yay for fall break

my girls julie (dear soulmate friend), christyn (newfound kindred friend) and michelle (just-met-and-instantly-adored friend) came to san fran during their grad school fall break. it was such a delight having these pearls of girls around – super fun and easy visitors. has this blog been absolutely nothing but a scrolling event report lately? yes. but nonetheless, here’s what went down when the girls were in town…

i took them to my absolute favourite sf brunch spot, the red door cafe. this place offers such a memorable dining experience. the host/owner (guy in picture above) is flamboyant, crass, inappropriate, sparkly, vain, loud, sassy, and so much fun. and when you get past the layers you seriously see a heart of gold. he runs the place with so much panache it’s unbelievable. the place is a hole in the wall, creepishly decorated and squished. and the food – oh the food! – it is to die for. i am pining for it just thinking about it now.in addition to being outrageously tasty, the food is also a feast for the eyes – the presentation is like art! the whole eating experience is so fun and so san francisco!

michelle had her birthday while she was here! we celebrated with grace cathedral yoga and then in north beach with swoon-worthy food and a trip to the roof for a sparkly view.
christyn used to live here in the city and she worked for the national parks service, so she knew some neat spots to take us in marin. we hiked along the most gorgeous coastal trail to a secluded beach called pirate’s cove. seriously. the heat was toasty and delicious and the picnic spot unrivaled.

it was even warm enough to swim in the ocean, which was exhilarating and salty!

christyn could also get us into muir woods for free! we went at the perfect time of day – the light through the redwoods was stunning. there’s something sacred-feeling in that lush slice of nature.

the girls helped with prep and added loads of fun to our house party that weekend. look how color-coordinated we are! it was so fun to have them among the guests at our rockin’ autumn celebration.

what wonderful human beings i have to call my friends. i am so glad these three made the trek west and that i could have some stellar adventures with them.