us to K's graduation. It was pretty short compared to A's that would take place the following Saturday. Afterwards, we went home for lunch and made it back out. Farther north was the grand opening of the Bloomingdale Trail. I had been anticipating this project for a while, so I was super duper excited. We walked the whole length of it twice that day. I love Chicago in the summer. For dinner I was happy to finally make it to the Publican. Weather was absolutely PERFECT this day. Sunny and warm, if a little cool for June.

The following day started off a little cool and rainy. But quickly warmed up to HOT and humid. Luckily we spent the day in the gym. We introduced Maxwell's to the foreigners. It was a hot, so was the Italian ice. In honor of K's birthday, everybody gathered for pizza at a local favorite. K's gf initiated it and I think it went well. I know K definitely scored with some giftcards.

Per K's request we spent the next day cleaning out the garage a little. We sneakily brought a lot of things to the donation bin at our local thrift store. We knew we had to get it out before our mom came home to catch us. Also, we began work on our Batman mural.

hurriedly athunder,
jt

everything is far

Ahoy,

So we exited the Park through the Fresno side because the RRS wanted oysters. Since it was early in the day and we were in no hurry, this gave us the opportunity to make stops along the way. The skies cleared and temperature went up as we made our way down the mountain. Despite our relatively gloomy weekend, I was in no hurry to return to the blinding sunshine of CA. We stopped at a fruit stand and bought a bunch of fruit that would have been much more expensive in the city. The fruit was delicious. I would love to frequent these stands. Too bad they are far away in the middle of nowhere. We looped over to Palos Robles that turned out to be farther than we thought and just as interesting as watching paint dry. At last, we could smell the sea breeze at Morro Bay. We had stopped there before for oysters. We ended up going to the one and only place we've ever patronized and probably will ever patronize. It was all so yummy in my tummy, and there was live music, and it was outdoor seating right over the water. You can't beat that.

One our way back down to LA we stopped for ice cream at Santa Barbara. You can never go wrong with ice cream. The town gave us a sort of snooty vibe, which is not typical of most beach towns and we decided it was not for us. Just the ice cream was for us.

We got home later than we thought and I would have been happy to just shower and tuck in, but the RRS wanted to cook. Sometimes he's handy to have around.

fastidiously towed,
jt

treestreestrees

Ahoy,

For Memorial Day weekend we finally made it out to Sequoia National Park! The trip had been slotted for several other weekends that fell through until this weekend. I asked at the beginning of the year if we could make it out to Sequoia this year. It's just that whenever we go to Yosemite we pass the sign for Sequoia and I can't help but remark how it's closer and we could just hop off the highway earlier to go to Sequoia instead of Yosemite. I didn't know very much about Sequoia, I just knew it was closer and therefore I wanted to go.

The weather was slated to be very favorable. In fact, it was pretty likely to rain. I booked a campsite in the Sequoia National Forest thinking that it would be close enough, but alas, I realized it was a 3 hour drive from our campsite to the Park! So we ditched the campsite and decided to just drive up to the Park and hopefully score a first come first serve campsite. Worst case scenario we would have to go back to our original site.

After entering the park, it was quite a long and winding path to get to a campsite that was available. We passed up a few that were all full. As we approached higher elevation it started to rain, and then it started to rain harder, and it continued to rain. The elements always add a wow factor to any trip outdoors. In line for a campsite, the ranger told us the car in front of us got the last reservation! In times like these I think back to all the moments that delayed us that would have gotten us a campsite. It was about another 20 minutes to the next campsite and I sulked regretfully about what had led us to our predicament.

Sequoia National Park & Kings Canyon National Park are technically 2 separate parks but operate as one. The path in the parks goes through National Forest land going from Sequoia in the south to Kings Canyon in the north. We found our campsite at Stony Creek Village in the National Forest. We rolled in and found a lot of empty sites. The ranger flagged us down and told us there were walk ins available and we breathed a huge sigh of relief. Also, the rain had subsided - so everything worked out. This was the cutest campsite I'd ever stayed. We had our own creek that we had to cross to get to our site. It was huge and as private as we could hope for. Plus, since it was still National Forest we were able to transfer our original reservation to this site with no additional cost. Bonus!

The following morning we went on a Crystal Caves tour first thing. It included a short and steep walk downhill to the cave. We learned that you're not supposed to wear the same clothes to any cave tours because you could be carrying a disease from cave to cave. So we had to make mental note to wear something different for our next cave tour. Cave dwellings are so cool.

