Getting Settled and SUPERBOWL

For me the harder part of moving is unpacking.  Until my bed made it here today, I was having the hardest time picturing the layout for my side of the room.  (Side note -- yay comfy new bed!!!)

I'm still not settled completely in, but it's much better than it was 12 hours ago.  It will likely be a process of several days.  And, you know, school.

Enjoyed watching the Seahawks CREAM the Broncos (really, were they actually at that game?) at Kristina's Superbowl party.  I mean, the game itself was mostly exciting because we got so many touchdowns.  But hanging with all the friends was what made it memorable.  The Bronco scarf shenanigans... that is all.

Matt is out of town for most of this week, auditioning for several different things.  The rain/low clouds out here screwed up his travels for a while, but he made it to KC by about 11pm.  I'll be thinking of him a lot this week.  <3

Love&Harmony,
Erin

Ch-ch-ch-Changes (Sat 2-1)

Change is so, so good.

At least in this case.  I am so happy and excited to be in my new apartment with James and Lauren.

Pros:
- Roommates//people I can talk to and be friends with!
- A big comfy bedroom where I don't have to store my dishes/food/bathroom stuff as well.
- A beautiful, airy, light living room.
- The rooftop balcony.
- Common spaces.
- Bathroom attached to bedroom.
- Friendship.
- Did I mention living with friends?

The only major con is that the kitchen is kind of odd - no oven (but I'm already used to that), and not a ton of storage space.  But there are solutions to that and everything else outweighs those details!

In other news, I have amazing, amazing, AMAZING friends at the Conservatory.  Moving out/in was done in less than an hour.  Mr. Reisenthel came to help me rent a truck and be the real adult of the situation.  But 7-8 school friends (plus my wonderful man Matt) came as helping hands.  The many hands make light work phrase is so incredibly true!  And it really goes to show that the people at this school are legitimately kind, caring people (I think I know one person who as said he actually enjoys the physical labor of moving things.)  I'm looking forward to throwing a post-moving pizza and beer party soon as a thank you!

Happy for changes!
Love&Harmony,
Erin

On Letters

I was all ready to blog last night when I got home but I was suddenly sidetracked by a beautiful, regular old envelope at my bedroom door.  The beautiful part was the return address: Megan A.

Letters from friends and loved ones are something special. In a time when sitting down to compose an e-mail starts to feel like too much work for some folks, knowing that someone took the time to hand write and mail a letter is really special. Like I've said before, it's like getting a hug in the mail. :). I keep written correspondence with a couple old friends from home and it brightens my day to hear from them.  Even if the stories have already been shared on social media. And sometimes we even save stories solely for letters.  I hope my far-future kiddos will get to experience this same sort of joy. (One of many reasons the post office is important!!)

Love&Harmony,
Erin

For Saturday

The joy of exploration is exponentially expounded when enjoyed with a friend. :)

Said goodbye to Anna today.  It was such a great week getting to know this place I have been living in for 4-5 months already. Plus it was nice to have a roommate to talk and laugh with for a change. :)

We made it an early morning to catch a ride on the iconic cable cars and made our way out to the wharfs again. We ended up near Hyde Pier (I think?) and checked out the old boats out there. Pre-Golden Gate Bridge the bay used a ferry system. Which makes sense, but I'd never seen anything about it. The sun and water and marina were all really lovely. We meandered closer to Fisherman's Wharf for lunch and a little souvenir shopping before heading back to my place. Then it was hi-ho to the airport we go!

It was a great week and I am so appreciative that I was able to spend quality time with a really wonderful and caring friend. Our adventures opened my eyes a little more to the better parts of the city and have given me a friendlier outlook on it.

Here's to friend-venturing!
Love&Harmony,
Erin

For Friday

Anna and I slept in today, given our late night hanging at Matt's house and our early rising throughout the week.  We got into town about noon for me to take care of a couple things at school and then headed to afternoon tea at Dartealing Lounge.  Anna found a pretty great deal on travelzoo.com for a $30 voucher for tea for two.

Dartealing Lounge is located in SOMA (South of Market) and is absolutely amazing.  We walked in and our jaws dropped from the Pintrest-worthy perfection.  We tried a Mint Lavender tea, as well as a blend called Purple Gems, which was essentially blueberry and absolutely scrumptious.  The finger sandwiches and teacakes were also so yummy and very filling for how petite they were.  The tea service we ended up ordering might be a little pricey for some, but with the online deal it was very worth it.  The ambiance and decor are delightfully pretty and relaxing.  And our waitress was very friendly.  I highly recommend a visit to Dartealing and I will certainly be back!

At about 3pm, Anna and I bussed over to the Mission District.  We rested in Mission Dolores Park for a bit, then wandered where our feet took us.  We admired the murals adorning the walls of the Womens' Building, which were stunning.  We also found Clarion Alley, which is a prime example of the mural art that the Mission is famous for.  The entire alley is covered in murals - some with a revolutionary feel, others serving as memorials to recently-passed community members, as well as some simply beautiful artwork (though I'm sure there is some meaning I don't know about.)

