San Fran

The day after my return from our Southwestern adventures, I jetted off, once more, to the Bay area. Matty and I enjoyed a wonderful week of shopping and errands, to furnish his spiffy bachelor pad and pick up our favorite groceries. The adventures of our dynamic duo were made even merrier by Mickey, the adorable pom who came with the apartment, the convivial chatter of my auntie & uncle, and double dates galore. Bowling, dinner, and a movie were enjoyed with Ken & Annie, scrumptious Greek delectables were had with Teddy & Christine in Tenderloin, and we joined Timmy & Kristen for ramen in Little Tokyo after church on Sunday.

The week flew by in a blink of an eye, and now, after nine airports in less than thirty days (I should really get myself one of those frequent flyer accounts), I'm finally home! Until Independence Day weekend, at least. =)

Our Southwestern Jaunt

Immediately after my return from New York, our family departed on a week-long roadtrip throughout several Southwestern & Western states of our lovely country, to behold the vast landscape that is missing from metropolitan California. Our first stop was at

Joshua Tree National Forest
where, sadly, this endangered dichotomous species is fighting a losing battle against global warming. This reservation is bestrewn with piles and piles of rocks that seem almost like the toys of a giant toddler, scattered across a vast playground. Unfortunately, this was also the location of my first (and hopefully last!) encounter with the cholla cactus, right before we embarked on our journey to Phoenix.


Scottsdale, AZ
A quiet and modest town on the outskirts of Phoenix, Scottsdale was comfortable and hospitable, offering an Old Town that was definitely worth exploring, emblazoned by the setting desert sun.


Red Rock Canyon, Sedona Nat'l Park
holds eons of geological history in its landscape, with its crimson canyons towering over lush green forestry.

It was here that we beheld a magnificent cathedral build right into the auburn rocks of the landscape,
its garden scattered with whimsical placards,
and inside housing a grandiose place for worship and prayer.

We ventured into the small town of Tlaquepaque, laden with several small gardens,
the loveliest of artistry,
and beautiful architecture.
Dinner was enjoyed in Tlaquepaque before venturing on to our hotel to accrue a good night's sleep in preparation for

The Grand Canyon
'Twas a most cloudy and chilly day, but the Canyon was as Grand as ever. Earthy hues caress the curves of the rock, carved over the past 17 million years to exhibit the splendor we see today whilst gazing into its depths.


Marble Canyon
was our next stop, marking the beginnings of the Grand Canyon from the east. We watched as adventurers on kayaks paddled in the Colorado River, far below, embarking on their six-day journey through the Grand Canyon. Such energy is so impressing to me, as I can't even imagine spending six days and five nights on a kayak! I pondered the idea, and as we left Marble Canyon, blue skies suddenly emerged to bless our onward journey toward Page, Arizona.


On the way, we chanced upon this impressive man, who had ridden his bicycle from Oakland, California! When asked, he shared that he was heading up through Wyoming, and his final destination would eventually be New York! W-O-W.

Horseshoe Bend
was, to say the least, a gorgeous landmark to observe. This photo I snapped does not do justice to its awe.

How does God think of such things??

Glen Canyon Dam
Dams never cease to amaze me, and with the picturesque Lake Powell as its backdrop, this one was no exception.


Wahweap
'Twas a beautiful day at this recreational site, and our family took full advantage.
This panorama was a series of three photos stitched together in Photoshop. If anyone knows how to take panoramas automatically on a Nikon D60, please educate me!

Without a doubt, this is my favorite of the shots I have of the Colorado River.
We left Page with these scenic landscapes embedded in our minds, and headed excitedly for

Antelope Canyon
The contours of these underground sandstone caverns are a result of gentle carving over the years by waters of the Arizona rainstorms and by the strong winds that course through the canyon. The Navajo people regarded entering the canyon as a deeply spiritual experience, and I must agree! How can one even glimpse these caverns without submitting in a state of complete awe of God's creation and artistry?

These magnificent sunbeams can be observed when the sun is directly overhead on a cloudless day. Amazing, hm?

This picture, not taken by me, resembles the profile of a golden bear, gazing longingly at a beehive. Craving honey, anyone? This lighting, unfortunately, can only be seen at certain times of the day, so I will be sure to time my next visit to Antelope Canyon so that I can hopefully capture this photo!

