Let's talk about food

I have been an avid and devoted fan of all of Top Chef's ten seasons (rumor has it that season 11 will be filmed in New Orleans; I literally can't wait). I love Top Chef, I watch Food Network when I'm bored, and I love eating great food, but I can't say I've really found a love for the kitchen. I WANT to love to cook, really I do, but it just feels so tedious to me.

Day trip: Point Reyes and Tomales Bay

On Sunday Cam and I headed North to Point Reyes for a hike, and then on to Tomales Bay Oyster Company for a post-hike treat...

Week at-a-glance

10 Simple Things to Make You Happier at Home

Dad's letter to his young daughter about her future husband...goosebumps!

I've only been to 9/38 essential San Francisco restaurants. Growing my culinary bucket list...

Stanford business professor: George W. Bush is smarter than you. Really interesting.

Jane Austen: the original game theorist?

Babies are just miniature drunk adults. Hilarious. 

Thought Catalog: The 3 Weirdest Breakups I've Had. 

This weekend Cam and I are going to prepare for our trip to Machu Picchu by doing a little shopping, as well as attempt a 10-mile hike on the North Coast (which will hopefully include an oyster stop at Tomales Bay). It should be relaxing, and the calm before the storm that is the month of May (our anniversary, Bottle Rock music festival, John's graduation in Louisiana, Peru!). 

Have a wonderful weekend. 

(Photo of Tomales Bay via Sunset)

Trying to find "success" in my twenties

Last week, after deciding that grad school was a no-go, I was feeling SO down about my job, my career goals, and my twenties in general. It's easy to feel helpless when you're working a thankless, entry level job and all of your friends are also griping about their own thankless, entry level jobs.  I always love talking to older people because they all seem to laugh and have the same, "no shit you don't have anything figured out, you're only 25" response. As long as we're trying, right? Right!?

Airbnb....for bikes!

I resisted getting a bike in my first year of San Francisco living simply because I was so intimidated by the hills and city traffic. Now, seeing how easily Cam zips from home to work to my house, I'm slowly realizing that it really would be convenient -- and pretty fun -- to have my own bike.

I was Googling around for bikes this morning and I came across Spinlister, which is essentially Airbnb for bikes! I have rented bikes in my neighborhood before and ended up spending $25-$30 for just a couple of hours. On Spinlister, you can rent by the hour, the day, or the week, and daily rentals seem to be around $10-$15.

I found this cherry colored, vintage road bike that's perfect for my height, and is right in my neighborhood! I'm excited to use Spinlister next time I have a friend in town who wants to ride across the Golden Gate Bridge, or just to test out different types of bikes before making a purchase.

(Photo by Carl Christensen on Etsy)

My friend's getting married!

My old and dear friend, Lauren Itow, is getting married in June. For her bachelorette party this Saturday, we decided to make her a book of letters, stories, and pictures from her closest friends. This was a daunting task. I sat down to write, first a letter to Itow, then to Scott, and drew 8 gazillion blanks.  As a "single" 20 something, can I even begin to give advice on marriage? Do my thoughts on love and relationships count for anything? Should I talk about the time Itow and I kissed the same guy at senior prom, even though he was neither of our dates and how it's great she's come so far? <---ya, no. Here's what I came up with. Not perfect, who knows if it's appropriate, but it's from the heart.

Dreaming about dream jobs

Last week I decided I am not going to graduate school (at least for now...wrong program, wrong place).  While it is definitely the best decision as there is no reason to spend 50k without a clear, delineated purpose, it put me in a really foul mood to have to travel back to square one with a new job search.

I was talking with my best friend from college, Amy, about starting a blog together -- what could be better than working from home, brainstorming stories with your best friend!? We bounced ideas off of each other all afternoon and it made me miss her so much! 

Here are some good finds from the ol' college archives....ohh, nostalgia....

Cam's new job, and why it's awesome

Cam got a job! He's an Android developer at Sticher, an online platform for talk radio (think Spotify, but for NPR, TEDTalks, etc.). 

Why it's awesome: It is probably uncool and/or untrendy to admit that sometimes I really don't want to listen to music. I love music on my walk to work (my coworkers make fun of me for walking in the office rocking Dre Beats), as a means of waking up and feeling optimistic about the day by some combination of Ellie Goulding, John Denver, and Lil Wayne.... On my commute home though, I often feel like there is some kind of glaze or fog permeating my brain, and listening to a song might irritate me by being either too happy or too sad. Enter talk radio app on my iPhone. 

As I've mentioned before, I LOVE TEDTalks, and now I can listen to them without sitting in front of my computer. Yesterday I listened to an NPR: TED Radio Hour Podcast on Making Mistakes. It integrated three different TEDTalks, all relating to the importance of growing from our mistakes. 

