My Weekend As a Tourist...

So I know this is kind of old news by now, but I thought I would post a few pics of my weekend with mom, being a tourist around SF.

And, ps, who knew there were Bison in Golden Gate Park? Reason #3992298392 why I love SF.

In other news, Christmas was good, but Im so happy to be back here in my apt. Taking Thursday just to relax, do some shopping and clean up before my big huge HALF day at work tomorrow and then another 3 days off....I love the holidays.

could it be?

we will see...amazing what can happen in 24 hours....

you can say you knew me when...

I've officially become a star. Im a yelper. But not only do I yelp with the best of them, I was recently featured in the Yelp! online newsletter!!!! I was a top yelper!! Finally! I found a place where my judgemental nature and sarcasm pays off!(well, doesnt "pay" persay, we will work on that aspect later)
Basically, I am a yelp superstar. And not that I didnt know that already, but now everyone who yelps knows how fantastic I am.


I just checked my profile and I have a fan? My plans for world domination through passing judgement and witty comments are solidifying.

"I get by, with a little Yelp from my friends"

7 Days of Christmas...

I will be the hit of my family with the presents I have purchased. If I was in charge of Christmas no one would be getting a partridge in a pear tree...They would have gotten at least 5 Tiffany's Rings.
Pictures to follow of my Christmas amazing-ness as well as fab pics from my weekend as a tourist. Needless to say, I have a t-shirt that has a pic of the Golden Gate and says "The Sunset" (my neighborhood). You dont get much more touristy than that.
Plus, I learned how to cook! Just call me Emeril! or Rachel Ray...wait, not Rachel Ray. I hate Rachel Ray. I am not impressed by your ability to eat on $40 a Day. Survive on my income and Ill think about respecting you. Id like to see Ms. Ray travel around and do a show on $15 a Day. Thats a show I would tune into...but I digress. Anyways, I learned how to make a salmon and mashed potatoes and salad dinner! And it was actually good! Dont be jealous, Rachel.

I hope whoever recieved those 3 French Hens got a gift reciept.

Newly realized pet peeve..

So its rainy, its slightly breezy, so out come the umbrellas of the world. However, coming from a place, while it still rains, you dont spend so much time walking around in it. Well....apparently people who walk around in the rain have a hard time realizing that they are adding about 2 feet extra to their circumference. You CANNOT squeeze into between two slow walkers with a five foot umbrella. And thats another thing...why the gigantic umbrella? Is it really necessary? Is smacking every person while trying to squeeze throw the crowd really worth it? The answer? No. No its not. Not one bit. I have an itty bitty umbrella and it does me just fine. You dont need a enormous one either unless you are a professional basketball player.

Venting for another shitty week..this was supposed to be the December of Erin! What happened???

Job-related updates...

Still bored out of my mind. And new news on the boss shopping...NO WORD! Apparently, I will most likely be bossless until after the New Year. And I cant even take a long vay cay. boooo! But, I mean whatev. This gives me plenty of time to update my Yelp reviews and search for apartments I dont plan on renting. Oh the life of a bored sales assistant/office manager/floor warden extrordinaire.(sp?)

Friday night I attended a birthday bash of a girl I dont know. Got to ride on a party bus to two different clubs and ended my night at Clown Alley with the most amazing burger and chocolate shake ive ever had. Like I always say, you just never know where the night and city will take you.

TGIF.

Its finally Fridaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay. I dont know if its possible to be happier about it. I dont get what happened to this week but Im not asking questions. Just smiling, moving on, and getting drunk tonight. Did you know its scientifically proven you can erase a shitty week with just 1(or 8) beers?? True story. Drink til you cant feel feelings, as we like to say.

Random convo with mom on Monday night:
Mom- "So what did you do this weekend?"
Me- "Went to Stockton for a party. Went Sake Bombing with some guys before."
Mom- "Whats sake bombing?"
Me- "Its when you drop a shot of sake in a beer and chug it really fast. Its fun."
Mom- "STOP BEING SUCH A FRAT GUY, ERIN!"

love you too mom.

What? Winters is finally coming to the bay? shit. And I have to do my shopping this weekend. Daaaaaaaaaamnit.

December of Erin, part deux

Ive fully embarrassed myself twice in two days at work today..and its only 10:45. Sometimes, there are those weeks that start out with you sleeping in til 9am and being 2 hours late for work. Its these weeks that should be ended as soon as they start. They should not be allowed to continue on like every other week. They should be take outside, lined up against the wall, and shot without any last words. These are the weeks where you should be given a free pass. But instead, you are tied to your desk, getting your heels stuck in grates, you forget your gym socks at home, eating low-fat crackers for dinner and getting punched in the stomach. (Getting punched in the stomach is a metaphor but we wont go into that now.)

Basically, this week can probably replace the tv show Reba as the worst thing to happen to mankind.

I declare this the December of Erin!

Look! I have a tree! Sure, its only 3ft., fake, pre-strung lights...but, ITS MINE. And I have not only the cute red and silved balls, but starbucks cup ornaments and others from London. Its pretty much the best tree in the world right now.

AND! 2/3 of my family is already shopped for! All I need to do now is a quick trip to Borders, Target and the little touristy gift shop on Irving St and Im done! Christmas is going to be here so soon I need to soak up as much as I can before its gone for another 12 months.
In other news, i cut my hair again. And now its got even more curl and its even so much shorter than before. I have one of those "cute" ponytails. Love love it.

Mom comes to visit ME in two week. I have out itinerary planned already. This is a big deal because shes coming to see me, not going to sisters dance classes, or Monday Night dinner...this is a whole weekend of me. ...Its the WEEKEND OF ERIN!(George Constanza style;)

Plans include,
Union Square to see the tree and such.
Walking across the Golden Gate.
Titanic Exhibit at the Metreon.
Dinner in North Beach.
deYoung Musuem/Golden Gate Park.
and finally, Fillmore St.

these are all things I always want to do but have no one/no money to go/do them with. Yay! Mom!

baby its cold outside...

Wait, so, like, when did it get cold? I was reveling in my 60 degree weather and then I come back from the fridged north(Red Bluff) and its just as cold here! WHAT?!?! nooo. unacceptable. Who do I have to talk to about this? And does he have text messaging?

