NoCal > SoCal

I hate L.A. I figured this out a couple years ago when I visited with Caitlin. It's suburban sprawl and in order to get around you have to either a) have a personal driver or b) be some sort of oil sultan in order to afford cab rides, which at that point you probably have a driver anyways. Everyone I told about my distaste for SoCal promised me that I'd love NoCal. They were dead on.

I spent 4 days in San Francisco and I enjoyed myself so much that I actually changed my flight in order to stay another day. Looking back on the trip I really didn't see as much of San Fran as I saw of the other cities so I really think it was the company. Michelle and her snuggler extraordinaire of a dog, Dori, kept me entertained even while sitting around the house.

While in San Fran I also realized how great it has been seeing all of my really close friends. Everyone I have stayed with so far I've known and been close with for over 10 years. I started to compare these friendships with the ones I've made since graduating high school and becoming an adult and in a lot of ways they are so different. When you've been friends with someone for 10+ years you've seen a lot of each other, the good the bad and oh so fucking ugly and down right shameful. Which makes the friendship at this point seem effortless. Michelle and I at one point sat in her living room for 6 hours with out saying much of anything. Both busy in our heads with life and work but still able to just enjoy each others company. No pressure of having to strike up an interesting conversation, no pressure to entertain each other or impress each other. This is how its been with every stop I've made but in San Fran it was the predominant feeling. At any rate, it was just a refreshing feeling. Not better or worse than the relationships I've made in the recent past, just refreshingly different. Now that I've bored you with  my babble, feast your eyes.

Chinatown was beautiful

Funeral procession. I thought they only did this in New Orleans.

The procession stopped in a seemingly random spot in Chinatown. They took out the photo, gathered around, the band played a song, bowed and threw confetti (below). It was really a humbling thing to watch.

Pretty Bird

So this is the BEST (and only) Pho I've every had. It was in Koreatown and according to Michelle's Pho expert friends, this is the best in the land.

It's funny how in every city I've been to there have always been pigeons. It should be our national bird.

This was a truly inspiring view. I couldn't believe this was in front of me when only 3 weeks earlier I walked across the other iconic American bridge, the Brooklyn Bridge.

We went to the Mission for some Mexican cuisine. The Mission is the San Fran equivalent of Pilsen. Right down to the dirty hipster invasion.

BART Station. At this point we had spent the past 6 hours drinking in the Mission. Notice Michelle frolicking in the bottom of the photo.

Monies.