Monterey's Aquarium

A couple of weeks ago J attended EcoFarm, a prominent forum for organic farmers to meet and discuss the latest research, methods and advances in eco-friendly farming techniques.

While he attended lectures on pond management, natural pest control, fruit tree pruning, beekeeping, and seed swaps, I visited one of my favorite places in the whole wide world: the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Their displays are incredible, with fresh ocean water pumped into their tanks several times a day. The Aquarium's building used to be a cannery, so if you go pay attention to the huge canning ovens as you enter.

I was lucky to visit on a slow day, as it can be a bit crazy in there with tons of kids, strollers and groups. If you can ignore them all, the Aquarium is like a dream come true. Go early, as you won't want to leave. Also, eat at the restaurant (past the café), it is a bit pricey but super chill, with delicious food, wine, ocean views and your own pair of binoculars at each table.
Oh, and remember to charge your camera's battery the night before you visit, as it is super easy to run out of power with all the spectacular displays!

For more info and to see the creatures in the pictures in action, plus live feed from their research submarines, make sure to visit the  Aquarium's site.

Engaging conversation.

Without being aware that we are doing it, J and I switch back and forth between English and Spanish when talking to each other.

Last night, while watching a movie, someone on screen was proposing.

The following conversation ensued:

Me:   In what language did you propose to me?

J:   Mmmm...

Long silence.

Me:   *awkward stare*

J:   In the language of looooove, of course!

Another uncomfortable moment that resolved with both of us laughing hysterically.

PS. I should also mention that I actually don't remember in what language he proposed (but don't tell him, he he).

Long way home.

The morning was gray and I was moody.

Would you mind if we take the long route home? he asked.

I ended up in my first corn maze ever.

Hope you are having a great weekend!

Happy Weekend!

I am very excited about this weekend.

J's garden's official opening was a couple of days ago so we will be celebrating. Dinner with good friends, free music at Golden Gate Park, picnics and wine.

The weather is cool and breezy  and we are happy.

Have a good weekend!

Impending rain by RR

Impending Harvest.

Lately there has been an increasingly louder buzz around Wine Country about the impending grape harvest. 

Apparently the first grapes are already being harvested in Carneros and Healdsburg.

The ones in our back yard look pretty close. 

Can you see the little green grapes? That is called "chicks and hens", an uneven growth of the cluster caused by cool and wet weather while the vines bloomed. The uneven ripening is an issue, since they will have to separate and toss away the green grapes so the resulting wine is just right.

On a different note, last night we went out to celebrate our wedding anniversary. The weather was incredible. We ended the night playing Bocce ball and had a great time even though we had no clue of the rules.

Rickshaw bags.

Months and months ago I bought a coupon online (something I had never done before) for a messenger bag at a super duper discount, then totally forgot about it.

A couple of weeks ago they sent me a reminder e-mail because the coupon was about to expire. 

I called a good friend and made it an excuse to go to San Francisco and have fun together. We had lunch and a couple of Mezcal cocktails at my favorite Mexican restaurant (the one that brings me warm memories of food at home) and then we headed out to Rickshaw.

I had no idea they existed, and even less so that they are so amazing!

They are a small company that designs and sells the most incredible bicycle bags. The store is at their small factory, where a handful of super nice people make and sell the bags. It was a treat to see the friendly faces of the people who proudly manufacture their products, and the range of their collection blew my mind. 

I promise you they have just the bag for you! They also sell hats, laptop sleeves, binders and more.

Their prices are fair, even more so because you can customize your bag from hundreds of colors and fabric choices at no extra charge. 

Cannot find your ideal fabric or color? They event let you order fabric from Spoonflower to make your bag unique! If that is what you prefer, please call them so they let you know how much fabric to buy.

I ordered a customized Zero Messenger bag for Mr. J, who has had the same beat up bag since we met over a decade ago. 

I hope he likes it.

I can't wait for their call to say it's ready!

Customized bags waiting for their lucky owners.

Rickshaw Atelier in action.

Walking around our new neighborhood.

The vines are beginning to  "bloom". How can such an anti-climatic flower bring such joy?

The (never ending) move.

J and I had this image of our move as just putting "it all" in our car and driving away towards our bright new future while singing happily with the radio turned to the loudest possible volume. It would look something like this (add favorite tunes as loud as they can go and happy purring cats in the back seat):

You can buy this pretty embroidery here.

