Family is closer than you think

It rained today, not much, but enough to soak the earth and release the sweet, fresh petrichor (thank you Doctor Who for teaching me there is actually a word meaning the pleasant smell after a first rain). Unfortunately, especially for us parched Californians, the rain did not last. That scent, however, seems to have permeated the air and stripped away that last hint of summer. 

Summer has always been my favorite season. An adoration of the schorching season, for most, is spurred out of the freedom it brings, ie. school's out for summer. For me, it has always been a little more. I love the potential of summer, a few months to just detach from reality and soak up all that extra energy from the sun.

Despite the long hours of each day here we are, somehow, already at the end of August. The past few months were spent as they were meant to be, in true unencumbered spirits and venturesome delight. All beginning with a week spent in Idaho with maternal family Jewel and I had never met, but were undeniably related to. 

Most of us have had that moment at some obscure family gathering where you meet someone you haven't seen since you were about two feet tall (a fact they notoriously point out) and after the gushing, you are left with a vacant familiarity.

Post Grad Crisis

"Remember, you should be incredibly proud of yourself and everything you have accomplished in the last four years." 

-Nancy Marlin, Professor of Psychology at SDSU

I have spent the last five months having intermittent panic attacks about my wayward life, and I know many others who seem to be having this same post-grad life crisis. It is petrifying to have completed what we have worked our entire lives for and be haunted by THE question: 

"What am I doing with my life?" 

The only thing more daunting than that question, is the answer:

"I HAVE NO IDEA!"

(just look at the girl below: is she ready for the real world? *forbidding music plays*)

Good ol' USA

There is no question that I am a wee-bit obsessed with Europe (hence my degree emphasis in European Studies). I'm afraid that I must admit this obsession sometimes clouds my appreciation of my own country. I live in San Diego, California and it is therefore kind of my job to just take for granted the fantastic place I live (I apologize to the rest of the country, as I sit writing this in a breezy café, while the temperature drifting through the open windows is a perfect 85º).  

California isn't the only great state in our oversized country either; as I've mentioned before I'm also a huge fan of Oregon. Having been to this state maybe a dozen times previous, when we went this past summer I feared we may have run out of things to be awed by. 

This was not the case: we found big foot and solved the scientific mystery of the ages.

Pisa

On Jewel's to-do list in Italy was the Leaning Tower of Pisa. She was a little more than disappointed when I told her we didn't have a whole day to waste in Pisa. I had heard there's not much to do in the little town, other than the Tower, and this information proved true. Nevertheless, Pisa is a perfect pitstop on a train route from Castiglioncello to Florence. 

We made all Jewel's bucket list dreams come true. 

Checking our bags into left luggage at the train station (the benefits of traveling light), we made the jaunt to the Piazza dei Miracoli. 

A peculiar destination

Mom, Jewel, and I set out on a new adventure after our luxury trip to Santa Margherita Ligure for something a little different. In case you were wondering, yes, we spent a lot of time on trains that last weekend. On the bright side, train travel in Europe is the bomb-diggity. 

The Italian Riviera

We stepped off our train (the second time, since we may or may not have originally got off at the wrong stop) into the cool Mediterranean sea air. We weaved through brightly colored buildings down the slope to Santa Margherita Ligure, where the bright mare blu awaited. 

Sharing "La Dolce Vita"

The first weekend I was in Florence I found myself living la dolce vita (the sweet life). With Mom & Jewel in my city, I wanted to show them that same perfect day I had; that first day when I found all my favorite things in Florence. 

We started with what is the essential kick off to any great venture: gelato. Not just any gelato, but the sweet creamy delight that is Gelateria Vivaldi. 

Seeing Siena

Just a short (though perilous) bus ride away from Florence is the medieval town of Siena. After reading the book, Juliet, by Anne Fortier, a conceptualized story based on the history behind Romeo & Juliet, set in Siena, Jewel and I were both dying to visit the historic municipality. 

