...was amazing!

First day:
-BART to Powell
-walking around a lot - union square, financial district, ferry building, nob hill
-accidentally found ChinaTown and walked through the outskirts of it
-ate awesome farro risotto and salumi plate (according to Adam) at Barbacco in the Financial District. Complementary sparkling water and ordering from an iPad - total bonus. Super darling bartender. Loved this place
-start of the 'self-guided dessert tour' with a donut and a cookie from a small asian bakery (they were closing as we walked in so we went and ate the cookie outside of nordie's) & cheesecake at Cafe Bellini
-walking down mission and market - cutting through the alley, saw some cool artwork, a waterfall near the art school
-made a to-do list for Saturday

Second day:
-hit up the MASSIVE farmer's market
-ate an awesome vegan salted caramel donut
-berry festival tasting of berries/jams/jellies/honey from all around SF - Free! Booyah!
-had the most amazing macaroon ever at miette bakery in the ferry building.
-had an awesome blueberry scone and homemade soda pop
-brought the best dried fruit ever (persimmon, nectarines, peaches, cherries, apricots, made without sulfur)
-had my first 'pluot' - apricot/plum hybrid... too delish!
-walked the coast to Pier 39
-walked back to see the sea lions - awesome little theme-park looking area with a carousel, fresh fruit stands, little shops, and a Zoltar! (one of many Big references on the trip) :)
-walked to Fisherman's Wharf - went to the penny arcade museum with old-timey arcade games (over 200!), clam chowder in SF sourdough breadbowl, garlic fries!
-Walked down beach and bay streets - found a bike rental shop
-rode bikes to lombard street (had to lock them to a tree because the street was way too steep to bike up!)
-headed to Ghirardelli Square where we went to the famous ice cream shop and had the best hot fudge sundae ever.
-Biked through the parks on the northern shore, across the golden gate bridge and to sausalito! (awesome bike ride but totally kicked our asses riding into the wind!)
-Stopped at the Sausalito Cafe and had an amazing white chocolate chip cookie
-took a ferry back to San Fran (had my first Irish Coffee on the ferry)
-rode the bikes to North Beach to check out the festival
-returned the bikes and headed back toward the hotel, looking for an italian restaurant we had seen the day before
-checked out the heart of Chinatown, near Grant... awesome glass-blowing!
-grabbed a pumpkin scone (mmm)

Last day:
-took a street car to the Castro
-ate at Ike's place - the best vegan meatball sandwich ever! Even Adam loved it. Totally lived up to their reputation.
-walked to an awesome park and explored the streets (and many, many hills of Castro)
-Walked through Haight-Ashbury to Buena Vista Park
-Headed back down to Guerrero to the Tartine Bakery
-had the best chocolate croissant in the history of croissants, as well as a piece of Lemon Meringue Cake
-Went to Bi-Rite Creamery and had brown sugar and rickenelas ice cream (caramel ice cream with snickerdoodle pieces!)... perfect!
-Passed Dolores park and headed down to the mission for Humphry Slocombe - had their Jesus Juice (red wine and cola) and Orange Clove sorbets - so unique and perfect for the hot walk down.
-Walked back down 24th street - loved, loved, loved Noe Valley - so beautiful
-hiked up to twin peaks to overlook the entire city - beautiful!!!!
-walked back through haight-ashbury to frederick, and headed to golden gate park
-so many people playing frisbee, walking dogs, playing instruments - such a cool place, wish we could've spent more time here but we had to find a way back to the airport
-took a bus through the heart of Haight-Ashbury (Haight St.) & it looked incredible
-walked through the other side of the mission to the BART station

We'll definitely be back someday! There are many more places we need to eat at :) 

I've been in this slump for a few weeks now. I just feel off.
I think my body's just trying to find some stability in response to the inconsistent schedules I've had it on. 

I know I have to make some changes.
 
I'm definitely planning my meals a lot better these last few weeks -- lots more protein, fruits, veggies, 5-6 meals a day. I've put some weight back on and now I'm trying to get back into the fit part.

I also joined the gym Sunday and have since done a strength training day and a cardio day. Yesterday, I had to rest because my ass was beyond kicked.

Tonight I'm planning more cardio. I want to go absolutely ape shit and hop on the treadmill for like 90 minutes (did 60 on Sunday), but I don't want to overdo it. Maybe another 60 then some weights tonight.