At this point, if I was back at my apt, Id post a pic of my cute outfit, a la armwarmers and headbands. Too bad I wasnt smart enough to wear long pants today....oooh well.
Im also my own boss for the next couple weeks. So, naturally, today will consist of coming in late, 2 hour lunch, and leaving at 5 to get my hair cut. Why isnt everyday so lovely?

I keep waiting for this sex and the city style life to start...if Carrie can afford $400 shoes and going out to eat everynight, why cant I??? LIFE IS SO HARD.

(i used this pic to help me think of warmer times. the times when it was like 65.)

country roooooads....

take me hooooooooome. to the plaaaaaaaaace, I beloooooooong! Los Molinos, Los Molinos, take me hoooome. So its not Biggie, but John Denver is cool in his own right.

Im home home in Los Mo. Watching the Macys Day Parade, listening to mom rag about how I should be helping with dinner and dad complaining he cant find the spatula. Aaaaaaaaaaah. I am home.

Went on a lovely 2 mile walk with mom and the butt crack of dawn a.k.a. 7:30am. oooooh welll.

Lets eat Turkey!!!! Happy Thanksgiving!!

The "Looney Left"

San Francisco is known as pretty much one of the most liberal cities in the US. Duh. So I thought I would leave you with some fun little social and politicals happenings in the foggy city. Plus, a few ran-dos.

-Congresswoman Pelosi, who reps SF area, voted in as Speaker of the House. Shes also doing her best(along with Senator Feinstein) to keep the Niners in the city. Or at least, make sure that IF they go, they cant keep the SF part of there name. Take that York!

-Pelosi also featured in SNL skit last Saturday. If you're getting ripped on on SNL, you've made it.

-Board of Supervisors passes down new law, banning styrofoam use in restaurants. Yet, lowers enforcement on marijuana to lowest police priority. Stoners Unite!

-Prop J passed in the city, calling for the Impeachment of Bush & Cheney. Its pretty much a useless prop with no real political standing, but again, Take THAT! Ha!

-School Board ends JROTC in high schools, because it "romanticizes military" to our children. Even our liberal mayor who granted all those same sex marriages two years ago is upset about this decision.

-Speaking of Mayor McDreamy...hes no longer dating the 20 year old from Sonoma State. But who could blame her?

-Ferocious biting Sea Lion! Presumed dead?

-Melrose is still in the running to become America's Next Top Model. But man, shes kinda bitchy. I wont claim her as a city dweller...unless she wins of course.

And theres your recap on the hustle and bustle of San Fran. I dont think half the amount of this has happened in Red Bluff...and the news is only this busy in Stockton because of the high crime rate.

Its home, but its not...

Like NyNewbie, I too will be leaving the big city for a few days to head back to the rural metropolis of the mighty northern california. Granted, she has to fly like 6 hours and Im driving only 3, but these are two things that neither of us do very often.
Also, like NyNewbie, as wonderful as the city is, there are numerous things I miss about my litte hometown.

Turkey dinner- obvi.
Parking Lots.
Burger Shack. greasy, fatty, goodness.
Olive Garden. Even though I have one not too far away, its only fun when I got with Mom and Dad who pay for it.
My 3.5 acres of land. And clear sky. You dont realize how much you miss it til you're gone.
Java Detour. I love me some drive thru coffee.

Now, just so you dont think Im defecting to Chico, here are some things I will miss about the city while Im gone for 4 days.

starbucks on literally every corner.
Panchos. The most mexican food you can get for 6 bucks.
Muni. I hate you, but man its nice to never have to drive.
my bed and everything it stands for.
tivo.
the two bums that say "Good Morning!" to every pedestrian on Sansome on the way to work. everyday.

ps. im driving to work for the first time ever on Wednesday. wish me luck. i think i forgot how to drive.

Someone in San Jose gave me crabs!

So, because I like to live life by the seat of my pants and mix it up all the time, I did something totally different this weekend....I attended a Crab Feed.

Now, heres my weekend. I go out to the bars in North Beach with some of my guy friends. We have a fab time as usual. Then, randomly I decide to go with them to the Santa Clara Crab Feed. Which is basically in this community center basement. $40 gets you as much crab and beer as you can digest. We were there for 4 hours.

lets just say, I wont be eating crab for a looooooooong time.

just when things get slow...

November has literally flown by. I just glanced at my Dayrunner planner and realized its already more than half over! Thanksgiving is in less than a week which means Christmas is so close I can almost taste it..(actually I have tasted Christmas, its a Peppermint Mocha from Starbucks).
Speaking of which, I noticed Starbucks ads in the subway. Maybe its just because Ive never lived in the city, but to me, Starbucks advertising is a new thing. Though, they've already won my loyalty and nauseating amount of my paycheck.
Last night I went out with some co-workers to Wine; a hip wine bar(go figure, right?) to celebrate my boss and another rep who are leaving to go to Google. And, so we're drinking, and mind you, Im very hesitant to let my alter drinking ego "Fuck ya FROKE" out around people I work with, but I did. And I still have a job!!
Basically, last night went from classy wine and champagne to beers at The Royal Exchange and Erin, or should I say, Froke, caught the metro, alone, tired and extremely drunk. But the highlight of the night...a random (and might i add very cute) guy came up to me as he was leaving and told me "Ive been watching you all night and I think you are incredibly sexy"

GASP.

New mission in life: find cute boy at wine bar and marry him immediately.

Useless websites..

Taking a cue from SFist...heres a fun site comparing demos in SF and NYC. This is mostly for Steph. And it kept me entertained for a while. Check it out.

And it needs to be Christmas now. Im craving twinkle lights and gingerbread like whoa.

mending fences with the crazies..

something i forgot to post about last friday, but it was friday and all thoughts of the week pretty much escaped my frazzled brain the minute i step off the muni and walk my two blocks home.
Anyways, I was up at Pier 39 last friday to have lunch with my HS newspaper advisor Mr. Evans(yea, you're jealous Steph and Troy, I know) and as I headed back to work, some guy(homeless? maybe? you cant always tell in this city) started talking to me. Like most, I did the nod and kept walking but he kept talking! Finally, I stopped so I could hear what he was saying.