We met up with our friends who arrived just on time to our site. It's always great when people can be timely and reliable. Off we went to see some trees, the biggest tree. We saw General Sherman (~ 2,200 years old) covered in fog. There's something magical, spooky, and eerie about a forest enshrined in fog. I feel like it's more of a unique and rare experience to see a forest like this. It's a testament to nature and how flexible you have to be, how undemanding you need to be of its powers. It will give you whatever experience it wants. You are just another creature amongst giants. We walked around a meadow of giants too, and I think since it was after the rain and spring - all the bears must have been out. Because we saw 8 over the course of 2 hours. We saw 6 (3 of them cubs) in one meadow and I think 1 adult bear was not even 12 feet away at its closest point, and 1 each at 2 other meadows. Also, 2 marmots. Back at our campsite we saw 3 mule deer. So much wildlife! What a treat. I felt honored to be in the woods that day.

After A & I struggled with our wet fire ring the night before, we knew we had to make a new game plan. The fire was successful that night despite the hail and rain that poured on us. We stood over the fire with umbrellas for a good 15 minutes while the sky cried. Canned soup never tastes so glorious as around a campfire.

The following day we headed up to Kings Canyon to see the General Grant, the nation's Christmas tree. We hopped out of the Park after that to make our way home. It was a short trip, but action packed. I couldn't have asked for a better time.

 happily smoky,
jt

on a plane

Ahoy,

For mother's day weekend this year we flew up to Oakland to see A's folks. I thoroughly enjoy flying there moreso than driving. I'm also pretty sure the flight is cheaper than gas for his car. Another one of the many inconveniences his manual car affords. Many of you know that I don't do well sitting still, especially during a long car ride. It is the worst. I believe this is a byproduct of my upbringing. We rarely had to be in a car longer that 20-30 minutes.

As Touchstone members, I like to get on the ropes at the NorCal gyms whenever we go up. This time we just bouldered at Ironworks because we wanted to hang out with a friend. It made me realize how incredibly spoiled I am to climb at Lab. The older bouldering setups are much more cramped and smaller. It is difficult to stop anywhere because there are people falling from all directions onto you if you do. Lab is incredibly spacious so you could potentially park yourself in the same spot all night without being in a fall zone. I didn't realize what a luxury that was until Ironworks. Which makes me so very excited for when the Culver City location will open. It's going to be huge!

For dinner we went out with his family to a thai place near Cal. I believe I've frequented the college campus eateries more after graduating than while I was a student there. It's always an interesting feeling to be surrounded by college students now that I'm not one of them, although I could easily blend in. It's so strange to be an outsider to what could have been your own positions years ago. I'm reminded of a time in my life that had so much going on, but yet I'm glad to be on the outside of.

The following morning I started prepping and cooking at 10am. And I'm pretty sure we didn't start eating until 2pm. I have no idea what all happened in that chunk of time between 10 and 2. It is sort of nuts to me how much time it takes to prepare a meal for a dozen people. I have no idea.

We were glad to go back to LA. Always that sigh of 'home sweet home' whenever we return. I really like that about our home. I really like that we have created a little sense of "home" for ourselves here.

pleasantly dramatic,
jt

inaugural camping trip

Ahoy,

We finally made the effort to collect some camping goods this year. After my trip with H, I came back with a new sense of excitement for camping and I embarked on a mission to collect supplies for us to go camping without having to make the runaround to borrow from our friends. I think prior to that we had decided that we're not the camping types and we didn't have the equipment. I like to shower daily and A is too fancy and afraid of bugs. Not showering for a week certainly changed my mind.

After collecting the tent and sleeping bags, we made our first trip to use these items at Yosemite with some climber buddies. It was a sort of last minute decision. I was reluctant initially because climbing are not the most exhilarating for me. If I'm going to be outside, why would I sit for hours on end in front of a rock when there is all the rest of outside to see? This is especially true, in my opinion, for Yosemite. But alas, he wouldn't let me go explore lest I get eaten by a bear or lost. It was still nice to be outside. I don't think it was too hot or cold. I did come home with more than a dozen mosquito bites.

I brought my hammock and set it up by the climbs. It was delightful. Definitely makes these trips more fun. I had a great time sleeping under the stars and trees. There is a window in our tent so we could look out at the moon as we were going to sleep and watch the sun light up the site in the morning. The great thing about climbing trips with other girls is that we are all busting to the boys to finish up. Usually it is only me. All in all a great trip with lovely people.

unusually detained,
jt

booksbooksbooks

Ahoy,

I went to the bookfest with the RRS and H. I had him wear my red sack so I could fill it with books and have him carry them. But he ended up buying lots of books and I didn't buy any! He says he felt like he was bait and switched. I found this great compendium of space books, and he just couldn't resist. Because he's a nerd. Steal of the day!

possessively read,
jt

old friend

Ahoy,

My friend A came to visit and now I will go into detail regarding our whereabouts while she was here. She is probably one of the only people that reads this blog, so it's somewhat redundant to tell her about what we did, because she was there too. Doy. I can justify this by stating that I like to use this platform to recall what I did because sometimes I have trouble remembering and I want somewhere to remember.

