Just as winter started to take hold at home, I left for a California Sojourn. We left frozen Vermont in middle of the night and arrived in San Francisco during a spate of sixty-degree sunshine at noon. Friends whisked us from the airport to Brisbane, where we acclimatized to the spicy aromas of blooming foliage, steep hills, and long views. A few hours later, we were in San Francisco, eating delicious Vietnamese food.
The excuse for the trip was my brother’s marriage on New Year’s Eve, but we packed the days leading up to it with family and fun, including hiking, people-watching, shopping, museum viewing, practicing yoga, and hiking the city stairs.
Perhaps because I’m so rooted to where I live, I especially enjoy participating in local life when I travel. My brother has lived in the Bay Area for almost as long as I’ve lived in Vermont, and now one of my daughters resides there, too. I’ve probably been to the Bay Area more than to New York City since moving from Manhattan to Vermont in 1984.
Even though the geography is foreign to my New England sensibility, I’ve come to love the steep landscape, Mediterranean foliage, Pacific Ocean, ethnic foods and pastels of San Francisco and the East Bay. It’s a great place for me to visit – and for my brother and daughter to live.
The intimate wedding ceremony on New Year’s Eve was a perfect end the trip.
With about twenty friends and family present, Leslie and Jonathan committed themselves to a partnership inspired by love, sustained by shared values, and grounded in extreme kindness.
You neglected to say that you were the officiant and and essential to the success of lovely wedding ceremony!
I facilitated; you and Les did all the thought-work and spoke all the words. It was a beautiful ceremony – indicative of a great relationship.
Mazel Tov to the couple. I wish them a long happy married life.
I’ll pass your good wishes on.
There is so much to do in San Francisco and it sounds as though you and Tim managed to get a lot in. Your brother and his pretty bride picked a wonderful month for their wedding!!! Great for you as winter definitely took hold here.
I so love reading your posts. Thank you for sharing so much.
Had a great time in SF, Ellie, AND I’m glad to be home, even with a windchill of -30!