July 4th Holiday: Family in Chicago, Friends in San Francisco

Wednesday, July 3-Sunday, July 7

After my four days of work travel June 24-27 to visit eight of the Finish Line Scholars Program colleges in the Central Valley (San Joaquin Delta, Reedley, Clovis, Fresno City, Madera, Sequoias, Lemoore, Coaling) and the San Francisco museum weekend, Mr. E and I embarked on more out of town adventures for the July 4th holiday weekend. We had a late afternoon flight on United First Class, so we took advantage of the food and beverage offerings, especially since we knew we'd be arriving a bit later in the evening. All was on time, although we had to wait a bit for our Lyft due to traffic at the airport. But we eventually made it to Mr. E's mom's place, unpacked, and enjoyed some chatting with her accompanied by snacks and adult beverages.

I had a nice long swim on Thursday morning in the awesome pool under the dome in her building, followed by breakfast and some grocery shopping with Mr. E. He wanted to fit in a workout before our afternoon outing to his sister's home in Oak Park, so after a bit of reading time, he went down to the fitness center and I made a trek to It's Sugar on Michigan Ave for some sweets. L had scheduled for a 1:30pm pick-up so to take us to Oak Park, where L and M hosted L's birthday gathering, which included L, G, B, J, and E. Lots of yummy food, including several items specially prepared allium-free for me, and some lively conversation. We lingered a bit after other folks left and eventually departed in a Lyft around 6:30pm. Then we just relaxed back in the condo with L for the rest of the evening.

Another swim for me on Friday morning (not as long). After breakfast, Mr. E and I caught a Lyft to Evanston to meet with a realtor and tour three condo buildings in anticipation of a potential future purchase. Then we saw two apartment options and grabbed some sushi lunch at Whole Foods before touring the nearby Evanston Athletic Club. Our final apartment viewing was farther south, but we had enough time to walk and found a shady street to help make the journey more comfortable. Then we caught the train across the street back to downtown Chicago to meet up with L. We had planned to take her out to RL Restaurant for her birthday dinner, but she requested staying in to relax instead. And we discovered that she had made shrimp spring rolls so we had plenty of food given that there were leftovers from the day before as well. We spent the evening reading, watching TV, and filling out the application for the apartment at The Park Evanston, which we had decided was the right spot for us to try out having two home bases for the next year.

On Saturday, I skipped the swim so that I wouldn't have a wet suit to bring home and instead did my Zumba and yoga workout before Mr. E and I met up with R and S for brunch at Dollop Diner. Mr. E and I shared a veggie omelet supplemented by overnight oats for him and a side of fruit for me. Afterwards, we walked to see R and S's new condo, which they've been in for just over a year now. We had enough time to chat for nearly an hour before we needed to catch a Lyft back downtown. 

I had changed my return flight on Southwest to 2:45pm rather than waiting until nearly 9pm, and we had enough time to take the train to Midway since I had already packed up in the morning. Mr. E came with me to send me off, since he was staying in Chicago for the rest of the week to spend more time with his mom, see friends, and run the Big 10 5K raced on the 13th. My flight from MDW through PHX to SMF was on time, and I was home with the kitties before 8:30pm.

One of the reasons for me to get home a bit earlier on Saturday was that I had plans on Sunday to take Amtrak to San Francisco to meet up with A, J, and Kiddo during their whirlwind tour of the US as they transition from life in BKK to Shanghai. The timing somehow worked out perfectly, as this was the only day that all of us were available! They took BART from where they were staying in San Bruno, and we all arrived in SF within about five minutes of each other. Perfect! The weather was beautiful -- sunny, clear, breezy, in the 70s. Definitely a welcome respite from the heat of Sac (I actually drove to Amtrak and parked for the day because it was too hot to walk and paying for parking was less than two Lyft trips).

I had suggested The Grove for lunch, as it was nearby and I remembered it from when Mr. E and I stayed at the Hyatt across the street during a previous SF weekend. The broad menu provided options for all of us, although Kiddo wasn't a big fan of the "too eggy" French toast. They gifted us with some lunar New Year goodies, which was very thoughtful, and I added them to our collection once I got home.