She arrived late afternoon/ early evening on a Wednesday. She had to get a rental because this place is a sea of cars. Although, I do believe a Los Angeles vacation can be done without a car. She called me to let me know she was downstairs and it was the first time in a long time I had heard her voice and it was delightful. A belongs in the category of friends in which we don't have to talk for a while and once we do it's as if no time has passed. I believe friends like these have always been acquainted with my soul and will always be with my soul.

We jumped online to say hi to our other cohorts (I mean cohort in the most intimate form). The four of us date back to kindergarten and I love telling people that. We narrowly made it in time for dinner at this indian place and just went home to tuck in and catch up. I remember A taking me to this indian place in NY where they specialize in the cafeteria tray type of sampling stuff. It was the first time I had had indian food in that manner.

The following day we went to both the Gettys because A likes art, and I thought the gardens and architecture and views would also be appropriate to show her. Art is pretty low on my museum ranking, but I've been to the Gettys a lot this year. It's not like it's going to kill me. I showed her Sawtelle and we got lemonade at the new location. It's not my favorite location. It's smaller and more crowded than the others. We wandered around Santa Monica for some omusubis and window shopping. Also, no daisos on the east coast, so apparently her suitcase is full of daiso merchandise. Lazy dinner of burritos from across the street. The RRS loved it, he always does. He believes they are the best in LA.

On the last day we made our way downtown to explore and I think downtown is totally doable without a car. Grand Central Market was first for breakfast, of course. Looked around Little Tokyo in all the little shops, and daiso. Made our way back to GCM for horchata before the bookstore, happy hour and finally dinner. Last stop was at the LACMA for the streetlights display. It really looks much better at night.

I look forward to when we can meet again! I can't express in words the value of this friendship. It's just too much.

eternally friended,
jt

spring break

Ahoy,

My brother was torn about what to do for spring break. He considered visiting LA, and somewhere else, or staying close to home. Ah, indecision. I think he is a lot like my mom in that they like to stay at home and do nothing. I think I am a lot like my dad in that I always want to do stuff and explore and adventure. It's interesting to me now that I think about it because my dad was not around for a lot of my childhood. He had a minimal hand at raising us. Like most traditional Chinese family structures, my dad was very much the provider and my mom the caretaker. He never really parented us. But I feel like I am more like my dad - in personality traits and hobbies - even though I have not spent enough time with him.


Anyway, back to the spring break my brother could have spent with me, but didn't. We would have spent the first weekend getting my passport application ready to mail, climbing at the Lab and trying and failing to make it to a botanic garden before closing time because we decided to eat instead. The following day we would have gone to WonderCon in Anaheim. He might have dressed as the Flash, Megaman, black Spider-man, or his BotCon costume, or something new. I would have been Supergirl and A would have been our posse/photographer. It would have been awesome. He would have bought a lot of comics and toys.

We would both have gotten sick on Monday and spent the day at home binge watching tv, probably the same on Tuesday. On Wednesday, we would have gone to watch Last Comic Standing semi-finals. It would have been rip-roaringly funny, and we would have gone home with sore cheeks. The following weekend we would have gone to the Corgi Beach Party in Huntington Beach, again. Because he came last year for it too. It would have been really tempting to make off with a dog, but we would have brought doggie treats this time to lure them in.

It could have been a great spring break despite being sick. But alas, I now have to share my brother. My brother who now stays out past midnight and pays attention to his phone messages. The changes having a gf will bring about. My brother, kind of grown up.

genially related,
jt

so early

Ahoy,

Some friends and I decided to get up at an ungodly hour to go on a hike. First off, we could beat the heat projected for later that day, and secondly, we had a schedule to work around. The morning air was still chilly and delightful. The sea fog was still ashore so I loved that it wasn't sunny. There is a certain stillness and quietness in the morning mist that is totally worth being awake at that time. There was a deer running around as we were starting our hike up in the street. Parking is down the hill, so you have to walk up past the mcmansions to get to the trail.

The trail is pretty flat and covered most of the way, so heat exhaustion was not my main concern. First you'll come up to the lower falls and a swing. The fall is a trickle and not very impressive, which is typical for most waterfall hikes in SoCal right now. Some of us continued the "trail" to the upper falls, which involved a lot of scrambling and sliding. My friend M braved it for part of the way and stopped at a viewpoint to let us continue. What a trooper. I made a wrong turn following some people to a wire fence and slid my way back down. The upper falls weren't too far away, and were an even less impressive drip of water, but the rock scramble is a fun way to get places, so I'm glad I did it.

We were finished pretty early in the day and I spent the rest of the day waiting for A to do car stuff. It was magical. Cars. Car maintenance.

captivatingly driven,
jt

finally some ropes

Ahoy,

A's sister L visited in March, sort of as a continuation of her birthday festivities. We spent a day going from place to place eating with her and her friends. It was sort of delightful, and sort of strange. I like eating food as much as the next person, but it was strange to me because I really didn't feel like I was doing anything in between. This is how obesity creeps in, folks. The feeling that you've eaten a lot and not really done anything to be hungry and will not really do anything that that food will serve as fuel for. It's strange to me.