Four Corners
Mandy Moore's boyfriend in A Walk to Remember let her straddle a state line so that she could be in two places at once. This landmark, where Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah meet, allows us all to transcend that movie moment by placing a limb in each of the four states! Woo-hoo! We had our share of fun here,

then moved on to the next item on our agenda,

Scenic Colorado
Colorado is definitely one of the most beautiful states, and in the southwest corner, we stumbled upon

Mesa Verde
My nerves were shaken by the steep ladders that allowed visitors to tour the pueblos of the Hopi Indians. One faux pas and a visitor could plummet hundreds of feet into the canyon. Yikes! The frightening climb was definitely worth it, though, as these amazing structures were built into alcoves in the limestone, housing up to a hundred from their community at a time.


Arches Nat'l Park
was our last official scenic stop before heading to Las Vegas, and it sure was beautiful!
We engaged in a two-hour long hike under the blazing sun to arrive at this sight of splendor:
To provide a bit of perspective regarding the arch's dimensions, here is a picture with my momma and papa standing under it.

As the hikes left us utterly famished, we stopped in Las Vegas for a quick lunch and dessert at the recently established Serendipity 3, then headed into the sunset for home sweet Californ-I-A!

Page by Page

Who'd have thought such a tiny town would have such sights to offer? Within the city limits of Page, we witnessed these natural wonders of God's creation.

A beautiful bend in the Colorado River,


a dam good view of Lake Powell,


and the sweeping wonders of Antelope Canyon on Navajo land.




My photos don't do justice to these amazing sandstone caverns, so if you ever get the chance, I highly recommend visiting and seeing them for yourself!

Cactus Encounter

Today, I discovered I am capable of quite the blood-curdling scream.

While driving through the first of many national parks we'll visit over the next week, I spied these furry-looking flora, and decided to hop down from our caravan to snap a few photos. At the exact moment I stepped closer and realized they were cacti, I felt a sharp pain in my left foot. Looking down, I saw none other than a cactus ball happily hitchhiking on my foot! 'Twas an immense pain to remove (not just figuratively), and I later encountered a warning sign located at the opposite entrance of this "cholla garden" from the one at which I had entered, which read:

Be careful as you walk the trail not to brush against the cholla cactus. The slightest touch can cause the cactus spines to penetrate your skin. Removing the embedded spines is difficult and painful. Thanks for the forewarning, haha. After further research, I discovered that the spines are extremely well barbed, like that of a porcupine's spines, which explains why it was so [expletive] painful during the removal process. (This is where that blood-curdling scream came into play.)

I am just thankful that I didn't get stuck quite as badly as this guy, who encountered the very same species of cholla:

Attack of the Teddybear Cholla Cactus

When traveling through Arizona, be wary of cacti, my friends.

Taking a bite out of the Big Apple

The latest adventures of mine involved an incomparable amount of walking, eating, and playing in the streets of Manhattan. Que magnifico!

Day One
I arrived at La Guardia to be greeted by my one and only baddabing, and we spent the loveliest time in the city that is the center of it all. It started with a delicious luncheon at Cucina Italiana,


a visit to main campus,



and a riverside Milano Market picnic for two.


Day Two
After breakfast together at International House, Joyce and I parted ways, and it was off to explore the big city alone for me, as she would be in clinic and classes all day. I made my way to the station at 125th for my first ever subway ride, and headed for SoHo for a day of shopping. Thanks to weather.com, which forecasted 60-degree weather and constant thunderstorms for my week-long stay in NYC, my arrival in hot and humid 80-degree weather called for a shopping spree, as my coats, scarves, and turtle necks simply would not do.

After several strange encounters, shopping bags in one hand and umbrella and the other, it was back onto the subway to St. Mark's Place for dinner with Erica, whom I haven't seen since fifth grade! 'Twas the loveliest rendezvous, as we've had much to catch up on since our days on the monkey bars, partaking in Sailor Moon battles, and performing in talent shows!

I bid adieu to Erica, and had a sugary sweet reunion with Joyce at Cafe Lalo, the site of Meg Ryan & Tom Hanks's first date in You've Got Mail. Though the ambiance was difficult to not fall in love with, the dessert, unfortunately, proved to be less of a challenge. Cafe Lalo is the epitome of cuteness, but for something that delights your taste buds, seek elsewhere, friends.



Day Three
After a morning at Columbia, meeting with professors and whatnot, we headed for East Village, to enjoy the highly acclaimed Serendipity luncheon & dessert. Though I had feared that it would be much too overrated, the chic venue met my expectations in both delectable taste and whimsical atmosphere!

Joyce and I opted for the Summer Bries open-faced sandwich & salad, the Strawberry Fields Cheesecake Sundae, and, of course, the Frrozen Hot Chocolate, a definite must-have at Serendipity.


