Travelboo

2012-02-13T18:58:00.001-08:00

Boston and the Boo

2012-02-11T15:41:00.000-08:00

It was the best of times, it

✟ ♥

2011-08-02T14:43:00.000-07:00

I love old churches. There is such a peace about them. Catholic churches especially because they make me feel close to my mom. I visit churches all around the world given every chance, small chapels to big cathedrals. And I always light a candle for my mom. I was so lucky to have had a mum (as I called her as a child) like her. She was extraordinary and I feel her love everyday.

I ♡ MPLS

2011-08-02T10:53:00.000-07:00

Drove up to Minneapolis/St Paul for the weekend. The twin cities. Double the fun!

Guthrie center, Target field, Walker Art Center, Mill City Museum, Cathedral of St Paul, Capitol building, Mississippi river, Mall of America

Rad old school polish food, classic

The old Gold Medal flour mill, now hosts the Mill City museum and farmers market

Grand Rounds scenic byway, right in the city. fantastic

Once I found out about this sculpture, I was OBSESSED with it. so incredible!

one of my favorite architects Frank Gehry scultped this fish

ran into an old Mira Costa friend at the Twins game, Mark Chapman.

Canned meat

2011-08-02T09:40:00.000-07:00

I went to the Spam museum in Austin, Minnesota. Spam has been a running joke in my family since , well forever. My brother and dad always liked it and my sister and I thought it was absolutely disgusting. Adding to the category of salted pork products, my dad is also a fan of Vienna sausages and corned beef hash. So , I will not change my stance on canned hash, aka dog food, or those little sausages that remind me of fingers but I have to say I kinda like Spam. Shhhhhh. Now I only like it for two reasons, I found out what was in it or more like what wasnt in it and I have to have it cooked crispy and thin.
Spam fact, did you know that there are only 6 ingredients in Spam. I thought it would be a paragraph but nope, it consists of : pork, ham, sugar, salt, water and sodium nitrites or phosphates or some preservative to maintain its color and ability to be be meat in a can.
So, I still cannot completely sign off on Spam, but I will try it now if properly cooked.
Sending you bacon Spam and black pepper Spam Pops !!!

Watching shark week is fun. shark week nightmares not fun

2011-08-02T09:17:00.000-07:00

FACT: more people are killed by pigs each year than sharks. I am not a farm girl but really how does a pig kill you? Not to make light of a tragedy but pig attacks don't seem to make the news. And geez that would get my attention more than a shark attack..

Hard part is the settle in the settling down

2011-07-15T13:59:00.000-07:00

I can't travel forever, yes Dad I do know this :) But the problem is where to stop traveling. My family and friends mean the world to me. But I am pretty sure I cannot live in the craziness that is So Cal. I have always known this. My mom knew that even though I loved where I grew up , I was drawn to a smaller town vibe. That is why I picked Chico for college. And also how I ended up in Grapevine, TX for awhile.

What I know for sure is that I want to live in a small town by a body of water near a big city.

I love the feel of a small town vibe with a sense of community but I need culture and the excitement of a bustling big city. Water, why water just calms me. I grew up at the beach and I cannot imagine not being by some sort of water. It also gives me a feeling of being able to escape at any time.
In the meantime. I travel...

2011-07-12T18:42:00.001-07:00

50 cent/stem roses in July. Like!

Accidentally posted

2011-07-12T13:40:00.000-07:00

Posted this picture from my phone before adding it to my post of Milwaukee and my friend who shall remain fully named, Mary Marckwardt ! :) But she said it looked like a dating website picture. She thought I was holding back on her . So wanted to make clear that at this time in my life I would rather remove my own appendix with a crab fork and a swig of Don Julio then go on a dating website. But hey that's just me, I don't judge.

Mader's restaurant. insanely divinely good german grub!

4th of July, from 4 million stars to 4 stars

2011-07-12T08:26:00.000-07:00

After camping, we headed to Milwaukee for Summerfest. Jamie got us a great deal on priceline at this rad 4 star hotel. I really like Milwaukee. It is kind of funny though, it is a little bit of a ghost town or like James says like you would imagine Coney Island from the movies. We watched fireworks over Lake Michigan from the penthouse of the hotel.

I can't really explain but life at the hotel kind of felt like we were on a sitcom. We became pals with the bartender Jeff, he was hilarious. Def Leppard was staying at our hotel and some ball players and we kept seeing the same people over and over. We had a blast. Summerfest was pretty fair like and pretty lame the day we were there. But still glad I experienced it.