I think L finally voiced that A regards her as much more inclined for exercise than she actually is. Which is a win for me, because I suspected that the whole time. I had always thought that she was too nice to say to her brother that no, she does not want to go on a 5 mile hike and add miles to it by getting lost, coming across bees, jumping across water, and in general getting dirty. Granted, it is all well within her physical capability, but is it something she wants to do? Maybe not totally. A likes to spout endlessly about how rough and tumble his sisters are. Although I'm not so sure they need to prove that anymore.

The following day I convinced A to go out to Malibu Creek for some rope climbing with a group of my friends. I had a lot of fun, certainly more fun than bouldering climbing trips. We had learned sport a while ago indoors, and I had never tried it outside. I thought M was a good friend to go with because he is very knowledgable and safety-conscious, unlike some of A's friends that didn't make sure he was double backed his first time outdoors. I got some time on the walls and learned how to clean, and A got to try some trad. My clipping is so sloppy. I really look forward to being able to practice more when the new Touchstone gym opens in Culver. We left in the afternoon with enough time for dinner with friends downtown. Great day to be outside.

dangerously belayed,
jt

comings and goings

Ahoy,

My grandfather passed away about a month ago. I'm not sure if my mom would have told me by now. My brother told me, and he only told me because I happened to call him that day. And he didn't find out either until several days had passed. I'm really not sure what to make of this. I wasn't very close to my grandfather on my dad's side. I think I should be more upset with my parents for not letting us in on the situation earlier, but it's not like this type of thing isn't typical in our family. But why should I accept that it is the way it is? But it is not within my role or capacity to change my parents' ways moving forward. Sometimes it feels like they will never take me seriously or my advice.

My mom regarded the occasion as "not important." She would have told me "eventually." I came across a red envelope from my grandfather the other day. He had written my name in both Chinese and English on the envelope. He had pretty good English handwriting for somebody who doesn't speak, read, or write English. My dad asked us to go see his parents about 2 months ago. I said I didn't want to, but I would in the summer. Time can be so tricky and tragic. My dad's side of the family lives to an alarmingly high number of years. How many things will I "eventually" know?

positively dreadful,
jt

hiking, of sorts

Ahoy,

H and I set out for an adventurous day of hiking in Santa Barbara. She selected Gaviota State Park. It was about 2 hours out from LA and we set out bright and early. We arrived to a sort of inferior looking state of park. There was no one else around and no way to get information. The store and info center were both closed. There were some campsites, but really not much going on. We drove up to the beach and still nothing really exciting or definitive about this park. Luckily we happened upon a park ranger, and were able to ask him some questions.

us: Excuse me, where are the trails?
him: Everywhere.
us: [look at him as if there is more he must have to say]
him: [runs in his car to grab a map] Well, we have x miles of trail all over the park. Over there at the water tank is this trail, and over there at the telephone tower is this trail, and...

He continues on to explain that you have to exit the park to get to various trailheads, and some trailheads don't have signs. We thank him and conclude that we had no idea what he was pointing to when he was showing us all the landmarks for the trailheads. We conclude that we will just have to drive around and hope we hit something. We decide on the hot springs trail and end up passing it once and finding it with sheer luck the second time around. Because there are no signs for anything and all the rest stops are closed. There is no sign for the trailhead or the trail, but there is a sign for mountain lions and this makes H uneasy. We hike the mile or so to the hot springs and eat out lunch with our toes in the water. Back at the bottom, we conclude that the day would not be a wash if we continued onto Solvang, the Danish capitol of America, and 20 minutes away.

The drive to Solvang is scenic and pleasant. Once there, we are smitten with the charming architecture of the small town. We wander around for a bit, finding the farmers market and visitors center. The gentleman recommends wine tastings for us and thus begins the rest of our adventurous "hike." We ended up going to 2 wine tastings and having a marvelous afternoon. At the first place we learn about wine and its properties. At the second one, we have a great time learning about the winery and its family. On the way back home it rains a little and I love it. I love overcast skies and intermittent weather.

I will have to go back with the RRS for more wine.

inebriatedly danish,
jt

birthday

Ahoy,

The weekend after we got back from the Bay, I arranged for a bunch of people to join A for go karts for his birthday. It was a mad dash to invite as many people as possible because chances are a lot of people are going to flake. And they did, as predicted, but I ended up with just the right amount of people for his own go kart racing. I think he had a great time. I hope everyone else had a great time. I'm always grateful for people willing to hang out with us.

It was a really hot day and when we got to the place the sprinklers were on and I made a mental note to come back out and run through them after we checked in and everything. Alas, they were off by the time I got back outside. We had stopped off at 85 degrees to get drinks and pastries and a cake prior to our arrival, but then some other friends brought a cake too! So we had 2, count 'em, 2 cakes! It was a different flavour and exactly what A wanted; good decision, friends. We had cake all week.

