orange violet: I Left my Heart in San Francisco. by violet

This past weekend, one of J.’s good friends from college who lives in the city got married. His parents were nice enough to lend us and Sam their condo near Union Square to use for the weekend.

Not only am I from the Bay Area, when I was a new college graduate I spent 6 months interning in San Francisco. Even though I had a ridiculous commute from my parents' place in Los Gatos, I remember my time spent in San Francisco fondly. I had my first laptop bag, a Caltrans pass, my first pair of black pumps and I was beginning to feel like a grown up. San Francisco was the place of my first after work happy hour, my first company holiday party. So I always look forward to going back.

Here are just a few of the highs and lows of this past weekend.

Lowlights
- Bumpy landings and take-offs both ways

- H&M – two different stores didn’t have the dress I was looking for

- Walking entirely too far in the wrong shoes – two separate times during the weekend. I should have brought sneakers.

- Jack hammering outside a lovely coffee shop

- Rushing to get ready for the wedding – sucks knowing that tons of pictures will be taken of you that evening and your hair just isn’t working.

- Cab drivers – note to SF cabbies, please learn how to accelerate and decelerate gently. Thank you.

- Not being able to see my family. My beloved niece, brother, sister-in-law, father and stepmother were less than an hour away but that I didn’t have time to see them that was MAJORLY guilt inducing.

Highlights
- The weather. Anyone who has spent any kind of time in the city can tell you, it never cooperates. It’s likely to be freezing cold in the middle of summer. But both Saturday and Sunday were 65 and above and sunny.

- My bus ride and short walk to the office on Friday. So much nicer than gritting my teeth at traffic on I-90 and the city was full hustle and bustle.

- My lovely San Francisco coworkers, who were so welcoming and so entertaining. Conversation, noise, creativity, everything that’s great about a small office.

- Lunch at Primo Patio. I wonder if they sell their jerk sauce online…

- Walking to the Ferry Building on Friday. I soaked up the sun and thought about how much I love being from such a beautiful place.

San Francisco's other bridge

- Sitting out at the Market Bar, laughing until my sides hurt

Always good to see Cato

- Sushi at the rehearsal dinner, steak and the wedding, the food all around was excellent.

- Sunset at the Saint Francis Yacht Club

Smooch!

- Breakfast Saturday at Tangerine

Mac and cheese for breakfast? Don't mind if I do.

- A bag of Belly Flops from Alexis

- Winning a bet based on my knowledge of a favorite childhood movie, Fern Gully (Thanks, Matt)

Me and Matt

- Table 13

- Champagne and wedding cake

Delicious

- Dancing to disco

Fist pump, Cato!

- Crab cake crepe from Honey Honey

- Seeing the Oregon plane at SFO

Go Ducks!

- The bride and groom - Nicki and Chris have been together since the end of high school, you could tell their friends and family was excited about this young couple starting their married life together. That fact helped infuse the whole weekend with a strong sense of love and family.