A Week in California: LA, SF, Sister & BFF Time

It has been too long since I shared a travel post. I've been constantly on the go - I think if I don't record my travels, then this summer will end up a blur in my memory.

In truth, I have been preoccupied with reintegrating into US society and home… and since I don’t exactly have a house to call a home – I’ve been visiting all the places were my heart resides.

During my first week back in the States:

Sister, Myself, and Best Friend in the Mission

I stayed with my sister who moved to Los Angeles last year. She lives in Panorama City, a predominantly Hispanic neighborhood where most signs are in Spanish, there’s amazing ethnic food on every corner, and the male pedestrians feel free to cat-call to any female driving or walking by. Although I’ve lived in plenty of places where the majority of the hood was Hispanic, it was still a culture shock after living in Asia and Australia for a year and a half.

I spent the first few days recovering from jet-lag and an intense stomach bug. After days of sleeping, I ate my first real California meal – El Salvadorian and Mexican cuisine…. Mmm.. pupusas, tamales, platanos, and steak..

Ferry Ride from SF to Oakland for First Friday Art Fair 

My sister and I then drove up north to spend a weekend in San Francisco with one of my roommates from university. We checked out the Richmond, the Mission, Haight-Ashbury, the business district, and Oakland. This was the second short visit I've taken to SF. It's somewhere I see myself settling down - and it was great to view the city through those rose-colored lenses.

Not the PCH but a tumbleweedy road to LA.

We took the PCH halfway down back to LA and then I left the next day to Zion National Park, Utah.