San Francisco By Night

We decided to enjoy a weekend night in San Francisco and so as planned we perused through a couple of the local neighborhoods. We started in Union Square so that Lance could get a great taste of some of the shopping district. I think it's good for him to know where I'll be spending most of my time. Well, I definitely won't be doing that, but it's always fun to window shop.

At the corner of Union Square we hopped on one of San Francisco's infamous cable cars as we rode up to Chinatown. Oftentimes I feel like Chinatown has many of the same trinkets, dolls, fans, pearls--though still pretty--shirts 3 for $10, and much more. Well, this time, I made an added effort to find some of the more unique stores that appealed to us. One of the perks living out here is that I don't feel that I'm not in a rush to see and do as much as I possibly can in one quick trip. One of my favorite shops was Krystal Rock. What drew me into the store were the nautical decor and boats. I love boats, sailing, being on the water, and mostly the beach. I have been known to say that half of my heart lives on the ocean, specifically the beach. Lucky for Lance, we're here in the Bay Area and close to so much water. The store also had cars that looked quite antique, but the store owners said that everything was specifically made that way in China, not quite as antique as anticipated. I thought they were pretty cute and any guy who collects cars would think they were a hit. We spent a few extra minutes talking to them about some of their favorite things to do in the area. I love talking to people about their favorite ins and outs and best restaurants and activities in the because it gives me a taste of the local culture and fun flavor of life. Most people say many of the same things, but when you specifically ask for the local hot spots, you tend to get a few extra bonus attractions.

One of my next favorite stops we made was at the Chinatown Kites store. One of my favorite memories living in Washington D.C. was going to the National Kite Festival with my friends. Once a year on a beautiful spring day, the National Mall (when not under construction) is filled with kites galore, hundreds of them. There are tiny kites, homemade kites, kites that look like Chinese dragons, kites running in to each other, and any other fun shape you can imagine. Kites everywhere. I was lucky because my dad heard about the event and he sent me a kite that looked like the NASA Space Shuttle. I was impressed because little NASA did quite well.

Before we left Chinatown, and headed into North Beach, we made one last stop. City Lights Bookstore. It's full of books galore, those you love, those you don't love, and everything in between. The store is all over the maps, tourist spots, and people say it's also a local hangout joint. Apparently, it was also one of the first bookstores to have all paper back books. Paperback books, what an innovation. Now we can get books anywhere from a Kindle, Nook, Iphone, Ipad, and any other smart phone or tablet device.

After reading all this, aren't you hungry, because we sure were at this point. We headed into Trattoria Pinocchio where they are known for their famous homemade pasta. I loved my butternut squash ravioli and recommend it to anyone. Lance had a traditional chicken parmesan. I recommend the food, and just the decadent smells that filter through the kitchen should be good enough to love the food.

We ended the evening with a wonderful walk around Ghirardelli Square. Maybe Lance will want to buy one of these wonderful chocolate making machines.

There we found a treasure. I'm not talking about Ghirardelli chocolate, but Star Wars. Yes, Star Wars. We came upon the best Star Wars picture books for everyone, both young and old. They are part of series written by Jeffrey Brown. The only books we saw and purchased were, 'Darth Vader and Son' and "Vader's Little Princess." Here you'll see a few of my favorite pages. How can anyone resist this amazing find?

Here it is, 'Darth Vader and Son' by Jeffrey Brown. This is Lance's favorite page to the left and Lance's favorite page right. 

And then, 'Vader's Little Princess'. How could anyone not adore these books. You have to be Star Wars fan, but I think they are fantastic!

We love San Francisco! 

The Perfect Date = Oakland Temple + Fenton's

I still can't believe that it's been ten years since I left on my mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Believe it or not, when I opened my call to serve in Oakland, I wasn't expected for the breathtaking temple site that I would be privileged to serve in daily. Some of the stereotypes related to Oakland overshadowed my initial judgements of the city.

  

 10 YEARS AGO!

It only took me a second to realize that the Oakland Temple was a coveted landmark across the city.

After the mission, when others would ask me about serving in the Oakland Temple Visitors' Center, I would often tell them it was on the church's Top 5 Temple List. Clearly, no such list exists, but its spectacular beauty is a lighthouse to the city was prophesied in the temple dedication on November 17, 1964. David O' McKay referenced President Elder George Albert Smith during the dedication concerning the Oakland Temple by stating, "a Temple would surmount the East Bay hills, one that would be visible as a beacon to ships as they entered the Golden Gate from the far-flung nations of the earth." The prophecy rings true today. The Oakland Temple stands as a witness for all in the Bay Area. 


Lance says that I was jumping out of my seat as we approached The Oakland Temple in pure excitement. I feel so grateful that  I can share this short time with him in a city that will always play an important role in my life. I wouldn't say that I was jumping out of my seat, but I sure was elated.This time when I walked around the temple, I was able to share some of my favorite and most memorable moments of taking visitors around the temple from the fountains, the gardens, and yes of course, the proposal bench. 

One of the main scriptures engraved on the outside of the temple reads, "Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God and his righteousness . . . " The scripture continues by stating, "and all these things shall be added unto you." As members of the church live worthy to attend the temple, we are blessed beyond imagine. The temple is one of the most holy, peaceful, and serene places we can go. I know that only through the restored gospel of Jesus Christ can we marry in the temple and have our families be eternal. 

The church has grown so much since the Oakland Temple was built. It was the 13th temple in operation and today there are 170 temples around the world. This includes 141 in operation, 15 under construction, and 14, which have been announced. 