After lunch, we grabbed coffee at the Target Starbucks and J and Kiddo procured a new yellow jacket for her to wear in these cooler temperatures. Then we explored Yerba Buena Gardens and found the awesome kid's area with a fabulous playground, including climbing hill, multiple slides, sand box, and various ropes and jungle gym activities. Kiddo had a great time running around and trying out everything, which gave A and J and I plenty of time to perch in the shade and get even more caught up on life. 

It's amazing that we can just slip right back into comfortable conversation each time we see each other, even thought it's only every couple of years or so. The last time was when we went to BKK in January 2023. Yikes! I'm not sure we'll make it over to Shanghai, especially since J's contract is currently only for two years, but we'll see what happens. A really wonderful visit, and I'm so glad that we were able to make the logistics work out.

They walked with me back to the Amtrak bus stop as I had a 3:40pm pick-up to catch the connecting train in Emeryville back to Sac. The afternoon train was much more crowded than the morning train, primarily because lots of folks were traveling back from the afternoon As game. But I was still able to find a forward-facing seat on the shadier side without anyone next to me, and I decided to enjoy my typical train "Happy Hour" of rose wine and a cheese plate.

A very hot car greeted me at the Amtrak station, and I was very glad to get home to the cool house and spend the rest of the evening relaxing in comfort with the kitties. I think they were pretty happy to have me home for snuggles, too!

San Francisco Museum Weekend

Friday, June 28-Saturday, June 29

Mr. E and I took a late afternoon Amtrak from Sac to SF for a quick overnight trip to visit the de Young and Legion of Honor for some exhibitions that are closing soon. We typically walk to the Sac Valley Amtrak station, since it's just a mile or so from our home, but we opted for a Lyft this afternoon given the warm temperature in Sac so that we didn't get too overheated on our way to the train.

We were delayed nearly an hour due to issues with the tracks, but luckily we didn't have any specific plans for the evening. And we indulged with our usual train "Happy Hour" snacks (rose for me, beer for Mr. E, cheese tray). Once we checked into our suite at the Marriott Marquis, we headed up to the impressive The View lounge and were able to snag a table with at least a partial view (and not directly in the sun). I had hoped to enjoy the scallops , but they were unable to make modifications for my allium allergy, so instead we made do with a cheese and charcuterie board and Negronis. 

We then browsed the lobby market, where I picked up a fresh salad with beets to share with Mr. E while he headed out to look for something more substantial. He returned with a burger and fries from a spot across the street and wine from the lobby market, since Target was closed by the time he got there. Pricey half bottles, for sure! But we still enjoyed as we relaxed in the suite overlooking Market Street.

We've stayed in this area before, and I remembered the restaurant at the nearby Contemporary Jewish Museum. I checked out the menu for Wise Sons Jewish Deli and suggested we head there for breakfast sandwiches. Good choice! I waited for our order, enjoying the morning and the view, while Mr. E procured coffee at the Target Starbucks across the street.

After breakfast in our room, we packed up, left our bags with the concierge, and grabbed a Lyft to the Legion of Honor for our first exhibition of the day. Japanese Prints in Transition: From the Floating World to the Modern World was a beautiful display of artistry and creativity, and we particularly enjoyed seeing how contemporary artists have been inspired by traditional forms. 

We decided not to make any purchases at the museum store since we didn't want to carry anything around with us (set of bowls and puzzle ordered online later!). Another Lyft took us to the de Young, where we focused first on the exhibition of photographs by Irving Penn. After a break for lunch in the cafe, we decided to check out American Beauty: The Osher Collection of American Art. 

While we were in the upstairs gallery, we heard music and singing and were thus lucky enough to catch one of the final performances of Sonic Blossom, part of the multi-installation exhibition by Lee Mingwei, Rituals of Care. During my trip to SF back in February with A, we had attended the opening weekend of this exhibition, including a curator's talk with the artist (see previous blog post here), so I was really excited to see more of his work. And I noticed that he was there in the gallery where Sonic Blossom was being performed, so I went over afterwards to express how much I enjoyed his work and the curator discussion earlier in the year. He was very gracious!