That was also the weekend we went to go see the wildflowers in Antelope Valley. Unlike the bright and springy flowers, I wilted like my basil plant that I didn't water for too long. It was far too hot and sunny and there was no shade anywhere. This place is madness. We made the whole giant loop and I was fizzled out. And just like a plant, right after my shower at home I perked right up. Just like magic.

magically wilted,
jt

single life

Ahoy,

The RRS is on a work trip to Minneapolis. This is actually the first time I've ever had the apartment all to myself ever. He's been here by himself of course. I always come back to find all the windows shut and 5 blankies on the bed and the room stiflingly hot. Well, I will get to remove the blankies and open all the windows and starfish across the bed. It will be glorious, and strange. As if the room is emptier than it should be.

We joked that I will indulge in the bachelorette lifestyle. I will have apple pie moonshine and hippie cheetos for dinner. And he will go out to bars with his coworker. One aspect of our long distance relationship I realize now is that I delight in the imagining of his adventures. I always liked having something to bring back to him, like when I was a kid stealing rocks from the neighbors' to horde in our backyard. I enjoy the reunions from abroad, the rejoining. I think back to the times we were apart and I am happy about it, and I think about now when we are together and it is still happy.

He is at the Mall of America with the transformers. I am so jealous. But I also have a bottle of wine to finish. I can't complain.

gloriously alone,
jt

booze cruising

Ahoy,

What with the RRS and his sister having a birthday a day apart (March 10, March 8 respectively), we made it up to the East Bay to celebrate. This being the first year in a long time he could actually celebrate his birthday, the lack of finals and homework was an automatic win. We got to hang out with family, eat, horde spicy tuna omusubis from Berkeley Bowl, and top-rope! What more could a girl ask for? Berkeley Bowl is where I will go when I die.

For his sister's birthday, she arranged a booze cruise of sorts. We went on a cruise around the Bay with the ever iconic marvel of engineering- the Golden Gate Bridge. There was a buffet brunch, live music, and bottomless mimosas. Bonus! That day was Sunday Streets on Embarcadero. It was a lot of fun to play in the street.

Another bonus! That weekend was a scorcher in LA, but we got to escape all that sizzle!

endlessly birthday'd,
jt

mt. rushmore of Chicago

Ahoy,

If there were to be a Mt. Rushmore of Chicago, Frank lLoyd Wright would be one of the heads on it. A lot of houses and neighborhoods in the Chicagoland area are known for his prairie style architecture. I was excited when the Hollyhock House, one of his first forays into adapting his style for California living, reopened. It was free for a 24 hour open house, and the only day pictures would be allowed. I dragged the RRS along. He had no idea who this iconic architect was, but we ended up in a 2 hour long line so there was plenty of time for him to catch up. By the end, he had stars in his eyes too. Welcome to the fan club.

We made it in and out, took pictures and he realized the awesomeness of FLW. He's a genius! A genius! We got there in the morning so the day was still young. Although as we were leaving there were people queued up for a 3 hour long wait. There goes your day.

Our next stop was in the Angeles Crest Forest north of Arcadia. I had the Chantry Flats to Sturtevant Falls hike on my list for a while so we finally made it. It was super crowded that day and a lot of folks had to park pretty far down the mountain, but we were lucky and able to snag a spot in the lot. It turned out to be a pretty short hike but still a great adventure outside. He referred to this day as our portion of Valentine's Day was not fancy.

relatively gushing,
jt

longest hike in my record

Ahoy,

In my record of being alive, I went on the longest hike of my life the other day with my friend H. We started out the day anticipating a 9-10 miler. It ended up being 14! What a doozy. We started off from Chantry Flats greeting the goats and chickens at the general store (which is surprisingly obscure to find). At the falls we stopped to eat and proceeded back up.

The path to Mt. Wilson isn't always marked on the placards. You have to know what sites to pass prior to Mt. Wilson, but it was probably obvious enough. you could figure it out. Although the trail was incredibly obvious, there were portions that had a lot of debris littered throughout. It looked like rangers had recently come by and chopped off the branches from a lot of trees and left it all on the ground. There is a picnic area consisting of one table and a campground that you will pass. We actually veered off the trail at one river crossing and had to turn around, but that was just a 5 minute detour.

There is a marker that says 3 miles to Mt. Wilson, and all of those miles are a steady uphill. It can be soul wrenching and heart breaking. We trudged on and passed a halfway point marker. We were aghast, shocked, disbelieving, exhausted. I thought it was a joke. But it was not. Those 3 miles to Mt. Wilson were the longest 3 miles of my life.