We arrived in the late afternoon, giving us the perfect amount of time to stroll the sloping streets. 

Buona Notte Firenze

It could be argued whether my Mom came to visit just me or just Italy, and the generous answer would probably be a combo of the two. But really, if we're honest, she came for the carousel. 

In Piazza della Repubblica there is a restored early 20th century carousel ran by the Picci family (see story here). From what I have been told it only runs from November to May, but since I arrived in January, it has been present for my every jaunt through the city center. Though I was many times tempted to jump upon the 20 horse parade, I continued to hold out hope that my mama (and Jewel) would cross the Atlantic and be with me for that first ride. 

I was not let down. 

A Return to Venezia

Oh Venezia. When Mom, Jewel, and I decided to go to Venice after Verona, I somehow thought that I would be a perfect tour guide. I had been a few months earlier to the sinking city for Carnivale, and thought I had sort of got the hang of it. Turns out, other then gaining the aptitude for finding "Rialto" and "San Marco" signs, Venice was as stupefying the second time as it had been the first.  

Still, you can only experience something for the first time once, and I had some idea of what to expect. Jewel & Mama, however, did not; it was nearly as enjoyable to watch them see Venice for the first time as it had been to experience it. 

Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art my dinner?

They best way to introduce someone to the very essence of Italy is to feed them. Therefore upon arrival, my Mama and Jewel learned instantly that the core of life in Italy is (as we should all know) food. Their first night (hours) in Florence, there was wine, lasagna, and bread. For some reason the entire time I was with these ladies, we were served bread with every meal. It really isn't fair, because contrary to what they now believe, bread is not an everyday gift with your meal. But in any case, I shall stall my rant and move on to the next day. 

After Mama and Jewel got an appropriate amount of sleep (with no jet lag because they took my expert advice of just not sleeping at all until you get to your destination country) we did some general site-seeing. Soon from site-seeing we moved to food-eating, as it was that I had to get to class and needed some lunch. Mom mentioned an appreciation for cured meats, and I knew just the place to take her: La Prosciutteria. 

At this restaurant-not-restaurant you enjoy the company of your neighbors at a shared table while drinking house wine, FREE water, and eating delectable meats & cheeses. It hits the "essence" of Italy on the head, minus the free water thing. That's a novelty. 

Calistoga under the clouds

Castles are just awesome. That's a fact. Unfortunately, America is not brimming with remnants of medieval knights and courts. We don't let that stop us though, why not just build a modern castle that looks really old? Problem solved.

Dario Sattui had the grand idea to build Castello di Amorosa as an Italian inspired winery. Located in Calistoga, CA the castello (castle) is modeled after a 13th century Tuscan castle and hosts both wine tasting and tours. 

For Mom's birthday weekend we began with a venture to this not-so-ancient relic. While the whole gang enjoyed walking around the structure and grounds, Mom and Dad got to also enjoy some fine wine. 

The cold gray day gave the castle an eerie out of its time feel. You could turn a corner and nearly forget you were in the center of California in the year 2014. 

Castles do pose the problems of tiny windows, but I like to peek anyway. 

There is also one thing every proper castle needs that we can't forget...princesses! 

Especially princesses that know how to wave properly (thank you Julie Andrews and Anne Hathaway). 

Keeping with authentic Italian style, the castle features a small chapel off the courtyard. 

There are also lots of excellent hiding spots throughout the castle (hide and seek anyone?). 

The Castello di Amorosa, though likely (in my opinion) the coolest winery in Calistoga, is definitely not the only one. Napa Valley is home to over 300 wineries and you could shuttle around all day week month long tasting wine. However, Dad's not the happiest wine man, and we were on our merry way to San Francisco, leaving time for only one more stop: Beringer Winery. 

Beringer is over one hundred years old, making it one of the largest wineries in the area. It's long history has made it infamous, and well known to many Hollywood stars, including Mr. Rhett Butler himself, Clark Gable (my favorite fun fact of the day). 

