recently my husband and i celebrated our one year anniversary. the first road trip adventure we took was when we first started dating. we drove from san diego to san francisco. i was smitten with him and was giddy like a school girl with her first crush. he surprised me the night before with several music cd’s he had burned for the trip,  labeled sweetly with san francisco and hearts. we set out on the road and i knew instantly we were going to be the best travel companions. we talked, shared childhood stories and learned a lot about each other while on the road. we have our best moments on road trips together. it’s an opportunity to for us to re-connect and build new memories together. we love an adventure and prefer to travel to and stay in places that are off the beaten path or unique in some way.

i fell in love with san francisco the moment we arrived. there’s something about the energy of this city that’s different than anywhere else. people seem to walk to the beat of their own drum. there’s  an incredibly diverse and  eclectic variety of people so you know your tribe is somewhere in that mix. we decided someday we will live in san francisco. i’m manifesting it as we speak!

one of the things i love most about san francisco are it’s colorful buildings and brick walkways. it reminds me of my days living in boston. being in the city around the buzz of people is exciting and invigorating.

there’s a diversity of neighnorhoods in san francisco, a place for everyone. our first visit we spent most of our time in the mission and haight ashbury districts.

we bought these fun hats at a little vendor in the city. let yourself be silly and don’t take life too seriously…this is how we try to be in our relationship and our life.

one of my favorite places we visited was the golden gate bridge. it was my first time there. i had wanted to visit it for many years but it wasn’t until i met my hubby and traveling companion that i began to explore and travel as much as i now do. the view is breathtaking and reminds you of just how small we really are in this great big, vast world we live in. i wasn’t expecting it to be so cold and was under packed so we swung by crossroads trading company to pick up a sweatshirt before heading out for sightseeing. this place is amazing. they have the best selection of consignment clothes. i bought this wesc sweatshirt (and a whole bag of other goodies) for under $100.00. i love lace, and girlie dresses but i’m also a tomboy at heart and love to be comfortable in a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt. i also love the idea of re-using and re-wearing clothing. i find the greatest items of clothing in consignment stores and you can’t beat the prices as compared to buying things new. me climbing trees again…thank you beautiful tree for giving me this perch to gaze upon this wonderous view. we should thank the trees more often…they give so much.

there’s something about being with someone you love at the golden gate bridge. it’s always a romantic feeling and it’s often cold and windy so it’s a good excuse to cuddle up to your significant other and get a little romantic.

the second time we visited san francisco was one of the best trips of my life. you’ll understand why when you hear more of the story. we flew to san francisco this time. it was tim’s birthday. i had planned a quick trip. we flew in on a friday and met his aunt who lives in burlingame…more about this town later in a future post. we stayed with her for one night then ventured off in the morning to explore the city. you can get around san francisco via car but the parking is so expensive and such a challenge that a more reasonable and affordable way to get around is the bart. not only is it affordable but it’s more eco-friendly than driving a car. this is another thing i love about san francisco. they really pride themselves on using other methods of transportation such as the bart or riding bikes. they are far more bike friendly than i am used to here in san diego which is a big plus of san francisco in my eyes.

We booked a room at the red victorian. it was a quaint little bed and breakfast with an eclectic style and a great vibe. they have since changed ownership and describe the hotel as an immersive, experimental, mixed-use space with a diverse cross section of people from around the world coming here to work on projects, see the city, find collaborators, and create the world they seek. bringing people from all over the country and world together to share art, ideas and collaborate together. change makers…yes! i love it already! i’m big on social change and surrounding myself with change makers. people who strive to change the world for the better. it is possible. i’ll be sharing more about important change makers in future posts.

after exploring the city we headed out to visit muir woods. i love the city but am a true earth child at heart and will always find a way to take in nature on our travels. the drive was a pleasant one (though a bit twisty…a little car sickness but well worth it). we got to muir woods and it was absolutely breathtaking. the size of redwoods is astounding…again, we are so small. we went for a lovely hike through the trails and took some photos as we explored. i took a moment to close my eyes and breathe in and connect to the beauty around me. we are so hurried in life. it’s so important to have moments of stillness. these are the moments in which we are most connected to ourselves.

we left the woods to visit muir beach.  muir beach is a quaint little beach. i observed that there was no one else around except for two people riding horseback with the sun glistening on them. as i took this image in i heard tims words…the best words i could every hope for. will you marry me?…yes!

what are the chances that as we were taking pictures of this momentous occasion that a woman would walk up. we would ask her to take a photo and she would be a professional photographer. she was taking a walk, a moment away from her husband at home who was sick with cancer. she said this was the brightest news she had heard in weeks and would be pleased to photograph us. turns out she works for national geographic photographing elephants. such a small, connected world full of many surprises. i still think about her to this day and hope she and her husband are happy and healthy.

the jacket i’m wearing in this picture is one of my favorite jackets by obey clothing. it’s warm and cozy but lightweight enough for san diego. my husband bought it for me from my all time favorite local boutique mimi and red. i’ve been shopping there for years and seriously 80% of my wardrobe comes from their store. i try to support small businesses and contribute to my community as much as possible. the owners truly care about their customers and have a tremendous love and passion for what they do. plus they are incredibly reasonable and offer items at a price list that is affordable for those of us who run on a tighter budget. more about mimi and red in future posts!

we celebrated with a snack and a glass of wine afterwards at this english style restaurant, the pelican inn across the way from the beach. more in a future post about our re-visit to this sweet spot for our anniversary. it’s a great spot to have a bite to eat and a glass of wine or beer after taking a walk on this quaint little beach. we haven’t stayed the night in one of their rooms yet but plan to in the future for sure!

we stopped at some train tracks on the way back home and i captured this shot of tim. savoring the trip to the end but looking ahead to future adventures.

“we travel not to escape life but for life not to escape us”

more about our adventures to san francisco in future posts. here’s a hint, speak easy restaurants, lace and treehouses!

much love Shawnee