Caroline + James

Every once in a while one has the pleasure of meeting a couple that fits together effortlessly.  James and Caroline are one such couple.  They know how to have a great time together, and one can easily tell that they are the best of friends.  Always off on some adventure together, they love to poke fun at one another and just enjoy the other's company.

Fun and adventure was what brought them together.  While I was off galavanting through Europe, James and Caroline were individually doing the same in Australia (only more ruggedly).  I remember back when it all began, I was Skyping with James and he was telling me about the French girl he was dating.  With every sterotype running through my mind, I thought, James?  With a Frenchie?  Really?  But Caroline ain't your average Frenchie.  As soon as I met her, I thought, "Oh!  This makes all the sense in the world."  He met Caroline in the middle of nowhere, and together, they found themselves in the middle of somewhere pretty special.

The last year of their relationship has been tricky, with visa challenges continually getting in their way.  Caroline wanted to stay in the states, both to work and to be with James, but only one of those things was working out.  After Caroline had to return to France at Christmas due to an expired visa, James returned with a heavy heart and a lot of thinking to do.  He decided he would never be more sure about Caroline than he already was, so he took a leap of faith and proposed, and just months later, here we were celebrating with them at a whirlwind wedding!

My car, which included Gio, Sam, and myself, was the Cake Squad.  We had been tasked with picking up the creme puff cakes at a French bakery in Berkeley and keeping them alive the three-hour drive up.  The cake is seriously the most accident-prone job to have for a wedding, and we were all very nervous about any hiccups.  The small Asian woman that handed over the cakes at the bakery did not have a lot of faith in our cardboard box/ice/tarp system, but we pulled it off!

The wedding weekend took place in Tahoe, with the attendees staying at one of three cabins (one even had a wood-burning hot tub-seriously) all along the same woodsy street.  Guests arrived at James' parents' cabin in waves Friday night for the "rehearsal dinner" (I use quotes because there was a lot of home-brewed beer and fajita consumption and not too much actual rehearsing going on, not that they needed it), and everyone at the intimate affair (just 30 total for the wedding) had the chance to meet and catch up.  Only with James and Caroline would you get to spend the night before a couple's wedding eating guac on the floor and playing drinking games.  So much fun.

Morning of, the girl's cabin was hopping because we had a V.I.P. - Caroline.  Above you'll see her enjoying a nice, stiff drink before the ceremony.  Among the last few to the wedding were the bride and those of us helping her get ready (yes, we were late).  Outside on the street, Caroline started feeling overwhelmed.  For the hundredth time that morning, she shrieked adorably, "Oh my God, I'm getting married today!"  And then she added, "To James."  And as if realizing it for the first time: "I love James!"  And she started crying out of sheer joy, excitement, and love. 

The ceremony was held at the stunning Fallen Leaf Lake in South Lake Tahoe, boasting glimmering waves and snow-capped mountains, and providing the most breathtaking backdrop for their vows.  I can't tell you what a sight we were hiking the 15 minutes in with a pristinely-white bride and several more girls in dresses.  And I don't think she'd mind me saying that there may have been a potty break in the bushes for the bride as she walked down the aisle to the wedding site.  Caroline sure knows how to make things memorable!  Here's James, awaiting his bride, and Caroline, after her (trek to and) walk down the aisle:

Caroline looked just gorgeous, and she was glowing with such a wild energy-in fact she did a lot of jumping around all day long to expend some of it!  Her tears caught up with her as she was walking down the aisle, and again as she was saying her vows.  They exchanged vows in both English and French, mostly for the benefit of Caroline's mother, stepfather, and maid of honor, Angélique, who had all come over from France for the special occasion.  The vows were so beautiful, so heart-felt, and most importantly of all, so specific to them.  One of the best parts was when James interrupted Caroline to show her the two ducks (apparently one of her favorite animals, and a sign of good luck) that had waddled over to witness the ceremony.  Grab a tissue, because I taped the vows:

I now present you Mr. and Madame Baldwin!

What did the ceremony end with, you might ask?  Well that would be Jay-Z and Beyonce's Bonnie and Clyde, of course.  Best wedding music, ever.

Then commenced the photo shoot with the professional photographer, which I emulated with my phone.  Enjoy!

Frenchies!

The Baldwins

The EAP Bologna, Italy crew!

Caroline and Angélique

James and Sam, as per usual

Please note, Sam had a broken wrist and still managed to pull this off.

James' UCSD crew

Gio and me

Then we moved the party over to "a rib joint" as James first described it to me.  We were in the self-titled "cavern" of the restaurant, which bore a strong resemblance to Disneyland's Splash Mountain, much to my pleasure.  There were party favors in the form of jelly beans and gummy bears in canisters with personalized chalk drawings on each, begging the question...whose is whose?  You had to figure out which one represented you to the couple, and get confirmation from them personally.  Mine, of course, was a gelato cone.

Speeches were made by the best man, James' brother, Mike, and the maid of honor, Angélique.  Caroline's mother even said a few words (translated by her daughter), where she good-naturedly announced her retirement from motherhood and her pleasure at the prospect of no more requests for money.

Then we chowed down.