At the top we saw snow! And an observatory with a telescope as powerful as the Hubble. It was a pleasant treat. The uphill was a very steady uphill that I did not think was terribly steep, but I realized I was mistaken when we kept sliding out on the way down. There are also a lot of rocks and pinecones waiting to take your glory, so we had to pay really close attention where our feet were stepping so as not to twist our ankles or fall. It was a lot more attention to detail than we thought would be necessary for the way down.

We finally made it back to Chantry Flats just as the sun went down. We went to the closest In n' Out and scarfed down some glorious CA goodness. That mountain chewed us up and spit us out with no hesitation, but we could have been worse for wear - just a little dirty. We left the day thoroughly satisfied. Oh, and I had enough water this time. My days of under-preparedness are behind me!

unexpectedly rigorous,
jt

Chiberia

Ahoy,

Per our usual agreement, we made the trek to Chicago for Chinese New Year. It was 8 degrees below zero when we landed and A was pooping in his many layers of pants. In all honesty, you just avoid spending time outside when it's that cold. My mom drove right up to the door and we ran into the car. Living in Chicago also taught me to always have my key in hand at the ready. I'm not about to go digging through my bag at the door looking for my keys if the weather outside is unsuitable for human consumption. Please, son (can you hear my sass?)!

The central heating in my house was on all night and it was probably nearly 90 degrees above zero on the top floor (READ: my room). No one was getting frostbite that night. My brother got the day off from school the next day because weather, so we were able to go climb indoors at BKB Chicago. It was a great time indoors, and that gym was packed full of everything you could want or need in a climbing gym. We also picked up a power drill there because the one A wanted couldn't be found in CA. The folks at the store told him to go back to CA. This day was above 0 degrees.

We finally got to try Little Goat! We've only been trying to go every time we visit. There were high expectations and they were met, I dare say, exceeded. Stephanie Izard is a genius! A genius! A was happy to spend the rest of the day watching anime. My brother and I did some house cleaning. We disputed over the things we should or should not keep as relics of our youth. It was really quite cathartic.

We were also able to play at the new Maggie Daley Park, and try out the ice ribbon. As the hour went by the ice became super bumpy and the line for skate rentals went out the door. It was super cool to watch the construction on the outdoor climbing structure progress. I saw a postcard for a husky event at another park. So we went to go see huskies. It was yours and my paradise.

Sunday was the day of the Chinese New Year parade and it was the longest amount of time we spent outside. A has escaped death so many times now since he's met me. It's amazing. He should get an award. My grandma stayed out with us for the parade too. She's such a badass. I hope I can be as badass and sassy when I'm her age.

audaciously prosperous,
jt

done camping

Ahoy,

On the final day, we arose bright and early. I was super duper excited to go home. The whole week was such a whirlwind of anticipation and relief and amazement. We drove to Las Vegas where I had booked a bus ticket back to LA. It was only about 2 hours away, and the time change even gave us a pleasantly surprising extra hour.

The day was still young as my friend departed for Northern California. I waited at the station because Vegas is overrated. I managed to get on an earlier bus, watching the sunset as we approached LA. The clouds were gorgeous. My knight was quick to scoop me up and off to In n' Out. In Wild, Cheryl Strayed would always get a burger whenever she made it to a station so I was more than pleased to replicate that tradition.

That was the longest amount of time I didn't shower and A said I smelled of campfire. I think he's too nice to say I was stinky. But it was so nice to shower and sleep in a bed.

minimally sized,
jt

almost done camping

Ahoy,

Driving into Zion was nuts. Everything is so much bigger than me. Everything is so striking and awe inspiring. It looked a lot like California Adventures but blown up a 1,000 times bigger. We got a primo campsite in the desert that had no snow. None of the sites had any snow. The campsite is set amongst the mountains and is an absolutely glorious way to wake up.

We went on an easy hike to the Emerald Pools, the Weeping Rock, and Riverside Trail. They were fun and excellent warm ups for the next day. The weather here was warmest of all our stops. Camping had really been quite luxurious at all the parks because all the bathrooms had running water and were heated. What a world we live in!

The following morning H & I departed for Angels Landing. It was a pretty steep hike up to the top, but oh so worth it. I made it all the way to the top to see why it was called Angels Landing. I can see how some people might be uncomfortable with the end because there is a little bit of scrambling up a sheer cliff that would definitely lead to your death if you fell off. H & I made our way back down as it seemed to be getting more crowded. Glad to have started out early, we enjoyed our lunch in preparation for a leisure;y afternoon bidding farewell to Zion. We picked up the other one and went on one last hike on the Watchman Trail as the sun dropped in the sky. The evening was glorious as we were all so looking forward to a shower and going home the next day.

I know I had a great time and am so indebted to H for giving me the opportunity to go on this adventure with her. I am also so thankful that A encouraged me to go. It was bittersweet that he couldn't come, but he knew it would be lots of fun.

rockfully varietal,
jt

still camping

Ahoy,

The drive from Grand Canyon to Bryce is about 5 hours. We headed out as early as we could... That many hours in the car made me a lot closer to strangling the other one. I decided my sanity would do better if I just ignored her.

