A Life Less Ordinary

Hawaii

So, Hawaii was fun, wish you were there!

Parents got there a couple days before I did, so when I arrived in Maui they already raided the local Costco and Whole Foods for the necessities (wine, coffee, yogurt) but not potatoes because naturally, mom brought those with her. 

My first full day we went on the Hana Highway, which is a very windy road surrounded on both sides by jungle and cliffs. It's called Hana Highway because it leads to the town called Hana, which is so small you don't realize you're driving through it until you're at the end of the highway and realize you haven't seen a town. There were some beautiful waterfalls and flowers there. We ate in a small town that was really local and pleasant, if I lived in Maui I would go to one of the coffee shops there. I also tried a pina colada with kahlua -- delicious.

On the second full day we swam in the ocean and tried to go snorkeling. The latter didn't work (didn't see any fish) and we all got sun burnt, with me bearing the grunt of the redness. It was an intense sunburn, so I wasn't a happy camper. 

The following day we checked out Haleakala Crater, which is the crater of Maui's active volcano. It was beautiful - we were 10,000 above sea level, and were above the clouds covering Maui. Then we went to a place called 'Enchanted Gardens' which was a run down way cooler version of Huntington Library's gardens. There were some beautiful flowers and trees. There were also roosters and chickens that were cock-a-doodle-doing profusely.

The following day I stayed in hotel room to get some work done while parents naturally went to go look at real estate (I'm surprised they didn't buy something then and there, honestly). Then we went to a luau, which was quite cool actually. As soon as you walk in they give you a lei and a mai tai. So basically mom and I were tipsy 5 minutes in. There was a ton of food and hula dancers. It was sorta cold though (75 degrees).

And then on Saturday we hung out on the ocean some more and looked at some really cool lava and sea shells. Checked out a  pet store which had the hugest parrot ever in it. And then we came back and packed up and went to the airport for a red eye flight. Mom got stopped at every security point -- apparently you can't bring lemons from Whole Foods in Hawaii to California. Mom was like....looks like we might get scurvy! (on the plane)

All in all, a very successful trip indeed with the parentals. The sunsets were beautiful and the place we stayed at was right on the beach, so we would walk to and fro on the beach. 

Some pictures:

 

 

 

 
 
   

 

Never Understimate Mothers

by Helen

I have been intending to write this post for awhile. Probably since our trip to the Poconos. I got to see my both cousins in action as mothers.  Their styles are very different and their lives partly dictate that as well.  It gave me great food for thought on whether or not I will want to work while being a parent. 

Also, my week there definitely confirmed that motherhood is one of the most selfless acts that one can be involved in.  Your life fully revolves around your children to a point that's really hard for me to imagine.  Your schedule, wishes, desires are completely dictated by a tiny infant/toddler/child who I guess eventually becomes grateful for everything you have done, but not for a very very long time.  And as I believe that all humans are naturally selfish, it begs the question, what satisfaction motherhood brings that outweighs the sleepless nights, and all the other compromises one has to make.

Which brings me to my next point - I have an amazing mother. I mean obviously for all the good standard reasons, but especially because of the wisdom that she can bestow that is amazingly clear and sound. I'm sure there is a time when we all think we have outgrown mother's wisdom and words of advice, but I sometimes get in a pickle and my motherly strict voice of reason is still a nice thing to run to in order to get a road map. 

And for that I am forever thankful.

Dedicated to My Parents

by Helen

I sprained my ankle today while hiking.  Everything is fine, it just made for a somewhat painful 2000 foot decline from the mountain.  

But afterwards, Adam went to get me an ankle wrap and ice.  Here is the conversation we had while he was wrapping my ankle:

Adam: I think it takes a medical professional to make sure the wrap doesn't wrinkle.  You don't mind if it's wrinkled do you?

Me: I don't know if I mind or not...I've only ever had my ankle wrapped by medical professionals....

Silence in the room followed. 

