what i did on my last summer vacation…
visiting jen in california was so much fun. we’ve known each other for well over a year now, and have collaborated on a few projects… it was wonderful to finally meet her in person.
jen made me feel at home. that seems like such a simple thing, but it really is not. i felt so welcome, as if i’ve been there over and over.
on monday we had sushi for lunch. tons of sushi. so much sushi that i walked out in a daze and left my credit card there.
i hung out with two cool kids. jen’s kids are so much fun and smart and creative, i wanted to pack them up and take them home.
mountains! i’ve been to california a few times before, but for some reason i remembered it as being pretty flat. (um, yeah, the hollywood sign sits on a mountain side. i know/have seen that. i just seemed to forget about the hills.)
on tuesday, jen took me to marukai daiso japan, in san diego. it’s a japanese “dollar” store, and almost everything was $1.68. and omg, it was so damn cool: i started grabbing things left and right… stationary, notepads, stickers… then jen handed me a basket. and more stuff went into it. coasters, dishtowels, origami paper, green tea soap, candy, more notepads, gum, erasers shaped like food, gift bags, and on and on. i actually ended up putting some items back where i found them (really, what would i do with it all?!), but i still managed to walk out with 2 big bags of goodies. (and this is where i realized i left my credit card at the sushi place the day before.) THEN we went to a japanese bookstore in marukai market, and more damage was done: japanese craft books are seriously addicting. and so are wasabi crackers…
and then we went to mission beach, breathed in the ocean air, got sand on our toes, and took a ton of polaroids. well, jen took 3 packs. i was really stingy.
and before i knew it, it was time to leave. and jen was a rockstar and drove like a maniac to get me to the airport before my flight left (we shouldn’t have stopped at starbucks, but i needed caffeine). a quick hug, a panicked 15 minute wait in the security line, and i was one of the last 5 onto the plane. whew! and one last look at the ocean before i was home…
thank you so much, jen. let’s do it again some day.
August 28th, 2009 at 7:45 am
Lordy you had a ton of fun!! I’m so glad you went and well, a bit jealous of your marukai shopping extravaganza.
August 28th, 2009 at 11:14 am
lovely story.
August 28th, 2009 at 2:08 pm
what adventures and what fun. the invitation is still open here.
August 29th, 2009 at 9:17 am
THat looks like a very cool trip. You reminded me of how much I like sushi and how long it’s been since I had some.
I love those 1$ stores that have so much nice stuff and you think..he, just 1$ and then you end up paying hundreds because you bought have the store! hahaha
August 29th, 2009 at 9:32 am
what fun we had! i loved reading your take on the trip to visit me. your polaroids are awesome, love the one from the plane. my door is always open to you jen. you are an amazing friend.
ps sorry again about the airport debacle.
September 1st, 2009 at 2:48 pm
I went to Daiso in Japan when I visited and it truly is amazing – 100 yen everything! I too bought lots of stationery and some elastoplasts with bullet trains on them….my favourite purchase was the Little Red Riding Hood stationery I bought which said on it “The Little Girl Wearing Red Food” – you’ve got to love what was lost or gained in translation!
September 2nd, 2009 at 1:11 pm
san diego is hard to leave – i was just there a month ago! wish i had known about daiso – wow!! guess i’ll have to go back!
September 2nd, 2009 at 10:13 pm
okay, i had to walk away for a few minutes when i saw all of that sushi – so jealous!! awwwww, it just looks like you had the most wonderful time! you are going to have any number of people pulling for you to make visits and repeat visits!! *me holding my hand up*