But what a dream we lived today

Just when it seems like little to nothing notable is happening, I take a second look. There was a Ventura trip, Lunar New Year celebrations, after-work escapades, rain, a cheese party, but mostly rain. It’s been a January. Shall we dive right in?

We’ll begin with sunshine. Ventura. What a joy. First there was the best affogato of my life (soft serve made with buffalo milk? like what the heck? I’ll tell you now it’s the creamiest thing you’ll ever set lips on), then a Dang!-good smashburger (buying a t-shirt good), a few solo glasses of wine (dry Jan may have stopped some but certainly not me, not this year at least), a matcha, fab fish tacos from Spencer MacKenzie’s (Spanky Mchanky’s to some), a gnocchi bake that was so good it made me like gnocchi bakes again (I made one previously that was so god awful I swore to never eat it again, so the fact that I loved this one enough to replicate it when I got home says a lot), more matcha, and an Aussie bakery/breakfast spot that made me like pesto again (idk just feels like pesto was everywhere for awhile and like enough already ya know?) and the same place reiterated my love for strawberry everything (I almost crashed eating a strawberry danish on my drive home but it was worth it). I also got to hang with my sister’s dog. Oh and her and her husband (KIDDING! about acting like they were an afterthought). Truly the best hosts. We did all my favorite activities like F45, shopping, and walking, and they never acted like they were tired of me once, which was really nice of them to pretend. If I could give them ten more hugs I would. It was the sunny week my little ol’ heart needed.

I returned home and immediately went to Lunar New Year celebrations with the buds. We saw the lion dancers dispensing luck. All the kids in the front row seemed to get most of it, the lucky bastards, but I think a little made its way back to us.

Later that week, I went out on a school night (!) downtown (!!) for the first time in I don’t know 5 years? Okay probably not that long. I think I went to a comedy show downtown like a year ago. But still. Damn I miss it down there. Everyone says there’s an energy to downtown and I’m going to say it too. There’s an energy to downtown! And it’s fun! There’s people walking around laughing with each other. There’s cars going too fast like seriously slow down. There’s still the Transamerica mini redwood forest! There are drinks and they’re even more expensive! There are new restaurants (Outta Sight 2! spectacular!) and old restaurants that reopened (Verjus, maybe not sure why it reopened though, like the potential is there but they literally seated us at a shelf instead of a table, with a backless stool, and it was so loud I couldn’t even hear myself blab on and on to my friend who was actually probably thrilled she couldn’t hear). There was even parking, outdoor shuffleboard, and ice cubes with Transamerica carved into them that the bartender said cost $2 each. And of course the views (you peek right down the street and the Bay Bridge is smack in your face, then you look right up and you’ve got cable cars climbing to the clouds). I couldn’t recommend a trek down there more. Bring a friend who hasn’t been down there in awhile either and laugh and laugh and laugh together.

Rain. Don’t get me started.

Then came the raclette cheese party. Great fun like past raclette parties. But unique this time was the accidental fire that burned through the table cloth. “It’s okay if the tablecloth melted, just so the table is fine.” It wasn’t. But the cheese was fine. Better than fine actually. So no harm no foul, right?

This brings me back to the rain, atmospheric river, pineapple express, which ever term you prefer. I’m going with pineapple express even though that makes it sound fun, which it wasn’t. But sometimes lying to yourself is necessary to spark joy. I still did my regular park walks. The crinkle-haired dog sightings were cute. The mud stains on my sweats weren’t. But that’ll teach me not to go outside in sweats. Not really, but it should. Some might say “We needed this” but they're probably from Southern California and confused about the climate they are currently living in. What us San Franciscans need is sunshine. Or maybe just this one needs sunshine (did I just refer to myself as a San Franciscan? the locals are gonna kill me, but it's almost been 10 years of living here so maybe they'll make an exception? who am I kidding, no local is reading this). Which brings me to today. Blue skies as far as the eye can see. So I went for a walk, and then later in the day I went for a jog (today is totally a weekend, I would never step away from my desk that long ever). The rain returns tomorrow. But what a dream we lived today.

An Ode to the Richmond

It Was December - Rose Gardens, Golden Gate Park, SF - Dec 2018

I can't say I ever thought I'd find myself writing an ode to the Richmond. Not when I first moved to SF and was told by a then-resident, "When looking for places to live, avoid Richmond and Sunset. They're too far out. It's like not even living in SF." And I definitely did not see myself writing one when I lived in NOPA, where I couldn't figure out why anyone would ever live anywhere else if at all possible. And yet, here I am, writing one.

