Found two new additions to my T-shirt drawer today on the one and only Telegraph Ave! Both done by local designers in The Bay!! Very satisfied 
* this one i love! its from the real cool store, upper playgound
* this one is just too cute to pass on…
Bakesale Betty, one of the neighborhood favorites. Not only do they have delicious baked goods – their apricot almond scones are to die for, their famous chicken sandwich has also been a long time destination for many! Yesterday, I finally had the chance to try it for myself, it was truly satisfying! I never knew how fun it could to eat off an ironing board while sitting in the sun, right next to one of Berkeley/Oakland’s busiest intersections. Of course, the two slices of complimentary pies from “Betty” probably added some flavor to the happy mood! Simple pleasures in life are the best pleasures in life! Don’t take my words for it, try it yourself! 
Just got back to Cali yesterday, and lucky me, I landed in the middle of the perfect fall season. The leaves have just turned yellow, yet the sunshine is still warm and cozy, the sky is still blue and crisp, and the air is still fresh and plentiful!
After a long travel, it is always comforting to be back home again. Aside from the endless unpacking, much interesting moments from the trip are waiting to be updated here…
After much practice and the help of a slow wind morning, I’ve made some progress today. I successfully tacked (upwind turn), jibed (downwind turn) and sailed without falling in water. It was so much fun. In fact, I felt so encouraged after the 4-hour class, I went back into the water with a smaller board under windier conditions for another 3 hours to practice. In retrospect, that was probably not that great of an idea, since I was already very physically exhausted after the morning training. And I can’t believe how much difference a slightly smaller board can make on water. It is so much harder to balance. I pretty much spend most of the 2nd half of the day in and out of water and peddling against the current. Very frustrating. I probably should have stopped after the first 4 hours. Oh well, no regrets, it was still an amazing day to be spend in the water. My body is so worn out now, my elbows are both bruised from climbing back on to the sailboard countless times. At the end of the day, I was so beat, I had to actually get towed back to shore. But then again, if not for all those falls during the day, I probably won’t be enjoying dozing off on the sofa so much right now!
Yes, I am having a little ocean fever right now. I just can’t seem to get enough water activities these days. So this week, the chosen challenge is windsurfing. I watched it from ashore for the first time in my life when I discovered the beauty of the Berkeley Marina 2 weeks ago. It looks like one of the most liberating sports on water. But, as I learned today, to get to the point of flying across water, countless falls must take place. 4 hours today and another 4 tomorrow. Hopefully by the end of tomorrow, I will somehow get a shot of me actually standing on the board with the sail in my hands. haha…
I had an action packed weekend!
Inspired by my walk in the Berkeley Marina and the previously discovered lust for the ocean, I took a sea kayaking class with Alex this past Saturday. For those of you that know me well, don’t be shocked. I know I have always been a scaredy cat when it comes to being in water, especially very cold ocean water. I am proud to say that with the discovery of the wonderful and powerful wet suit, I am no longer afraid of falling into cold water In fact, during the 8-hour sea kayaking class, I fell into the ocean 3 times, 2 of which were for practice. Surprisingly, the 3rd time was when I had the most fun. The fall was completely unexpected and in turbulent waves, but since I was already previously trained on what to do should such a fall occurs, I did not panic at all. I actually loved it. Alex even performed a rescue on me. It was awesome!
In case you were wondering what is there to learn about sea kayaking in 8 hours, like I did going into it, there are actually a lot. In fact, the 8-hour course that Cal Adventures offer was a crash course for sea kayaking. The normal course is a 12 hour training over 3 days. Like many things in life, the finer details are what tend to make the difference between someone who think they know what they are doing and someone who does know what they are doing. And kayaking is not an exception.
