Stinson, Sacramento & Is this really happening?

These past 10 days have been epic for the Year of Passion, even more than I would ever have been able to predict in such a short time. In a discussion with a new friend on Sunday about the YOP, it was becoming more clear that finding passion, or love, or happiness, that it really is a pursuit. An active choice to seek it out and nab it when you see it, feel it, and go with it. Living in the moment and saying `yes`. This new twist of thought would explain why, in this transient city whose average resident stays for just 3 years, life is getting busy. Full, and beautiful...and busy.

Picking up from last week’s whimsical decision to just stay in this enchanting city, I was couch surfing with Shaun, in his bachelor pad show-room apartment in the Mission District. A vintage sign in his kitchen caught my eye and loved it so much. Apparently this phrasing was an excerpt from what the US govt recommended during WWII...

His neighbour had lent me an undeniably beautiful road bike to take the city with, and that I did. A bike so beautiful that on one ride alone, I had 3 people comment on it as I was passing by. Exploring even the industrial zones of the south eastern edge, (not necessarily intended, although got some interesting shots of piers that were artfully neglected), this bike introduced me to the beauty of gears on hills, and how they aren`t as bad when not on a 1 speed cruiser...

It was last Thursday morning, and as I awoke for the 3rd time on the leather couch of Shaun’s. I mused with the prospect of what to do with myself until my 5pm meeting Rachel, the Program Director of the Business Council on Climate Change of SF…or BC3. Exploring the city by bike often comes to the top of my list, and so after spending some customary time online looking for jobs, replying to emails, reviewing a fresh batch of photos taken, I went for a beautiful bike ride with the intention of ending up at Alamo Square (aka where the Full House pic is taken)

It would also mean I would get to navigate “The Wiggle” – the specific bike path that leads cyclists on a round-about way to climb one of the steepest hills in the city. Although I must confess I got lost on the way to it, it was still filled of new sights to see, parks to admire, hills to conquer and seemingly hidden streets full of colours, character and quirks to discover.

That night, I met Rachel right at 5pm at the SF Environment office downtown. Rachel is a 20-something who I was put in contact with from the lovely Sarah Rea in Toronto whom I met at a local food event in May of this year. BC3 is a Not-for-Profit association that connects “San Francisco Bay Area businesses who are committed to reducing their green house gas emissions” through events and leadership groups. Composed, articulate and knowledgable, Rachel had an intern position of which this was supposed to be an interview for, however she filled it just the day before, as they really wanted someone full-time and right, did I mention it was unpaid. Mmmmmmm……curious situation when the going cost to rent a room in a shared house of 4+ people is $700/month.

In any cease, I was a bit bummed about not getting the job (if one could even call it that) however, the upcoming week would far trump that small snag-ooo and further illustrate how "everything happens for our own maximum happiness."

The weekend was filled with a coffee turned overnight roadtrip to sleepy capital city of Sacramento with a new friend from the conference: Tom Tom. TT hails from one of SF’s sister cities of the north – Seattle. With an open mind and heart, and regimen of meditation, yoga and vegan food, I admire his resilience and pursuit of joy, not to mention the fact that for the last week he was rubber camping (aka sleeping in his car) at various locales along the coastline of Highway 1 all along the west coast of Cali before heading back up to Seattle.

In Sacramento, we did what any visitor does when in Sacramento:

a) try to find where Arnold lives

b) go to a country bar.

Although we didn't event attempt a Mr. Schwarzenegger hunt, or knew any of the steps to the country dances at the country bar, I did find myself having one of those "is this actually happening?" moments. You know that instant when you stop and think about the random happenings that lead you to where you are at that very moment, as is most likely a bizarre concoction of fateful openness that lead you there.

That Sunday was delightfully full of fresh air, blue skies, open waters, Sequoia forests and grassy hills with some familiar faces from the couch surfing (CS) community. A group of 9 of us met at Stinson Beach for a 7 mile hike on the Dipsea trail which encompassed beautiful views, beautiful smiles and stories, and made it so utterly clear why Californian's seem to be hooked on nature.




After the hike, we refuelled at the beachside café and relaxed on the soft sand and cool waters of the Pacific Ocean for an hour or 2 until pilling into Jason’s truck to head back to the city for an Alt-Country show at Parkside bar, SF's self-proclaimed Dive Bar, and Salvadorian Pupusas in Bernal Heights.

Having checked out of Casa Shaun's, I had no official plan on where to stay that night, but was finding solace in the notion that of all groups to find somewhere to crash that night, an CS meet-up would be ranked quite high, so left it to fate to have it play out. And it did - in the form of Jason, a PhD science student/CS host who had driven Bob and myself to Stinson that morning. He shares his Bernal Heights flat with a newly wed French-American couple (a mere 22 and 26 years old), and 2 kittens with tiny bodies and heads whose motion resembled that of bobble-head figurines. I was given the front Parlour with the south facing bay window overlooking the street and view of the hills. Yum!

The next day, Monday, June 21, I would really begin my bag lady status. The next 4 days I would tote that sturdy little nugget of a wheelie bag from Jason's to the laundry mat to coffee shop, to hostel to hostel then to our final resting spot (until the end of August) at least at what I lovingly nicknamed: The House of Yogi. Home to 5 unique souls: an astrologer, a body works instructor, an accupuncture student, an actress in a mime version of Alice in Wonderland, a science student, and me...we are all nestled in a big, beautiful, purple Victorian house in the Mission. My room looks onto a park and is just steps from the latin grocery and hipster coffee shops on 24th...

Ay que rico!