"Im sorry but you arent allowed to do that." -guy
"Umm, what? do what? what did i do?" -me
"walk by me without a smile on your face! smile for me beautiful!" -guy (wow.ok.)
I laugh. I smile. Never hurts to be cooperative just in case they are crazy.
He gives me a sticker from his coat that says "I *heart* your smile!"

You just never know whats going to happen once you walk out your front door.


And just so you all know, yesterday was a fantastic day like I predicted. I got to get out of the office and go on client meetings and free lunches. WOO. And its all because of the red cups.

My Personal Holiday.

Its here. And I called it. Today is the day. An event that turned my blah-i dont want to get up-screw the shower i wanna sleep longer-my head hurts- im hungry mood to that of pure bliss. Yes, thats right. The Holiday cups have arrived at starbucks!!!
Bringing along with them the Gingerbread and EggNog Latte and Peppermint Mocha.
I knew it was going to be today too. The second thursday of November.
Yes, I know this a pic from last years cup. But I dont have a camera with me to document the occasion today. The other great thing...the new cup sleeves have snowflakes on them!!

I have determined. Today will be a great day.

Goooooo BEARS!

Im officially a Cal Bears fan. I mean, I always kinda liked watching college football games on tv, but never had my own team to root for. Now, thanks to my little Val's boyf, I got to experience a game, firsthand, in the famed STUDENT SECTION. 10th row, 50 yard line...

SF Muni, its not any where close to where you want to be.

Look! I can wear my busline! I take the L. But also dabble in 38, 28 and the occasional 49 down lovely Van Ness. This may be what you all will get for Christmas this year.
I think I will recreate Christmas of '02 and buy touristy presents. For Christmas my first year of college, everyone in the family got Pacific gear(paid for by my student account. so in a roundabout way, mom and dad paid for all their christmas presents a month later). So this year everyone will get SF schwag.

Enter "City by the Bay" sweatshirts and "Dont Call it Frisco" totebags.

Now if I could only figure out a way for Mom and Dad to unknowingly fund their presents again.

Now for Reason #7 of reasons not to expend any effort today.
-This job fuels capitalism, which is a great evil in our society.

Its raining, its pouring...

this girl wishes she was at home snoring.:)

The first big rain has hit the city by the bay and while everyone is complaining about damp hair and soaked Nine West's...Im rocking my new balance sneakers and work clothes sans umbrella. I loooove the rain. Or at least, the first time it rains. The only problem with the rain is when Im actually in nice clothes. And dont own an umbrella.

Walking home will be lovely seeing as Ill be in gym clothes and all sweaty from my hardcore workout(totalling 9miles of running/elliptical this week! go me!).

In SF news...Halloween in the Castro. 9 were shot. 2 are still in the hospital. Is this the end of All Hallows Eve in the Castro??
Also, Mayor of SF is dating a 20 year old Sonoma St. "ALum"? hmmmmm. He is good looking.....
Bill Clinton in Sf today campaigning for Yes on 87. WHY AM I AT WORK??
I blew out a fuse the other day. Couldnt find the fuse box for a day and a half. Turns out fuse box is right outside my room in the hallway.

Maybe that last one wasnt actually "SF news" so much as it was "Erin is a idiot" news.

take 5...

Time for another random shout out list...brought to you by a slow work day and a venti nonfat latte.

Washington Mutual- thank you for being everywhere i want to be.
Schroeder's German Bar- thanks for having a slick dance floor so i could watch hot girls and the guys trying to get with them slip and fall on their asses. hard. in costume.
My Starbucks Sense- you never let me down. how people dont know where one is, ill never understand
Movin' 99.7- Listening to the music go from Paula Abdul to Ricky Martin to Once in a Lifetime by the Talking Heads...kinda makes my day.
Bloomingdales- thanks for stealing shoppers from Nordies...now I can shop in peace.
Crunch Fitness- You are on my last nerve. Give me my money.
Muni- you never cease to amaze me. and piss me off at the same time.
Stockton- really not missing you right now. sorry.
Craigslist- love/hate for helping me cure boredom and at the same time making me want to move to a place i cant afford and find another job. grrrr. And also when apts are advertised in "Lower Nob Hill" dont lie. Thats the TL.
Ugly Betty- new fav show.
Top Model- Be Fierce.

Ive lost the Halloween spirit. and im too tired to care. time for christmas.

Im as shallow as a kiddie pool

and im not ashamed. check out my new baby...a lovey present courtesy of a recently recieved room deposit back from Theta:)

In other news, my boss has resigned. She got a sweet gig at Google, which is hella cool. I will miss her a lot and Im kinda sad:(
I also have come back from the dead just in time for Halloween...what am I going to be? I dunno. What am I going to do? I dunno. Is it Friday? I dunno.

Back to the world of the living...

So its been like days since my last post because I was busy being dead. Well, close to it. More like death warmed over. Its my first day back since Thursday, though Ive been fighting this plague since last Monday morning.
In better news, I did make a big purchase. I tried to post pics on Saturday but Blogger.com was having issues(or maybe it was just being jealous of my sweet new purchase.) Either way, pics will be up tonight.
I also splurged on some makeup(came into a little money a.k.a. a forgotten deposit I just got back). Bare Escentuals now owns me. But Im kinda ok with it. And Im only $70 away from getting $10 off...eerrrr...yea. But Im happy to support a local company. And man, my skin has never looked better. Even with a red nose.

my body is punishing me

A fantastic weekend. Lots of drunk. Lots of friends. Lots of fun. Then my body sought revenge in the form of mirgraine/hangover/cold. Im now at work, wishing I wasnt, dying a little more every hour.
Thank GOD I have a radio in my desk area now. Rocking to Alice. Love it.
Pictures from the weekend are posted on my facebook. I only really think about doing this blog when Im at work and do not have access to my picture collection. But man, what a great time.

There is a big purchase of something totally fantastic in my future. Im going to keep you all guessing until I actually get it and post pics. But lets just say, Mother would not be impressed.