Well, it turns out the move is actually harder than previously thought.

As of right now it has been almost a month, we are not done moving, and have driven back and forth between our places for what feels like a trillion times. One of those trips involved boxes with cat limbs coming out from every possible corner and me crying because we had uprooted them from a happy place. 

Our old home is little and we assumed we could empty it in a couple of trips, so we just got enough boxes to fit in J's parent's van thinking we could fill them up, drive them to our new place, unpack them and go back a couple of times with the same boxes. Easy! Practical! NOT.

How could so many things fit in a 365 square feet little cabin?

Last time I moved 6 years ago all I brought with me was a backpack with a couple of clothes changes. That was it. And maybe some shampoo and a hair band. Now J and I find ourselves the proud owners of tons of stuff. How did this happen? We have collected some useful artifacts for the kitchen (like the prettiest mugs we got for our wedding). We are both readers, and while we support our public library, somehow we have amassed a fair amount of books. Then there are plants, driftwood, rocks, bones, clothes and the infamous shoes...

I wish this moving option had been a possibility, or that I had found* Jennifer earlier! No, she is not a super efficient muscular mover, but a smart girl who has decided to let go of most of her worldly possessions and drive away without turning back. I know how to shed everything away feels like and it is liberating and refreshing, but for whatever reasons it is not where I am at now, so on and on I go carrying the load of my stuff.

I think this weekend we will finally make our last trip to move and then I will allow myself to sit still and have a cup of tea.

I have to tell you, that first cup of tea at our new place better taste good in those pretty mugs!

PS. The cats are happy and adjusting to our new home quite nicely.

* Jennifer found via Mighty Girl

Pre-dawn conversation.

Me:   I am cold.
Him:  Me too.
Me:   Can I close the window?
Him:  I prefer to have fresh air.
Me:   Don't mind if my chattering teeth wake you up.
Him:  No problem. As soon as you get seizures you will
      warm up and they will stop.

The Wave.

Hokusai's "The Great Wave of Kanawaga".

Remember those doors I mentioned before?

They are life changing experiences that leave you wondering what is waiting for you on the other side. Usually, what awaits you is not what you thought, and I strongly believe everything (good or bad) happens for a reason.

When I began this blog I was facing the unknown (more than usual, that is), and that was a major factor in my deciding to write my daily rants. I have not been explicit about this, but last December I was laid off from my job. It was scary and uncertainty was eating me away. 

Since then life has not been easy, and J and I have been through a lot.

Our lives have been a roller coaster. 

What seemed to be the worst experiences (losing my job, not finding another one straight away, stress and uncertainty) have all lined up to set up what is the most exciting thing that has happened to us in a long, long time.

J has found the P E R F E C T job. He is so excited! People at his new workplace are very happy about him joining their team, he will use his skills in a very cool project (he will start from zero an organic edible garden and a small farm for a winery) while he will learn tons of new things about vine cultivation and wine making.

It was him -who was not really looking- and not I who found a new job, and because I have not found one yet it is easy for us to relocate. We have found a lovely new home and cannot wait to explore the beautiful area we are moving to.

Life has a funny sense of humor, and it loves to play with your head. 

I see it as a huge wave that tumbles me around at its will and have learnt to trust it because, 

in the end, everything works out just fine.

Shoe envy.

Growing up in Mexico City meant always being on the move, having to walk with a confident stride through its crowded streets, dashing after busses and jumping off of them while still in motion (literally!). And that pace implied having to wear sturdy shoes that could keep up. Dr. Martens boots were my daily companion for the longest time.

My life is very different now. Because I live on a small town without access to public transportation I have to drive everywhere, and while that is ironic since I have never had a greenest lifestyle as I do now, it has allowed my footwear to evolve and diverge. Since I relocated here I have acquired a fair amount of shoes. Dressy colorful shoes, strappy sandals, boots... I have allowed myself to wear high heels for the first time in my life.  I love my shoes and wish I could have more space to keep them.

Then I saw this:

Photos from pink kitten's shoe closet via copper + lace

I could not stop staring! It is surreal, crazy and intense and yet there is a creepy Imelda Marcos side of me that wishes that shoe closet could be mine. 

I just had to show it to J. 

J's reaction:   Wow...

Me:   I know... *sigh*

Him:   How many feet do you think she has?

And that, in a nut shell, is why I love him.