My favorite speaker was Bene Brown, a professor at the University of Houston Graduate School of Social Work. Her talk was on vulnerability, and how it is absolutely crucial in finding and sustaining a life of importance. She brought up those people (you know, THOSE people) who post incredibly personal and awkward things on Facebook. She spoke on how that's not true vulnerability, and that "we share our stories with those who've earned the right to hear them" -- true vulnerability is calling a friend and asking them to dedicate their time to focus on an issue you deem important. 

Anyway, that's why Stitcher is cool! Because I was enlightened by a smart, interesting speaker all while walking through Chinatown on my way home from work. Download it now :).

If you get bored when no one is posting over the weekend...

This site is restoring my faith in humanity

Gorgeous weather calls for great new dresses.

Hilarious. Oh man, I love babies. Even crying ones. 

Mooooore babiiiiiesssss

I want these sandals for summer.

Speaking of shoes...WTF, North Korea....?

This blogger makes me want to read Lean In.

Who needs bras, anyway?

I'm excited for this book to come out next month.

Outside Lands rumors! I'm crossing my fingers for Paul McCartney, RHCP, and Tallest Man on Earth.

It's National Grilled Cheese Day! My favorite in SF is here.

(Photo via lovablefrenchies.com, and more can be found here.)

Day trip: Hiking at Muir Beach

Cam took this photo of me and Olivia standing on the edge of the cliff

The usual crew was at it again this weekend -- Cam, Olivia and I hiking at another gorgeous Bay Area location. It was my friend Cat's birthday, and everyone was supposed to meet at Muir Beach for a  hike and picnic. We got to the designated meeting spot, drank PBR in Olivia's car while waiting for Cat and her gang to arrive, then headed down to the beach when we realized that we had definitely missed them (very poor cell service at Muir Beach!). 

The beach was getting cold so we decided to start the trek up, hoping we would run into Cat somewhere along the trail. It was cold and misty, I was feeling cranky and lazy, and I think we were all unsure as to how long we would last. 

The hike we did was pretty much all uphill, but totally worth it. Once we neared the top of the hill (mountain? Big hill?), we walked out onto a cliff that jutted out over the ocean. The fog and rough surf below made it creepy and eery in the most beautiful way. You can't really tell from the pictures how steep the cliff was, but we were all  holding our breath as we peered over the edge.

Mmmmm....Eggs Benny

I am the ultimate creature of habit when it comes to breakfast food. I guess it started in late high school — eating breakfast with friends or family at The Rising Loafer in Danville (I think most of my friends would agree with its low Yelp rating, but for whatever reason I loved their eggs Benedict and homemade bread).

Seattle!

Sunset photo near our Airbnb apartment 

After work today I am off to Seattle! I'm going for literally 24 hours for admitted students day at the University of Washington.

Holidays without family nearby

Even though I have lived away from my family for the past 7 years (woah), it still sucks to feel like a nomadic orphan on smaller holidays that aren't necessarily worth flying home for (I have yet to do a Thanksgiving or Christmas without my immediate family). 

Cam's in the same boat with his family in New Jersey, so we were so happy when my roommate, Olivia, invited us to Easter brunch with her family in the East Bay. I've known her family since high school so it was great to see everyone, especially her German grandma, Omi, who did NOT enjoy watching the Game of Thrones premiere with us....

To add to my fuzzy, happy feelings of inclusion, one of our oldest family friends, Diane, invited Cam and I to an untraditional, Easter sushi dinner with her family. 

Olivia, Diane, Cam, and I also went on a gorgeous Easter hike at Macedo Ranch -- the gloomy clouds kept the crowds away but we did get poured on...only for a minute, though! 

Thanks to the Beamans and Aftanas' for including Cam and I in your plans -- sure beats a loner holiday brunch in the city :).

Ominous clouds at Macedo Ranch in Danville, CA

Happy hikers

The Easter orphans 

Things I love: TEDTalks

Within the past month, I have recommended different TEDTalks to several friends, and was so surprised when they hadn't heard of the site! Basically TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) began as a conference at which experts in various fields could share fascinating ideas and talks on everything ranging from domestic abuse to brain surgery. 

I watched my first TEDTalk at work, and have since taken to watching them for fun when I want to laugh, to feel inspired, or to learn something new. My friend Ali even hosts "TEDLucks" where instead of bring a food dish like at a traditional pot luck, everyone brings a favorite TEDTalk to share with the group. 

Leslie Morgan Steiner: Why domestic violence victims don't leave

Maz Jobrani: Did you hear the one about the Iranian-American?

Ken Robinson: Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity

Eric Whitacre: A virtual choir of 2,000 voices strong

Listed above are some of my favorites...Enjoy :)