Indian Rock

Indian Rock has been on my "to-go" list since my high school MUN adviser suggested it back in my first semester here at Berkeley. He said the sunset from the Rock is incredible, but I have yet to see that. I had a picnic lunch with my church's media ministry team. For most of the time, unfortunately, the fog covered up the Golden Gate Bridge, but the view was still breathtakingly beautiful. It's not much of a hike - you can opt for the steps on one side of the rock. We had ham and cheese, cream cheese and cucumber, and peanut butter and banana sandwiches. But I definitely want to go back to watch the sunset. That would be a sight I do not want to miss! 

Northside is so much more beautiful than Southside. I would totally move there if it weren't for the long walk to campus. And if all my friends moved with me to Northside. 

Picnic at Tilden Park

We were finally able to find some time to visit Tilden Park last weekend. I underestimated how far it was (a 40 minute bus ride) but we were rewarded with beautiful, 75-degree weather. Our picnic was incredibly delicious: spam fried rice and lemonade (yay for a college student's budget). We didn't get to visit every part of Tilden, but there is a merry go round, lake, and canyon.

Living in the Bay Area has made me so appreciative of nature. The best (or possibly the worst) thing about Tilden Park is no cell phone reception. Without reception, we were able to talk and appreciate the park without phone interruption. Unfortunately, we didn't have too much time so we didn't make it to Jewel Lake. So, I guess I'll be making at least one more trip! No phone service also meant being stuck at Tilden Park, without any knowledge of when and where the bus was arriving. We walked a mile uphill to get out of the park and onto the neighboring streets to get service and find a busstop. Still, it was a great break from the weekly routine and schedule.

brunch at aunt mary's

I was recommended to go to Aunt Mary's Cafe for brunch...and it was totally worth it! First of all, the ambiance was perfect. I love that water is served in mason jars, something Christine and I want to try for our apartment. D ordered Grilled Shrimp and Grits (w/ tabasco gravy). The shrimp was amazing...and I don't usually enjoy shrimp at all. I ordered the Tex-Mex Fresh Corn and Summer Squash Fritters. This caught my eye right away because guacamole was included and for those who know me, I LOVE guacamole. The service was a little on the slow side, but I guarantee that the food is amazing. Overall, I was incredibly pleased with my first brunch back at Berkeley.

Way down Telegraph Avenue, near Aunt Mary's, there are a lot of dining places. I even found a Church's Chicken (totally must try). If I have the luxury of a free afternoon, I would spend it exploring Telegraph...past Berkeley and into Oakland.

Happy week's end!

To say that this past week had been completely physically draining would be an understatement. For some reason, this semester and this round of midterms have not been kind...at all. But this is the sun after the storm (quite literally too!). On Friday, after midterms were over, I bussed to Starbucks (craving satisfied) and John's Ice Cream with Christine after depositing my first-ever paycheck. That night, I slept for 10 hours, the equivalent of how I slept over the past 5 days. I seriously must say, sleep has never felt better. Saturday was filled with laughter, friends, and really good conversations. I ate brunch with Ashley at Le Bateau Ivre Cafe. Afterward, Kyuseok received his birthday surprise and the green hat syndrome was initiated (if you don't understand, just look for the green hat on everyone's head). Thank you Christine for the dinner date and our random conversations (source of joy, source of joy). Saturday night ended in the best way possible: I had some "big/little" time with Sophia. We stopped by Philz Coffee to check it off from my "to-do list challenge," ate at Gregoire (checked off from my personal places to go), and had really deep conversations over coffee and baking. I'm so blessed: I have the most amazing big ever. So forgive me, but this is going to be a long, picture-filled post.

I love visits from my best friend!

This past weekend was one of the best...sans homework, papers, and any academic thoughts! One of my good college friends told me that this is the happiest she has ever seen me. So, thank you, best friend for that! Tiffany came on Friday and we went straight to Crossroads Trading Company, Buffalo Exchange and Sway before heading off to ADX's semi-formal. At semi-formal, we ate at Saturn Cafe (yes! checked off another place to go) and stargazed at an observatory in Oakland. Tiffany and I felt like ol' grandmothers - by 11, we were exhausted. On Saturday, we exercised at the underground gym, ate brunch at La Note (yet another place checked off places to go...totally worth the 2-hour wait in my opinion), and visited the MUN conference to see some of our high school kiddos. Afterward, we barted to San Francisco's Westfield mall and busted a mission to come back in time for dinner with some friends. It was grrrrreat - definitely an adventure-filled afternoon! We spent the night watching 27 Dresses with some of my friends (thanks, Choey and Grace!). Now, I definitely cannot wait to visit Tiffany during my spring break!

a therapeutic Tuesday

It was one of those beautifully gloomy, cold days (finally! thank you, Berkeley!). After class, my very good friend Irene and I went down College Avenue to Jeremy's. I'm fairly certain this was my first time going out since second semester had started. Although we mostly window shopped, there is something therapeutic about browsing through racks of clothes and finding fashion inspiration. What I appreciated most were the cutesy Valentine items in the front of the shop. Strolling down College Avenue with Irene evoked memories from first semester, which seems so long ago. Last semester, we had less burdens and frequently visited Out of the Closet, Crossroads Trading Company, and 4th street. There is something relaxing about getting away from the campus, which to me represents work, stress, and all the upcoming midterms. And it's only the first year! But I know Jeremy's and College Ave will still be here for me (especially during summer).

checking off Urbann Turbann from the list

Over winter break, I made a list of places I'd like to visit in the Bay Area. Urbann Turbann made the list, and I've been wanting to go for awhile. It's similar to Chipotle in its burrito style, but the taste is very different. Their sauces are also unique, especially the yogurt one! The price is about the same as Chipotle (at least the one in Berkeley...just a side note: Chipotle is more expensive in Berkeley than it is in SoCal and it gives less too), but it's worth it: the portions are huge! The only down side of Urbann Turbann is its location on Northside.