Somethin' about nothin'

We've moved back to the city and we absolutely love it. One aspect of city living that we'd forgotten about is the free entertainment. It's incredible. And by free entertainment I'm referring to people watching. Has anyone reading this actually done any people watching in SF? It's not hard...just stop and look at the person next to you. (Try to keep the stares and open mouth reaction to a minimum.)

By simply walking down the road, we saw Moses dressed in a long leather trench, accessorized with leather chaps and gloves...completed with his long trench flowing out behind him as if part of The Matrix. We saw Santa riding down the street on a purple Harley while blasting some gangsta rap, and let's not forget the man wearing an impressive amount of barbie dolls. Yes, that's right...barbie dolls. (The pic has been cropped for the protection of young readers.)

And now my new favorite?

Well...it would take a local to be able to pull this off without anyone even blinking an eye.

We were having lunch at the Ferry Building Sunday, sitting on the back patio next to the water enjoying the sounds, the people, and the beautiful weather. What was soon right in front of us on his unicycle was a very tall (and not very slender) man wearing a full body suit (head cover included). This suit was a shimmering, hot pink leotard with an itty bitty silver cape. Strangely enough, not the outfit I'd expect to see on a Sunday afternoon, but whatever.

No music could be heard playing live or overhead (the clarinet player had already moved further down the pier), but that did not stop our new unicycle wielding friend from throwing his arms up as if frolicking through a meadow while singing The Sound of Music with Julie Andrews. To be clear, we're not sure what was actually coming out of his mouth...be it comment or song...but he was loud and proud and rocking that unicycle. Again I say...only in San Francisco.

Have you ever watched a wall of fog move towards you? It's as if it swallows everything in it's path and at the same time it's mesmerizing.  If you have the good fortune to see it, look closely. You'll find pieces of fog pushing out ahead of the wall, as if they're small arms reaching out to feel if anything will be in it's way...not that it really matters...it will roll right over the top and swallow them whole.

According to Wikipedia, it's also known as Advection Fog, and it's common along the California Coast. Here in San Francisco, it's a daily event, and part of what makes the area naturally beautiful. As we drive home and get within view of the marine layer coming in, the car turns silent. We're caught in it's trance, and it's beautiful. The arms and fingers are reaching out as the wall starts to feel it's way over the mountain, moving closer and closer to the buildings below. We decide not to head home (which is just below the fog line), and to drive straight towards the wall instead. We want to be part of it, to feel it, to watch it, to breathe it.

As we drive through the fog, we can see it racing by. It seems to be pulling our car, making us feel like we're moving faster and faster while we move deeper and deeper into it's belly. It's a massive beast and we've allowed it to swallow us whole. The moisture is thick, and releases the natural oils in the wild eucalyptus trees.  (It's nature's own humidifier...with scented oils.) The smell is incredible. Now this is aromatherapy!

Hours pass before we realize that it's late and reality starts to sink in. The hold on us is lifting and we begin to make the short drive home. It's been a wonderful evening, in a place where time seems to stand still...that is, until our eyes started burning and we couldn't get a sentence out without yawning.

I so often times hear about people who never leave the San Francisco area. In their minds, everything they need is right here. This concept is foreign to me, but when we're pulled into the fog it gives me a small glimpse as to why. I may never understand it completely, but I'll most certainly enjoy the view!

When I was young I did not have the a-typical view of what my life would be like when I grew up. My sister would describe a beautiful house, family, flowers, a perfect yard, and then go into great detail about what her home would look like inside and out.  Sometimes the color combinations were questionable at best, but we were young and my sister's image of her ideal home matured as she did.  I on the other hand had a much different vision. Sure, I dreamed of my home having flowers, green grass, and being beautiful inside and out...but my flowers were being tended to by the grounds keeper, the green grass was at the local park, and the beauty inside and out was from the building staff polishing the floors and walls until it sparkled.  At my front door was a doorman. He had a sharp, crisp suit and a smile to greet me. This is what I had always visioned.

Yes, my dream home was a high-rise, smack dab in the middle of a large city. I could almost feel the hustle and bustle of this city in my day dreams. What I didn't understand then, but do now, is what the draw was....and I'll tell you, it's the vibe. I love the way a big city feels, the way it moves. Each neighborhood has it own story to tell, and the people...oh, the people.

I'm lucky enough to live with my family in the San Francisco area. A big city different from all others, and one of the most naturally beautiful areas on the West Coast. Sure, every big city has it's ugly side, and let's not forget the traffic. I spent the day up in the Sacramento area for work, and what should have been a 2 hr commute home was almost 4 hours. My dear mom worries about how much time I spend in my car and is baffled as to how I could enjoy spending at times up to 7-8 hrs alone just driving. The answer is two fold.
1 - I enjoy being out and meeting new people, and I find the drive relaxing (yes, even in traffic)
2 - It's the view. It's beautiful in every direction.  (okay, so that was more like 2 1/2)

When I drove over the Bay Bridge today, the sun was shining over San Francisco. Just beyond the tall buildings was the thick marine layer moving in. The Golden Gate Bridge had already been engulfed and it was only a matter of time until the thick blanket would cover the entire city. Couple that with sailboats out on the glistening bay, and the sun starting to set, forming a colorful backdrop to the skyline. We do not have a doorman, but when I see that, I know I'm heading home.