Traditions: San Francisco

I wanted to break this one down because I have a feeling I'll want to come back to other traditions throughout this year. But today I repeated one of my favorites. Since I met Nicole Keith in the sixth grade, we've been fast friends. We like to share the bizarre story of how we met (our parents dated) and then reaffirm the fact that our relationship outlasted theirs. It's our own little joke. But in reality, we're thankful to them for both dating and not lasting. Even though we're sure it was hard on them, we stayed best friends, even after I moved away to Virginia. However, now that I'm back, we've taken our tradition to a near quarterly trip.

As we've grown up together, we've consistantly loved two things: photo shoots and San Francisco. When we were in Elementary school and Jr. High, the photo shoots always revolved around dressing up in ball gowns in the dressing rooms of Jessica McClintock. As we keep maturing, those tastes keep changing (thankfully), but one thing hasn't: our love for our city. We frequent San Francisco in much the same fashion. We take BART to Powell, shop the vendors, then make our way (walking) down to Fisherman's Wharf and Ghiradelli Square.

Our adventures, though they always take the same route and we do much the same activities, are greatly varied. Certain trips stand out as wonderfully epic (Summer 2006), and some as disappointingly blah (March 2009), but we continue on. And, as following with one of our other loves, we document each trip in great detail. We take pictures of the fantastic hair salon that gives me the best (and cheapest) haircut and style I've ever found. We snap shots of the adorable dog tied via leash to a tree next to an Italian restaurant as the chef tries to offer him some extra treats. We giggle as we steal some pictures of the men dressed in some hideoous "swimming" attire as they get in trouble for drinking in Hyde Park and we rename the officer the Fashion Police.

Mostly, we document everything that catches our eye, whether it be an awesome yet weird mural or a knight in shining armor at Chrstmas time in Macy's. We make an impromptu photo shoot in the grass at Hyde Park as we contemplate our current situations and watch as lovers, friends, and families of tourisits stroll by. We dine at Melt, below Powell Street and enjoy the best crepes ever found underneath a mass transit station (and always make room for Strawberry and Nutella crepes). And even on occasion, we trapeze the streets separately and find fantastically epic pieces such as strawberry hats.

We laugh hysterically. We cry equally hard. These trips are our time to get away and just be with each other. They're our time to talk and hurt and heal. They're our time to watch the rest of the world pass by and see that maybe our lives aren't that hard, or maybe the small speck that we are has meaning. These trips are our time to be ourselves, dressed at our very best, of course.

These trips have helped keep me sane in California. I sometimes have said that although I don't like much about this state, I do love that city. It's true. The city holds my heart and many fond, blissful memories. So, on this night, I am thankful for Nicole and the tradition we have made our own. Here's to many more successful trips to our beloved city!