I’ve lived in Berkeley for over 8 years now, but somehow, I always forget the existence of the great Berkeley Marina and what it has to offer. Ever since the discovery of my love for the ocean from my most recent San Diego trip, I’ve been craving desperately for another encounter with the water… And it was not until yesterday that a light bulb finally went off in my head, I can simply drive for 8 minutes down University Ave and find myself surrounded by the bay. Ironically and frustratingly, sometimes what we desire most can literally be found right under our nose, yet we spend all our time looking around in the wrong corners.
Although the Berkeley Marina has no white sand beach, it does, however, have an amazing view of Oakland, San Francisco and the ever so mesmerizing Golden Gate Bridget. The blue sky of Berkeley matched with the calming sound of the gentle water rolling ashore, I was in harmony! How did I not take advantage of this natural resource earlier? But there’s no time for regrets nor what ifs, I am too happy immersed in the beautiful sunshine at the moment!
* thanks to Cal Adventures, Alex and I will be taking windsurfing, sea kayaking and sailing classes here starting next weekend. so exciting!
* even the birds are so peacefully enjoy the moment
* i also discovered the Adventure Playground for kids in the Berkeley Marina. what a great service to offer for those adventurous parents while they are exploring the sea or simply enjoying an adult walk along the pier!
* last, but not the least, my little friend, the ground squirrel. he was right there next me, enjoying the fun of discovery!
Yesterday was the kickoff game for the Cal football season. Last season, during this game, we were upset by the Vols in a huge way, so as you can imagine how big of a deal this game was going to be. Everyone was pumped for it.
Its been a year since my last Cal football game, and I almost forgot how wild the whole place can become during times like this. The energy, the youthfulness, the liveliness, and the rising level of adrenaline floating in the air were unavoidably contagious. The minute you set foot on the campus streets, you know you were in Bear territory. People were spilling out balconies of frat houses, door steps of bars and restaurants, every single sidewalk leading toward the stadium, and of course, our notorious Top Dog joint! Oh Bear pride was in the air…
At last, our Bear fighters did not let us down. They brought us a victory of 45 to 31…
* of course the frat houses were hoppin’
* the band was playin’ and the alums were lovin’
*the beer pong was bouncin’
*the enemies (and the t-man) were comin’
* the line outside of Top Dog was out of control!
*my game face was rockin’
* the stadium was jammin’ and the people have spoken
* by half time, the Bears were already kickin’ the enemy butts by 10 points
* yes, believe it or not, the game did last til night. it was all excitement though
* there’s no better way to celebrate a Bear victory than the good old La Burrita
It’s yet another beautiful Saturday in Berkeley, but this afternoon, I did something that I haven’t done for a long time, chill out in the park with a blanket, some watermelon, water, a book, a football and some friends (the last two in the list are not usually in my park routines).
I’ve always loved to hang out in the park on sunny days… But usually, I enjoy the quiet time that I get to spend with nature and myself. Today, however, was a little different than usual… I was active and social-able in the park. My proudest achievement of today, I learned how to TOSS a FOOTBALL!! This was super exciting for me. I was obsessed with mastering the perfect spiral. After an hour of practice, I was able to do a real fierce one. The next thing that I want to figure out is the technique for throwing it as far as boys can. I know I’m not as physically strong as most boys, but Alex said that there are techniques that professional football players know that help them with throwing the football really far. It just so happened that one of his co-workers used to be a serious quarterback for Columbia, so maybe I can learn some tricks from him one day!
Aside from my own accomplishment, the park is just a nice place to be. Everyone seemed so happy, relaxed and free! I always thought of time in the park as soul food for the mind. Children can play, men can become boys, women can get a tan, dogs can chase a ball, couples can fall in love, friends can have a picnic, and even the homeless can enjoy a peaceful sleep. Oh, yet another beautiful day in Berkeley!
* a pair of flip flops and a bottle of water, what else does one need to enjoy a great summer?
It is only in Berkeley that you can discover such wild and liberating wonders. This is not just any old school bus, this is a school bus that has been converted into a freedom bus where modern hippies live and cast their flower power. Groovy… Just another reason why Berkeley is so awesome!
admiring the simple pleasures in life one moment at a time!