Now a temple trip to Oakland is not complete without a stop at Fenton's on the way home. If you know of Fenton's, then your mouth is probably already salivating, but if you have never heard of it, then you better make a trip out here. Let me set the stage and explain why I love it so much. First, many people know that I believe in eating ice-cream every day. Unfortunately, that doesn't happen nearly as frequently as I would like. Now, the Texans have BlueBell as we call it, the people in Utah love Coldstone, but Fenton's is in the heart of Piedmont, California. It's family owned and has been around for over 100 years. You wouldn't believe it without witnessing it, but the average one scoop is about four normal scoops that you and I make. 

Here we go, it's do or die. 

                              

Confession, we didn't quite finish, but we sure had a blast trying. 

The joy is in the simple fun that we have day in and day out! 

A Morning Stroll Through San Francisco

Lance and I have been enjoying our time as we explore the cities, both Oakland and San Francisco. This trip marks Lance’s first visit to the Bay Area and we’re having a blast. There’s this indescribable feeling that I get as I walk through the downtown of any major city, be it New York, San Francisco, or D.C. It’s a feeling that gives me so much confidence because I’m mixed in with all the hustle and bustle of everyday life. I think it’s a sense of urgency that everyone out here is busy, on the go, and getting things done, or so it feels that way. The inside of the city also holds a blissful personality with the numerous cute and quaint cafés that fill each of the neighborhoods such as in Russian Hill, North Beach, and Nob Hill. So many of them are family owned, quite original, and have been around for years.

Even though I love the individuality of all the local cafés in town, there’s nothing that speaks to my soul than pure good Mexican food. Believe it or not, our breakfast tacos at Gotts were amazing. I say amazing because most people know this restaurant for the mouth-watering hamburgers, french fries, and if you’re a lover of sweet potato fries, this is the place for you. I’ve become quite a connoisseur of breakfast tacos. Really, just tacos in general. I wish more restaurants used some of the basic authentic ingredients and toppings, such as queso fresco. It’s not that hard but makes the meal much more satisfying. Gotts restaurant has done it. If you’re in town, you 'Gotts' to try it.

Just your plain 'ol tacos--ricisimo

Even though I love the fast paced life, I've started to find my excitement in the simple details that make San Francisco unique. Thanks to Lance’s curiosity, I appreciate the small details around me much more. Here is one of the few quotes we found tucked behind some buildings overlooking the ferry docks.

On our first trip down to the city, we had a great day strolling along Embarcadero Street and stopping in all the shops. Literally all the shops! As I mentioned earlier, Lance has the curiosity for what’s new around him, and without it, we probably would not have walked into every shop. For example, most of you know all about Ghirardelli Chocolate, but have you heard of TCHO, pronounced ‘CHOH’ (the ‘t’ is silent). It’s one of the newest chocolate companies in the area focused on partnering with local farmers and developing the newest and best taste of chocolate in the area. Sounds like a tough match against Ghirardelli, right? Well, their business model is so unique that it draws in so many people, and of course, the chocolate is amazing! We found out their tours are free and who doesn’t like getting free chocolate at the end. My mouth waters for free chocolate daily.

If you’ve been to San Francisco, have you ever walked through Magowan's Infinite Mirror Maze? It was a fine little adventure that ended in about seven minutes. Apparently, we were told multiple people get hurt as they start charging through the maze only to find themselves running straight for the glass. Good luck and be careful.

Oh, and here’s another quote that will get your dreaming of this wonderful city. 

We continued the day through Pier 39 and watched the seals as they barked, teased, and flopped into the ocean. It was a great day to start our adventures in the Bay Area and we look forward to so many more.

Oh, did I not mention Lance's new car that he bought to start off his internship right? Not quite, but it's always fun to see a Lamborghini in town.

We love it, come and see! 

Ready, Set . . . Set . . . Set . . . Go!

Finally. It's here. I am writing a blog. The emphasis on finally merely comes from the fact that I said I would start a blog for roughly the last three to four years. The only real excuse I had for failing to accomplish the goal is the last year and a half as I have been attending graduate school. No excuses though because I have plenty of friends with great blogs who are in graduate school. So, before graduate school? Well, nothing. I have no excuse and hence the title, 'Ready, Set . . . Set . . . Set. . . Go!' Sure, I made up the excuse that writing has never been my talent, yet I say I want to improve my writing skills. Hmm. Nothing happened. So, what's motivated this year, besides the fact that I got married and it seems like everyone who gets married starts a blog for about six months, at least right?

Call me guilty, but I am starting this blog NOW 15% because Lance and I got married a month ago, December 21, 2013 to be exact. There's more, don't worry. How about also10% because I want to do a better job keeping in touch with people, 5% because I believe it will help me improve writing (friends, please feel free to email me on how to improve the grammar), and 70% because I promised my friend Melanie that I have a blog started by 7:00 pm today. These stats roughly estimate why I'm starting it today on Monday, January 19, 2014 rather than tomorrow, Wednesday, or Thursday.

I'm excited to share our adventures, travels, hobbies, and fun we have each day. It's titled, 'Our Sunny World' because Lance and I both try to focus on sunny the side of life. Life's so much better when you're happy, you're laughing, and look optimistically towards the future. I love Steve Tyrell's version of the song, "On the Sunny Side of the Street" that was used in the movie Father of the Bride: Part 2. On a side note, I remember countless times when my dad played this song in my home growing up and it brings back great memories of singing and laughing with my family.

Lance and I, we're pretty simple, we love life, learning new hobbies and skills together, traveling together, getting to know people wherever we go. We could not use sunny in the title if we both didn't love the sun. We love it, and anyone who knows me is aware of my affinity to the California sun. We're very excited to be living in the Bay Area for the next couple months and are excited for our adventures to come.

Stay tuned for more adventures to come next week--I promise.