As Mr. E and I wandered our way to the first floor of the museum, we ended up in some galleries that we don't often visit. Perhaps it was fortuitous, because this led us to the other parts of Rituals of Care that I hadn't seen previously. Most excellent! One of my favorites was The Mending Project, which creates an ever-evolving physical presence of spooled thread on the walls and a pile of items that visitors have brought to be mended by volunteers. 

Another Lyft ride back to the hotel to reclaim our bags and walk to the Amtrak bus pick-up for our late afternoon return to Sac. No delays this time around, and even though it was still rather hot once we arrived in the mid evening, we decided to walk home. I made a quick detour at It's Sugar, and Mr. E picked up some dinner for himself at Koja. Then relaxing at home with the kitties for the evening. 

A great quick getaway to cooler temperatures! And the hotel may be worth a repeat visit, especially since I discovered the ginormous Fitness Center on the 5th floor, which would be a great asset for Mr. E.

Tuscan Treasures Tour: Days 10 & 11 (End of Tour)

Saturday, June 15: Cararra and Colonnata

For our last day, we had a leisurely 9am departure with a quiet breakfast since the large tour group departed early. Our route took us back towards the coast to visit the Carrara marble quarries. We picked up our local guide, Tiziano, along the way and made a stop for restrooms and souvenirs before our visit to the Roman quarry. We learned all about the history of the quarries and the development of mining operations and technology over the centuries.

Our next stop was at Colonnata, to learn more about the history of the region and visit another church. In the plaza outside the church was an impressive multi-sided sculpture that shows all the different phases of producing marble from the quarries.

We had to take a small shuttle into town, and it barely fit through the archway! One of our fellow passengers was a very sweet husky puppy with super soft fur and big blue eyes. Colonnata is known for a pork fat delicacy called Lardo di Colonnata, and that was part of our group lunch at the local restaurant Locandapuana (recommended in our Lonely Planet Guide, too!). Luckily, the chef and kitchen staff were wonderful about accommodating the non-meat eaters among us, even to the point of baking up a separate batch of the special flatbread without any animal fat as shortening.

We had to wait a bit for our return shuttle to the bus but were back at the hotel by around 4:45pm, which gave us some extra time. I took a nap, did my yoga practice and my Duo Lingo for the day, and started to pack. Mr. E took a plunge in the pool!

Our final dinner included the famous Florentine steak as a special order for Mr. E and M. We enjoyed the last of our Vernaccia white wine and our Rocca delle Cacie Chianti Riserva. 

Then off to bed at a reasonable hour in anticipation of our 5:30am pick-up tomorrow. (yawn)

Sunday, June 16: FLR > MUC > DEN > SMF

I got up extra early to fit in my full workout before our departure for the Florence airport. We were able to access the VIP Lounge, where Mr. E and L enjoyed some items from the buffet while I did my daily Duo Lingo. The Air Dolomiti breakfast offerings were heavy on the carbs, but I did have some of the yogurt and the two mini macaroms (skipped the croissant). Passport control at Munich was quick and easy, so we all headed to the Business Lounge closest to L's departure gate for real breakfast (eggs, fruit, roasted mushrooms, cheese & crackers) and coffee.

Mr. E and I walked L to the gate for her United flight home to ORD and then we embarked on the rather long journey to the L concourse gates to access the Senator Lounge and check out the offerings there. Yay for big soft pretzels! I also snagged some sweets to take with.

Our return flight was on Lufthansa, which was our first experience in their Business class pods. Quite different from what we've gotten used to in United Polaris in terms of the pods set-up and the amenities kit. The seats were wider and softer, but there wasn't as much storage in the pod itself. The pleasant surprises were the stellar customer service, multiple fish options for the meal (yay!), and a better foreign film selection for their entertainment module. I got to watch four French films, all of which were really good, some even excellent: 3 Jours Max, Bernadette, Second Tour, Un métier sérieux.

We usually try to avoid checking bags, but given the duration of this tour and the variety of weather we were anticipating, we did have one bag that we needed to claim. We had to wait 40 minutes in DEN, which was rather frustrating. And then we had an extra screening because the sniffer dogs had found my "oops" apple in my carry-on, meaning we were flagged for all of our bags. My bad.