Thank you for crossing the ocean blue in 1492...

***WARNING*** EXTREMELY LONG ENTRY. EXTREMELY LONG EVENTFUL WEEKEND.


Apparently I was one of the few lucky ones that got Columbus Day off of work. And what did I do to celebrate this Italian accidentally stumbling upon this undiscovered continent? Well I partied of course.
This may have been the best weekend in the city so far for me. I celebrated my birthday with a romantic dinner for two with Natalie at Firenze by Night. A cute little italian place in North Beach with the best goddamned gnocchi in the world. Then we met up with the boys, my older bro types and hit up Polk St. til about 2am. (ps. you gotta love the big bro types for the fact, they are older, make more money, and love to buy you drinks) I then walked with Adam and Jay to Mels on Van Ness and Geary...which, I realized later was about 12 blocks from where we were...damn heels! (And Mel's was also used in the movie American Graffiti) I had a fantastic dinner at 2am, chocolate shake(which i didnt remember ordering) and a cheeseburger. YUM! After which, we then walked another zillion blocks til the 38 came to take us back to the Richmond.
Next morning, hair appt at Oxenrose at 11am. Have to take the 38 down to Van Ness to catch the 49 to Union to get my stuff I left at Natalies. To the catch the 49 again, going to opposite way back to almost Market to get my hair done. OI! What an ordeal, even more so when you are hungover as hell.
Got my hair done...the lady was wonderful. I finally found someone who understands my curly hair. Yeah, apparently, in the last 3 years my hair went from stick straight to extremely wavy and curly. Who knew??
After the wonderful (and cheap! 50 bucks!) hair cut, I headed home. Only to change, eat and head back up Van Ness to the airshow. It was Fleet Week this week! Sailors galore! And the Blue Angels!!! Probably one of the coolest thigns Ive ever seen. You definitely understand why the world is afraid of us.
Later that night, I head out again to Polk St. with Tolles and Liz. Green Sports Bar has vodka redbulls that are the size of a pint of beer. yesssss. Night ended around midnight. I headed home. Made friends with a bum and a guy in the metro station at 12:30. Funny, how unafraid I am here, as opposed to Stockton.
Sunday...Macys sale. Old Navy sale. H&M. home. Monday. slept in. visited g-rents. nap. dinner with mom. home.

And here I am. its Tuesday. already sucked down a venti nonfat latte. and ready for another. But, damn, what a weekend.

'Tis the season?

With the first rain of the season comes many hibernating feelings about fall and winter. More importantly, Christmas. I know, I know. Its only October you say! But, with the recent 22nd birthday, I feel old and ready to take my place as a seasonal baker like many of our foremothers(?) before me.
Ergo, I am compiling "Erin's Totally Awesome Holiday Recipe Book" currently in a steno notepad. I am determined to bake up a storm, with my starbucks holiday cup full of peppermint mocha by my side. Now, I know pre-sale orders for my Totally Awesome Recipe Book will be out of control, but dont worry, it will get to you soon enough. Just send me money for supplies.
22nd birthday was a success. Went to lunch. Went to dinner. Got a cake. Going out on the town this friday. Things are good. Wet and Rainy, but good.

Is it December yet?

I never could get the hang of Thursdays..

Anyone who can tell me what book/movie thats from wins 5 bucks.

So I bit the bullet and made a hair appt in the city finally. My bangs are turning into floppy, untameable pieces more everyday and making a trek out to Stockton just doesnt sound so appealing anymore. So I did it. After much research and a little help from Google Videos, I found the place: Oxenrose in Hayes Valley. Just east of the Haight, its a hip trendy place and Im really excited to try it out! Will post pictures when Im done, granted they didnt fuck up and my coiffe is perfecto.
Also, Ive decided after much consideration, I want a tattoo. Ive been playing with ideas and Ive decided on a simple, yet meaningful, design. Now, there is some slight tweaking to be made to this, maybe more points, but you get the idea. I still havent decided if I want it on my front left or back left hip. My First Asian Friend Kelly(thats her full name, trust me) went to this place on Haight and they did an excellent yob(silent J) on her tat. So, Happy Birthday to me!

details are not important...

First off, its effing freezing in my office. Why are we turning on the AC in September? Answer me this.
Secondly, not only AM i could, but i feel as though I may be getting one too. Just in time for my bday! Yesssssssssssss. doesnt look like the gym is happening today. i almost passed out yesterday.
Only reason to attend the gym today is to get some money back after they accidentally charged me 3 times for one monthly fee. I will not be cheated out of 57 bucks. Thats like a new pair of shoes.
Speaking of shoes, I discovered the Shoe Pavilion on California Street today. They have some really cute Steve Maddens and boots. And yes, Steph, I am going to attempt the skinny jeans with tall boots. Im giving into the trend. DAMN THE MAN.

my two loves come together...

We have to get rid of our old office furniture soon. Someone suggested Craigslist. Maybe the most amazing site ever. I personally will see that every piece of furniture is photographed and put on the web. Now if only I could figure out how to get a cut of the profits.....

On another note, I get to go home this weekend! yaya! two days in Los Molinos and Chico. And Its my birthday weekend so that means lots of presents and free food and the envitable "But its my BIIIIRTHDAY!" whine that only works once a year.

I bet the 'rents cant wait.

the muni and i are speechless

There is no other reason for this post except to tell the internet world about what I saw on my way to work this morning.
Walking down Sansome St., running late(as usual) and having a little tickle in my throat(not good) and I saw a bus drive down the street. Now, seeing a bus driving down Sansome is nothing out of the ordinary. But this particular bus was....odd.
On the front sign where it usually says something like "31AX Balboa" or "10Townsend" and sometimes says "Not In Service." But THIS bus' sign actually said "NOWHERE IN PARTICULAR"

let that sink in a second.

Now....WHAT? Can they say that? Nowhere in Particular??? But seriously guys. WHERE ARE YOU GOIN?
Well, whatever the reason, it made me laugh, which is a invaluable thing on a Monday morning.

confidence in good people...

