Naked Beach

There is a beach that I always go to in San Francisco. (The one pictured at the top of this blog, in fact.) It has great views of the GG bridge and beautiful rocks, both for collecting and climbing on.

It also tends to have lots of naked people down on one end. My children think this is the funniest thing they've ever heard about, and even before we left for SF, Nathaniel asked if we could go there and if he could be naked, too.

I should note that I think the idea of a nude beach in a place that is always cold and always windy and has even colder water is silly. Just plain silly. But also, I like that my son is still free enough of body image issues that he would consider doing such a thing. So, like any mother trying to avoid the question, I said, "We'll see."

Nathaniel playing in the water on the more conventionally clothed side of the beach. This water is so cold that it numbs one's toes nearly upon contact.

This is my friend Damian who picked us up and drove us to the beach. Which makes him an accomplice. (He looks in the picture as if he is just barely tolerating me taking it...which is probably not too far off. He should have been grateful, though. Usually when we're at points of cold water, I make sure he gets good and wet. I was really nice this time. Mostly because I was tired, but still.)

See? Great view of the bridge! That's probably why everyone and their dog gets their engagement photos taken on this beach. I've yet to be there when there's not a professional photographer there. The couple being photographed while we were there had wandered a little too far down towards the this side of the beach, though, and had to dodge the naked guy who was walking back and forth along the surf and right into their pictures.

I would just like to say, I would LOVE to get that wedding announcement. Can you imagine? Cute couple looking all lovey dovey with the Golden Gate Bridge and a 40 something, average looking, naked white man behind them. Picturesque, indeed! I would be equally excited to attend their reception. If they've got the guts to send out that wedding announcement, I'm thinkin' the party could be a little more than just a chocolate fountain and wedding cake!

Here are the pretty rocks while the sun is setting.

And here is the picture that I plan on pulling out to show every single girl that Nathaniel ever even thinks about bringing home to introduce to me. My son, building a "sand toilet". I can't wait until he's 16!

By the way, in case you're wondering how Nathaniel received permission to be naked on what he now calls "Naked Beach", he wore me down until I finally said, "Fine. But you have to be the one to tell your father about it."

Well, what did you expect from someone who sends her kids to the hippie-commie preschool where even clothing is optional? (Though they do ask kids to at least wear underwear while at school, strictly for hygiene, but underwear nonetheless.)

Tourist-y

On Sunday, Nathaniel demanded that we walk around and see some of the sights he'd read about. First, we took a cable car from our hotel up up up to Pacific Heights where the closest LDS church was. After church we decided to walk down to Fisherman's Wharf (which I loathe) so Nathaniel could see the sea lions who hang out at Pier 39. Nathaniel was the photographer along most of the way and took pictures of anything he'd read about in books. I don't remember what this building is called. Anyone?

(The TransAmerica Pyramid. Thanks, Tricia!)

Coit Tower

The fog rolling in over the Golden Gate Bridge. You can just see a little bit of the top.

The top of Lombard Street. I was wearing heels and my feet were already killing me, so there was no way I was going to walk down it. Fortunately, Nathaniel didn't seem to mind. He had some sort of mental check list that we had to accomplish. And once we'd seen it and he'd taken a picture, he was good.

The Bay Bridge. Which was closed for Labor Day weekend. Because, ya know, nobody EVER drives anywhere during Labor Day weekend.

That's Alcatraz WAY off in the distance.

Nathaniel, my little tourist.

"That's a HUGE anchor!"

Finally, the sea lions.

And then we schlepped back along the crowded wharf to take a cable car back to the hotel, but the line was ridiculously long. My feet and pregnant belly and I consulted with one another and decided to take a wonderful, blessed cab. Our cab driver had a sense of humor, too. While going down one of those terrifyingly steep hills, he yelled, "Oh, no! The brakes are out!!!"

Hysterical.