me and some English bloke

walking on the river walk

the Bronze Fonz

salted pork products

2011-07-12T08:06:00.000-07:00

I blank camping

2011-07-12T07:24:00.000-07:00

Okay, I will say it. My name is Brandi and I %#$^@ camping. I know it is cool to like it so color me uncool !! I hadn't been camping in eons. Let's talk history. I am not from a family of campers. The only camping we really did was beach camping to my dad's favorite surf spots. We went to San Onofre a lot as a kid. Well, turns out beach camping is way different than midwest summer tent camping. I did go to camps as a kid, including Lazy J (remember that one girls?) or basketball camps (Cathy Rush, remem
mber that one girls? oh yeah, prob not you were all at volleyball camp while I was at dorky bball camp) but that was always cabins and cots. But I love the outdoors so I thought I would love camping but knowing myself I was a tad hesitant. So when James and Steve invited me along with Jame's sister Ranae and her fiance Tim, I said a nervous yet enthusiastic , Oui ! But they were camping for 2-3 nights and I thought I better just meet them for 1 night, phew on that one. :/
So I drove up to Mirror Lake in Wisconsin in the dells by Baraboo.
Let me say that this was the highest end tent camping you could do. The only step up would be a cabin or RV. These guys are serious campers and had all the fancy equipment.
When I got there my tent was set up (thanks guys :) and the whole campsite was rigged up to the tee!
So not to go on and on, I will tell you what I liked.
I liked the company, the campfire !, the stars , actually I LOVED the stars!!, the deer, and the lightening bugs especially since James caught some for me :) aww what a pal.
But what I didnt like was hmm, umm oh pretty much everything else. The dirt , sleeping in the dirt, the bugs, the bathroom being 1/2 mile away, and the daytime was a smidge boring, and the scenery was pretty much dirt and shrubs. oh and I didn't like the dirt.
I was a pretty good trooper Jamie said, Steve didn't say a word, I think he thought I was a cry baby. But in my defense I ended up sleeping in my car because I was soooo cold and I walked by myself through the dark woods 3 times in the middle of the night to the bathroom.
What I learned about myself was although I am afraid of the dark, I would rather walk to the bathroom in the dead of night with a head lamp and be hatched up into pieces by a crazed park ranger then wake/disturb the people I am with to accompany me.
Addendum: I would definitely go camping if a log cabin was involved and a RV I would consider.

My tent , I lasted 4 hours in it.

:) James catching lightening bugs for me <3

My favorite, we walked to a nearby supper club and ate escargot and bruschetta

Really big lightening bug ! oh nope, that's just Tim

LIGHTENING BUG!!!

smores, I would put on 3 marshmellows so I could end up with at least 1 marshmellow. haha

Spanks for the memories... :/

ignore my goofy laugh but this guy was fantastic

2011-06-23T15:06:00.001-07:00

I loved this guy. He had us anoint ourselves with vanilla to keep the gnats away. He also told us grand stories including a rare occurrence one am after a rainstorm of an all green rainbow !! He said the best time to enjoy a garden is bright and early in the morning while the dew glistens and in the early evening as the sun sets on the leaves. brilliant!

Gals in Galena

2011-06-23T14:20:00.000-07:00

Wild roses, like Jamie and I :)

James and I met in Galena, IL for a girls day of fun. I miss hanging out with my pal so it was such a nice day. It was forecasted for rain but didn't rain too much on our parade. What a darling town. I drove up 151north to 20 east over the Dubuque bridge and James came down the 84 I believe from Madison.
We started our day walking the town and walking up a crazy amount of steps to the Linmar Gardens.
It might be the last year it is open and we loved it. The gardens are beautiful and the octogenarian tour guide and caretaker was fantastic. Makes me want to conquer the world if he and the "young man ", his name for the 89 year old master gardener is still hauling rock and planting and irrigating at his age.
After the gardens , we had lunch and walked the cute shops. I learned a couple things, 1. small, midwest towns set their tornado siren off everyday at noon :/ and that parts of Field of Dreams were shot in this little town. We ended the day with a trolley tour of the city. Fun ! We want to come back and hit the winerys and the ghost tours that take place on the weekend evenings. Merci Jamie James. xx bisous

Jamie in front of the waterfall. Most this garden is built on rock

Mining bucket the miners used to ride down on. There is an old mine shaft on the property. Our guide told us the men would keep one leg out of the bucket because if it bumped against the shaft , the sound created would actually be deafening.

Four garden beds for all the seasons starting with spring on the left

japanese peonies plant. he said they were absolutely gorgeous. magenta in color
and he said they would actually like the ants on the leaves because they would eat off the wax
and then the flowers would bloom.

I love that the sculpturererers (sp?) back in the day
appreciated a chunkier gal. >> thx boys

This was an old church and they left the walls up and built
this neat little water garden.

Later that same day...

View of the city and cute white church chapel. so green and so rare to have to hilliness in the
midwest but I guess the area is called driftless? because the glaciers missed it. I kinda tune out on
tours so my facts are about 64% valid. :/

Galena side street off of Main street

Trolley ride of the city

Scared but prepared

2011-06-23T14:12:00.001-07:00

Midwest Summer Night's Dream

2011-06-23T14:05:00.001-07:00

Check out the lightening!

"shall I compare thee to a summer's day" okay I may quote Shakespeare once in awhile but just because he says everything better.
I don't think you would want me to compare you to this summer's day. It would mean you are moody and dark and randomly tempered and you scare me.