Going through TSA, my carry-on got flagged for additional screening because of the marble items we'd purchased in Carrara (mortar & pestle, cat figurine). The TSA agent displayed absolutely no sense of urgency, and time was starting to get tight, so I told Mr. E to go to the gate without me in the hopes that he could get them to hold the plane if I was super-delayed. Luckily, I made it in time, but it was a bit stressful!

We had an on time arrival in SMF but then another long (30+ minutes) wait for our checked bag. Never again!!! Unless we know we have generous buffer time or an earlier arrival. We made it home to the kitties around 6:30pm and unpacked. Mr. E went off for a Trader Joe's shop while I cleaned up the guest room and got everything ready for our return to work tomorrow. I was in bed by 8pm, but Mr. E managed to last a few more hours before joining me.

Tuscan Treasures Tour: Day 9

Friday, June 14: Portovenere and Le Cinque Terre

Early start of 7am today for our longest drive of the entire tour, heading northwest out of Tuscany and into Liguria. We arrived in La Spezia to board the ferry to Portovenere, our first stop in a seaside coastal town. Unfortunately, the usual voice system for our local guide was missing, so that made everything a bit more challenging for him to share information both on the ferry as well as when we walked around the towns. The ride was smooth and comfortable and uncrowded.

In Portovenere, we followed our guide for a tour of the town, up the small main street to a church perched on the cliffs with amazing views all around. More climbing led up to another church, and we passed some residents nearby who were working on an intricate mosaic floor on their patio. 

Then we had time on our own. L had decided not to visit the churches, so Mr. E and I wandered around the curvy and charming streets and procured an early lunch (excellent fresh mint lemonade) to share with L down at the main square, where she had joined up with other members of our group for a cold beverage. Then we had a little more time to go souvenir shopping, with a a pause for an unexpected rain shower, and to encounter some of the local felines before returning to the dock to board the ferry to Monterosso al Mare, which ended up being the only one of the five towns in Le Cinque Terre that we were able to visit.

P had let us know during our morning bus ride that she was still trying to confirm plans with the guide and the ferry company, since they are not able to land at all of the towns if the weather is bad and the water is rough. For this reason, we already knew we wouldn't be stopping at Vernazza, apparently the ferry crew felt that conditions were satisfactory for the trip to Monterosso al Mare, the northernmost of the towns with a more protected dock area. Umm... maybe not... The water was REALLY rough, and the hour-long journey was not pleasant at all. Quite a few people got sick (not just in our group), which was quite unfortunate. Mr. E was OK out on the back deck, I closed my eyes to just ride it out in the lower seating area, and L managed as well, but it would definitely have been a better choice to skip this mode of transportation and opt for the train between the towns instead.

Once we arrived safely (if a bit nauseous...), our local guide gave us a brief tour of the town, including the main church that had been severely damaged by flooding in both 1966 and 2011 and the adjacent Basilica of the Black Brotherhood, which honors the pirates who were such a large presence in the seaside region. Then we found a lovely quiet spot for lunch with an outside table and no smokers. Mr. E and I both ordered salads with tuna and veggies and L indulged in a hamburger and fries. We also tried the local unique white wine.

Luckily, our return to La Spezia was already planned to occur by train, but we had a rather long walk to the station and then a delay of nearly 20 minutes as we waited for the train. Dinner at the hotel was quiet and peaceful with just our group in the restaurant until about 9pm when a large group that had just arrived came in for their meal.

Tuscan Treasures Tour: Day 8

Thursday, June 13: Viareggio & Pisa

We had a more leisurely 9am departure this morning, so I could not only fit in a short morning walk before my workout but also breakfast in the restaurant rather than on the bus! Our first destination was on the Mediterranean Coast to the resort town of Viareggio. No local guide for a tour here, just free time on our own to wander along the beach and the market and enjoy the cooler temperatures. Mr. E, L, and I marveled at the infinite number of beach chairs and umbrellas set up all along the beach. Each section is privately owned with 30-year leases that are usually passed down within a family, but they have to allow some sort of public access to the ocean through their parcel. 

Most of the mini resorts included refreshment stands of some kind along with showers and changing rooms, and one even had its own pool! We explored a bit and then headed across the street to the Grant Hotel for a lovely restroom break, finishing up with snacks and beverages at a cafe along the passegiata near the bus stop. I also stopped along the way to procure some candy and a book as I was starting to run out of reading material.