Today i was reminded that there are, in fact, still decent and good people in this world. We fly through our days, not caring about others and only ourselves. I guarantee everyone walks right by an opportunity to help someone else. Well not today!
See, to fill you all in, I have had a low tire for about 4 weeks. Do I ever fix it? no. Until this weekend, I figured Id bite the bullet and get it looked at. Esp. since it was completely low now. So I go out and realize I cant even drive it anywhere because its THAT FLAT. Lucky me! I get to put on the spare! However, this proves harder than previously thought.
Ive changed tires. Ive changed tires at home. At Theta. On the side of I-5. Ive done it all. However, this stupid Mitsubishi Galant of my fathers has lugnuts that will not loosen for the life of me. (The one time I wished my Escort wasnt at some impound in Long Beach with a crumpled front end)
Then, when Im about to give up and call a tow truck, a guy who lives in the apartment where my car was parked comes out and helps me! Oh people are nice! Unfortunately, even he cant get the damn lugnuts off(lugnuts, hehehehe, sorry) and he puts the back on and tells me he'll follow me to the gas/service station 5 blocks away. I said I was fine and slowly(10mph) to the Shell Station.
Just when I think people couldnt try anymore and help anymore, the car guy said he found a nail in my tire and it would cost $15. But since he couldnt actually find the leak, he didnt charge me! Who says people in the city are out to take you for all you got? I GOT NOTHING. THEY CANT TAKE THAT AWAY FROM ME. HA.

in Stockton they were called "Holla Backs"

So what goes around comes around. Steph being inspired by my post awhile back has just come around to me being inspired by hers.
The rollercoaster Ive been on since moving to the city has I think finally slowed. And Im trying to decide if its a good thing or not. Or maybe this is just the climb up the top of the drop. Either way, its a relaxing and anxious feeling at the same time. I went through a "I cant wait to get to work and get out in the city" to a "fuck work. i want to sleep. i dont want a job" to finally a "hey, this is the way my days go. Now im just going to the gym."
Things arent changing as rapidly as they were and Im starting to think, as much as Ive hated it in the past, I really thrive on change. I have a feeling I already know what needs to change though.

In other news, I joined a gym last week. So far, Ive been three times this week! Ive decided since Im lacking in friends and hubbies(as Steph puts it), why not focus on getting all hot and sexy? I took a couple classes; the Ultimate Ball-er Workout with the stability ball. Maybe the hardest thing Ive ever done but man it felt good. Then I tried the Pilates Mat last night with an instructor whose a total Queen and about 55 and can do the splits better than any cheerleader. Im currently learning how to do a handstand. Bonus of going to the gym right after work: I miss rush hour on the metro. Solid.

Greys Anatomy last night? I effing love McDreamy. Though Finn is cute....i mean, ITS MCDREAMY!

Celeb Stalker

Yesterday may have been the most perfect day in months. Not only was it a beautiful 70 degrees outside, there was hardly a breeze and I took a long lunch. I walked up to Market and Stockton to check out the Virgin Megastore to PAH-ruse the $10 DVD sale. I spent so long in there I forgot about actually eating. So on my way back I picked up a subway sandwich(turkey sandwiches are 2.50 on Wednesdays) and a coffee. I ALSO picked up a SF Weekly which has become my new favorite publication.
Article on the Haight. Thought it was interesting. Dont get me wrong, Im all for expression and damning the man, but seriously, homeless 16 year olds isnt cool. And for everyone that thinks the Haight is this hip cool district with flare, check this out.
I heard Danielle Steel lives in Pacific Heights. Apparently her house is reediculous. Going to find it this weekend. Do you think she has sex slaves?

WOTD: Productive

WHO WILL SHE CHOOSE!?!?!?!!?
I have a feeling this premiere is going to be a let down. Shes going to not choose either or some shit like that.
klajsdfkl;jasdlf. grrr. Im McAnxious.

ps.

I heard a new saying this weekend that made me soo thrilled I couldnt stand it. BNT. Bridge 'n' Tunnel. For anything that is so "East Bay" or "South Bay" or just basically isnt the city. Ex. Nordstroms Rack. Strip Malls. Parking Lots.

"Hey look! Nordstroms Rack! I havent been there yet."
"Oh thats so BNT."

ahahahahahahahah. fan tas tic.

another sidenote: Greys Anatomy premiere in T minus 3 days and counting. HOLY effing SHIT. Im excited. Top Model premiere 2 days. Im McExcited.

TBD...To Be Discovered...

Id like to start off this Monday morning with a disclaimer: Dont talk shit on my city. If you dont like it, DONT live here. No one is forcing you to. I LOVE it here. I dont want to hear "how the hell do you live in this place?" Well, I paid my rent and go to work, thats how.
People are constantly telling me "they could never live in the city." Which is fine. It ISNT for everyone. I feel the same way about NYC. I dont know if I could ever live there, but I totally admire the people who can. I dont talk shit about because 1. Steph would kick me via blogger and 2. Because I have no actual experience in that beautiful East Coast version of SF(in my eyes at least:)).
I love SF. I love bars that use street cleaning water hoses as means to get people to go home. I love walking everywhere. I love that everyday, you have NO idea what will happen or who you will meet. I love that because I never drive anywhere, I have the possibility of getting drunk at anytime of the day and any day of the week.

So there. aaaaah, venting. haha.

As Carrie on Sex and the City would say, "Dont talk shit on my city."

Nonsense

Theres not real reason for this post. Basically, im getting flustered with everything I have get done this week and now I am faced with a wardrobe crisis which needs to remedied IMMEDIATELY. Well, as soon as i get home at least.

Post Office- Bite me.
San Francisco Soup Company- Marry me.
Nordstroms- Stop raping my bank account.
Muni- Dont be late anymore. I love you but this is getting absurd.
Apt.- Im glad you're clean. Good luck with the rest of the week though.
Man in front of Walgreens last night- Dont yell at me about being white. You, sir, are white yourself.
Stonestown Mall- Thank you for only being 3 minutes away.
Tourists- stop taking pictures of the TransAmerica building while im trying to walk. its a flippin building with corporate offices in it.
New Weberstown Shopping Centre- I am v. excited for your opening on the 28th. I hear you're getting a Bloomingdales. Lovely.
SF Weekly- Thanks for the updates.