2011-06-23T13:17:00.001-07:00

I love baseball and Walt Whitman said it best "I see great things in baseball. It's our game - the American game. "

Tonight, Timmys on the mound and I have to watch computer simulation again. Argh. I really wish Mediacom offered MLB cable. I miss watching the Giants sooo much. :(. Let's go Giants

duck duck pheasant

2011-06-13T19:52:00.000-07:00

I love learning new things. Today I learned about hunting from a guy at work. First of all , it seems as though the avid hunter really has a deep respect and knowledge about the animal they are hunting. They are also very anti poacher and take the laws of the DNR quite seriously. And apparently the DNR have very strict guidelines and penalties. So ducks are very smart and have really good eyesight. They can see you on the ground when they are flying. Decoys work with them since they see a duck decoy and figure it is must be safe to land since one of their buddies is there. Maybe that is where "what is good for the goose is good for the gander" comes from. Actually don't know but just thought of that while writing this.
And pheasant have really good hearing so you have to be super quiet, in fact if you shut your car door too loud when even starting your day out hunting, it can spoil it. Now wild turkeys are really hard to hunt. For one they are fast and this guy said they don't feel pain (not sure about that) but they will run around after you shoot them so you have to aim for their head. I have to say this made me a little sad. I learned about buck shot and how the dogs are so invaluable to the hunter. Anyway I found it interesting and hope to learn more and had to blog about it before I forgot.

poor yummy turkey

2011-06-01T14:34:00.001-07:00

Google maps is my BFF!
After 2 $$$ cab rides, decided to bus it back to my car.
And honorable mention to my boyfriend, my iphone.

2011-06-01T10:55:00.001-07:00

New gig- May 2nd >>July 31st

2011-05-30T19:49:00.000-07:00

Busy unit, nice nurses. love my

patients and families. Many of them

are farm folk which fascinates me.

My dad today tracked in mud on his boots from his hog farm. They all call pigs, hogs, here. And my other family brought me in
some kind of venison jerky. Ooh and a grandma of a pt made me some kind of cozy.Salt of the earth people. really enjoying meeting them.

I love this. People didnt know what RN meant , so University of Iowa spelled it out for them.
Same with MD, theirs say DOCTOR.

Boo in a pod

tele pronounced tell-e

2011-05-30T19:21:00.000-07:00

This is for you Sare bear.
While you are chip chip cheerio-ing , you are missing some really bad American TV.
The new Bachelorette started and she is annoying and fake laughing more than Ali . You can believe that!
She has one dude who is wearing a mask and has yet to take it off and another douche nozzle who is saying on his one on one with the camera how he isn't attracted to her and is basically playing with her.
I'd like to say , ABC, gentleman..... the final rose.
And let me see if you can guess the second show.
"the good news is that you don't have a fatal disease so we won't be building you a house, the bad news is that you are hugely fat" yep ! Extreme Makeover : weight loss edition.
I throw in the towel, I will be retiring to my bedroom with a good book or maybe go bang my head against the wall.

2011-05-19T16:23:00.001-07:00

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nancy_Pelosi

Sat by her secret service and aide on my Minni to LA flight. She was in first class. Neat.

2011-05-19T09:51:00.001-07:00

Broadcasting live.
Literally watching a tractor plough as I wait for my flight. Welcome to Iowa.
Going home to meet my nephew Sage!

Globbed lately?

2011-05-16T20:59:00.000-07:00

uhh, dad, it is blogged...
One major reason I started this blog was for my dad to be able to follow my excursions. Well here is the glitch in that logic. ummhmmm, he is a tech tard. He can occasionally remember how to check my blog and then even though I have walked him through the steps , he cannot manage to comment on my posts.
I love that man because what he has managed to master is checking the weather in whatever town I am living. "Geez, Bran . 13 degrees in Madison today", "83 in Cedar Rapids , watch out for those thunderstorms" haha love him. Oh, he also can check my apartments on Google earth. So we will leave it at that. That is how he will follow my adventures, forecast looking bright.
xxo my pops !

Hey

2011-05-16T19:13:00.001-07:00

Hay

will blog, have travel

2011-05-15T18:00:00.001-07:00

she went thatta way

My first mobile post! got this up and running so I can blog on the go. nice

James and the Giant Bean

2011-05-15T14:14:00.000-07:00

taking a picture of ourselves, mental giants that we are

One of my favorite human beings on earth is Jimmy. He has a mystical power over me and can always make me laugh.
I met him in Chicago for 12 short hours and we had a ball.
We went to Millineum park and saw the bean. We went to the cheeseborger place, Billy goat Tavern, under lower Wacker? drive (see I have to blog faster before I forget the names of things/places), we walked downtown and saw the Picasso sculpture and we went to Uno's pizza. Now Jimmy says that Uno's, Due's and Gino's east all are pretty much the same. We saw the Wrigley bldg which Jimmy says he wants to come back as in his next life. whatever. We saw beautiful Lake Michigan and then we met his great friends for insane milkshakes spiked with whiskey in some town.