Our next stop was Dylan's Candy Bar,

where mere inhalation of the atmospheric sugar will send you bouncing off the walls with boundless energy,


before making our way back to the upper West Side to stand in awe of the monumental St. John's Cathedral, with its breathtakingly elaborate and intricate decor reminiscent of Notre Dame.


A night in Downtown was in the making, and we donned our coats and stepped into the evening chill to enjoy a scintillating production of Guys and Dolls, featuring Oliver Platt and Lauren Graham as Nathan and Adelaide.


We reveled in a most enjoyable three hours of musical talent before heading over to Junior's Bakery for the world's most delicious cheesecake, hands down!

We boarded an empty train later on


to meet some friends at a bar,

and enjoyed drinks with a handful of girls in the program. Sweetest girls ever!

Day Four
Due to a late evening prior, we awoke close to noon on Saturday to make our way to Sarabeth's, a brunch venue that I highly recommend. With our Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict and the Walnut-Crusted Raspberry French Toast, perfectly complimented with English Breakfast tea, 'twas the most savory and satisfying brunch I've ever had!


We moseyed on out to Columbus Circle and explored the plaza in the vicinity before stepping into Central Park South. We enjoyed a long stroll through the park, taking in the sights and sounds of excited New Yorkers in the early summer weather.



Union Square was our next stop for a visit to Strands, a wonderful discount bookstore that carried a plethora of antique literature collections. Such a treasure chest that I will definitely frequent if I am to come to New York for grad school!






We enjoyed dinner at Spice, and headed down to East Village to visit the Dessert Truck, where I do recommend the Chocolate Bread Pudding. A visit was paid to Death & Co., a rumored mixologist bar, before we stepped into the nondescript phone booth in a run-of-the-mill hot dog stand, picked up the receiver, and witnessed the wall before us open up to a luxurious and exclusive (and secret) bar -- Please Don't Tell!


Nothing helps settle a $16 cocktail better than Halal food, and the best in town can be found at Mamoun’s Falafel in St. Mark's Place, a perfect ending to yet another late evening!



Day Five
Awoke bright & early to enjoy brunch at Popover Cafe with Lisa, an old LKS sister from Pacific, then spent a day shopping on the Upper West Side before attending the evening service at Redeemer Presbyterian, at which the sermon was given by Tim Keller, a man whom our very own Pastor Edward has deemed "the 13th Apostle".

Joyce and I walked down Park Ave (have you seen the well-to-do, up and down Park Avenue...?) to Grand Central Station,

a grandiose sight to see,

before stumbling upon an unexpected exhibit of Sanrio artistry,
and arriving at our destination: Brasserie Les Halles, the best steak venue in the City!

Even as the night grew with chill, we made a pit stop at Pinkberry to appease our sweet tooth for the night with deliciously refreshing froyo. :)

Day Six
Monday morning was marked by the anxiety-inducing scholarship interview with the NYC Department of Education in Brooklyn, but the interview went well, and Joyce and I traipsed over to Alice's Tea Cup to enjoy Manhattan's best tea and scones!






With tummies full, we took another stroll through Central Parkto arrive at the Metonly to tragically discover that it is not open to visitors on Mondays! Dejected not a smidgen, we walked further up Fifth Ave,to arrive at the Guggenheim Museum,then headed for Little Italy,where we chanced upon an exhibit of Harlequin cover art!
Stepping over a street, we found ourselves upon the threshold of Chinatown's best ice cream,at which point my heel-clad little feet were screaming in agony. Hours and hours of walking around New York city was not designed for feet in heels, so when we spied a Chinatown store selling these stylin' babiesfor a mere 50 cents, my feet chorused Hallelujah, refreshed and ready for more of NYC!

Further walking took us to Rice to Riches,a rice pudding shop that had its own brand of humor,then to Sugar Sweet Sunshine,a cupcakery helralded by New York localsfor their Red Velvet and Pistachio delights. Personally, I prefer the red velvet cupcakes of Sprinkles back home, but I must admit that SSS's pistachio cupcake trumped that of Babycakes of San Diego by a landslide!

Cupcakes in hand, we found our way to the Brooklyn Bridge,

and found ourselves exhausted by the day's events even at the bridge's midpoint!

We journeyed back to Morningside Heights and turned in after one last night of girlish chatter, then slipped into slumber in preparation for the long day that we both faced.

Day Seven
The morning was spent wandering the vicinity of the Upper West, reveling in the sights and sounds one last time before returning to Los Angeles.


'Twas the loveliest week-long sojourn in New York City! Thanks, Joyce, for being the most splendid hostess. Can't wait 'til our next rendezvous!