Circle of Eight

Recently I invited friends over to my flat to enjoy a home cooked meal.
I made a hearty twelve bean and vegetable soup from scratch, seasoned Bulgar Wheat, and sautéed green beans. Friends came over with a bottle of California Wine, and fresh bread from the neighborhood bakery.

We gathered in the living room. Conversation
flowed, laughter echoed, food was savored, and good company was enjoyed.

I paused to take it all in. I looked around at this group of people I know as
friends. Eight new people, eight new lives; eight new
friendships. I felt content, accomplished, and so happy.

I am creating an expanding circle of friends, a home, and a community, all of the things I wished for before moving across the country to this unfamiliar place and time.

Love "in the Haight"

The scent of Eucalyptus gently wafts through the open window of my 105 year old Victorian flat. The scent is inviting and calls us to the outdoors.

Derby and I walk across the street to the panhandle of Golden Gate Park to enjoy lush greenery cradled by whizzing cars in the midst of the city.

In the park hand holding lovers stroll past, a group of friends on a blanket in the grass taking in the sunshine, joggers and bikers on their designated paths.

On the way home we walk through the neighborhood blocks, exploring and admiring. Ornate facades of Victorian and Edwardian buildings stop me in my track and I stare in a daze of awe.

Quaint tree lined streets and coffee shops. This lovely area I now know as my neighborhood and my home. Up the half flight of stairs and into the house, Derby's paws click-clack on the hardwood floors. The creeks of the apartment have become familiar and pleasant. I love my new neighborhood and I feel home.

Park It

I live in a city known for its micro climates where the weather varies from one neighborhood to the next. I live in a neighborhood notorious for the worst weather in the city with constant fog and wind and I find myself chasing the sunshine. I awoke to the promising sound of birds chirping a sweet song outside my bedroom window. I extended my arms and legs for a full stretch, rubbed my eyes, and parted the blinds hoping for sunshine. Much to my disappointment were fog and blanket clouds in sight.

A bowl of oatmeal warmed my stomach and I headed out the door with Derby for our morning walk.

A phone call from a friend inviting me to play outside was the perfect pick me up. "Come over its so nice out!" he said. "It is?" I asked with excitement. "Yeah, come over" he exclaimed.

I put on a long flowing sun dress and walked to the corner to catch the Muni (light rail train) in pursuit of some California sunshine and the company of a friend.

Sure enough when I got off the Muni and walked up the stairs out of the under ground station the sky was bright blue and the sun was shinning gloriously.

We headed to Dolores Park one of my favorite places here. It is a popular spot in the city, especially on a nice day. The park's hillside buzzing with people. It was the usual scenery; frisbees flying, barbeques smoking, people lazily laying in the grass, vendors wheeling their carts peddling ice cream and sweet treats.

A typical and picture perfect Sunday in San Francisco.

We found a spot to camp out and nestled into the cool green grass. I hiked up my dress and unveiled my legs to the sun in attempt to recover the color I have lost since I moved here. I watched the clouds breeze by and listened to the park.

In the distance a bow smoothed across a cello and the melody soothed my ears. I gazed over to see the impromptu concert of friends. A guitar joined in and made for part of the park's soundtrack.

A young man with tan skin and tight arms made his way through the maze of people strewn about. He was carrying bronze antique looking water pots with white miniature canvas umbrellas protruding. He bent down and revealed the goodies to three smiling girls on a nearby blanket. They pointed to the pot in the middle. The young man used a pair of tongs to gently extract the chocolate truffles and placed them into a crisp bakery bag handing them over to the girls.

The exchange, the idea of home made chocolate truffles for sale in the park, the whole park experience, brings a smile to my face. I lay back, close my eyes and soak in the moment.

Tourist to Tour Guide...

I have officially been in San Francisco long enough to have visitors! I have been entrusted with the role of showing people around my new backyard. I have evolved from tourist to tour guide.

My dear friend Emily came to visit and stayed with me for two weeks. During Emily's two week stay our wonderful mutual friend, Reese, came to stay for five days as well. It was so nice to have the company of good friends.

Among the must see attractions of San Francisco, we went to local farmer's markets, The Golden Gate Bridge, The Fisherman's Wharf, The Pier, Ghirardelli Square, Chinatown, downtown, all the neighborhoods and districts, parks, the beach, hiking at Mount Diablo and the Marin Headlands, nightlife, restaurants, and most memorable was our participation in San Francisco's 99th annual Bay to Breakers.

Bay to Breakers is a 12k race through the city as well as giant street parade of public intoxication, and costumed chaos of over 60,000 participants. The name Bay to Breakers comes from the fact that the race begins downtown adjacent to the San Francisco Bay and cuts westward through the city to the finish line at the Great Highway, adjacent to the Pacific where the "breakers" crash onto the beach.

The footrace starts early in the morning with registered participants that run for time and competition. Later the unregistered participants join the festivities in vulgar, extreme, and hilarious creative costumes, and some without, as the race is known for its many nude participants. Major city streets are shut down to allow the streaming crowd of city dwellers to mill through, wreaking havoc upon the town. It was one giant hanging cannabis cloud. Bay to Breakers makes Mardi Gras look like the Mickey Mouse Club.