Jimmy eating his favorite egg sandwich on rye with 4 million pickles

Crunchy snow

2011-05-15T13:44:00.000-07:00

Since I haven't blogged in so long, there is no way I can go in chronological order so I will just post at random. I came to Madison in January of 2011 after the most terrifying drive of my life.
I weathered the snow quite well if I do say so myself but I did have a few misconceptions.

Until I was corrected by my pals Jamie and Steve, I called the salt that they put on the roads and sidewalk "crunchy snow". I thought is was little ice rocks/snow so I treaded slowly until one day Steve asked what the heck I was doing. I had NO idea it wasn't snow but salt. haha. He is a California dude but has been through a midwest winter before and Jamie hales from Walkerton, Indiana and is a bad ass pioneer woman.

This was my going away present from them. :) !! love it

Maison sur le roc

2011-05-15T13:08:00.000-07:00

This is a place created by this imaginative loon named Alex Jordan. It is off of Highway 151 in Wisconsin and I seriously think it is one of the greatest attractions ever. I truly do think it should be a destination for people. My videos and pictures dont do it justice.

So let me try and explain this place. He is a collector of absolutely everything from guns to dollhouses to harlequin masks. He has the worlds largest carousel and at the same time, the worlds largest scale whale. mmhmmm
He has an entire room of mini circuses, he has a doll carousel, an organ room, the streets of yesterday are cobbled stone paths with mini little store fronts of all his collections. It is absolutely fantastical.
And the house itself if amazing. The infinity room stretches out over the beautiful Wisconsin valley and it is a structural wonder.

Did you hear that...

2011-05-15T12:28:00.000-07:00

I think it is the brewmasters and cheesemakers of Wisconsin crying because I left the state. Or some little baby birdies looking for some worms. No worries, I will still come back. In fact, I plan to stalk Jamie and Steve most of my days off.
And Jamie and I are in love with a little robin family in front of the glorious Door Creek apartments.

I have never seen real robin eggs before. fantastic !

Iowa blows

2011-05-15T12:12:00.000-07:00

No really, it is windy here. I am adjusting , how very Darwinian of me.

dot dot dot

2011-03-10T13:58:00.001-08:00

I SUCK !! I will blog soon. I will. I will.

wo ist der PBR brewery?

2011-01-30T14:56:00.000-08:00

I might have made a beer faux pas when I asked the Miller tour lady , where is the Pabst Blue Ribbon brewery?
She kindly directed me to the Pabst mansion but took my breath away when she said there is no PBR brewery anymore. : /
So the PBR brewmaster comes to the Miller brewery with their recipe and makes a batch. I guess that is what happens now.

some Miller pictures below. I kind of postcard dogpiled most of you. if I had your address on my iphone you will be getting some bmail .. beer mail

water, malted barley, hops and yeast.

2011-01-30T14:31:00.000-08:00

These are the 4 ingredients that make beer, well beer. real beer. There is some German phrase for it. like reimeweinerholzer ( kinda like those freaky looking dogs that the guy photographed doing human things, still gives me the creeps. ) I am getting the name wrong but am close, I suppose I could look it up and be factual but this a blog not a history lesson. Anyway, turns out those Germans take their beer super seriously like they do everything else such as attempt at world domination and cars.
But the phrase might have been more of a rule of beer making. I am a little fuzzy on the facts . Keep in mind I was like 3 beers into it by now.

Found out so many little facts on my brewery tours. I went to Milwaukee with some fellow travelers. We left on highway 94 in full snow mode, like the actual white stuff falling from the sky. I must clarify because to me there is a huge difference between snowing and snow. I can handle the former better than the latter. or whatever, I always get that former/latter mixed up.

I digress. sorry.

So, did you know that hops is marijuana's cousin? pretty bad a$$ family.
and that many big company beer makers use corn. darn corn is like the ingredient gestapo. I feel bad for anyone with a corn allergy, that stuff in in everything.

The best tour was the Lakefront one. Our guide was hilarious. So many funny sexual innuendos in beer making. For example. did you know that yeast gave good head. This is not vulgar but a fact.
I wont bore you , but I suggest any chance to go on any tour on how they make stuff, do. Super neat!

I was voted bunghole queen of the Lakefront brewery tour. See photos below. Cheers !

as seen on tv

2011-01-30T12:55:00.000-08:00

I would like to share that the ove glove, the shake weight and the slanket all work. quite well.
The only adjustment I would make is a snap on the back of the slanket so when you get up to do stuff, it would stay on.
The shake weight provides for some funny moments and I was surprised that it wasn't battery operated. I have to do all the work. I will post pictures of my guns as soon as I get some.
I am working on getting coconut shoulders at the moment.

And the ove glove makes me feel invincible. Like I have superhuman powers. I can touch heat with my non bare hand. super ace .