As the sun settled low in the sky, the winery portion of Mom's birthday trip came to an end and it was "onward and outward, kiddies" to San Francisco. 

Yours, Kenna 

Welcome to 2014

Well here it is kids, 2014. Prepare to spend the next three months writing 2013 4. While this scribbly side effect may be a bit unfortunate, you get a whole new year just waiting to be filled with memories, which makes up for a few wasted pieces of paper.

This past year did its job well. I wrote 2012 on all my papers until at least May and tried to fit in as much fun and adventure into 365 days as possible. I would love to post every single photo I have taken this year and relive every single moment. It seems to be a pretty good sign of a great year when you get to the end of it and cannot even begin to narrow down your favorite moments. 

In any case, I've tried. Theoretically (according to the ever wise Miss Jewel), I should have picked twelve photos to sum up my year; but you all know me, never one to keep it short when it comes to pictures. So here's a few more than a few pictures, but still not nearly enough, to sum up some of my favorite memories of 2013:

A day on Apple Hill

As much as I adore the nearly ever present sunshine and warmth in San Diego, it tends to really just put a dapper on the whole atmosphere of the holiday season. Is it really fall, nearly winter, if I can still wear sandals? Not really. With this ever present "#socalproblem", I really appreciate going home to enjoy some actual seasons.

After a properly crisp Thanksgiving, I rounded out the end of fall with a trip with the fam-bam to Apple Hill. Located in Northern California, near Placerville, Apple Hill attracts a wide variety of hungry guests looking for some wholesome fun. Being honest, we all know I was basically just in it for the food. However, I also got a pretty good kick of stomping on some crunchy leaves and enjoying the cool crisp air of fall. 

The whole Apple Hill "process" essentially consists of driving from farm to farm and eating various products, mostly apple flavored (they were really clever with the title). There are various farms (some small some large) each offering there own specialty. 

We started with one of the largest, known as Boa Vista Orchards, which, though they have a whole smorgasbord of items, is not my favorite. It tends to be a little over crowded (I really hate queuing) and more commercial then I enjoy. Nevertheless, here's a little peek at the marketplace. 

Giving Thanks

Well Halloween has come and gone, One Direction Day (let's just pretend it's an official holiday) was celebrated properly, and to round out the pre-Christmas holiday season a jolly-good Turkey Day was had by all! 

Now, as I do with all holidays, I take Thanksgiving pretty seriously. I mean what's not too love? You get to see the ol' fam-bam, miss school, and best of all, eat all day! And I did plenty of eating. However, in an attempt to burn calories and support a good cause, Thanksgiving was started with a brisk Turkey Trot 5k run walk. 

The Michael Bratton II Turkey Trot is is a charity run for depression and suicide awareness began by the Bratton family after the loss of their 25 year old son in 2006. This year was the 8th annual run and the cause has steadily grown each year, rounding out at around 2,000 participants this year. It's both a great cause and a good start to a day of being thankful for what you have, especially those people in our lives we love. 

The kids and I were up bright and early for the event. We ran a brief leg of the track and then proceeded to laugh/walk our way through the rest of the event. 

Closing a distance

Once upon a time, there were two princesses, named Kenna and Jewel. These girls were sisters, 5 years apart in age. Both were strong willed (stubborn) young ladies, and for many years this caused quite a conflict. There was always feuding in the kingdom amongst the young royals. They fought over everything, from territory (bathroom shelves) to the most valuable commodities in the realm (make-up vs. toys). Many feared, especially the King and Queen, that the feud would never end. 

Then something strange occurred: they princesses began to laugh together. The two girls, who once had nothing in common, now found themselves having similar interests. They could do things together and share their passions. Books could be traded, music tastes expanded, and even clothes exchanged. 

