A Lovely Day

This morning I woke up quite early and head out with Zuri for a run.  We did a quick four mile jog along the beach.  The weather was quite perfect with plenty of sunshine and minimal wind (very unique this time of year).  It was a great way to start the day.  We got home, and I managed to wake Aaron up so that we could eat breakfast and be on a local hiking trail by mid-morning.  I did some quick research on dog-friendly trails, and I found Sweeny Ridge Park, which is just a few miles down the 280.

We didn't make it out as early as I had envisioned, but that was okay.   Very typical actually.  We were amazed to arrive at the park and immediately feel the difference in temperature.  It was about fifteen degrees warmer in San Bruno, and we're no longer used to this kind of heat.  Oh well, we decided to brave the warm temperatures and begin climbing the 1,200 foot hill that stood steeply before us.  It was a beautiful walk at least, with plenty of interesting plant life, birds and lovely views of the bay.  We took a little water break at the top and enjoyed relaxing on a bench, chatting and taking in the scenery.  After our little respite we explored the ridge for a while and enjoyed the trails that took us through deep shrubbery and then onto a boggy area.  The hills are still nice and green, and there were plenty of bugs for Zuri to try and catch.  It was so nice to get out of the city for several hours and to enjoy the solitude of nature.  My feet are feeling very tired after a four mile run and six mile hike, so this afternoon we're taking it easy.  I think tonight I will make Hungarian Chicken for dinner and then we're planning on going to a comedy club.

These are the kind of days I want to have this summer.  Plenty of activity, time with the husband and dog, and enjoying the night life in San Francisco.  It has been very pleasant, so I had to quickly jot it down so not to forget.  I go back to work tomorrow for one day, and then I work all weekend.  It shouldn't be too bad.

Here are a few pictures from our hike today.

 The Bay

The Pacific

Santa Monica

My friend Greta recently came out from NC for a week full of fun and activity.  We spent a day in San Francisco and enjoyed brunch with friends,  a street festival, the Golden Gate Bridge, and a fine Italian dinner.   The next day we drove down to Santa Monica and spent the week enjoying the beach walk, eating great food and just relaxing.  The weather wasn't perfect for lounging on the beach, so we spent plenty of time exploring LA.  Here are a few pics of our trip!

Greta and the Golden Gate Bridge

Swingers

Breakfast at Swingers!

G-ret Striking a Pose

So Cool!

Lots of Fun Biking the Beach

Santa Monica

Santa Monica Pier

We even got to spend the day in Napa before taking Greta to the airport.  It was a beautiful and fun experience!  

Darioush Winery (owner from Iran apparently)

Sampling Vino!

View from Black Stallion Winery

Good times for sure!  We have so much to do this summer and time is flying by so quickly.  Our Chilean friend is visiting for the month of July.  We can't wait to enjoy her company and show her around the area.  Also, Aaron's cousin and his wife are visiting in early August, so we're excited to have them around for a bit. 

More Pictures of Finland

Finally!  I am posting more pictures of our Finland trip. 

 

Tuemiokirkko (The Lutheran Cathedral), Helsinki

 Helsinki at Night

Candy Market

 Helsinki

Helsinki

Market, Helsinki

 Pure Bliss

Island off Helsinki

Fish Pastries.  Yum!

Evening in Tampere

The view from Tuomo's sauna

Tuomo and Jess

Beautiful Baby Venla

Venla and a Very Proud Dad, Juha

Mannu and Helena

Aaron's Happiest Day Ever (with Janne)

Tuomo, Mina, Juha, Venla, Eila (an amazing family!)

A Very Angry Pike

Nine Pounds!

'Korvasieni' aka Fatal Mushrooms

Hanne, Eila, Aaron, Tuomo, Janne (Very Fine Finns)

Aaron, Tanneli, Ritva, Tuomas

A Perfect Evening

Cozy Cabin

Aaron and his Catch

Rapids of the Oulanka River

Oulanka National Park

Oulanka National Park

 Aaron, Paivi, Kaarlo and Uri

So many fine memories...

Back in San Fran

Oh my, it is so nice to be home. We really did have a fun month traveling and visiting friends and family, but I kind of missed my air mattress. Ha! After getting back from Finland we spent several days in Longmont with Aaron's folks. It was a pleasant way to unwind from the trip. We left last Friday for Flagstaff to visit our friends Scott and Lindsay. It was nice to see them and catch up. We enjoyed their company very much. It was especially fun to hike and rock climb with Scott one afternoon. We left Flagstaff after a couple of nights and spent time with Amna in Phoenix. She took us all over the place, and we really enjoyed her company. We ate all kinds of delicious foods from homemade Pakistani cuisine to sushi. She is most definitely a fine cook, and we always look forward to eating at her house. We spent the evenings in her living room drinking wine and just talking. I am so glad we have stayed in touch since nursing school.

We made our way back to Flagstaff for one more night before making the long drive back to San Francisco on Wednesday. The drive from Flag took us through such lonely and barren lands. It is so different from driving out east where there are lots of trees and towns every few miles. The land is quiet, desolate and rather uninviting. Living in Barstow, California would not be easy. Anyhow, the drive took about twelve hours, and we were very glad to get back to our little home.

Yesterday I relaxed and met up with several traveler friends for lunch and drinks. It was a beautiful day out, and drinking wine on the patio was just perfect. Today has been rather chill as well. We have spent time in our little Chinatown in the Sunset Neighborhood. I am making a Northern Thai dish tonight, so we had to shop at the Asian grocery store for certain food items. I will post the recipe if it turns out well. Also, I made beer bread today for the first time. It is cooling on the baking rack right now, but smells heavenly. Aaron once again is shocked that I am attempting to cook. I can't wait for our dinner tonight! We will be drinking a Pinot Blanc with the meal, which is an excellent wine that we recently bought in Sonoma.

Tomorrow my friend Greta comes to town. I am looking so forward to her visit. We will be enjoying the city on Sunday, and then we will drive down to Santa Monica for a week on the beach! Oddly enough, I will be ready to get back to work on the 14th. It should be a fun several months here in San Fran.

Here are a few pictures from the past month (a random collection):

Mom's Lovely Yard

Mom and Dad

Jamie Hiking

Mom, Jamie and Tara

Bud Ogle's Cabin in Tennessee

Tired after a Long Day of Hiking

Paivi's House in Finland

Our Darling Cabin in Kuusamo, Finland

Aaron Cooking Dinner by the Fire

An Unlucky Trout

 

The Oulanka River, Finland