Snow pussy

2011-01-22T18:05:00.000-08:00

snow bunny not so much. I think snow is pretty to look at but not so much to touch. But I am working on that and am determined to become one with the snow. I plan to take up snowshoeing. I will have to up my calcium intake to prepare for the falls.
when I walked into nursing orientation at UW in my Uggs and my cashmere mittens and my Louis Vuitton purse ( that my friend Mary gave me, trust me I couldnt afford/) , all the nurses later told me at lunch that they knew I was from California. hmm, okay I will take that as a compliment... kinda.
And my dad's backhanded compliment telling me I would look like a swimsuit model in the land of chubbies. I know, so my dad. funny but geez thanks pops. It isn't true in Madison. It is a very healthy, outdoorsy town.
The other learning curve is learning to cope in the snow. It is like traveling with a small child. You cant just up and leave your house. You have to pack accessories and always carry a tote and plan out your day and stops and what you will need. No more just walking out the front door in flip flops and tee shirt and skirt.
The other phenom is crunchy snow. Haha. I got made fun of by the other travelers. I thought all the salt crystals were ice crystals and hence walk slowly. And after living here 2 weeks, I still cannot tell the difference so I walk slowly and drive slowly everywhere. I am such a dilly.

Gimme a break

2011-01-22T17:50:00.000-08:00

break me off a piece of that Kit Kat bar. So I thought cost of living would be cheaper here in the ole midwest but turns out no. For example, a Kit Kat bar at the UCSF gift shop 75 cents and here at UW health gift shop 1.20 $ crazy. And today I got a below average mani/pedi and it was 50 bucks at a "you work today? ", "you married?" "you want flower" type place. 35 bucks in SF. gas costs the same here. food. movies. flowers. my Kombucha drink. What gives. It's nuts.

dot dot dot

2011-01-18T20:10:00.000-08:00

Too tired to blog but my terrifying cross country adventure/brush with disaster will be posted soon.
dont get too excited, kind of forget the funny parts and just remember the parts where i came to a dead stop on the interstate or where I was almost molested and pillaged at a rest stop. just so you know, rest stops might be the scariest places on earth. just you and a lone trucker in the middle of Wyoming.

Beaver hats and oddly named convenient stores are a prelude of blog to come.

Christmas past due

2011-01-18T20:05:00.000-08:00

(Just found this post I never posted but just saved)
Spent the day in the city with my aunt and mom's friend Holiday
We had a blast. Took a cable car to California and Mason. One of my favorite
corners in SF. Love the Fairmont and Grace cathedral and Top of the Mark and
the big room at the Hunington hotel. It is so my grandparents era SF. Classy and cool.

So the top is Holiday and my aunt Linda in front of the real homemade gingerbread house in the Fairmont hotel and the beautiful lobby.
We went to Tyler Florence's restaurant Wayfare Tavern and it was insanely good. Holy smokes. he had these warm popovers that were tdf.
Then the beautiful tree at Union square.

Dough

2011-01-13T18:40:00.000-08:00

Masa means dough in Italian, and it is my favorite pizza place in LA. Jimmy and I love to meet here everytime I am in town. My cousin Caitlin has joined us twice now and her vegan ass loves this pizza too.
I am not vegan but I love the pizza we get. We get either the stuffed pizza or Chicago deep dish. We get the soy cheese because it melts better than the vegan cheese and we get gardenera on it., a spicy mixture of carrots and peppers. so good.! I cannot express how much I love Jimmy. he is so one of a kind. Who doesnt love a man that volunteers at Childrens LA every single Sat and Sun unless he is out of town which is like never. The kids and nurses anticipate his arrival with bated breath.

Slacker

2011-01-13T17:50:00.000-08:00

I have been a slacker. I am aware. I will put up some posts soon before I forget what happened. doh
I was going to try and go in chronological order from my road trip until getting here but I think I will probably just post as stuff comes to me. I really love my followers and hope to post something interesting and witty soon but for now I just wanted to say hi.
BTW, shoot me if I ever tell you I want to drive most the way across the country in the dead of winter again. After I left the safe haven of Martha's house, it was pure terror. well I may be embroidering on the fabric of truth a tad.

driving in Wyoming in the morning

Bedknobs and broomsticks

2011-01-13T17:28:00.000-08:00

(saved as draft when I was in SF and just found, not that interesting but definitely factual)
I pass three ritzy private schools on my walk home from the bus stop. And one is in a very impressive Mansion (I shall take a picture) but I think that one is a witch apprentice school.

oro en paz, fierro en guerra

2010-12-29T04:30:00.000-08:00

I found out the other day San Francisco city's motto. Gold in peace and iron in war. I am still contemplating that one. I jumped on Muni 49 down to the City hall and went on a tour. Of course, I will pull out the ole Cliff Clavin on you and give you some nerdy facts. First of all, our dome is the 5th largest in the world. so there you go. It was raining so forgive some umbrella shots. I also enjoyed a moment at a cafe outside of the City hall and drank some fab Ritual coffee and fed a cute little bird some of my Vietnamese sandwich. Always nice to have a friend dine with you.

That is real 23.5 karat gold leafing on the dome.

The Christmas tree looks like it has snow on it. But really it is thousands of these white paper cranes with wishes written on the. And there are always wedding taking place here. I cannot wait until all couples will be allowed to wed here again and then that will be truly beautiful
The lamps are gorgeous in person. They are from France and SF gets the light bulbs to this day from France. Aren't we so fancy. Love!