Parents in Berkeley Weekend

By Irene

I had a lot of fun with parents. From the airport on Saturday, I took them to Berkeley Bowl, I've been telling mom about that place for ages, and whenever home in LA I'd always frown at Trader Joe's vegetables and fruits - now mom knows why. So she really liked the fresh produce section there and dad really liked the cheeses and stuff in bulk. We bought so much food, so much DELICIOUS food, including one of dad's favorite beers, Xingu and some good cheese and a medley of marinated olives mom picked from the olive/marinated bar.

Then we got to my apartment and I fed them borsch and veriniki (which I thought were pilmenyi, but parents had a good laugh at thaaaat), and we had that yummy cheese with crackers and sushi from the Bowl, . And then I wanted to take parents to Albany Bulb, but instead we ended up at a dog park, also by the water, just as the sun was setting. They really miss Steve. Anyways we looked at the dogs and walked around.
 

After that we went to 4th street, which is the equivalent of Santa Monica's 3rd street - it has Sur la Table and Crate and Barrel and lots of cute places. But  we got ice cream at this place I've wanted to try out for a while called Sketch ice cream. Parents are pretty funny, they were striking up conversation everywhere. So anyhow, they were like...no no we don't want ice cream, but it was super good ice cream so they basically ate all of it.

After thaaaaaaaaat we bought flowers and headed over to Laura's birthday party which she was throwing in conjunction with Lisa, her mentor at Cal, she's a staff member. I wanted parents to meet Laura. Anyhow so parents were drinking wine and chatting with the people I work with (sorta) and then with one of Laura's friends and were just so super charming and fun to hang out with. Anyhow, when we left (because we had to catch the ice cream place you and Adam were at, called Ici, do you remember? and also because there's only so long you can hang out with people you don't really know --- we were there for 1.5 hours, I intended to stay for like 20 minutes, right, so when we left, I said how happy I was that they wanted to come to this party, and they said they had a good time and that I shouldn't be surprised because, "Irene, we like to hang out with people, and we know how to speak English" anyhow. it was hilarious.

So THEN we waited in a long line for Ici, and parents were both sorta like....seriously? do we really want ice cream? But I said we had to wait. And they ended up really liking the place. Dad got espresso and he said it was good (yaaaaaaay! ). Mom got vanilla ice cream in espresso with orange peel.
I LOVE Ici. Mom was also excited that we had two ice creams instead of one dinner.

And THEN we went to a frat party. wait, just kidding, didn't do that.

So then on Sunday we had breakfast at the apartment and I made us sandwiches to go and brought apples and cookies because we were going to the California Academy of Sciences, like you said we should. Dad drove, because I said I had never driven in SF, but then  we got off a the wrong exit, and then were stuck in awful traffic within the actual park and then parked my car in a TINY TINY spot, we thought we might get a ticket ahahahaha anyhow, we didn't. It took us 2 hours to get there because there was also traffic. But parents were super chill about it. And CAS was super neat. I felt like I was 6. When we walked in I was like....ooooooooooh lets go to the aquarium! And they were like...whatever you want, it was super neat and they liked it too. I mean, we spent a good hour in the aquarium looking at all these weird types of fish, MAN there are some WEIRD fish out there.
That isn't even the aquarium. That is a rainforest swamp, and we're like underground it looking up at this large dome above us.

A butterfly sat on Dad at some point.

Anywho, on the drive back we totally make the same mistake and get off at the wrong exit. IT WAS SO FUNNY. Dad didn't think so at first, but it totally was. And wait, complete mom move: it's like this super stressful situation where I told dad....DAD....stay on THIS road, we need the 80 and he was like okay, and then TOTALLY WENT ONTO THE 101 ahahahaha and he's all frustrated and then mom is like....does anyone want a cookie? oh man. fantastic.

So then we get back, I feed us dinner (borsch and olivye) and then drove parents to the airport. I just had a lot of fun. I wish you were there with us! It would have been a non stop riot. I'm waiting until all four of us are in Berkeley to go to Chez Panisse, because I was thinking of going there this past weekend, but I felt it's too cool of a place to go without you. I told parents that when I grow up, we should all live closer to each other, and that you and I will try to work on that, and since we'll be living somewhere way cool, they'll have to move out closer to us.