Bryce was snowy, pink and funny looking. I loved the snow. It was great. The others were growing increasingly more nervous as we approached. We went on a hike when we arrived in the afternoon because a hike in the morning would have been iced over. The way down on the Navajo Trail was steep, muddy, icy, and slippery. The others wanted to turn back, but me being the great sympathizer I am continued down on the ice ignorant of their requests. It turned out to be more than worth it and they had a great time. What'd I tell you? You're not really living if you're not living on the edge. And it was a pretty docile hike as far as hikes go.

I was able to start a fire to cook dinner. But we ended up having to sleep in the car that evening because all the campsites were snowy. Much to my chagrin the car is like a deep chasm that amplifies snoring. By this point, I had gotten very little sleep. I'm sure I was just running on adrenaline about staying alive, anxiety about imminent death in the wilderness due to my limited camping experience and annoyance for Nervous/Negative N, probably also throw in anger towards N. It made for a delightful cocktail that really revved up my engine.

We awoke early enough to see the sunrise, which truth be told was not as impressive as the books made it out to be. I'm willing to say the clouds made it less spectacular than it could have been. We busted out of there right away because the other two wanted to leave the snowiness. What a shame. It was an hour and a half to Zion.

fantastically socked,
jt

camping

Ahoy,

I'll be the first to admit camping is not my thing. I'm not over the moon whenever he poses this activity. I like modern conveniences, plumbing, flush toilets, etc. I've done it before, and I'll do it if I have to. But it's not something I outrightly request. Also, I should say I'm not typically one to have a lot of girlfriends or hang out with a bunch of girls. I would say I'm typically more comfortable with a bunch of boys, more so than girls. So there's that. All that being said, I agreed to go camping for a week with 2 other girls. This would be the longest period of time I would spend camping and with only girls. I was filled with anxiety at this prospect.

But it was a great opportunity and I just couldn't pass up the Grand Canyon, Bryce, and Zion. I departed with the girls on a Monday, leaving the comforts of technology and testosterone. I couldn't even begin to imagine how the rest of the trip would progress.

We departed a little later than anticipated, but we made good time to Grand Canyon. We still had about an hour or two of daylight by the time we arrived at the campsite. H showed me these firestarter log thingers that make it super easy to start a fire. You just light up the brick and it burns for a long time to get the wood logs going. What a revolution it was to me! So we just set up camp, cooked dinner and tucked in early for the night. N snored like a truck driver right next to me and I'm pretty sure I got little to no sleep that night.

The next morning, H & I were up bright and early to wait for the other one. Little did I know this would be the normal routine henceforth. After taking her time, the 3 of us departed for the day aboard the shuttle. We started out from the visitor's center to walk around the South Rim. After about 5 minutes on the trail and a few photo ops, N left to go back to the campsite. I have to admit I was really glad she did. I was pretty close to strangling her. H & I spent the day on the South Rim trail, which was really flat and easy. Weather was unseasonably mild, I was told because there should have been 10-15 feet of snow on the North Rim, but there were no feet. Regardless, the views were sweeping and grand. Pictures cannot capture it.

The next day we were on to our next stop at Bryce Canyon!

elevationally practiced,
jt

trespassing

Ahoy,

I'd like to alert you all of a fun place to visit where you are technically breaking the rules but it's okay. Isn't that the best type of fun? We went to the farmers market near Venice & Centinela first because I had been eyeing this for a long time. We got 10 pounds of oranges because they are my favorite and I don't have to carry it home myself this time. We were loaded with snacks and hydration to go to the ever so far away Long Beach area, San Pedro specifically.

I wanted to check out the Korean Bell of Friendship and the Sunken City. The Bell of Friendship was given to us as a birthday gift. It's a pretty giant bell sitting under what appears to be a pretty traditional Korean awning. It's in a pretty stellar park overlooking the ocean, spacious and well used by the population. Just a little further down is a park I can't remember the name of that is public, but adjacent to that park is the Sunken City of San Pedro. It was incredibly easy to jump over the fence and under another one to enter the Sunken City. I highly recommend.

The Sunken City is the ruins of a city from the early 1900s when a development company thought it would be wise and profitable to build a community directly on a cliff overlooking the ocean. Unfortunately, this cliff was not stable enough and collapsed, thus sinking the residences into the ocean. The developer never did anything with the space after everyone fled, and has left it all these years to let mother nature take over.