Chocolate Pancakes for Breakfast

Nathaniel joined me as my "hot date" for my friend's wedding in San Francisco. This was his first edible introduction to my favorite west coast city!

A pretty fabulous way to start a trip, right?

"Poor Todd"

A recent conversation with Mark in which it was revealed that a mutual acquaintance has a piercing in a rather personal place:

me: Does he like it? Because it doesn't look at all comfortable, but I noticed so many guys in San Francisco had it.

Mark: How did you notice THAT?!

me: Oh. I was on a nude beach.

Mark: Were you nude?!

me: of course not. It's chilly in San Francisco. It seems like a very silly place to have a nude beach.

Mark: What were you doing at a nude beach in the first place?!

Me: It has the best view of the bridge.

Mark: Poor Todd.

me: Why poor Todd?

Mark: You're kind of a lot to handle sometimes.

Signs

I feel like I need a virtual support group. I am a reformed sign stealer. Like a former alcoholic in a bar,  I no longer steal signs but my fingers get itchy whenever I'm around a particularly clever one.

I was a sign stealer with standards. I never took anything that would compromise the safety of others. But sometimes there are signs which are just silly...or conveniently knocked over on the ground, or irresistible. Like this one:

I have a similar one that I took from the pavilion of a park which shall not be named in a state that won't be named either because I have relatives in law enforcement in that same state...and town. I was 16. It still hangs as decoration in my basement. In college it was the main picture in the living room of one of my apartments.

We are about to travel for two days on the highway. This is bad. Every time I go on a road trip I get itchy fingers and begin jonesing for this sign:

I always hope that there will be one knocked to the ground, but there never is. A girl can hope, right? Oh, big white question mark, someday you will be mine!!

I was better behaved when I was in England for a visit during college. There were great signs there that would have looked excellent at my place, but I was VERY certain that I wouldn't get them passed the customs agents. They're grouchy like that. But look how irresistible this one is! I had to content myself with taking a picture.

I really enjoyed this one in San Francisco, but it was too big to carry back on the plane. Oh. And I guess that would violate those standards of mine. Hm. I wonder if they make tourist versions that could be purchased in the airport gift shop...

Here's another one I really enjoyed, and it was these signs and others like them that started the whole "People Die Here" thing. I'm not sure if taking these goes against my standards or not. Isn't it self evident that you could fall off if you are climbing around on a steep cliff? I don't know that a sign is really necessary for that. Hm. I'll have to think about that one some more.

You may be asking yourself "Why is Emilia telling me about this bizarre compulsion of hers?"

Well, I will tell you why I'm telling you.

I walk around my neighborhood in the mornings. There are no street lights in my neighborhood, so at 6:30 am it is still very dark. (We're also on the very western edge of eastern time zone which makes it darker later in the morning.) Last week while walking, I had to really fight the urge to steal all the political signs off of everybody's yards. I was particularly tempted to take the ones of the party I'm not voting for. When I say tempted, I mean really Tempted. With a capital "T".



And that's what ultimately kept me from doing it. Not that I could be arrested. Not that it would have been stealing and therefore wrong. But that it didn't seem fair to steal the signs of only one party. Apparently, one of my sign stealing standards also involves equal opportunity practices.

Personal ethics are a real pain sometimes.

But in case it ever gets to be too much, I may need to reach out to a lifeline. Any volunteers to talk me off my neighbor's yards at 6:30am?!!

Anybody...?

Fine.

A Fierce Day

After dinner, there was more walking and talking and visiting and then Marc arrived at the apartment! Marc is a good friend of Sukhvinder's from her lab days in NYC. I hadn't seen him since Caleb was a baby, so it was fun to have a chance to get to know one another better.

Sukhvinder had to work the next day, so once Marc and I were up and dressed we headed out for a walk. A very long walk as it turned out. We walked two miles down to Ocean Beach and followed the coast all the way to Baker Beach. It was a wonderful time! The weather was perfect and the company sublime. And I'm still speaking in a German accent, because I spent the entire weekend imitating everything Marc said.

