Parking in SF

This guy wrote an entire book on parking in SF called Finding the Sweet Spot (check out his handy flow chart). I believe it. Parking in SF is a disaster. Here are some of my frustrating moments parking in this wonderful city of mine, I'm sure you can relate.

• I have made everyone in my car (front and back seats) stop their conversation to keep their eyes peeled.
• I have spent 45 minutes looking for parking in North Beach, only to finish eating dinner in 40 minutes.
• I have heard the same Rihanna song play 5 times before finding a spot.
• I have passed an open spot on the left side, turned into a driveway to turn around, only to have another car right behind me do the exact same thing and beat me to the spot.
• I have parked, turned off the car, walked to the curb only to find that yes, it is too small, but oh well. Thought about it for 10 steps, turned back around, got back in, turned the engine on, and continued to look.
• I have successfully fit into a parallel parking spot with 4 inches on either side, without tapping either (to my knowledge).
• I have tapped the car in front of me. And behind.
• I have rolled down the window yelling, "EX-CUSE ME ARE YOU GUYS LEAV-ING?!"
• I have often parked on a hill with a 20+% grade
• I have backed up for 1/2 a long block and turned a corner (still in reverse) to get a spot. Downtown.
• I have parallel parked in one try. Didn't even need to pull forward.
• I have had to park in 5 tries.
• I have found the perfect spot, only to find that the owner has painted the edges of the space red so that only a mini Cooper or smart car could fit.
• I have thought about parking illegally and just risking it.
• I have thought about trading my car for a moped.

When my roommate had a car, sometimes she would call me out of pure frustration. Not that there was anything I could do, she just needed someone to comfort her and tell her that it would all be ok. The car has since been brought back down to LA, the land of traffic... that's a whole 'nother car-related anger.

go america!

It lives on!

I just found out today that the Microfinance decal I started senior year is still going strong. I thought it had died after 2-3 semesters, but it lives, it lives on!! In fact, it's been passed down from instructor to student every semester since that first semester in Spring '08. Oh bless you Cal students, you make my heart sing!

GO BEARS!

An email from my Dad for my birthday

Dear Daughter,

I'm so thankful to have
a daughter like you and
a wife like your mom.
There is no others
who could fill your shoes.
You're such a good example
of what a daughter should be.
We always get along so well
even when we disagree.
You're so patient
and understanding.
You don't ask for anything.
You're never demanding.

You're so quick to give
and such a joy to be around.
You're such a good person.
You deserve a special 24th birthday crown.
You have a good heart.
You're honest and true.
You brighten up my life
with memories and dreams

I love you so much.

Daddy

Boring

While couch shopping:
H: "How about this one?"
S: "It's too boring."
H: "It's perfect, you're a boring person."

While re-telling the story later:
H: "Well, I mean, your taste is boring. Like your clothes."

This merits a Japanese emoticon: T_T

Furikake goes with everything

On my recent trip to Hawaii, I learned many important lessons: Bring motion sickness pills on a boat ride if it's a windy day. Amazing things happen in an instant, so have a camera ready at all times. Sometimes you just shouldn't go off the beaten road. You aren't a good shotgun just because you stay awake. Japanese tourists have way more fun taking pictures. And furikake goes with everything, especially french fries.

SF to NY to LA to SF

My first "real" vacation since I started working 2.3 years ago was a trip to NY and LA last week.

friend: "you're taking a long vacay to visit places you've frequently been to?"

me: "si"

Vacations don't necessarily need to be some big planned trip to an exciting and/or exotic destination. It doesn't always involve getting lost and going to famous places. Sometimes you don't need a buddy or need to plan it over a week in advance or have it cost you an arm and a leg. Sometimes you don't need to take one single picture. Not a single one.

When you return to cities you've been to a hundred times, you can skip all that (plus have free housing). Central Park in the fall-- it's beautiful, but I've got my pictures of it last year. The world famous Rockefeller tree lighting-- what a zoo, no thank you! Beverly Hills, Hollywood-- eh, been there done that. What I loved more was shopping in SoHo at 10am on a Monday morning, discovering a Whole Foods the size of Costco, browsing 1200 flavors of soda pop, and walking back and forth across a street of food trucks just to see the menus. It was a true luxury not having a plan and having so many aimless moments in the week when I was looking to just kill time. Such a change from the 12+ hour days at work + 2+ hour commute.

More important than relaxing, this trip was chance to say, "Hey remember me?" to (almost all) the people that are important in my life that I hadn't seen in 6 months to a year. The phrases I expected: "It's so good to see you", "Thank you for letting me crash", "Don't you dare pay for this meal". Some phrases were a bit more unexpected: "Congratulations!", "OMG you're WHAT?!" (engaged, going to grad school, pregnant...).

Friends of NY and LA, THANK YOU again for eating, catching up, listening, talking, recommending, advising, housing, entertaining, wandering, and walking (and driving) with me.

Who I saw and what I ate, because you know traveling is all about the food:

Sat: lunch with V at the Meatball Shop, coffee at Joes, shopping, dessert at Christine's with her hilarious friends, drinks at Raine's Law

Sun: brunch with V and Grace at Keste, coffee at Joes (again), shopping (again), Redeemer Church, dinner with V at Malatesa

Mon: Coffee and pastries at Balthazar Bakery, Shopping (for real this time), lunch with Jen at Totto Ramen (it's no Ippudo c'mon now), dinner with Jonna at Momofuku Noodle Bar and deserts at Milk Bar

Tue: Lunch with Parilee at the Green Table, feeding my banana cocaine addiction with Richard at Magnolias, coffee/wine/cheese at Eataly, church small group, dinner with Gabby at Blue Smoke

Wed: Coffee at Joes (yes again because it's the best in the universe), lunch with old team at the office, cupcake at Billys, catchup with Wilken, manipedi, dinner with Donna/Aneesh/V at Shake Shake in Midtown

Thu: Breakfast with HyunJin at Clinton St. Bakery, flight, LA traffic, dinner with Eunice at Din something in Chinese (soup dumpling place)

Fri: Coffee at the Starbucks in LA Live (don't know what the hype was about...it's just a Starbucks), lunch with Tim at Daikokasomething, Scoop, random driving, more LA traffic, dinner with Dima at Manchego

Sat: Breakfast at Alli's, wedding dress shopping and lunch with Mel/Julie/Alli at the Hat, LA traffic, Santa Monica mall, a little more LA traffic, flight

Next time:

• Tater tots and bacon wrapped hot dog in E Village
• Somewhere schmancy, Michelin-y
• IPPUDO
• Eataly (for the pasta)
• Mozza