Ten (West Coast) Things

Spring break for me means leaving behind winter season in CT, where the grass is dead and the trees are bare and the temps may dip below 30 degrees but that won't stop a stubborn New Englander from carrying a Dunkin' Donuts black (like our souls) iced coffee (without gloves) in a way that's only acceptably sane when witnessed by other New Englanders. 

[now THAT'S a run-on sentence if I ever saw one]

This year, I ventured to the opposite end of the country--the California Bay Area. I was not prepared for the lush greenery, dewy morning fog and rolling hills (never-ending hills, actually) that it had in store for me. Is it just me, or does the sun shine differently over that little slice of the world? It made everything below feel like I was living out a real-life Wes Anderson film. Warm and fuzzy. Quirky and nostalgic. Amazing. 

Here's some more of what I learned from my week in The Golden State: 

1. A part of me wished I'd driven over the Golden Gate Bridge in a red mustang convertible with Danny Tanner wearing an ugly "dad" hat in the driver's seat and Uncle Jesse's hair flowing in the wind. Actually, all of me wished for that. 

2. Twin Peaks - where I realized that I will never afford living in California and I am actually the size of an ant in a very, very big world around me. 

3. Muir Forest Redwoods. 360 foot trees might sound intimidating until you realize they've been around for 3500 YEARS. 

4. Picture this: scenic overview shots of the coastline while Phantom Planet's iconic "The O.C." theme song plays on in the background. "Californiaaaaa, heree we cooommeeeeee!!!" I had a real Marissa Cooper moment here. 

5. While I love a good spring roll, Chinatown is more well suited to shopaholic grandmothers with a lot of time on their hands (mine). Cheers to cool hanging lanterns & shops with tiny coin purses and teasets tho. 

6. I don't know what this building is. Or any of the buildings I walked by, for that matter. But the architecture throughout the city varies from classic victorian to sleek and urban business areas to pink stucco townhouses and I loved it all. 

7. The town of Sausalito right outside of San Francisco used to be (and still is) the home to local artists during the "hippy-movement" and peace-lovin' days. I would totally live in a houseboat (with teal sides and tangerine trim) if they weren't a million dollars and the size of my dorm room. 

8. When you're at a 3-hour time-zone deficit, caffeine is necessary at every hour of the day. (And necessary for sanity when you've got a head cold and you haven't been able to hear out of your left ear since you got on the plane 5 days earlier). Also, mom jeans on any coast. 

9. On our last day we visited the vineyards in Napa Valley and Sonoma. Wine Country is just as beautiful and even more pretentious than you thought it'd be. 

10. After a week of sore feet, over-eating, and getting lost in every way possible, I can’t wait to go back.