My hero idol...

I just got swept up in nostalgia that I forgot the true reason for blogging today. This Tuesday. This fine Tuesday that had a Muni back-up and caused this city dweller to be 45 minutes late to work. Oh Tuesday. Tuesdays have never been my thing. I always feel a little off on Tuesday. Things start to go into limbo on Tuesday, making an awkward transition to the rest of the week. Its also about this time that I start really wishing it were Friday.

Anywho, I found this article about Banksy's latest hit! For those of you not in the know, Banksy is this artist who has been known to replace works of art with his own "versions" of them. As well as many grafittied walls and famous replicas all over the world. His latest target: Paris Hilton. I wont go into detail because I know ifyou're reading this you can read the article in the link, but basically, Banksy made a artistic masterpiece.(Note: he doesnt actually paint on orginials or steal artwork. So all you art majors, chill the eff out.)

BREAKING NEWS. As Im writing this post, I find a new article from about 12 hours ago, that Banksy has hit Disneyland! In the Big Thunder Mountain Ride, Banksy placed an inflatable doll dressed up as a Guantanamo Bay inmate. The figure went unoticed(at least by park officials) for about 90 minutes. As you can see, Banksy is all about the statement.

memories..

someone just called our main line with a 530 area code. and he was super friendly even though we werent the company he was looking for.

made me miss home a little.

my exsential life crisis...

I know I spelled that wrong. And I dont care. Im not in the mood to care if i added an extra letter or misplaced letters. This is far more serious that any grammatical error.

Im having a life crisis. For those of you that know me well, this happens, oh about every 6 months. So I may be playing a downgraded version of the "boy who cried wolf" or maybe this is the real thing.

I was asked on friday what I wanted to do ultimately in my career path. Usually(and most of the time) I either have an idea or can at least bullshit an acceptable response. BUT NOT ON THIS DAY. I literally stuttered and my mind drew a complete blank as I tried my best to sound like an intelligent human being. I spent the rest of the day in a jumble of questions. What do I want to do? Do I even want to do advertising anymore? Have I been kidding myself for the last 4 years?
So, naturally, I called mom. I came to the conclusion that Ive been pushing this writing/publishing thing out of my head for so long and it keeps peeking out every now and then. I dont know why I keep pushing it to the side, but now Im thinking, maybe I should try it out. So, new side projects include researching publishing houses in the city and start trying to figure out what the next step is.

GROWING UP IS SO HARD.

21 going on 61...

Lucky me I got to spend yesterday lying flat on my back with a heating pad and 750mg of vicodin. And why? because apparently Im a 61 year old with severe back strain...from moving, boxes. It was like, basically the worst thing that happened to me. ever. ok not really. but close.

Fashion wise, Ive fallen in love with my new rounded toe Jessica Simpsons and cant wait to get one of these hip new big sweaters for the fall season. I cant handle the skinny jeans like steph can, but Im loving the rest of this seasons fashions. (ive been reading Elle on my lunch breaks, im totally hip and with it)

For my birthday, Im asking for a digicam(FINALLY!) and cold weather accessories. I want armwarmers and caps and scarves...im all about accessorizing outfits....and urban outfitters.

Street Cleaning Fate.

I had a brush with street cleaning fate today. I woke up this morning, laid in bed for liek 5 minutes contemplating, showering, breakfast, world issues, when dawned on me....I hadnt moved my car!!!! My HOT Mitsubishi Galant was still parked on the side of the street that was being cleaned this morning....shit.

I jump out of bed, throw on a sweatshirt and shoes and run downstairs, WHEW. No ticket. I quickly move my car to another street and go back upstairs to shower. If I had been 10 minutes later, I would have gotten a lovely $70 citation from the city of San Francisco. What a way to start the day.

This city thing is HARD.

flashbacks...

This week has been filled with painful flashbacks and anxiousness. On one hand, my boss being out of the office and in Seattle since Monday has been relaxing yet stressful. You see, my office is being remodelled and my boss is the contact person. Contact person out of town? Erin, you're in charge. So for the last week Ive been packing up various areas of the floor, starting with the kitchen and moving onto my area and my boss'(shes out of town, have to box up her shit too!) As relieved as I am that Im not packing up MY room and MY life for the, oh i think I figured 11 times in the last 4 years, this packing is bringing back college flashbacks.

First of which, packing in general. I have perfected this art, but I seriously wanted to vomit when I realized I was going to have to do this. Second, as I packed up the ENTIRE kitchen by myself, serious memories of Theta and doin shit by yourself when you really need like 5 more people. These are the things I do NOT miss about UOP.

The other reason for this post is the fact Im so thoroughly annoyed with nothing in particular right now. It probably has to do with me just wanting next Thursday to come so I can have a minibreak and 4 irresponsible days in Stockton with my friiiends. The anticipation of that is making this week suck more than it already does. This weekend will be fun, I hate camping, but I get a tshirt and free beer! Sounds more like a frat party than a bachelorette thing, but whatev, Im down.


AND TARGET FAILED TO HELP ME WITH MY QUEST FOR A WHITE PURSE. effing Target.

i do not condone this..

I called and made my first dentist appt in like 2 years yesterday. When calling mom to tell her about it, the convo went somethign like this:

"Mom, you'd be so proud, i made my first dentist appt. All by myself"
"Good job, honey. How did the appt go?"
"Mom, I just MADE the appt. I didnt have it yet."
"So you just called to tell me you made an appt?"
"Yep pretty much."
"What about a doctors appt?"
"Mom, I only do one big kid thing a week. Talk to my on monday."

On another note, this camping bachelorette thing, as fun as its going to be, is going to kill me a little bit with the fact the invite said we are 'roughin' it' and to bring a roll of TP. I dont *DO* camping. They better get me hammered.

I would convert.

Zach Braff was on Alice this morning talking abuot Garden State and his new movie The Last Kiss. This soundtrack is killer and I cant wait for this movie. I also cant wait for Zach to confess his undying love and marry me.

Today is our Summer Outing for the office. We're going on a sailing boat in the bay with free food, beer and wine. We're out on a 3 Hour Tour...haunting similarity to Gilligans Island...Ill be Maryanne....too bad theres no cute Professor to make a radio out of coconuts.