We were able to meet up with Matt and a couple of Anna's friends for dinner and a bit of bar hopping. At the rainbow-flag Latino bar Esta Noche, I played my most decent round of pool (well the second game at least...) when I sank 4 balls on a row. It was very exciting! It was a good time meeting Anna's friends who live in/near the city and of course spending some quality time with Matt, whom I hadn't really seen for a month.

And that was our Mission adventure!
Love&Harmony,
Erin

Perspective

It's interesting how a change of place and a change of pace can leas to a change in perspective.

Love&Harmony,
Erin

Wednesday Touristing

Today was Golden Gate Park day!

We got to the California Academy of Sciences just around 11am (after a bit of a sleep-in).  We probably could have spent all day there, though we did get a majority of the exhibits in.  One of the coolest parts was probably the dome-screen planetarium.  We also enjoyed seeing the penguins and the sunshine on the living roof.
After exploring the depths of their aquarium (and meeting Claude, the Academy's albino alligator), we took a brief sunshiny moment on a bench near one of the fountains between the museums.  Then we headed over to the de Young Museum.  A bit weary of looking at all sort of things, we sped through some of the general admission exhibits before making our way up the observation tower.  It's an amazing view of the Richmond and Inner Sunset districts, as well as the Presidio.  Definitely a highlight of the day.
Then, a late afternoon coffee stop and we were headed home for a nap!  After a spot of dinner and some hanging out at home, we headed out on a whim to Ocean Beach to check out the stars.  Under the full moon, we probably weren't able to see as many as normal, but it was pretty cool to walk on the beach lit up under the moonlight.  If we were dating, it would be very romantic... hahaha.

A great day, again, of course!  Tomorrow is more of an on-foot trek -- excitement abounds.  :)

Love&Harmony,
Erin

Tuesday Touristing

Touristing - verb; to act like a tourist, go sight seeing.

New word, new word!  (Maybe... haven't double checked).

Anna and I have been busy, so this post is a little late.

Tuesday was spent out at Fisherman's Wharf.  We caught a 10am boat cruise around the bay/under the Golden Gate Bridge.  Then headed to In&Out for lunch (it was Anna's first time there)!  Post lunch was the Ripley's Believe it or Not and then the Aquarium of the Bay.  As evening fell we watched the sea lions and sun set and had clam chowder in a bread bowl on Pier 39.  We then bussed over to Ghiradelli Square, but it was mostly closed for the day -- still managed a free sample though!

A long but fulfilling day!

Love&Harmony,
Erin

Friends to Visit

My friend Anna is here!  She is a good friend from my time at PLU and we were able to arrange for her to come stay with me for about a week.

My room has never been cleaner -- haha.  There's something that feels grown up about playing serious hostess to a good friend.  We've planned out some tourist stops, are leaving others up to wanderlust.  Planned out a couple meals.  I'm excited to have a friend around and to go play tourist in this city I've been living in for about 5 months (give or take).

Here's to wanderlust!

Love&Harmony,
Erin

Mistakes

Making mistakes is the worst.  Especially when they affect people you care about.  And until you know how they'll react when you tell them (which can always be delayed when expressed via technology), it weighs on you like a big ball and chain of guilt and worry that they're going to be mad at you.  Then your over-thinking mind turns their possible anger into some sort of unforgivable hatred towards you for ruining everything.

Nothing's ruined and my friends are completely reasonable and rational people.  It's a situation that requires rationality.  It's going to be fine.  But as much as I try to tell myself that, until I hear back my mind is going to worry.  Worry worry worry.  Ugh.

Does this happen to other people??

Love&Harmony,
Erin

Silver and Gold

"Make new friends, but keep the old; one is silver and the other gold."

Today was a day of seeing "old" friends back down near PLU.  Cue nostalgia and happiness.  :)  Several days of break have consisted of this - friends that go wayyy back and some I've only known well for a few years (but it feels like a lifetime).  As the saying goes, they're gold.

But there's plenty to be said for silver, too.  Home and hometown (or relatively close to it) friends are comfortable and returning to comfortable is always nice.  I'm finding I'm missing the new friends, too though. Not that I thought I wouldn't, since they're awesome people!  The thing is, you can only talk so much about new experiences in new places with old friends.  There's not a way to convey who the people are that I am talking about.  While telling the amusing - at least to me - anecdotes, the jokes, the quirky things about school and the city, there is no benefit of mutual understanding.  

It's that interesting "dual-life" phenomenon.  I am not two different people (superhero and super-secret-identity); rather, my singular identity exists in two places.  Or, at least, it kind of feels that way... Interesting.  

Veering off "topic" though... haha.

Basically, it makes sense to value the gold more than the silver.  But who's to say the weightier substance of the gold carries any more value than the silver?  The value of either relationship stems from that of shared experience.  And if we invest our true selves in any experience with friends - new or old - that's what is always invaluable.

Love&Harmony,

Erin

(I hope that made sense.  It's a little late and I'm a little ramble-y.  Gute Nacht!)