I went to Saigon sandwich on Larkin for the best Vietnamese sandwich and a scrumptious banana and jackfruit roll I shared it with my fair weathered and feathered friend.

Black heart tattoo

2010-12-29T04:16:00.000-08:00

I cannot believe I did it. I got my first tattoo yesterday. And boy did I go to the best. I was so lucky to get in with Scott Sylvia. Total luck and fluke he had a cancellation. I loved the experience and was so impressed with the shop and my tattoo artist. My shoulder is killing right now and that is why I am up writing on my blog instead of sleeping. Also there is a gnarly storm outside right now. Oh and dad don't freak out. It is not like I am 16.

On a mission

2010-12-29T04:09:00.000-08:00

I explored the mission today. I stumbled on some amazing graffiti and murals.
This great little Sparrow alley off of Valencia had some great stuff. I walked the mission and the castro in the rain today and it was glorious. I leave the city on Thursday with a heavy heart but I know I will be back. This city is arguably one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

These last few are on Laguna and Haight.

Pulled pork torta phenom and a hot cookie in the castro for desert.

I have to say what I love about traveling is that I really see a city. I have done it all here.

I am mildly obsessed with cable cars

2010-12-21T00:03:00.000-08:00

So I went to the museum today. Super neat ! I love the smell of grease and the sound of the cables constantly moving. There are 4 cable car lines(Powell-Hyde-Mason-California) still running and I try to ride them as often as possible.
I love everything about them. The sound of the bell ringing and watching the gripman run the cable car and the scenery and the fresh SF air blowing on my face. I love them !!!!!!
Cliff Clavin fact, the cables are constantly at 9.5 mph and the gripman controls the speed with the hold on the cable. The cables last anywhere from 70-200 days and then have to be replaced. They replace them between the hours of 0100-0600 when the cable cars are not running. I could go on and on but I think I may have already lost some of you. I think I lost Curtis at "So"

These are the sheaths under the streets.

Oaktown

2010-12-20T23:35:00.000-08:00

I went to the Raiders game with my darling Baileys. It rained on my nachos and we sat on garbage bags in our rain panchos but hey the Raiders won !

Apple "sigh"der

2010-12-20T23:30:00.000-08:00

My computer is cheyne stoke breathing. Poor thing. The Apple nerds says there is not much more they can do for it. So tomorrow I am getting a new Macbook. And a new iphone since it is agonal breathing.
When it rains, it pours. Since it has been doing both lately, seems apropos.

Therapy dog

2010-12-20T23:17:00.000-08:00

I am such a sap for kids and dogs. So therapy dogs at the hospital are major heartwarmers.
Because of HIPPA, I cannot show one of my favorite patients face but if you can imagine cuteness
wrapped up in a sweet little boy who cried when I had to say goodbye to him. I took care of him for 2 months and he finally got to go home. Christmas miracle.
But here is a picture of my sweet patient and Nalani . the most mellow, lovable, angelic lab.

not so merry hipsmas

2010-12-20T23:08:00.000-08:00

I had tickets to see one of my favorite bands on Friday, December 17th
and 18th. They have their annual holiday shows at the GAMH. I was so looking forward to this. The first night I couldn't rally. I had a brutal day at work, mentally and physically drained, and didn't get home until 2115 that night and could barely muster up the energy to breath in and out. The next night, Saturday. I got my unwrapped toy and my rain gear on and hailed a cab. I am not going to go into detail on the blog but a series of mini nightmares started and I ended up back home soaked in rain and my own tears and blood by 0200. I did however love the music as I always do.

Tim Bluhm , doggone fantastic !

Great venue

Cubicle ?

2010-12-14T22:17:00.000-08:00

Day of beauties today. I found this little nail salon that I really like Two Vietnamese women run it. They are so good , the real deal. Good price. great massage and great at cuticles. They are total perfectionists and I usually get there on a weekday at 10 and get the place to myself. But today was different. Let me state how kind these ladies are. So today there was an elderly lady there before me getting a manicure and another lady came in after me. The old lady kept saying her nails didn't look right and yada yada and was so rude. She kept saying "I cant understand you " I cant understand your English" And talking down and demeaning to the manicurist. You know you old bag, context. When you are in a nail salon and if it sounds like cuticle it just might be that. Read between the broken sentences. These women are such hard workers and actually speak quite well but sometimes I have to guess a little. Context people. And you only need a couple of words to get the gist. Then she continued to berate them and I finally had to say something. I was painted ,pun intended, into a corner. I couldn't really yell at the lady, it tis the season dont you know but I couldn't tolerate her behavior. So I spoke up and she looked at me like I was crazy but oh well. And then the other lady (who was a regular at the salon) forgot her wallet. So she was like I will just pay you next week. What the heck. Who does that. These women are living hand to mouth. You get a service , uh you pay then. Good luck trying to use that excuse at the gas station. Let me know how that works out. I could go on and on but I wont. It just embarrasses me how we Americans have such a sense of entitlement. Here are these women busting their chops, decorating their little salon with a Christmas tree and all and we walk on them like they are beneath us. Sux.

