FEBRUARY RECAP
We are in the depths of winter and my shameless begging for spring has begun. I am unabashed in my desire to feel my face bathed in the comforting embrace of the warm sun, to smell the air ripened by the fragrance of green and wildflowers, and my ears yearn for the arrival of the songbirds. Even if it means two months of sneezing and itchy eyes. The glory of spring is worth it.
It has been a busy time of working behind the scenes on my business, learning the ins and out of my new client management system to ensure my beloved clients have a seamless and nurturing experience, addressing my mental health issues (blog post on how I am coping with anxiety to come later), diving head first into several books, taking some time for fun, date nights with my husband, and a visit from our college kiddo.
Speaking of date nights, we are able to have them whenever we want now that our kids are “big”. I have come to that weird realization that our parenthood journey has shifted. Our kids are no longer little, and although they still need us, the needs are different and not as constant as when they were young (however, the needs can definitely be bigger at times). My husband and I find ourselves with not only more time but more freedom as well. It seems like overnight the days of having littles ended and that is weird. I drive down the street and watch parents walk their kids to elementary school. Their still baby soft, dimpled hands are safely ensconced in their parent’s while my son side-eyes me because at 14 he knows pretty much everything (obvi!) and I am just a nagging imbecile. It is bittersweet to know that those moments with my own kids, when I was their hero, are over. I have shifted from super protector to guidance counselor. In some ways it feels like time has stolen them. How did this happen? And how did it happen so quickly? It is so odd to think that the next time we will have that chapter in our lives is when we are grandparents. Gulp. Your forties are a wild ride man!
Now that I have completely digressed I will climb down from soapbox, but only after I gently remind all you parents out their to photograph your children. Celebrate your family with portrait sessions because you will blink and those littles will be blazing through their awkward teen years and be heading off to college.
One of the many highlights of the month was a day of antiquing with my mom. It is a favorite that has been passed down through the generations from my grandma to my daughter. Although we all have our distinct tastes all of us cherish something that is unique and has a history. I have found that the Central Valley offers a lot of great antique stores with prices that are a little softer on the wallet. Our favorites are the Antique Mall in Salida and Magpie Antiques in Ripon (you can find links to every place I mention at the end of this blog post). I found several treasures and my birthday money was well spent. I even ended up going back to purchase a painting that I could not get out of my mind all weekend. Every day I look at it and am grateful for the purchase because it brings me joy.
As I mentioned, our college kiddo came home for a brief visit. She has so many people to see so our time, while short, was cherished. My heart just swells with pride at the amazing human she has become. College with its freedom and independence has done her well. We had one day to scurry off to Piedmont and Berkeley for a meal and some thrifting. These are two things we love to do together. I find I love her input (most of the time) when it comes to thrifted finds. She found a coffee shop to try and some “grandpa sweaters” while I scored a few high end and vintage finds. As always, the day was not nearly long enough, but we savored our time together.
My goal was to read 32 books this year. I will far surpass that. I am currently at 14. Pardon me for a moment while I do a happy dance. This month’s books were:
- Know My Name by Chanel Miller (this is a must read for EVERYONE!)
- Book Lovers by Emily Henry
- In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
- A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas
- One Day in December by Josie Silver
I have started a Goodreads account so head over there by clicking HERE if you would like to see my reviews of this month’s reads.
In honor of my birthday every year I like to grab some of closest and most adventurous friends for an adult fun day. It is an intimate group and an opportunity to try new things, visit new places, and have a ridiculously fun day. I am blessed to have a group of friends who meshes well. That is rare thing when introducing new people and that blessing does not go unnoticed by me. I treasure it and hold this group close to my heart because at the end of the day they always leave me smiling. My go-to location is San Francisco. You can be like us, born and raised in the Bay Area and still have plenty of places that you have never explored in The City. That is part of what makes it so special. On our agenda was wandering The Haight, finding some good bars, enjoying a dose of kitsch at a tiki bar, and dinner in North Beach. We did all of that and plenty more. Suffice to say my liver was tired the following day, but I am the age where that doesn’t take much anymore lol!
The Haight is full of color, from murals to tie dye to the people and quickly cemented itself as one of my favorite places in The City. Oh how I wish I could have seen it in its heyday of hippie life! There may be several gentrified stores, but it still retains its free love roots in many ways including the Grateful Dead House. The guys peeled off for some bar hopping while the ladies shopped and soaked up all the culture Haight-Ashbury had to offer. Zam Zam was an authentic little dive bar from the 1940s, complete with its resident dog that I insisted on becoming best friends with. We found the best Goodwill and I scored a sublime vintage faux fur coat. Lunch was at Magnolia Brewing and it was savory perfection.
My tiki dreams were fulfilled at Pagan Idol. Honestly, there is no detail that has been forgotten from the koi pond, to the starry sky above. The front half of the bar looks like the hull of a ship and the octopus sconces were a fabulous touch.The mai tais were mediocre but the vibe more than made up for it and I would return.
Around the corner is Rickhouse which promptly transported us from French Polynesia to prohibition. Very much a cozy speakeasy feel with some pretty fantastic drinks. I would have loved to stay longer if our stomachs weren’t grumbling. Saturday in San Francisco plus seven people means dinner would be a wait. That wait was worth it. We dined at Mona Lisa 3. It is lively and the food is decadent. Their Bolognese was savory and it paired well with the homemade ravioli.
It was a month filled with good stuff and some much needed healing for my mental health. Although I often feel like my days are much the same akin to Grounhog Day, it is also a perfect time to dig deep on all the things I want to check off my list before the busyness of spring takes over. Cheers to you friends!
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