Their shared childhood finally became conceivable as a shared past; a past that had molded them into like-minded young women. Both determined, a little ridiculous, contemplative, and with a inclination toward manic giggling. And even those traits that had once made them so incompatible, now brought them closer, allowing them to learn from one another and grow.

They had always been sisters, but now Kenna and Jewel were finally friends.

With peace across the realm, the girls enjoyed the opportunity to spend time together, making memories and laughing until the point of literal tears. One such weekend of merry-making was held across Southern California, the domain which Kenna was currently ruling. They spent their time highly caffeinated and indulging in all their favorite things.  

The extravaganza began in Little Italy, with a necessity for coffee and pastries.

La Cuesta Encantada

In 1947 the vision of William Randolph Hearst and the incredible architect, Julia Morgan, was finally realized in La Cuesta Encantada or the Enchanted Hill. Better known as Hearst Castle, this towering estate in San Simeon sits looking out onto the ocean from the high hill of the 40,000 acre Hearst estate. With 167 rooms and 127 acres of gardens, pools, terraces, and walkways, Hearst Castle was built to showcase William Hearst's vast art collection and entertain the elite of his era. 

Both those of political esteem, like Winston Churchill, and those of notoriety in Hollywood, such as Charlie Chaplin (who often frequented the estate), were invited to stay at Hearst's grand home. Guests could enjoy tennis courts, horseback riding (a pastime which William himself had grown up enjoying across the endless acres of his family estate), multiple pools, a movie theater, miles of gardens, and many other amenities. An eccentric character, William Hearst wanted his guests to fully enjoy the lavish fantasy that he had created on La Cuesta Encantada. 

In 1957, six years after William Hearst's passing, the Hearst Corporation donated the estate to the State of California, which then turned the land into a state park. Today Hearst Castle is open for tours daily. For just $25 you can be transported into what not only feels like another era, but another world. 

Upon arrival to the tour you are placed on a bus that takes you up the very steep and generally treacherous mountain. It is a wee bit sketchy, but the view at the top is entirely worth it. You arrive at the summit and continue your accent up to the main house, named Casa Grande, by foot. Casa Grande is the largest house, but there are actually four houses on the main estate, and you can purchase a more extensive tour that allows you to walk through them, as well as, more of Casa Grande. I personally recommend this longer tour if you don't have young children and like history. I definitely plan on going back for the longer tour at some point. 

However, the Casa Grande Tour is plenty substantial. During it you are lead through the main house through several of the beyond ornately decorated rooms, while a tour guide explains some of the traditions of the home and Mr. Hearst's interesting belongings. For example, you are shown one of his collections: his ceiling collection, which is displayed right above your head in every room. After the walkthrough of the main house you are allowed to roam the gardens at your leisure. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

Now, I was lucky enough to grow up in a household that was always very appreciative of Birthdays. Therefore, I won't even deny it, I kinda totally love my Birthday; but to be fair, I don't just love my Birthday, I love all Birthdays! They're just so fun! You can have a party! And cake! And presents! All jolly good fun. 

As you get older, however, your Birthday changes. You start to resent getting older (or so I hear, I'm still game to get a little older!), you don't get a piñata, and sticking your fingers in the cake is frowned upon. If you're like me though, you'll continue to act like a little kid whether or not you're turning 5 or 20. There may have been some finger-licking-frosting-stealing behavior...

I know, I'm cute. 

Also, when you get older, if you don't spend your Birthday with your family, you are not really entitled to act like a Birthday-brat. (It's my party and I'll cry if I want to!) Luckily, I remedied that by spending the weekend with my big sis, who let's be real, unnecessarily spoils me rotten; which is exactly what she did on my birthday weekend. 

Fairytales come alive

"So this is love...mmmhmmhmm...So this love...So this is what makes life divine...." Now this sounds a little better than your common wedding march, now doesn't it? 

Recently a friend of mine, whom I've quite literally known my whole, got married. Though we've spent several years out of touch, going to her wedding immediately reminded me all that we have in common and why she has always been one of my favorite people.