Simple little weekend. It was gorgeous.

Friday evening I discovered Safeway had introduced frozen sweet potato fries, which bake up perfectly crispy & delicious (likely much like the ones at Trader’s Joe that people have spoken of for YEARS but I’ve never actually followed through on buying.) Those fries plus some breaded tilapia and sweet chili sauce made for a really exciting Friday night meal, and came close to matching my Pacific Catch love. Tasty meal for my movie night, featuring “Precious based on the novel by Sapphire”. It was only 50% what I was expecting, but in a good way. I really enjoyed the way they told the story, even if the subject matter were difficult to take in. Definitely recommend it.

Saturday night I drove down to Davies Symphony Hall for my last night at the symphony for this season. I drove for the first time, and somehow, I still managed to be late. Luckily (for me) some traffic thing happened (something on Golden Gate…I never could find any news), so they were delaying the show, hoping to allow more people to make it. It was a fortunate turn for me, since the opening piece, Schumann’s Symphony No. 4 in D minor, was incredible. It was unfortunate that half of the seats were empty, though. The other piece played was Zemlinsky’s Lyric Symphony. It featured soprano & baritone vocal parts, which is a hit & miss aspect for me. I liked some of the parts, but overall, I wasn’t a huge fan. It probably didn’t help that since I was checking for news of what happened on Golden Gate during intermission, I happened on news of a May Day march on its way to Civic Center, exactly where I was. Naturally, I was afraid I’d walk outside to find a mob of people blocking access to my car in the parking garage.

Fortunately, all that was on the plaza were a bunch of limos & what I think were high schooler’s at a prom. It was all very confusing, since I’m incapable of gauging the age of people. Oh, that reminds me. I fixed up my own makeshift little black dress for the final night. I was totally proud of myself. It got me judging looks from older ladies, lingering looks from creepy guys, and possibly made me look like a smoker because one of the “prom” kids asked me for a light. Two blocks of walking in my heals and my feet were a mess, though. After some googling, I’ve discovered moleskin stickers from Walgreen’s might be my new best friend. Speaking of discoveries, after scanning radio stations on the way to the symphony, I found country music: 95.7 The Wolf! I didn’t think one existed. Coincidentally, my station in Lafayette was 95.3 The Wolf. It was a strange time/location warp in my brain.

Today, Tim & Emily took me to Golden Gate Fields in Berkeley. It was a gorgeous day! I wish I’d taken more photos, especially since it was my first time at a horse track. As you pull up to the track, there’s an amazing view of Golden Gate Bridge and the city, which unfortunately goes unseen once you enter the gates. I think we watched 5 races. Tim did all the gambling (as expected ;), and he raked in some killer dough off Emily’s picks ($6.25). He bet on a horse named after one of my old employers, but it got 3rd. Boo. The horses were breathtaking and the jockeys were incredibly smaller in person. Emily mentioned the jockey + saddle cannot weigh more than 125 lbs. That’s crazy! Are we breeding tiny people somewhere to ride these horses? It was really fun when we won a race, yelling out ridiculous horse names. Racing aside, it was nice to just be outside in beautiful weather with fun friends. I’d definitely go back, as it wasn’t nearly as crowded as I feared, nor was there as much WT. The only downside was the smokers (and the littering…and lack of plentiful recycling bins…I’ve become that person :) There was also a righteous cover band, Tainted Love, playing some rocking tunes.

Very nice weekend. I’m about to embark on my 3rd consecutive week as a bike commuter. I survived 2 rainy days. The first rainy day, I was ready for it. The second day, I was convinced the front had passed. Two blocks from work, the skies ripped upon and literally dumped rain. I sat helpless at the stoplight as a cute pedestrian guy crossed in front of me, safe under his umbrella, and we exchanged a friendly smile. I peddled forward for 1/2 a block before I accepted it was impossible. The rain was coming horizontally at my face, and I couldn’t look any further forward than my front tire, which I ruled unsafe. I found shelter but I’d already endured the worst of it so it was kind of pointless. I walked in to work with the sound of water sloshing in my shoes and water dripping off my helmet. It was a sad, sad sight. I was quite thankful for my packed change of clothes & shoes and the towel I’d packed just in case. Every morning I park my bike in the office and each night I face the brutal force of the wind to return home is like a little tally mark on my self-accomplishment board, though. I feel very empowered by my dedication. That, and strangers in the elevator give me props for my cool bike hehe.