See the Irony? - My Backyard - Richmond, SF - Oct 2018

Sidewalk Koi Fish and Bougainvillea - Richmond, SF - Oct 2018 

Moving to the Richmond was more by convenience than by choice. A friend of mine moved out, and I needed a place to move in. As with most things in my life that I grow to love, I didn't like it at first. It was too quiet (both literally in terms of noise and figuratively in terms of restaurants, bars, etc.) It was too spread out (you mean I have to walk 10 blocks to the closest grocery store?) And, almost all my friends lived elsewhere.

It's still quiet. It's still spread out. And almost all my friends still live elsewhere. But I grew to love the Richmond Spread, as I'm deeming it. Call me crazy. It's okay. One-year-ago Leah would too.

There's a Bus Stop - Richmond, SF - Dec 2018

Bad Hair Day - Baker Beach, SF - Oct 2018

Let's begin with the Richmond Spread in terms of distance. Initially incredibly damn irritating. The distance from one place to another is multiplied by four in comparison to the rest of the city. But also, so what! Because everything is a bit more spread out, every errand is practically begging to be an adventure. And while I'm not always looking to make an adventure out of grocery shopping after work in the dark, weekend roaming can be a good ol' time. Every other block offers a view of the Golden Gate Bridge, and if anyone tells you they're tired of seeing that, then they're lying or nuts. Also, the park and the ocean are present.

If You Look Hard Enough, There's a Bridge There - Richmond, SF - Dec 2018

If You Look Hard Enough, There's a Bridge There, Pt. 2 - Richmond, SF - Dec 2018

So now the Richmond Spread in terms of what the Richmond has to offer. I mean, what doesn't it have to offer?! Lots. But also lots to offer. It's like a smorgasbord board (thought it was spelled 'shmorgeous') of nearly all of SF. You've got Trad'r Sam's, the best tiki bar known to man (I'm biased.) You've got the best ramen known to man (I'm not biased.) You've got Cinderella's, Arsicault, Fiorella's, The Bitter End, Tommy's. You get the picture. The place is overflowing and yet empty, and I love it.

The Greatest Wednesday on Earth - Japanese Gardens, Golden Gate Park, SF - Oct 2018

And now the Richmond Spread in terms of variety. The people don't fit into a type. There's families and college kids, young professionals and old winners. Not once have I thought, "Do all these people get their hair cut at the same place?" And I like that kind of a neighborhood. Keeps you grounded.

They Weren't Running Before This Photo - Golden Gate Park, SF - Dec 2018

Much like the people, the houses and architecture don't fit into a type either. There's Victorians mixed with...other styles. I'm not going to pretend to know architecture. But I will tell you, there are all sorts of houses mixed together. It's eclectic and not always cohesive. And, yep you guessed it, I love it.

A Photo of the Power Lines - Richmond, SF - Nov 2018

The Camera Could Have Been Crooked - The Richmond, SF - December 2018

So anyway, before I get too carried away, does anyone know of any apartments opening up? It's like I don't even live in SF.

Breakfast That Died and Went to Heaven - The Mission, SF - Dec 2018

Ornate, Who Me? - The Haight, SF - Dec 2018

The Holidays When You Live in a Van Down by the River - The Haight, SF - Dec 2018

That's a Damn Rooftop Right There - Duboce Park, SF - Dec 2018

Could Only Find One Paint Can - Duboce, SF - Dec 2018

Yosemite and Lots of Words

Could the View Get Any Better? - Glacier Point - Yosemite, Day 1 - September 2018

The thing about Yosemite you must never forget is that it does not have a free shuttle that'll take you around the park. Nope. Not even after you've backpacked roughly 15 miles in 3 days with over 6,000 feet elevation gain. Not even if your permit tells you to start at Glacier Point and end at Little Yosemite Valley. Not a chance. Don't even think about it. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Glacier Point is the prettiest point I've ever stood and looked out. Okay, that might be an exaggeration because this is Earth and there are a lot of beautiful points. But I couldn't have asked for a prettier beginning. At Glacier Point, Half Dome stands proudly naked surrounded by its lesser friends, family and enemies (assuming of course that nature comes to life when we aren't looking as I was told as a child which resulted in me, sometimes even still, trying to sneak up on flowers to catch them talking to each other). Just look at it!!!