The Last Kiss Soundtrack: I heart Zach Braff and his musical taste.
1. Chocolate - Snow Patrol
2. Star Mile - Joshua Radin
3. Pain Killer - Turin Brakes
4. Warning Sign - Coldplay
5. Ride - Cary Brothers
6. El Salvador - Athlete
7. Hide And Seek - Imogen Heap
8. Reason Why - Rachael Yamagata
9. Hold You In My Arms - Ray LaMontagne
10. Prophecy - Remy Zero
11. Paper Bag - Fiona Apple
12. Todays The Day - Aimee Mann
13. Arms of a Woman - Amos Lee
14. Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk (Reprise) - Rufus Wainwright
15. Paperweight - Joshua Radin and Schuyler Fisk

Sunset

Some people would say that where I live in the city to too far away from downtown and not as exciting but let me tell you something...Living in the sunset might be one of the greatest thigns ever for 2 VERY important reasons...parking and Target.
Living on the south border of the city puts me right next to Daly City and commercialized paradise. I have TWO malls within 3 miles, and TWO Targets. Not to mention Best Buy, Bevmo and countless other corporate businesses. Sure, living closer to downtown is pretty sweet, but man, how long would it take me to get to Target? And, I canNOT live without Target.

Secondly, parking! I have ample parking! I never have to spend more than a minute or so trying to find a spot. And you dont need a permit out here either. Sure, its a 35 minute commute to work, but hey at least I have aparking spot.

The weather has been a lovely 78 these last two days...however the 80% humidity is sucking my will to live.

its boring, but its my life..

My upstairs neighbor has the tiniest little dog that is literally the smallest thing Ive ever seen. I have a new appreciation for little dogs, as long as they arent put in purses, they're fine. The best part about this dog is her name: Ding-a-Ling. DING-A-LING! How funny is that? Its even funnier to hear her owners husband yell "Ding a Ling! Come here! Ding a Ling!!!" On endless entertainment.

One side note that was brought to my attention by Stephs recent post; my diploma. Where the hell is it? I have my frame, i checked my grades(3.74 thank you v. much), now give me my piece of paper!

new favorite thing: Missed Connections on Craigslist. I first started reading them out of entertainment, now I watch the people around me intently so when I read the listings I can see where they were and think "Oh my! I saw that guy!" Its happened once so far. Another source of endless entertainment.

Rock the cool, not the tool.

My boss is out for the afternoon becuase one of our Radio Station Managers from LA is here donig sales calls at different agencies around the city. So, when a meeting got scheduled for the office remodelign project I was sent in my boss' place.
Now, the crappy thing is that I was totally excited for the hour block of my day that this meeting would take and it would get me out of the office and out and about. Also, the fact that it was in the TranAmerica building was pretty tight too.
I walked over(not really a hike, its on the same block) and went it. My building is part of the TA complex, and therefore, I am VIP in the building! I have cool little photo id that gets me into it anytime I want!

Though I dont know exactly what I would do once I got in there...but still....:)
btw, my building is the shorter one directly behind the TA building. And by shorter I mean is 20 stories high.

new hair, new week!

So i made the trek out to Stockton this weekend for a little Bridal Showering of Heidi and hair cut and drunk fun with my boys. My stylist Tasha, whom I love with every hair on my head, did the perfect 10 bangs cut. I cant fathom the idea of Not going to see her every 2 months! She also straightened my hair which hasnt been done since my first day of work over 2 months ago. With all the humidity in SF, my naturally wavy hair rebels against any straightening device I can throw at it, ergo, I just let it do its thing.

I feel v. hip. I wish I had a digital camera to show it off, but a pic of Sandra B. is the closest I can get.

knowin nothing in life but to be legit

Can you imagine if public transportation was free? AS wonderful as the initial idea is, there are obvious drawbacks. The money would have to come from somewhere else, car registration costs would go up, taxes, etc. The fact that it costs the city nearly 3 million just to have one Spare-the-Air day and that yearly revenues from MUNI is around 517 Million, I have a hard time believing that i can ride for free in the near future. Other cities have toyed with the idea, but you cant just make a service like public transportation a free luxury.
Also if it did become free, there would have to be so many modifications to the system to accomodate the rise in riders. More busses, more trains, which equals more maintience(really wish my brain could remember the spelling of this word, sorry kids, its Friday). A city that is already so invested in subsidized programs, not to mention the planning of new stadiums for the 49ers and potential bid for the 2016 Olympics, that we are losing money cant afford to dive into this unchartered territory.

Ah, off the soapbox. Besides that, everything is just peachy. Going to Stockton this weekend to experience the 90+ weather....eeeew. Also, new song that makes me giggle everytime I hear it; Dynamite Hack, Boys in the Hood. They are going to get themselves shot real soon, so listen and laugh while they are still around.

just like 1906.

so, as a local in San Francisco, certain things are envitable. The muni will break down, starbucks will continue poping up on every corner, tourists will ride those stupid cable cars, someone will make the mistake of calling the city "Frisco" and once in a while you will end up experiencing mother natures tummy rumbles; earthquakes.
Ok, not to worry, it wasnt like the quake of 1906, but it was my first experience with the occurance. I was standing in my kitchen getting a bottle of water when all of a sudden, everything started to shake and my water was knocked over on its side. Then after about 5 seconds, it was done and gone. I called my mom IMMEDIATELY and told her what happened. Her response was that its been happening for hundreds of years and the city has only crumbled once, i was probably fine. She also made sure to throw in that extra reassurance of "youre safer on the top floors rather than the bottom level", which made me feel a lot better considering my apt wasnt the bottom floor.
So there it is. My first true earthquake experience, but im sure its not the last. Bring it on, SF.

but, actually, dont.

death by metro

I died a little bit on the muni metro today. Just a little piece of my soul, nothing big. The muni was a complete MESS today. When I got on, at 24th & Taraval, everything was chill. I put on my iPod, pulled out my Jim Morrison book, and got sent for the 20 minute ride downtown. However, when I got to West Portal(for those of you not in the know, the L, M and N lines go underground at West Portal and follow the Market st. to Embarc. Til WP, its surface lines) I was met with a "We're sorry, theres a wire down in the tunnel. There are no inbound or outbound trains. Sorry.".....?
At that point, about 250 people pour out of the platforms and station to the street where shuttles are picking people up to take them downtown. I stand around for about 15 minutes, in no hurry to be pushed around on a bus, when finally, herding mentally kicked in for everyone else and they went back to the metro platform cause someone had said "its working!" it wasnt. Good for me though, I grabbed the next shuttle that came by and took it all the way downtown....well, to Van Ness...still about a 1.5 away from my stop. From there is was a bunch of..get of the bus, try the metro, take the metro one stop, get off metro, get on BART. FINALLY, an hour later, Im at Montgomery station and walking to work.