C U UCSF :(

2010-12-12T20:03:00.000-08:00

Only 6 more shifts left . I have loved working at this hospital. It has its good and bad like every place.
I wager that I will float at least 3 of those shifts but oh well. I have been able to live in this wonderful city and live in a cool neighborhood. 2000 Broadway.
I know I will be back.

Eat Pizza Pray

2010-12-12T19:45:00.000-08:00

My aunt and uncle and I went to Glide's Sunday service. It was fantastic. The singing talent is incredible. Such a neat experience . And we were lucky to have the founding minister Cecil Williams talk today. He was awesome, he talked about Facebook. Classic. so topical and so right on. It is such a great mixture of people. Very inspirational and a nice reminder to do good and be good and we are all human and deserve to be treated as such.

Next , we went to North Beach. North Beach is pretty touristy and not really known for its good Italian food. The better Italian places are in the Mission or downtown like Farina, Delfina, Flour and Water and I just heard about a great one in Jackson Square called Cotagna. I heard the egg ravioli is insane.
But we heard about this great pizzeria called Tony's. It is in Washington Square across the park from Mamas. (Sare bear :) We ordered their award winning Napoliatano margherita pizza. In Cred Ible 1

Mexican coke and Italian beer,

rats

2010-12-10T21:24:00.000-08:00

As I'm filing up with gas on my way to work I feel something on my calf in my scrubs. Thinking it was a dryer sheet that got stuck, I casually kick my leg to get it out & out comes flying a f*%#ing mouse! He must have crawled up my scrubs as I was waiting! SO grossed out right now!!!!

That was my friend Courtney's status update from last night. Yuck and double yuck.
My friends that live in Alberta say they literally have a Rat Squad there and that they take it very seriously and there are no rats in Calgary or Edmonton. I think SF might need to consult them.
Besides me and the taxis out on the streets of San Francisco at 0555, there also rats and garbage trucks . At first I thought it was odd that the garbage trucks are out every morning on Fillmore but then when I see the rats, I realize why.

Another disturbing thing is how many ill homeless people there are out on the streets. It is quite sad and really gets to me. I see on a weekly basis a mentally disturbed individual riding the Muni and most of the time they still have their hospital id band on and more than once a restraint. Yep, you read it , bet your bottom blogger. They have an ankle or wrist restraint still on. Do we just dump them out into the streets. that is not good.

Okay, wanted to reiterate that I dont really expect anyone of you to really read this but I like to blog aimlessly and I just like knowing you are all out there if I need you. xxo boo

San Francisco days twindling

2010-12-10T21:17:00.000-08:00

I will be so sad to leave this city but am definitely ready for a new hospital. I realized how attached to everything I get. I even get attached to the daddy long legs in my apt and the pigeons that are my neighbors on the roof top next to me.
I love my neighborhood and walking home from the bus stop at night and looking down Webster, my favorite view from my area.
I love my Muni drivers and my coffee baristas , I am close to a few patients and families but I realized this is why it is good that I am a traveler. Because it is always time to move on . until I guess one day it isnt.
So I am going to take advantage of every day until I leave.

Tomorrow I am going to Sausalito to watch the boat light parade and Sunday I am going to Glide memorial church for a good ole Baptist service with singing and all.

I hope my crazy 8's (that is you guys) have a great weekend. xxo boo

Wet bus

2010-12-10T21:07:00.000-08:00

The smell of wet bus might trump wet dog smell. Just coming off 3 day shifts. It rained each day ,so a wet commute. Morning commute is easy because it is just me and the taxis out on the street and the same motley crue on my bus ride. But evening wet commute, no me gusta. Friday nights are the worst. So crowded on the 22. BTW, just got home and turned on the TV for background noise and really? , did we really need to give that obnoxious Guy Fierri another show.
Another tangent. I now see I have ocho followers , good evening ! nice to have you . but made me think that I made promises to make you laugh or cry. I think I want to renege, I think I might just make myself laugh or cry.

I floated to the intensive care nursery again. I really don't like it there. They literally cannot think outside the isolette. So I dont know in the morning that I am floating there until I get to my unit. so my standard is to wear long sleeve tee under my scrubs because uhh , hmm , why . oh yeah because it is freakin winter. And the ICN go into a neonatal tailspin if you have long sleeves. everything has to be above your elbows. The thing that irks me , is that they are OBSESSED with this. So while they leave me, an untrained NICU nurse with no orientation or training to the unit with 6 babies that have A & B's alone while my baymate is on break or while they cram in a isolette to a space that has no O2 or suction, they have issues with my standard issue Jcrew shirt. and everyone walks by me and reminds me to scrunch up my shirt. argh

BTW, 600 volts run through the Muni wires so don't jump on top of the bus like some lamos do.