A Couple of Nature-Loving Kiddos - Nevada Falls - Yosemite, Day 2 - September 2018

Day1:
After driving four hours, we were thrilled to begin. We started by hiking the Panorama Trail, which really lived up to its name—you know, panoramic. We saw four deer! One was clearly a teenager trying to be cool and hang at the back of the pack, a few hops behind the rest but actually just looked a bit lost. We camped at Illilouette Creek. That was a lovely campsite. We ate our dehydrated dinners by the creek (It was more like a river in my opinion.) Some of the guys had the best mac-n-cheese I've ever tasted. And then I went to sleep terrified bears would eat us while Ryan calmed me down.

Butts - Panorama Trail - Yosemite, Day 1 - September 2018

Up on Cripple Creek - Illilouette Creek - Yosemite, Day 1 - September 2018

What a Bridge View! - Illilouette Creek - Yosemite, Day 1 - September 2018

Day 2:
The next day we started at 9am to take on Half Dome. Our first stop was Nevada Falls. That place was damn pretty. It might have something to do with the horses that rode past right when we got to the top. But it also might have nothing to do with that and is just inherently spectacular. We then made our way to Backpackers Camp at the base of Half Dome. We ate lunch (delish PB&J roll ups) and left our packs to hike Half Dome. At this point, we're three miles in with three and a half more miles up and back and I'm wondering how I got myself into this but also really happy to be there. You know? So we hike up Half Dome and the views are wow. Being too terrified of dying, I hung at Quarter Dome while the guys did the ropes to the top. I took a nap while the guys were up there. They raved about the views. I raved about my nap. It worked out well. Gosh, everything was so beautiful. We all descended together, made dinner and relaxed by the river on the hammock. The campsite had toilets (!) where a sign informed us cougars had been around. Ha ha. But also scary. What a day.

Sure Hiked up a Hill for This Perspective - Panorama Trail - Yosemite, Day 2 - September 2018

Vanna White Never Looked So Good - Nevada Falls - Yosemite, Day 2 - September 2018

You Come Here Often? - Nevada Falls - Yosemite, Day 2 - September 2018

Quarter Dome - Yosemite, Day 2 - September 2018

Nap Views - Quarter Dome - Yosemite, Day 2 - September 2018

Watching People More Brave Than I - Quarter Dome - Yosemite, Day 2 - September 2018

Down We Go - Half Dome Trail - Yosemite, Day 2 - September 2018

Day 3:
We hike down the four or so miles. The path was essentially a set of stairs for miles, which was a bit tough on the knees and quads of those who have little to no muscle mass from not working out for three months (me). In hindsight, I loved the rickety staircase that lead us down the mountain. At the time I was focused more on my legs not giving out. Once at the bottom, the shuttle stop bench was the most comfortable thing I had ever sat on. We planned to meet at a bar in a nearby town. But that was before we realized the shuttle wouldn't take us back to our car. It was either buy a tour bus pass for a tour two hours from then or hitchhike. There were six of us. We bought the last five tour passes and lunch and hoped the standby list wasn't wishful thinking. Luckily it wasn't. And bonus, the tour was super interesting. We got back to the car and headed home, stopping not for a beer but instead in Nowhere for dinner at Taco Bell before carrying on. It sure was nice to sleep in a bed that night.

Shaky Legs and Joyful Hearts - Vernal Falls - Yosemite, Day 3 - September 2018

Ryan, the World's Best Hiking Partner - Yosemite, Day 2 - September 2018

Some Fun Bits:
-I made Ryan and I bring too much food because I was terrified of being hungry. Smart right? Well no. It really just resulted in extra pack weight and lots of leftovers we didn't want to touch because that's all we had to eat for three days straight.
-I almost cried twice from exhaustion, heat and out-of-shape-ness. But I was lucky enough to be with the best group who was supportive when necessary and not-noticing-a-thing when also necessary.
-Snickers and Coca Cola are wonderful pre-hike snacks. And now that I think about it, they're wonderful after-hike snacks too.
-I loved the trip so much. And I love reminiscing on it even more.

Glacier Point - Yosemite - September 2018

I've been putting off writing this because I couldn't decide what words to pair with the ol' Yosemite—I didn't want to let it down. It's a place, I felt, that's far more for the eyes (and perhaps the lungs) than the paper. But in true Leah fashion, some written something is better than no written nothing. So, if there's any way to end this, it's to urge you all to GO! Go see it for yourself!

