It seems that coming back home center and getting an inspiration to write has been a trend that i’ve noticed about this blog– so I am going to channel it one last time (and then I promise not to have the word ‘home’ in a blog title ever again… for a while).
photo/illustration by @samlarson
It’s been exactly a year since I landed in New Zealand and since then my perspective on life has shifted. I went back to working for Apple, which is where I spent almost three years before I left to go travel to a new country. Since then I started exploring my backyard, leaving footprints all around Washington. Although the Pacific Northwest will always have my heart, I have recently fallen in love with a new city.
San Francisco is opening her arms to me and I want to fly into them.
At the end of January I left for AMCT (Apple Mac Certification Training) in the Bay Area. It was my first trip traveling for business and I got to take a peak into Corporate life. If you are ever in a situation where your work wants to send you somewhere, jump on the opportunity. Not only did I get to spend three weeks in Sunny California, I met so many amazing individuals from all over the US. When you’re traveling for business you do have to give up some luxuries– the comfort of your own bed for example– but getting a little time away was really helpful in making me realize how appreciative I am for home.
Steven showed me the city not long ago when we went on our road trip last December in my new Subaru. It’s funny how un-interested I was at the time to fall in love with anything besides the mountains. I thought I was so high and mighty after basically living in the cascade mountains all summer that I couldn’t see how interesting and adorable San Francisco was. It took some resettling back into my life and thinking about my future before I could even subconsciously be open to the idea of it. I saw the city a second time, but it was with whole new eyes.
How I fell in love with the city of San Francisco:
Our good friend Sarah recently moved to Lower Height, which is covered in pine trees and has a generously sized recreation area otherwise known as Buena Vista Park. The first weekend we were there we were surrounded by people from all over visiting for Super Bowl 50. We walked down the Lyon Street steps to the Marina after shopping and brunch in Fillmore, which is filled with a designers dream of stylish eats and boutiques. They had a shop just for lamp shades, guys. Like, how adorable does that get??!
Bun Mee, A Motorized Scooter Lover/Vietnamese sandwich shop.
Lyon Street Steps, Courtesy of San Francisco Days
Height Ashbury, photo by Anthony Hall
Nob Hill, photo by Can Balcioglu
Exploring around the city got me thinking about how easy I could pick up my life in Seattle and do these things every day.
I pictured walking up my steep stairs to my row house. Running to the market deli to grab snacks. Going to our neighborhood cafe and talking a long walk around the countless adorable neighborhoods. Burning calories walking up Haight street and running up to the Buena Vista viewpoint every weekend after trying a new cafe or restaurant (there is no shortage of these in SF.)
Obviously the cutest city has to be one of the most expensive places to live. Demand is high, and it’ s about 2% more expensive than New York City for cost of living. So while I start digging in my pockets and look for dream jobs so I can have the dream house and life, I’ll just keep flipping through my memories made in this charming place I can hopefully one day call home.
Even without the sun, this city still shines.
We’ll take the top floor apartment, please and thank you.
Not Your Average Adventures 