And did some wedding shots.

During the reception, I was speaking with Angélique about what Caroline had told her about James at the beginning of their relationship.  Among other things, she relayed Caroline's early sentiments that James was simply "a really good guy" and I got all emotional again, because all I could think is, he is.  The best.  And for that, he deserves nothing but happiness, and I am so glad he's found that with Caroline!

The rest of the evening was spent on the dance floor.  James and Caroline kicked it off with their rendition of the Dirty Dancing finale, "Time of My Life" - lift included!  I wish I had the amazing shot of the lift that James' dad captured, but these will at least give you some idea of how saucy/sweet it was:

From the rustic cabins to the lake setting, the French/English vows to the BBQ ribs, this couple made the wedding their own.  It was so relaxed, so intimate, and just plain fun.  As Caroline said, many couples go into their wedding feeling like they have to spend the rest of their lives together, but for James and Caroline, after so many bureaucratic and governmental obstacles, they feel like they finally get to.  Plus, we get to hang on to Caroline, now, too.  Even if you guys tried, I don't think you two could ever make a boring married couple.  Best of luck to you both-I wish you a lifetime of continued love and laughter!  

Cheers To That

Well, guys, I'm already on week three of my new life.  Box is great-the people are super friendly and talented, and my new colleagues frequently come up to me and say, "Oh my gosh, you're the new SF receptionist?  We're been searching for you for months.  So happy to have you join the team!"  And as I'm replying, "Well, here I am!," I can't help but think how serendipitously I came to Box and how neat it is that we both feel so lucky to have found each other.

I spent the first week at HQ in Los Altos, learning the ropes, meeting the peeps, and getting a feel for Box's wacky culture.  I even took a fast-paced trip down this puppy:

I started at Box just in time, because, since the San Francisco Giants are one of Box's oldest and biggest clients, we as a company go to one Giants game every season.  It happened to be at the end of my first week, so great timing.  We got cute Box/Giants swag hats as well as free beer and tickets!  Shout out to this girl, Angelica, who got me the hook up with Box in the first place!

Starting week two, I was already getting set up in San Francisco, and first things first we had a major event: Mayor Lee came to visit!  He spoke to his interest in supporting Bay Area start-ups, technology, and education.  It was fun to hear him tell how he got convinced to run for mayor by Senator Barbara Boxer, as well as his plans for the city, especially his wanting to make it a more appealing place to raise young families, and to hopefully get the Warriors moved to the pier!  Below is Mayor Lee, left, along with Aaron Levie, our CEO.

Getting off at Montgomery Station in the Financial District of SF and heading to my high rise office with a view feels like a dream.  So lucky to be living it!

Also that week we celebrated Brittany's 26th birthday with shrimp and grits at NOLA, embarrassingly low scores at Mission Bowling Club, and finally wine tasting and your casual helicopter ride in Sonoma.  So much fun packed into a few days!

It was one crazy week, with many highs but also many lows.  The lows varied from personal and close friends to national-I was glued to the news screens watching the coverage of the Boston bombings, and couldn't believe that in the same week there was a Presidential poisoning scam and a deadly explosion in Texas.

Then early that Saturday morning, I awoke to the sound of a car accident on the street outside.  Somehow I knew it had to be my car, but wasn't sure until I heard Jodi creeping down the hall calling my name.  A cab hit my side mirror and tire, leading to a week's headache between insurance and autobody companies.  Overall, I guess it went about as well as it could, and the taxi company took responsibility for the accident, so I really lucked out.

One of the best things that came out of the week was our new acquaintance, Jose, and his myriad of catch phrases.  We met Jose (big guy on the right) at one of our winery stops, and boy does he have a lot of stories to drunkenly share with the world.  To him, everything is organic, especially whisky, and he only tells self-proclaimed "true stories."  He is also very partial, or perhaps addicted, to the practice of clinking glasses, and exercises this social activity on average every 3.2 seconds, if not more, initiated by an emphatic "Cheers to that!"  This phrase can come after anything, for example: "I think Cher got some work done...Cheers to that!" or "I just cancelled my subscription to the NY Times...Cheers to that!" or even "Sometimes I get a growth on my toe...Cheers to that!"  You can also consider inserting it into the middle of your own or your friends' proclamations to double or triple your cheers-ing potential.

Next up...James and Caroline's wedding...Cheers to that!

Inside the Box

It's been a big week for this girl.  I got a new job with Box, a cloud computing software start-up company, and chose an apartment in the Glen Park neighborhood of San Francisco!  I also got to go to my first Giant's game of the season, and we won!  Things are definitely looking up.

Box, while complicated to explain in its entirety, is a company that supplies file storage on the internet, for you to use from any device and share with anyone.  They are headquartered in Los Altos, but recently opened an office in downtown San Francisco, where I will be working as their new Receptionist!  I got this opportunity thanks to a friend from college who does the same thing at Box, in Los Altos.  They all say it, and I'm certainly an example of it: networking is the only way to go.   I really feel inspired by this company's mission and passion, and am psyched to be joining such a world-class team.  The company is growing rapidly, and has lots of room for advancement.  The sky's the limit and I feel like I can dream big again.