That day we saw families with children and folks in Sunday church clothes exploring the ruins, in addition to your typical group of hooligans looking to graffiti and get away from adult supervision to engage in less than legal activities. We even saw a mountain biker mountain biking over everything. It's a fun place to explore and scramble over - naturally scenic but with a major touch of urban grunge. I highly recommend. Everyone else is doing it.

naturally degentrified,
jt

skip to the visit

Ahoy,

We always LOVE when Hen visits! They are the best, best, best guests & hosts in the world! We got dinner at a Japanese izakaya place that had less than satisfactory service, but we got the back room that requires you to take your shoes off, so I loved that. The food is always bomb, so it's not like we can't forgive crummy hosts. We also made it to the climbing gym so we could watch A climb things until 2am. That's pretty much what those desprately-trying-to-fit-in-one-gym-trip things is about. I arrive and realize I so desperately would rather be elsewhere, but now I'm stuck watching A climb endlessly. Also, I should have brought bananagrams.

The following morning was slow going - first was coffee. Always coffee first with Hen. Always. It turned out to be a great day to take the train. We made it downtown to check out Grand Central Market and eat all the things there including both burritos and eggslut. Also, more coffee and ice cream. Exploring led us to the puppy pop up shop and Last Bookstore. There could have been more puppies and less line. The night led us to drinks and A finally, FINALLY got to play pool. Probably the highlight of his night. And dinner ended with my highlight of strawberry beer. Despite being low on stomach space, we stopped for pie. There was a long line and they had run out of a lot of things. But the pies we got were still good.

Finally, we boarded the train home for more alcohol and board games. Board games! Okay, maybe that was my highlight.

The next morning was slow going again. And first was, you guessed it, coffee. We went for brunch at Playa Provisions, a top chef restaurant near the beach. We had been here before and it was great. This time did not disappoint. We wandered over to the beach for a bit and saw a beached ship. How fun! It was sunny and warm and so California. Mind you, this is January, folks. Our next stop was over to Santa Monica to look at storage. And then it was time to go to the airport. And just like that Hen was gone again, leaving us in the dust of memories and the warm glow of friendship. Until next time, friends.

technically smitten,
jt

sunset adventures

Ahoy,

The day we spent in San Francisco was on a tour of sorts led by my cousin. I have distant family of sorts in the sunset in SF. I first got wind of this extended family when my family came out with me for my move to Berkeley for college. I'm pretty certain I would never have known them if I hadn't come here for college. I'm pretty sure a lot of things would not have happened had I not made the trek to college. Throughout my days in the East Bay, I would travel out to SF to stay with my family over holidays or extended weekends. It was like a home away from home, but with no central heat.

We started off the day first to the Moraga Steps and Turtle Hill. The mosaics are a gorgeous thing to look at, especially from the bottom. It was super windy that day up there. I felt like there should have been anchors or something to clip into. The view was worth it. Some people think Chicago is windy, but I dare to disagree.

Our next stop was Turtle Tower for Vietnamese pho. I enjoyed it. And it was served with raw meat on top of the soup, which is something I'd never had before. How strange! But the broth was really light, yet flavorful. My brother had a field day at a comic book store, again.

We made our way over to the Lands End Park because I wanted to show them the Sutro Baths. I'm sure it was once state-of-the-art, but now, lucky for us, it's in ruins and open for exploration. It continued to be the windiest I had ever experienced here. The paths are along where the walls used to be so it was totally a possibility you could get blown off and into the water, but we soldiered on to find the mostly secluded beach.

We did a little walking on the trails at Lands End despite the wind. Even went down and up the stairs to see the beach. At the labyrinth, we stumbled across somebody proposing and I'm pretty sure the girl was just cursing in her head and wondering why they had to stand in the wind. My brother also lost his hat here. That red hat, was lost to the ocean.

The following day, we departed early to drop off my brother at the airport in San Jose. While there, we made a doughnut & coffee stop and looked at the trees on display in downtown San Jose. And just like that my brother was gone again. I wish he would stay. Of the things I miss most about Chicago, my brother may be the biggest heartache. Driving back to LA was thoroughly uneventful. There wasn't much traffic and we took the scenic route.

windily windblown,
jt

half day

Ahoy,

We had to stay home for a brunch thing, but K got to catch up on sports. We jetted to go pick up A's friend and wander around their old haunts when they were young and reckless. I convinced them to take me to the creative reuse store in Oakland. I'm sure it's a junk store, but somebody's junk is someone else's treasure. I got a super cheap puzzle and postcards. I love this store because it's great for crafting finds. I haven't been able to find something similar that is close to where I am now. While waiting for dinner at "one of the best sushi places in the Bay," I dragged the boys to Berkeley Bowl, again. I probably couldn't count all the times I made someone go during this trip. It's my favorite grocery store on the West Coast. You have to go.

The following day we got an early start out to Santa Cruz to go see the monarch butterflies migrating. They stop at the Natural Bridges State Beach and clump up in the eucalyptus trees. I think we got there later in the season so we only saw a few clumps. At the peak, the butterflies cover the entire tree. We'll have to try again next year. We drove back up on the PCH and landed in San Francisco to see my family.

majestically blown,
jt