Back in San Francisco

NYMag

Happy New Year! (Can I still say that?) I didn't make a New Years resolution but that's mostly because I don't have anything 'new'*, I just need to continue aiming for the things I've been trying to work on: being healthy and productive and having fun. That's about as detailed a manner as I want to conduct life right now. So now we're almost two weeks into 2016 and I've just spent some time just refreshing the things around me and getting back into the flow after the holidays:

Cleaning up: 

I cleaned up my phone by deleting the apps I don't use, ~1,000 photos (after backing them up, duh), texts and the media still embedded in them. I freed up 4+GB's of space which is pretty awesome since my phone is two years old now and I want to keep it for a while longer. I also went through my closet and cleared out items to donate. It's funny that I've spent a few years supposedly paring down my wardrobe but still had a bunch of stuff that I don't wear anymore. 

Shopping:

Related, I'm putting myself on another shopping hiatus for the month (11 days down!). I still keep a running list of 'wants' on my phone, so this will give me time to consider what I should actually buy. I did have 'new sneakers' on there for a while, but I got a gift card for Christmas so I was able to get them. I still have some gift card funds left, so I'll use those on the 'wants' that still make the cut when my hiatus is over.

Eating:

I did a big grocery run with the aim of planning/making more meals and filling the kitchen with healthy snacks. I spent one afternoon making a pot of bolognese sauce and meatballs, and they came out wonderfully. I also gave up coffee... and succeeded for a weekend, because on Monday I accidentally ordered a cup along with breakfast. The habit is strong, apparently. But, I'll start over and see if I could skip it for the rest of the week, then maybe reward myself with some good SF coffee this weekend.

Relaxing: 

I started/finished both seasons of Mozart in the Jungle which is really enjoyable. I'm happy for GGB winning the Golden Globe, and counting on Amazon saying yes to a third season. The show is quirky and kind of like a Wes Anderson film turned into a modern-day sitcom. Reading-wise, I've started a couple books in the past month - Gloria Steinem's My Life on the Road and Aziz Ansari's Modern Romance: An Investigation. Enjoying both so far but not really rushing through them, so maybe I'll write more later on.

Finally, I've started catching back up with friends since getting back home, and walking around the city. Travel plans are being dreamed up. In the short term, hiking/brunch/yoga plans are actually being made. I'm excited to have some friends and family visit soon, too, so I can share what I love out here and see my home city through their eyes.





*In case it sounds really boring to not have anything new, last year I went camping and ice skating for the first time, and those weren't planned out resolutions, so I'm not worried.

November Wrap Up

November was a mix of new and old: I went to my first-ever NFL game and also did a 5K fun-run with friends from the office (okay, I've run races before BUT this one was different). I also went bowling with friends (before they dropped me off at the airport!) and hung out in Dolores Park for the first time in a couple months... gotta love the warm temps in mid-November... and visited home for almost a week.

July Wrap Up (Three Years in San Francisco)

from Pinterest

This month is my three-year anniversary of moving to San Francisco! Since I moved here during the summer, every year around this time I am reminded of that whole process, especially the housing search. I remember thinking, somewhat arrogantly, that if I could survive the NYC apartment search and even the DC market, then surely I could secure a place out in this "little" city. 5 days and 15 appointments/open houses later, I finally put an earnest deposit down on a spot, and it's become my home base for the past few years of West Coast adventures.

With that, here's the latest...

May Wrap Up

sunset at Bodega Bay

Some favorite moments of May: witnessing dear friends celebrate marriage; having my best friend visit from out of town; celebrating my husband's birthday with a weekend getaway and hiking among redwoods; and as always enjoying San Francisco during meals with friends and meandering through the Mission. I'll be at a music festival this weekend, which is the best way I could think of to start the summer.

"Take the compliment." Life Lessons from The Good Wife.

Why Women Should Watch The Good Wife