flowers and candles

2010-12-06T22:02:00.000-08:00

So I was way more motivated today. Cleaned the apartment and did laundry. And as always my motivation to clean, is a reward of fresh flowers and lighting a yummy candle. Today's feature are spray roses and Seda France holiday candle. I am like a kid, or a dog. I work on a reward system.
Walked the hills of pacific heights and tried to volunteer but sometimes they make it so hard.
I signed up to help move patients in wheelchairs to the new Laguna Honda rehab facility and signed up for SF food bank shift and neither called or emailed me back.
I went to dinner with Curtis to a veggie Japanese place in the Mission and then we went to Bi-Rite creamery. I got malted vanilla with peanut brittle and chocolate and he got persimmon and snickerdoodle. Both super good.
Tomorrow my gay husband and I are having dim sum at 45th and Balboa and he speaks Chinese so we get the yummiest food.
BTW, this blog which I shall call Le Blog, is more of a diary without the private stuff, when you live alone you have a lot to say at the end of the day and sometimes it is funny and interesting and sometimes not but it is nice to have someone to tell.
BTW, Curtis and i also went to the Mission Dolores Basilca to see a co workers musical show but we were late and it was too expensive so we bailed. I hope Santa isn't mad. or our coworker Lana.
Now I am going to watch the show Hoarders in my clean apt and feel superior for a little bit.

Breaking the girl

2010-12-05T21:42:00.000-08:00

a favorite song of mine and how I feel. Rough few days at work. Some really sad cases coupled with some really touching moments. Just taxed physically and emotionally. Took care of a kid with a disease that only approx 120 people in the world have. And he has this kinda "locked in"syndrome which is heart wrenching but I am telling you he had a smile that could launch a 1000 ships. I floated to the PCRC for the first time. It is a research unit. Pretty cool.
Today I had the best intentions but petered out hence I will be sleeping on the couch since I stripped my bed but didn't follow through with the actual washing. Started a really interesting but heavy book about Pat Tillman, a hero of mine.
I had a freakin fantastic El Salvadorian dinner in the mission with my SF bff Curtis. Such good food. Holy smokes !
Tomorrow cable car museum and dinner and music with my pal Curtis.

Have you ever noticed

2010-12-05T05:01:00.000-08:00

that mostly the thought of sleeping in is better than the actual sleeping in. Wide awake after working 3 day shifts. drat.and have you ever noticed that some things you never improve on. for example. in all my years of cracking eggshells, I have made no progress. I still get egg shell fragments and that runny white goop all over. and then you try to get the egg shell pieces out of your mixture and you get your finger on the piece and then spend the next 5 minutes trying to slide it up the side of the bowl and the stars align when you finally succeed.

Limo ride

2010-12-03T21:06:00.000-08:00

So I got the Muni 6 all to myself tonight from Parnassus to Haight. that is how I roll . I bonded with my private driver Calvin.

Crazy busy day at work today. Highlights of my day were drawing a Prometheus panel, I love a good greek mythology reference in medicine. Do you know the story of Prometheus. I think his liver was forever to picked at by a crow. I will have to regoogle but that is what the doc told me.

And at the end of a super busy, non lunch break and woofing down my Lean Cuisine at 1700, my flat affect patient asked me if I was going to be his nurse again tomorrow. awww, it was sweet.

I really do love my job.

Then while waiting for the 22 on Haight and Fillmore , I got to enjoy the street art fair and chat with a nice guy named Jim. he asked for my number but I refrained because he was slight special needs but super sweet.

One more thing before I shower and self medicate with Tylenol and a Kombucha, I love my walk home from the bus stop at Broadway and Fillmore. This neighborhood is so fancy and I walk by two richy rich schools and some beautiful buildings ( I am going to take some daytime pics of the amazing architecture). I love looking down the steep hills at the bay. This city is the most beautiful, fabulous city. I feel lucky to live here and am going to savor every minute.

shout out

2010-12-03T21:05:00.001-08:00

just wanted to say hi to my 3 followers. hey auntie, hey Sare bear, hey Andria!

love !

2010-12-02T21:28:00.000-08:00

Muni is the SF bus system. It is one of the oldest public trans in the country and it provides a steady stream of entertainment for me. Although sometimes after working a 12 hour shift, I have no patience for the tweakers,but I do enjoy helping out the tourists or talking with the nutters.
So I solved the mystery of the Chinese octogenarian recycling gang and am now working on a new puzzle.
There is a man that gets on the 22 in the morning and

National Lampoon Nursing School

2010-12-01T20:19:00.000-08:00

I wish I kept a diary in nursing school It was the absolute hardest time of my life but also the most comical. Those poor patients of Kern Medical Center. The stories will come out over time on this blog because they are too priceless not to share. A lot of you guys know them.

This blog will mostly be light and funny but it no way minimizes the fact that I take care of sick kids and that is very, very serious to me. But I do believe in gallows humor, it keeps us afloat (pun intended)

As I carried the amputed leg wrapped in sterile towels from the OR to pathology through the bowels of KMC. I thought , hmm should have stuck with hotel management.

Writer's block

2010-12-01T18:14:00.000-08:00