These are what's left of the Sutro Baths. I had seen an old painting of them years ago, but didn't realize that's what I was walking all over until after we came back up. There are horrible warning signs all over the place, but they don't keep you out. Which made Marc comment that they should just make the signs universal and say, "People Die Here!" (It sounds even better in a German accent.)
Me standing on the edge of a wall at the edge of a cliff on the edge of the country. I like edges.
Seriously, the hottest clothed man on the beach. Although, the naked ones weren't all that much to look at. It was a chilly day.

San Francisco 2008

I'm back!

And I'm really sore. But I'm also very satisfied.

First of all, San Francisco is one of my most favorite places to visit. Part of it may be the wonderful people I visit, but I think the other part is just the feel of the city. I love it there. The weather that keeps you guessing, the beautiful terrain, and the fabulous cheap food. What's not to love?

I got three hours of sleep before I woke up to catch my plane from Columbus, so when Sunny picked me up at the airport (which he kindly offered to do despite never having met me. You rock, btw, Sunny) I was already a little out of it. Still, it was a sunny day in SF with my new friend Sunny and we headed off immediately from the airport to eat Indian food. Mmm. Indian food. Once my mouth and tummy were both sufficiently happy, he took me to Sukhvinder's apartment. He totally would have entertained me the whole day, except I really needed a nap.

It was so great being at Sukhvinder's again! It felt a little like coming home since it was just last year that I helped her move in and shop for furniture. Happy memories! Shower and nap complete, I made my friend, Damian, come out and play with me.

Hm. I have no pictures of that. In fact, I don't think I ever take pictures when we play. I'm usually so busy dragging him along into whatever ridiculous activity I'm making us do, that I'm afraid if I let go long enough to get my camera, he might run away. Damian took me to the beach, only slightly unwillingly.


I love beaches. I like them cold and dark and angry and I like them warm and blue and sunny. Mostly I just like seeing the edge of things. (Living in the midwest makes me a little antsy.) The sun was out and the waves all sorts of fun to play in! And Damian made the most delightful squeaking sound every time the cold water got his jeans wet. When he started getting slightly shivery, we climbed up on one of the sand dunes and watched the sun set. Have I mentioned how much I love the beach? Sukhvinder and Sunny met us on top of the dune just after sunset for hugs and introductions all around. Okay, it was just me who hugged everyone.

This is an old picture of Damian, btw: (Look we have the same hair!)


(He's single and straight and owns stock in Google, ladies. I'll forward any inquiries on to him. If you're mean to him, though, I'll beat you up.)

Anyway, the four of us went back to Sukhvinder's apartment to get changed for dinner. While changing out of my wet and sandy clothes, I realized my phone was missing. Thus began the great phone hunt. We searched the apartment. We went back and searched the beach. Damian retraced our steps along the street. (Thanks, you guys.) It was gone, though. I called Todd to let him know what had happened and he replied that he'd just sent me a goodnight text.

I decided not to call the company just in case someone found it and was feeling honest. Apparently, though, around 3 am Todd received a txt message from my phone saying "F-- you, Todd. We're thru." While slightly off-putting, he knew it wasn't from me and went and canceled my account. Poor guy.

Anyway, dinner was delightful. The food was delicious (butternut squash ravioli in a butter and cinnamon sugar sauce with toasted sage) and the company was even better. I really love my friends. I know that sounds sappy and maybe even trite, but I feel so blessed to be loved by such wonderful and amazing people. Sukhvinder, I've known since we were 11 and Damian since we were 17. They have both become more dear to me over the years as our friendships have evolved and weathered all major life changes and continued on. It never ceases to amaze me that I can walk off a plane and into their arms and pick up right where we left off last time.

I'm going to get misty if I keep this up, so on to the next post! My day with the hot German boy!