This gym is right near my house - at $19/month, it's definitely a steal for Southern California where most gym memberships seem to run around $60-80/month.

I'm really looking forward to doing some classes and toning up before summer.

It would be ideal to work out an hour a day and get about 2 hours in of studying. I really need to take this test as soon as possible. I need to get back in school. I miss learning more than anything.

This few days have been intense.
Food poisoning, migraines, losing my only sets of keys for my car (finding one set, thankfully), popping my shoulder out of place in the process of avoiding a car accident with some jackass who tried doing a U-Turn in front of me and a bus, ruining my chance of making commission at work.... what else? Oh yeah....

And I'm pretty heartbroken. It's not routine for me like he thinks it is. Just because I've been through it more than a few times doesn't mean that it ever gets any easier and it definitely doesn't mean that every time it isn't a uniquely painful experience.

I wonder about those people who are so hardened to relationships.... the people who just come across cold and heartless. Were they just born that way? Or did it come from being hurt one too many times? If it's the latter, I have to be getting close to being that person. I'll consider myself lucky if I never become that way, though. If you can't experience pain or give yourself entirely to someone else, can you really appreciate and feel love?
 
As I was driving to work yesterday, it felt like a weight was on my chest. I tried to think of anything else that I could. I stared at billboards and license plates and tried to put my mind somewhere else. Then I thought about how I'm always rushing through my life. No one wants to go slowly through painful experiences, but rushing through them doesn't necessarily make you any better off, at least in the long run.

I'm making myself feel this one. I'll take the time I need and I'll handle it the right way so it doesn't come back to haunt me later on. And as crazy as this sounds (I've never been able to word things the way that I'd like to...), who knows if I'll ever feel heartache again? You never know if you'll ever find someone to love again --do you? I consider it a rare experience and I'd rather take it all in and work it out than shove it off to the side or do my best to forget it.

It's definitely a "Wedding Singer"/Morrissey kind of night.

You could not help yourself from crying the entire night
It's painful when you realize
Your lives are intertwined
It's hell to need someone

It's hell to need someone

Why lie?
The truth's easy to find
In time
Forgive me of this crime
It's alright
I swear I'll never do this again

---------------

so good.

Somehow, we made it in the finals for the best-friends contest.

Probably my awesome writing skills.... (:

Or the super cute photo. Either one, really.

Well, tomorrow we have to go on the morning show to play a Newlywed-style game for best friends. I'm sure there will be creepy, embarassing questions that will likely lead to us punching each other out after the game, hahaha.

I have a good feeling we're not going to win. We've only been friends for 3 years and best friends for like a year and a half. There are people who've known each other their whole lives. How can we compete with that? I know Ian likes to poop. We talk about poop. We watch movies but he doesn't remember any of the actors. Hahaha. No clue how this is gonna go.

I'll just be happy if we leave still stoked on being friends. If we don't win, no big deal. No loss except some time and it'll be hysterical to say we went on the radio for this. It'd be nice to win but I don't see it happening. Small chance that it does, it'll be a super amazing surprise.

WISH US LUCK!

I'm a huge nervous dork so this is going to be so hard for me!
I'm shaking just thinking about it!

Woohoo!

So, a rock station in San Diego is having this Best Opposite-Sex Friends contest where you send in a picture and a short blurb.

This is our's:

In 3 years we have reached a status above 'best friends' - we are what we like to call 'Feffers.'  We can pee while the other person is standing in the room, without wanting to creepily sneak a peek. We can even read each others' minds.... and it's usually about pooping. We've never dated but we're so close that everyone thinks we are. And it probably doesn't help that we share a bed and underwear. Just kidding about the bed.

--------------------

Pretty ridiculous, but that's the gist of our friendship. And I figure it's probably enough for the radio folks to want to exploit us/embarass the hell out of us.

They're choosing the 3 finalists this Friday for an on-air battle. Winners get a trip to Cancun. I NEED THIS VACATION!

Cross your fingers for me!

 

All I need is a little bit of light.

Days like today make me homesick.

"I wish the world were flat like the old days,
then I could travel just by folding a map,
no more airplanes or speedtrains or freeways,
there'd be no distance that can  hold us back"