in march ian and i got to sneak away on a super quick 24-hour getaway to the place where we fell in love!

we had a kid-free trip coming up in may and had found a young couple that was up for babysitting our kids for that trip – but we thought it prudent to have a short trial run, to see if it was a good fit for our children and also for the babysitters. we thought about a little staycation close by but then realized we could get to the bay area and back pretty quickly and very cheaply (we have a lot of southwest airline miles) so we went for it!

it was absolutely exhilarating to be back in the bay. not only is this the place where we met and fell in love, so a very significant spot on earth to us as a couple, but it’s also a place that was so formative for each of us individually. it filled our souls to be back!

my heart was soaring as we drove across the bay bridge from the oakland airport into san francisco. i remember so vividly driving across that bridge when i moved to sf without a job and without a friend. it was a great big bold leap of faith and i absolutely fell in love with the city in that very moment, seeing it gleam across the water. i was really nervous, of course, about starting a new life, but deep in my bones i knew i was in the right place.

we headed straight through the city and across another bridge – the golden gate – to the lookout points in the marin headlands. we raced the daylight and caught the views just as the last light of day was whispering goodnight. it was magical! we held each other in the chilly evening and it was romantic and happy and beautiful.

then we drove down the peninsula and went to eat our favourite meal on earth (at a restaurant in sunnyvale called dish dash. just thinking about that meal now makes me literally salivate – oh man it is so tasty (it’s called biriyani dejaj as is chicken and potatoes in a creamy spiced impossibly delicious sauce with almonds and golden raisins).

and we slept overnight in palo alto! the next morning we went on a run around stanford, in the rain! i am forever grateful that stanford will always be a part of the fabric of our family.

it was really fun for me to be back on campus, but obviously even more fun for ian – here he is at his old office … and we also stopped by the tiny studio apartment that we lived in in college terrace:

we went to gamble gardens, a place that is really special (sacred, really!) to our relationship. we spent many hours in this dreamy spot falling in love, and eventually this was where we decided to get back together (and, really, to get married) after a brutal break-up and months apart.

then we showered and headed up to the city. straight to the ferry building! love that place so much … all the bustle and beauty inside and out.

we rented bikes and rode them through the hills to north beach, passing the bakery kiosk where i used to work and a street art mural that we had to take a photo of for our boys!:

and to my beloved secret rooftop! i looked out over the city with a heart full of gratitude for all this place means to me and always will mean to me.

we biked back to our rental car (i somehow ended up with a bike with an e-boost and ian didn’t so that was a funny contrast on the hills, haha!) and then picked up ike’s sandwiches and took them to eat at baker beach. i was shocked ian had never been there! it was classic sf weather – grey and foggy – and i loved it.

we had enough time to stop by one more beach … we drove south to half moon bay and walked down to the spot where we had our first kiss!! so fun to be back and to think about the millions of kisses that have followed that one (it was really actually totally electric and awesome, nearly ten years ago!).

the kids and babysitters signed on to spending six days together in a couple more months and so that combined with the great time we had in the bay meant the quick trip was a raging success!