Island Adventure Club // Visiting Angel Island

What every girl needs in her life is to belong to an Island Adventure Club.

....so let it be written. It happened for me by accident, really. I just happened to have two island-related outings planned during a two-week span with the exact same five people. And thus, we are a club. Round 1 of Island Adventure Clubbing took us to Angel Island, which is located on the bay just a quick ferry ride north of San Francisco.

Angel Island is a historical motherload!

Known as the Ellis Island of the West, it served as an immigration hub for many years. Its history also includes native americans, spanish explorers, gold rush era settlements, military bases, cold war missile hideouts, and so on. These days you can camp and bike there as well -- we opted to walk the perimeter road around the entire outside of the island (about a 5-mile trip -- you can also bike this!) (if you're good at biking hills) (I'm not even good at walking hills) (man I hate hills).

It's cool because we just kept stumbling across various historical things -- old abandoned buildings, housing/internment camps (which stomped on my heart a little and made me feel heavy about war and racism and xenophobia and how damn hard immigration is for people), various nature and wildlife sights, views of the bay and Golden Gate Bridge (which was crawling in fog the whole morning). All in all, it's a nice mix of nature, history and stuff that makes you think. Totally my jam.

I think it's easy to look at historical things (e.g. immigration issues from a few decades ago, the civil rights movement from the 60s, etc) and forget that those things are still happening NOW. When historical movements....well, MOVE me....I'm trying to be better at turning those feelings into something productive now, instead of just viewing it as a sticky phase from the past that's all sugarcoated and wrapped up now. Because it's not. And I want to be continually fueled to awareness and compassion by the whole of it.

I'm no professional photographer (iPhone for liiiiiiiffffe), but if you are, you should definitely go to here. Angel Island is ripe for photography, especially if you're really into cool old buildings (raises hand high).

If you live in the bay area and want a half-day trip, I suggest making this happen! If you're visiting SF and want to mix things up and get out of the city for a bit, I also suggest you make this happen! The weather was nigh unto perfect when we went so I suggest always going on exactly September 26 if at all possible. Ha. Just don't accidentally step in the ocean like I did, but if you're going to go for it, I suggest wearing moisture-wicking socks. You may have worn them only because none of your regularly preferred socks are clean, but you will feel very lucky when the sea tries to attack you later that day and your foot is dry very soon after. ("The sea was angry that day, my friends.")

And now on to them iPhone photos! Stay tuned for future installments of Island Adventure Club, brought to you by the number....something....and the letter pizza. That about sums it up.

 ^^it was laura's birthday eve. so we hugged trees overlooking the ocean.

^^this park ranger just walked up to us holding this little guy 

^^...naturally, i wanted to hold our new little friend as well. we bonded immediately.

 ^^the clouds were killing me that day! like a field of fuzzy sky freckles

 ^^couldn't stop singing the Jurassic Park theme song as our boat pulled up to this fog-laden forest island!

 ^^Island Adventure Club, in the flesh!! (plus I'm still holding the praying mantis)

 ^^the striped wood colors in this old church were perfection! they don't hold services here anymore but, fun fact, you *can* get married here! you know who to hit up if you need over-experienced bridesmaid services on Angel Island (....me....)

 ^^the colorful leaves framing these windows were filling me with heart eyes emojis!

^^clearly a very zoomed in photo, but the best shot I got of the bridge from the island when the fog finally cleared a bit!

Aruba (Jamaica, ooh I wanna take ya) Dinner in the City

Well hey there!

It's Friday night and my work is on pause and I just straight-up downed Indian food while watching Mindy Project so you could say I'm feeling miiiiighty fine right now.

But let's talk about a few days ago! I had the opportunity to attend a dinner in San Francisco earlier this week, hosted by Aruba Marriott and Diamond PR. (When an invite involving food arrives in your inbox, the answer is yes. Always yes.)

And for good reason! Because that food? Daaaayyyuuummm. I enjoyed the meal from start to finish, Pretty much from the time I had the first appetizer in my mouth it was game on for my tastebuds. AND had the chance to make my own ceviche! Look at me being all culinary. Or something.

The dinner was hosted in the the coolest kitchen loft space: the Cookhouse. It's a cozy yet airy little setting with windows overlooking the city street (and the sunset was such a treat that night! it made me miss Arizona skies.) If you have the chance to attend an event at this venue, jump on it! (jump on it, jump on it!) (It's Friday and I want to sing about things.)

