Soledaddies

For Will's 30th birthday he planned a weekend getaway in Soledad, CA.  So random, so beautiful... we hopped into the car and we were on our way!

That was a long ass drive, but we were welcomed by friends, food and this amazing vineyard backyard.  Before we could get in, we had to solve a puzzle to allow our cars into the gate.  It involved a complicated lock, a code and a red piece... oh and no reception.  We all made it in!

We were high up in the mountains, above the clouds.  I didn't know this was possible.

Below are the highlights from the getaway:

Yoga class in the morning by the pool.  In the afternoon I help a swim lesson.

We tried to take the bikes out, but the hills were too steep and the gears were too weathered.  But we tried!

We epic meals!

No, I mean seriously epic.  We had home cooked curry for dinner and a breakfast spread designed for kings.

Charles and Jimmy both created amazing recap videos!  Interesting to see different perspectives from the same trip!



A Weekend in Soledad from Jimmy Raymond on Vimeo.

Pinnacles National Park Hike

The group split up into two.  One set went wine tasting while another went on an epic hike.  I know what wine tastes like so I decided to explore the mountains!

We hugged the mountain and got some pretty cool views, but the highlight was exploring caves.  We were crawling through small areas and using our cell phone flash lights to help us get through.  Jimmy was prepared with a headlight.

"Caution: Flashlights required, low ceilings, dangerous when wet"

We had time to do some photoshoots.  Jimmy got some great shots!

On our way back!

Abalone Cove Shoreline Park Rancho Palos Verdes, CA

This hike was pretty strenuous because of how long it was, but we made it to the ocean!  It involved running across a highway and steep hills.

When we made it to the coast, we were greeted by beautiful rocks and cliffs!

Oh man - I am so artsy!

The tide pool was fun to play with too!

Across the Golden Gate

Back in November, Jimmy and I planned a spontaneous trip to the bay area.  My number one activity was to bike across the bridge since it was something I've never done before.  The Sports Basement was the perfect rental with free parking and exceptional prices ($15 for 3 hours!)  Remember to check Yelp! for deals.

Before actually crossing the bridge, Jimmy and I discovered the many many views of the bridge stopping for many pictures.  Though Jimmy has all of the pictures of both of us, I have some cute pictures of him to share.  What a stud.

And off we go!  Here's a shot of us on the bridge.  Remember to stay on the side reserved for bikers for max efficient cruising.  It was windy, but we were well equipped!

We made it to the other side to discover Sausalito!  It's a really cute town, but we didn't have time to really explore.  We were exhausted by the hills and were in a rush to make our return time.  The ferry back option seemed like a bit of a cluster so we decided to bolt back!  It was a physical challenge!  And the bike lanes weren't as clear on this side of the bay area.  I found myself cramping up.  It seemed like most people opted to just get a ferry ticket so that they didn't have to deal.

We made it back!  And just in time to grab a dinner.

We returned to So for their famous spicy chicken.  But I noticed it had been watered down.  The waitress proclaimed that I was the first one to notice!  "Yes, we got complaints, people even walked out because it was too spicy for them to eat!"  Well, I have to say it was more manageable and enjoyable when we weren't dying from the heat.

That evening we went to the Castro and watched our friends get messy.

The next day we explored the Mission District and Valencia street with Mony.  Interesting to see the Latino community hanging on to a thread while Valencia gentrification spills over.  The sad reality.

All the grit is being replaced with artist anal chocolate and oozey pastries.

Got to spend a few minutes with JV and Andy before heading across the new bay bridge.  Not sure why this picture is so yellow!

Ernest E. Debs Regional Park Hike in Monticito Heights

The views on this hike are amazing and it's pretty under appreciated like a lot of things in Los Angeles county.

Maybe it was because we were hiking during golden hour, but geezus it was so beautiful look at downtown from this view point.  Save that concrete jungle for New York So Cal is lush!

You wouldn't think that this hike we be interesting because of how easy it was, but there were lots of surprises.

You can see how the highway slices through the valley and then into the city but not before stopping by these cute neighborhoods

My turn!

If you take the correct route you will stumble upon a hidden lake.  There were kids running around, couples snuggling on a picnic blanket, people fishing.  It was like an oasis unaffected by the drought.

I'm really in love.

Hello 2015

This is the photo that I accidentally sent my coworker with the caption, "i love you."  It was meant for Jimmy.  I was mortified.  I'm still recovering from the flu and I was feeling whiney so I sent these unattractive photos to Jimmy to entertain myself.  

For a long time I felt invincible to illness.  Defeated only to digestive problems, but I blamed that on my aging body.  In terms of not catching viruses and infections I thought I was golden and protected by emergenC.  Not so much any more.

I experienced cold sweat that drenched my shirt so much that I had to change it in the middle of the night and paranoia from parking on the wrong side of the street for street cleaning that I emerged from my bed at 3AM to move it rather then wait for my alarm at 7:50AM giving me 10 minute buffer before tickets are given out.

I have this work assignment that's floating above my head: describe a time where you deviated from the company culture.  I stare blankly at this question on my self review.  Why is this so hard to answer?

2014 welcomed me with an eye infection.  2015 welcomed me with a flu and very first world problems like waiting in line for an hour for my iPhone 6.  Which by the way isn't that much better than the iPhone 4s that I've had and taken care for 2 years.

So what am I looking forward to in 2015?

- My cousin's wedding in Hawaii

- Possibly going to Vietnam in June while Huan is there

- Maybe going to Greece because Jimmy wants to go so badly

...and that's it.  What a simple life I have as a gay Asian with little to aspire to because I'm just that happy with everything I have in my life.

Oh!  I also achieved the Yelp! Gold badge this year.  God, the good news complacency keeps coming.  How about this one: the IRS lost a document that will probably cost me a couple thousands of dollars.  yeah.

 

Switzer Falls Welcomes us to 2015

We did a good job starting off 2015 with hikes and it seems like this is the year of more outdoors activities.

Switzer Falls - A clear sign that we're in a drought

This was our destination.  A glorious waterfall in the San Gabriel Mountains.

We needed to purchase a quick permit and thankfully we had some light jackets because it was chilly in the shade in the early morning.  It felt like Jimmy and I were starting a new adventure.  Our anniversary just passed and this was our celebration with our friends and nature.  I also discovered that I don't look too bad in a beanie.

The mountains were really pretty.

Charles, John and Darnell were our company.

And here we are, the glorious falls.... after being afflicted by the drought. So sad.

We made the most of it by learning how to scale granite.  It was actually pretty scary even though it was a pretty easy incline.  Needed to use that step cross skill.

Our reward for the day:  Jazzcat Hotpot.  Give me that Jurassic plate!