I feel so incredibly blessed that in the same time that the earth has rotated the sun just 10 times, this tiny world of mine has grown to encompass so many beautiful souls from all over the world. Generosity, kindness, acceptance, openness and joy just begin to describe the some of the memories that have imprinted themselves into my life, and left a permanent mark on the YOP.

Riding the best wave in San Francisco…

To the jazzy horns of vintage jazz, I have found a loverly perch on 24th Street in the bustling, tree-lined avenue of 24th Street in Mission District. With its eclectic mix of indie coffee houses, taquerias, Latin grocery shops and the infamous street murals on any spare canvas space, the Mission District is ripe for musings of the Year of Passion.

While wondering 24th, just blocks away from my couch surfing heaven (more on that later), I am now sitting at a small pine table, no more than 2 x 2 feet, in the sunny window box of HAUS Coffee Shop. Complete with freelancers and life wanderers with MacBooks, headphones and minimalist style to match the 2 tone simplistic ambiance of the 15 ft ceiling loft space.

Riding this rollercoaster of YOP limbo, and desire to remove myself from the hostel downtown, in the name of the YOP, I decided to try Couch Surfing (CS). Having been a member for over 2 years, and yet to host or surf myself, now seemed like an opportune time to dive right in (pun somewhat intended). The concept is simple:

a) Register at couchsurfing.org

b) Search for hosts in the city you’re going to be in

c) Find a goodie

d) Send a friendly note seeing if they would host you

e) Get a reply

f) Surf away…

So on Monday, I sent 2 notes to 2 people that seemed an interesting match.

1) A fellow Vanessa, who has yet to reply (somewhat common for CS),and

2) Mr.S, a cyclist with an interesting profile, French Canadian language skills, and shaggy salt’n’pepper mane.

He wrote back and 2 days later, I found myself on the doorstep of a lovely 1st floor apartment.

A CS host who must have read my mind, when I walked in, was preparing a quinoa and curried chicken dish with homemade tzaziki and green bean salad and listening to Sublime (I believe). Friendly, warm and open, we chatted over lunch and later introduced me to a not-so-hidden aspect of the local cycling communite: Bike Kitchen. A DIY bike shop in the area is 1 part loft/industrial space, 1 part cycling advocacy HQ, 1 part build a bike repair centre and 3 parts amazingness.

He volunteers there, and before I headed to a CS picnic at Dolores Park, he help tuned up his neighbours road who I am borrowing for a few days (and yes I have fallen in love with it, and even the hills of the city). Events and gatherings are another aspect of CS and this picnic just the right dose of internationality to get my motor running. Joining a friend from the hostel, Bobby, the Manchester native with a keen wit and love of poker, particularly after a 16 day stint in Vegas with his mates, the group of open souls hailed from Russia, Abu Dhabi, and of course Canada, England and folks from the Bay Area.

After the sun set, (and the thermostat dropped at least 30 degrees – no joke) we headed to Taqueria Cancun on Mission Street. Although highly rated in travel books, the tacos were decent, but the free corn chips and cheap price ($3.00 for taco supreme) helped.

And now for today’s mission:

a) Write contacts made at Sustainable Brands 2010 – particularly coconut sponge guy Julien

b) Go to interview for an Internship with San Francisco Environment (the enviro arm of the City of San Francisco)

c) Snap some shots of Mission District

d) Go for a cycle around Golden Gate Park

e) Go to StumbleUpon Anniversary party downtown *

*this last one’s debateable.

Do what you love and the rest will follow…

Open the golden gates

It`s another cool night in San Francisco. I`m sitting in the 3rd floor common room at the Hostelling International (HI) Downtown San Francisco location. A dozen or so Gen Y guests are all sitting separately, faces aglow from the reflection of their laptops sitting where else, but on their lap. I am one of them. An indie acoustic song is strumming on the speakers, you know the type, the one that you can`t help but maybe internalize if you take the moment to listen to what the melody man is saying. Today`s miscellaneous music moment is singing about the concept of home, which brings me to my very next update. I wrote the below entry a few days ago, and am posting now. This week shall be an interesting one, and will be sure to post best-of pics and stories....

"Cali has got it going on. Sitting on the temperate, clean and wide-windowed Express public bus from Monterey to San Jose in Central California, the inspirational speakers, stories, concepts and environment at the Sustainable Brands Conference is beginning to permeate. And now is the time for action.

It was day one, Monday, and I was manning the not-so-bustling Info Desk at registration. A fellow from Citizen Group named Michael (middle-aged yet kind and chatty in a not-so-typical US American way) asked a question – of whch I have forgotton. Between chatting about cycling and him living in Merin County “just over the Golden Gate Bridge from San Fran” it came out – “Well I’m moving to San Fratncisco…” Mmm – interesting V. Where did this come from? (Please note that last exchange was internal dialogue) Then before I could stop myself, I told him about the Year of Passion, and he loved it. He gave me his card, and went on his way – although naturally given the size, nature and length of the conference, I would see him many times afterwards as well.

It got me to thinking – why wouldn’t I do this? This conference is really the perfect catalyst and energizer to explore the first big step in the YOP. AND with the connections made at the conference, it would only make sense to stay close the 80% of attendees in efforts to partner, intern, work, create (or all of the above) by being in San Fran.

I can work at a hostel in exchange for accommodation, volunteer at a yoga studio to further my spiritual, physical and mental journey, and meet, connect and play with this new eclectic crowd of San Franciscans. I can practise Spanish daily (already have used it daily in regular exchanges) but even more so in the colourfully latin Castro and Mission District and further my relationships with people met this week to work towards a job that fits the bill and allows me to.

This is beginning to look like a beautiful first big YOP step…

And so, my dear friends, at this point, that is the plan, the next step. So, starting today, updates about the YOP will be coming live from the West Coast of Cali – San Fransisco!