Trust Your Gut

Who needs green grass? - My house - Salt Lake City - Sept. 2018

I've been a huge fan lately of killing time by writing 500-word short stories. This is especially convenient when I have little to do at work because I still appear to be working. Suckers! Convenient when your pass time is similar to your work time. This particular story came out of a writing challenge with my guy. My story is slightly morbid, but in a fun way. You know? The topic was Origin and the length was 500 words or less and the time with which to write it in was repeatedly extended and go!

Meticulously placed rocks - Salt Lake City - Sept. 2018

Landscaper came yesterday - Salt Lake City - Sept. 2018

Trust Your Gut

By Leah Saycich

The cookies showed up unannounced but not unwelcome. Cookies weren’t her favorite treat by any means, not even close. Apple cobbler, strawberry shortcake, her mom’s cheesecake, a cannoli, eclairs, ice cream sundaes, peach pie, and fruit tarts all came before any cookie on her list of favorite treats. This particular cookie, the classic chocolate chip, didn’t even come before shortbread, oatmeal cookies, raspberry thumbprints, madeleines, and frosted sugar cookies. She wondered how they became the classic treat to bequeath upon others. But, again, the cookies weren’t unwelcome.

With one hand on the door and one on the frame, she stared down at them lying uncomfortably squished and stacked onto a single red paper plate. Some cookies were no longer flat but more of a downhill slope after resting half on the edge of the plate. They should have let them cool first. 

She noticed the stark contrast her West Elm jute doormat had against the cheap red paper and saran wrap loose and stuck to itself. As she picked up the heavy plate—they always weighed more than they appeared to—she had to remind herself it was a kind gesture, the cookies.

But kind as it was, the origin of the cookies themselves remained a mystery. What sort of person leaves cookies on another’s doorstep and doesn’t leave a note. It’ll be humiliating when a few weeks from now at a neighborhood barbecue she felt obligated to attend the bestower says in front of three other neighbors, “I hope you enjoyed the cookies!” And she’s left scrambling together a thank you three weeks late, and not in the proper fashion with a thank you card, for cookies that were probably made with frozen Nestle cookie dough.

But that wasn’t the only thing that worried her. If she didn’t know where the cookies came from, were they safe to eat? She wanted to eat them, of course, even if they weren’t among her favorites. The crispy on the outside and soft on the inside three-bite delight sprinkled with the perfect amount of chocolate chips, or were those chocolate chunks, to cookie ratio. The longer she looked, the more appetizing the cookies became.

She decided the origin of the cookies didn’t matter. It was a safe neighborhood after all. She unwrapped the plate like it was Christmas morning, tugging a bit too hard and a bit too fast—her eagerness getting the best of her.

Two bites in and her delight turned to repulsion. Something was very wrong. This was not how a chocolate chip cookie should taste. She looked closer and found it wasn’t a chocolate chip cookie at all but a snickerdoodle with walnuts(?). As her throat began to swell in allergic protest, she crumbled to the floor. The anaphylactic shock was setting in before she could reach help. So, there she lies on her itchy jute mat dreaming of all her favorite treats that would never leave her to perish on her own doorstep.

Hide and Seek - Salt Lake City - Sept. 2018

Trees for bangs - Salt Lake City - Sept. 2018

See ya later - Salt Lake City - Sept. 2018

I've taken up morning walks lately. Since moving to Salt Lake, I walk like 90% less than I did in SF. And not only did I feel unhealthy, antsy and just generally lazy, I also absolutely love walking and looking at my surroundings. So I decided to start walking in the mornings when it's actually cool enough out that I don't sweat my entire body weight of water. And there was a beautiful time period where I would say hi to a family of snails playing (or so I assumed) in the water of an early sprinkler, but they don't come out as much as they used to. Looks like I'm going insane. But seriously, have you seen a baby snail ride on the back of a larger snail?! Add it to the "To Do" list. 

Is the house crooked or am I? - Salt Lake City - Sept. 2018

The house not on a hill - Salt Lake City - Sept. 2018

The photos of the houses are the houses I see on my walks. They're all unique and beautiful in their own way. One house always has its front door open in the morning. Although I never see anyone in or around it. Another has two lab puppies they very trustingly let play freely in the front yard. And one has two plastic lawn chairs on the driveway where an old man and his wife sit and relax at the end of the day. I sometimes walk in the evenings too. That is how I know that detail.

Lawn over living space - Salt Lake City - Sept. 2018

Lay low - Salt Lake City - Sept. 2018

P.S. I'm returning to SF. I'll miss you Salt Lake houses. But also, where are all the people?