Our next stop for the day was Pisa, where we had to take a tram into the city center since it's off limit to larger vehicles. We encountered a lot of strolling vendors as we walked into the main historic part with the Baptistery (currently closed), Cathedral, and Leaning Tower. 

Mr. E and I were part of the 10 folks from our tour who had purchased tickets to climb the Tower, so our small group made a quick restroom stop and then a brief tour of the Cathedral on our own before getting in line for our timed entry to the Tower. 

They're very strict about not allowing any sort of bag for folks climbing the Tower, and luckily M didn't mind being our "pack-horse" and guarding all of our stuff while his spouse and daughter climbed with the rest of us. Being in the base of the Tower was a bit disorienting because of the cant, but the spiral stair climb was just fine. And the view was amazing! Rather windy at the top, but well worth the experience.

L had stayed with a few of the other friendly ladies in the group, so Mr. E and I were on our own for lunch after the Tower climb. We found a cafe with seating in the shade and a great view of the plaza. An Aperol Spritz and tuna/tomato sandwich for each of us. Since we ordered a cocktail, we also received a little tapas tray of olives, peanuts, and corn chips. Yum! As we explored a bit more of the area after lunch, I got some sorbetto that was rather disappointing -- watermelon and almond sounded like interesting flavors, but they were both very bland. Darn.

The rest of the group had toured the Cathedral with P, but there was some confusion about the meet-up spot so we were missing M and his family when the rest of the group headed to the tram to go back to the bus transfer. Luckily, they caught the next tram, so there was a minimal delay.

Thanks to an earlier than usual return to the hotel, Mr. E and I finally had the time (and energy!) to walk to the grocery store near the hotel. I realized that I'd almost found it during my morning walks and just hadn't realized exactly where it was located. We procured a few supplies, including some mixed berries, pasta, and Lion bars, and admired the awesome self-scan system on the carts.

Tonight was the best dinner for me because it was all seafood. Yay!

Tuscan Treasures Tour: Day 7

Wednesday, June 12: American Cemetery, Siena, Wine-Tasting

Another 8am departure with our first stop at the Florence American Cemetery, which was not only sobering and tranquil but also beautiful. I was particularly struck by the parts that honor the Jewish members of the military who were killed in Italy, including the tablets in the chapel and the six-sided star grave markers.

Our primary morning destination was Siena, where we had a fabulous tour with local guide Alessia, from the Porcupine contrada. We began with a visit to a church honoring a female saint, including her relics. She was very devout and somehow convinced the Pop to relocate from Avignon to Rome, which is one of the reasons she is revered as a saint. We then continued on to the primary cathedral, with its stunning black and white decorations and intricate floor mosaics. 

As we walked through the city, Alessia regaled us with stories about the 17 contrade or neighborhoods, which give everyone a very strong sense of identity. A resident's contrada is determined by their birthplace, and each contrada has multiple parties throughout the year, with the flags and light fixtures in the streets displaying their colors. While we toured the city, we could notice that we had crossed a contrada's boundaries by the change in display flags.

Our tour ended in the famous Piazza del Campo, the bowl-shaped main square where the Palio horse race is run each year. It's hard to imagine how that area can host racing horses and spectators, especially during the warm summer months!

Lunch was on our own, and we found a great spot overlooking the Piazza. I had a wonderful insalata a la nizzarda, and then Mr. E and I headed off to explore a bit on our own while L perched in the Campo in the shade. We discovered an amazing viccolo with narrow alley access to several residences. The city is so charming and beautiful (and hilly!), not nearly as crowded as Florence, and I'd definitely like to return to spend more time here, including to climb the campanile in the Campo to get a panoramic view over the surrounding area.

The afternoon activity was a wine-tasting in Chianti at the Rocca delle Macie, symbolized by the black rooster. We preferred the Riserva to the Gran Selezione and purchased a few bottles to enjoy during the rest of the trip. Let's hope we can find these wines back in CA, too!

Unfortunately, the traffic on our way back to the hotel was horrendous, resulting in a rather late arrival. I was starting to have a mild migraine as well, so I once again opted to skip dinner due to the time and get some additional rest instead.