The one good thing about sheep...they make it easier for the goat to get to work.

the attention span of a 5 year old

Ive been working at Interep for nearly 2 months now...feels longer, not gonna lie. I love my job and the connections Im making but I can help but feel the itch of another career path. The itch of a new apt. etc etc...This is fun and kind worrisome for me...i dont want to be the person who doesnt stick with stuff. And its not like I want to change things because they suck, cuz they most definitely dont...I just want to change things again.
I guess this is the process of growing up into a mature adult. geez it sucks sometimes.

Went to dinner with some of the guys, friends from UOP that live in the Richmond district just on the other side of GG Park from me. Hit up Patxi's Chicago style pizza in Hayes Valley for dinner. We each picked a topping and ended up with a canadian bacon, pepperoni, black olive and artichoke heart pizza....odd, but oh so good. I picked the olives. :)

Current hang ups are looking for dentists, doctors and hair salons...going to stockton for hair apts is slightly absurd, but so cheap and i love my hair girl...bah, this is the kind of change im not jiggy with.

the possibilities ARE NOT endless.

Soooo heres the dealio. its sunday. its actually sunny and nice outside. I do not want to be lazy. I spent the entire saturday in bed watching sex and the city and sleeping. It was nice and relaxing esp. since it was foggy outside and just felt right. Today however, I woke up with ambition. To do SOMETHING today. I showered, got dressed and then remembered. The SF Marathon today. SHIIIIT. the traffic was horrible. the muni was packed. and to top it off I really dont have the money to go do anything and no one to really do anything with. Blah.
I ended up with a trip to starbucks and a goal of finishing my book. Roomies are back home today, and I dont know where to start. the world is working against me today and i feel the best response is to sit on my patio and read in the sun and breeze.

I suppose its ok to take a day off from the bustle. Besides, What Not to Wear is on all afternoon. This is my kind of marathon.

Top Ten reasons why SF rocks.

Im pretty sure Im the only one who reads this but it gives me some sort of satisfaction that someone out there as much of a internet creeper as I am may read this and think Im funny. let me just start by saying the Muni operator yesterday was one of the best yet. This woman was NOT afraid to use her speakerphone and when people were rushing to get on and blocking the doors she would say "if you dont hurry up i will put this train into non service and EVERYONE will have to get off. Im not kidding. Hurry up." Omg, funniest thing ever.
The Muni itself may be the most interesting thing Ive ever experienced. Now I usually just read my books and ignore everyone until my stop but for the first month or so I would just people watch. Wondering where they were going, what kind of a person they were, if they liked hawaiian or cheese pizza. Are these people happy with their lives? Does this guy go home every night to a wife and kids and dog? Is this lady having an affair with her local Starbucks barista? Its not that my imagination is so active that I make up this stuff, its the fact that anything is possible and to be able to be around sooo many people everyday, I begin to wonder if all those movies and tv shows have some truth to them and people really have weird, fucked up lives like Hollywood wants us to believe.

Thank god I dont have to drive to work.

Top Ten Reasons Why I Love SF:
10. You can get Thai food, pizza or chinese at anytime of the night.
9. Ive always wanted to be a local in a city where the locals hate tourists.
8. The Ratio of starbucks to dogs is nearly 1:1.
7. Theres a municipal code that states you cannot use dead bodies for commercialization purposes unless the corpse in question is over 100.
6. Theres a starbucks directly below me.
5. I never have to wear shorts again.
4. the homeless couple that sits in the same spot everyday and says good morning to every person that walks by.
3. theres more than just Macaroni Grill thats considered fine dining in the city.
2. hippies.
1. the bars actually have more than just UOP students at them.

2 months late...

Sooo, Im totally copying Steph and starting this blog thing for 2 reasons. One, my life is far more interesting since I left college, and secondly, I need something to do at work.

Its been two months almost to the day since I moved to San Francisco, my dream city. Ive wanted to live here ever since I first visited like 15 years ago. It gives me a feeling like being in another country almost. I love that for the first time in my life I live somewhere where actual LIFE is going on. There is something happening every second of every day. Festivals, Fairs, sights, shows, etc.

A little recap of my life so far...Started working at Interep for ABC Radio Sales. I basically assist my boss who reps all the ABC affiliated radio stations across the country. Its a lot of office work but Im making so many connections its worth it. The 9 to 5 actually works for me. I live for routine as much as i dont like to admit it. I take the L line to work everday. I made a special playlist on my iPod for going to and from work. It rocks. I also have starbucks on the first floor of my building.
Ive bought coffee everday day since Ive been here.
My apartment is in the Sunset District which is the south western area of SF....basically the otherside of the city from where I work. Its quiet and my apartment is beautiful. Im about a mile away from the beach and have big plans to start running there. (right, ok...) Roommates are great. Jen goes to SFSU and Maria goes to USF. We have two dogs named Bailey and Harley which Im in love with.

Latest news...went out on Friday night to some irish pubs in the Richmond. To make a looong story short, my friend Kelly and I ended up drinking by 6 and by 11 we had 4 old drunk irish guys buying us shots. We rode the bus back to where we live(we live about 2 streets away from each other), and I have never riden the bus. I dont understand the lines yet or where they go, but i DID knwo that we had to take the 38 to the 28. And I repeated this outloud so many times, im sure it got annoying. But we didnt forget!! Thus, the name of the blog.