As for the apartment, we are so happy with it.  Glen Park is such a cute little neighborhood, and feels residential and neighborly while still being pretty central.   I'm moving into a three bedroom corner apartment with Brittany and Jodi, and I'm excited to share more pictures and experiences and fun times had there in the future.  Here's a taste:
 

Ever since moving back from Italy, this has been the goal.  Maybe it was even before that, and this has just been a lovely meandering.  To everyone who asked, "Why are you giving up a villa in Italy and a dream job?"  This is why.  I get to be close to home, I get to live with two of my best friends, and I get to experience perhaps my favorite city in the world every day.  Oh, and bonus, I get to work for a fantastic company!  Did I mention I'm going to get to meet the mayor during week 2 on the job? 

Everyone has been so supportive, from Europe to Africa to right here at home.  Today my yoga instructor, Christina, asked everyone to dedicate their practice to me and my new journey (first day I've ever cried in yoga).  Letizia, always the poetically supportive communicator, sent me inspiration with the following excerpt from poet Muriel Rukeyser's "Elegy of Joy".

Nourish beginnings, let us nourish beginnings.
Not all things are blest, but the
seeds of all things are blest.
The blessing is in the seed.

And joy in these seeds, indeed, is what I feel.  I've found myself two "boxes" to be a part of...a job, and a home!  I am so excited for this new chapter of my life, and I feel the thrill of eager anticipation as I wait for the future to flow my way.  To new beginnings!

The Sagacity of Winnie the Pooh

On pondering the excitement in my life right now, I thought I'd share this quote with you.

“"When you wake up in the morning, Pooh," said Piglet at last, "what's the first thing you say to yourself?"

"What's for breakfast?" said Pooh. "What do you say, Piglet?"

"I say, I wonder what's going to happen exciting today?" said Piglet.

Pooh nodded thoughtfully. "It's the same thing," he said.”

This Mr. Pooh is a bear after my own heart.  At his innocent core he understands that food goes beyond sustenance; it's an entire world of possibilities, of taste bud temptation and tummy tantalization.  It's a comfort, a reward, a hobby.  And it's what keeps me going, both nutritionally and creatively.  It's like in Sister Act II, when Whoopie says to my girl Lauryn Hill, "If you wake up in the morning, and you can't think of anything but singing, then you should be a singer, girl."  Well, I wake up in the morning, and I can't think about anything but eating.  Now, aside from pie eating contests, tell me how I can make "Eater" into a profession.  Would you?

How You Doin', San Diego?

To most people, San Diego would be considered an exotic extended vacation spot.  To most Californians, it's just a great weekend beach getaway.  Shawn, Brittany, and I took advantage of its proximity last weekend, and met up with the excuse of seeing the well-known (in Europe) French dj, Bob Sinclar.  Shawn had been to one of his shows before in Ibiza, but it was all new for Britt and me, and we were all psyched to be paying $15 for a show that usually bills at 80 euro.

We spent the weekend at the chic Palomar Hotel in the Gaslamp District, where Brittany's friend Lizzie gave us the VIP treatment, even having special treats waiting for us in our room upon arrival, including a bottle of champagne on ice!  The four of us went out for tapas before us three made our way to Fluxx to get our European beats on.

We were right in the front, close enough to reach out and fist bump Bob Sinclar, and in the prime location for people to make obnoxious excuses for why they should get closer than us.  One obnoxious Frenchie pulled out his passport to prove that he, as a fellow national, should be front and center.  Another claimed that he was Bob Sinclar's brother (Me: "Well, then.  You see him all the time.").

He mixed a lot of different songs, playing a handful of his own (including the Italian "Far l'Amore" and a favorite, filmed below from the back of the club, "Love Generation"), and several others, to which we danced the night away in the presence of awesome girls wearing hooded fur vests, a psychedelic battalion of lasers, and a consistent repetition of Sinclar's hilariously accented, "How you doin', San Diego?!"

On Saturday, Ian and his girlfriend Kelsey joined us for some fun in the sun.  We hung out at the hotel pool for a couple hours before heading to the top of the Hyatt in Seaport Village for fancy drinks and incredible bay and sunset views.

That night was just one thing after the next.  We ended up in South park, hanging out at the Station Tavern, chowing down on local Mexican and artisan ice cream, and poking into eclectic boutiques. 

The next morning we headed to Little Italy for a unique brunch at Craft & Commerce.  To understand their refreshing spin on breakfast, just know that Shawn's Eggs Benedict was on top of a jalapeno-glazed biscuit and I had duck leg confit.  Yum!

Afterwards, to escape downtown and get out on the water, we took the ferry over to Coronado and made our way to the Del, where we enjoyed floofy vacation drinks on the deck and walked along the sun-drenched sand.

As a final treat to cap off our quick getaway, we got to meet up with our high school friend Darrin, who just happened to also be in SD that weekend.  We realized that we hadn't seen each other in a whopping three years.  It's incredible how old friends can bridge time gaps and catch up in a matter of minutes and a bottle of wine.

Haven't had a weekend getaway in a while?  What are you doing?  Get going!