And also, the people at this event! I felt like such a small fry to be surrounded by all these world travelers (we're talking full-time travel bloggers and writers, yo). I left there feeling so inspired to visit so many places and do so many things! The travel bug is hella contagious. And also now I want to go to Aruba just to have more of this food. I also found someone with a tattoo like mine -- tattoo buddy picture below!

After the event I walked a few blocks back to my car and the city was so peaceful, the moon was shining over the buildings like it was Gotham (minus any visible crime or caped crusaders) and my soul was as full as my belly. A little Tony Bennett "Left My Heart in San Francisco" via Spotify on my way home and the whole night was sumptuous perfection. I feel inspired to keep getting out there and living my life and doing things -- solo or otherwise! Soul-feeding things.

Anyway, what you're most interested in are pictures of the food. I know this. I'm dialed in. I've got your number. I'm with it. I'm down. I'm hip. I'll move on from this sentence.

Enjoy and don't drool on your electronic devices, por favor!

 ^^maybe my favorite thing of the night! tuna tataki

 ^^i made that thing!

 ^^no it's not a jello mold...it's CHEESE! with treasures in the middle. better known as keshi yena

Ink on my Arm

After years and years of wishfully-to-seriously thinking about it, I've gone and done it!

Tattoo. On my left arm. Coordinates, to my favorite spot in Iceland. Please view:

And the Icelandic spot in question, Seljalandsfoss:

And now you get to hear me talk about why.

Well for one, I've wanted a tattoo for a long, long time. But I was never quite sure WHAT. Something floral? Song lyrics? Something artistic? Something with specific personal meaning? A little of all of the above?

I've said it before and I'll say it again: when I know what I want, I am a very decisive person. Once I see or think of something and my gut says "yes, that thing," I latch on and make it happen. It's been my way with many big decisions in my life. 

When I saw the coordinates tattoo, it was like that. It just clicked. On the surface, it communicates some straightforward things, like an interest in travel. Also, I love text. Also, it fit well right in the spot I already wanted a tattoo. Simple, subtle, but not hidden away.

As for Iceland itself...man, I'm never going to get over that place. It's a trendy travel spot right now so I'm not silly enough to say it's MY place when a lot of people probably think it's THEIR place right now. But sure, shared with a bunch of other people, it's mine :) The first place I traveled abroad. The destination I finally bought myself a passport for, at age 27, alone on Valentine's Day in city hall. I realize that could sound depressing, but that's the thing -- it wasn't! It was exciting and empowering and MINE. Much like yesterday when I went to get the tattoo done, I specifically planned to go alone. Because I wanted it to be MY experience.

The country is....well it's the best. I'm pro-America, I think we have our great things and our problem areas, but I don't want to be one of those people that is like AMERICA SUCKS, THIS OTHER COUNTRY DOES EVERYTHING RIGHT. But, Iceland does a lot of things really well! Extremely little violence, super pro equality/feminism/gay rights.....just a quaint, rugged little destination of "everyone's welcome here but leave your bullshit offshore" kind of vibe. And I can get down with that in a big way.

The waterfall itself, is stunning. Smaller than some of the other waterfalls I saw in Iceland, but breathtaking. Simple, subtle, but not hidden away. (See what I did there??) Holding its own.

Also that whole summer...man. Pivotal. My Iceland trip (pictures here and here) came at a crux time when I was like FIGURE OUT ALL THE THINGS and my head and heart were like 23 levels of tumultuous. It felt amazing and symbolic to literally, physically take myself halfway around the world to this rugged, remote, peaceful, insanely beautiful rock of an island and just process some things. It felt free, and more or less marked the beginning of the next few months of cutting myself free of so many tangles and weights in my life. It's a time period I want to anchor myself to and always carry with me in many ways, and now I literally, physically do.

And for those of you asking the inevitable "did it hurt" question....well the best description is one I read online, which said it feels like an electric cat scratch! Stings in the moment, uncomfortable but nothing terrible, and then it goes away. A day later, it feels like a sliiiiight sunburn, which I'm told might hurt a little more over the next few days. Honestly, nothing to be scared of. When she started tattooing I was so relieved, because it didn't hurt nearly as much as I expected it to. Haha. Win.

So there you have it. The story of me and the tattoo. I'm a happy, happy clam!

p.s. My tattoo artist was Kristy at Black & Blue Tattoo in San Francisco. She was so nice, calming and talented. She also hugged me at the end. And the tattoo shop felt like a cozy therapist's office. Highly recommended!