People start drinking early in the morning and are soon rowdy, rapt, and trekking through San Francisco's streets with bottles of liquor in hand, pushing shopping carts full of beer, floats decorated extravagantly, and of course hauling kegs and sound systems blaring music. Reese, Emily and myself were dressed as "3 blind mice" and joined a group of my friends as we took to the streets at 9am with bottles of Vodka, Whisky, Champagne, and beer. We were drunk by 10am and hungover at 3pm. We marched the streets pointing out all of the madness, taking pictures with the wild costumes, laughing, and through out the event had a series of meeting up with friends and separating through the dense crowd.

It was incredible to share my first Bay to Breakers experience with two of my best friends, and of course the 59,997 others! I cant wait for next year's Bay to Breakers and the many other events that San Francisco is known for! Next month's event on my list: the two day long Gay Pride Parade!

Morning Run

Each day is a new beginning and the freshness of the morning brings a smile to my face. Derby and I reached the corner of Taraval Street and the Great Highway and I initiated the jog. Derby gladly trotted along. Sun shinning, people out biking, running, walking their dogs, starting their day.

We crossed the street and headed down to the beach. The sand cushions my step and I love the sight of my shoeprint and Derby's paw print in the sand together. Stones in hues of brown, gray, and black, and sand dollars scattered on the seashore. Surfers with boards tucked under their arms enter the water like a battlefield. The steady lulling sound of waves rolling in. Birds dance back and forth with the water as it creeps up and pulls back.

Derby's instinct whispers in his ear "chase the birds!" and he takes off running full speed after a flock of Snowy Plovers. The birds scatter and regroup further away. We run together happy and free like children without a care in our worlds.

Training Ride

Of the many opportunities in San Francisco, physical fitness activities are abundant to say the least. On a recent walk home from the beach I saw a sign in a store front. It was for an upcoming bike ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles to raise awareness for AIDS.

It is an annual ride, and this will be the 9th year of its existence. I immediately went online to find out more about this amazing event. I had a lot of questions and read through the website in its entirety. My eyes were twinkling as I read about the 7 day ride spanning 545 miles of the California Coastline. I envisioned myself as a biker on the road amongst a pack of many, peddling forward for a great cause.

I called the organization with a list of questions I had beyond the FAQ section of the website. I was encouraged to participate in a group training ride to help me make a decision. I was eager to participate, but hesitant of the pre-requisites. In order to participate each rider must raise $3,000 dollars, train intensely, take a week off work, I would have to find a trustworthy person to watch Derby, buy all of the bike gear, and I was not sure if the road bike that I have, circa 1970, is suitable for such a ride. The event takes place in June and I was not sure that I have enough time to train, fundraise, buy a new bike and all the gear.

I picked a training ride off the calendar of events and was eager to challenge myself and test out my road bike as it was the first long bike ride on it. I had the local bike shop give it a tune up and replace the brake pads.

Early Saturday morning before the sun peaked over the horizon my alarm buzzed and I rolled over to silence it. I was awake and excited for the group training ride. I arrived at the group meet up spot, signed a waiver, took a course map, listened carefully to the rules and explanation of hand signals and stretched with the group.

I rode with the group training leaders and they coached me and another new biker. They explained in detail how and when to change gears. It was the first time I used the gears, since riding in Florida doesn’t require much shifting!

The 45 mile ride was breathtakingly beautiful. We crossed the Golden Gate bridge, rode through Sausalito (a town that looks just like the Amalfi Coast of Italy), then the Camino Alto Hills which were very challenging and had my quadriceps burning in no time, through quaint towns that look like Swiss Villages, with names like Larkspur, Ross, Tiburon, and Fairfax. The rolling hills were physically and emotionally challenging.

Winding roads revealed California's raw beauty and intensified my love for this gorgeous state. It was a great way to experience and sightsee my backyard. Finishing this challenging ride was a very rewarding accomplishment for me. I met very inspiring people who are return participants in the annual event. The ride leaders were encouraging, motivating and very positive.

I was happy to meet more wonderful people involved in a great cause! I am elated with the endless opportunities of my life in California! Although I will not be participating in the AIDS life cycle ride this year, I would like to do so next year and or participate in the organization's ride through Napa Valley in October which is only 200 miles as opposed to the 545 miles to Los Angeles.

Puzzle Pieces of My Life

As time goes on I am settling in and establishing my life in San Francisco. Slowly I am building my niche. I am putting together the pieces to create a balance that brings me happiness.

Recently I reintroduced the fitness “piece of the puzzle” to my life. I completed my first 10k race last weekend. Early in the morning when everything was quiet and serene I got on my bike and peddled down the Great Highway (the road that runs parallel to the ocean). My fascination and love for the ocean is satisfied as I gazed onto the rolling waves. The epic and roaring Pacific Ocean is a constant visual stimulus.

I arrived at the starting point of the race and locked up my bike. I checked in, pinned on my race number and found a place to stretch before the race began. The course took the participants on a trail over looking the ocean, through heaps of wildflowers and up a winding path with stair cases, and signs indicating the coyotes. As the dirt path curved and the tree line became sparse, there in the distance stood the Golden Gate Bridge in all her glory, an assuring sign that I am not dreaming- I am in fact living in San Francisco.

I ran faster towards the bridge, my personal pot of gold at the end of my rainbow. The race was challenging as I am not accustomed to hills and inclines. It was a beautiful day, bright and sunny and the music piping through my headphones kept my pace steady. The feelings of accomplishment and satisfaction as people clap and cheer and a finish line is crossed were a wonderful high.