California + Portland Trip

I was going to write a like, “spring + summer 2025 in review” kind of post but I kept putting it off and then I went on another vacation so I guess that’ll be written later lmao.

I went back to California!!!! This started from two things: First, I’ve been watching Buffy The Vampire Slayer with Olivia for the last ten months and whenever the Apple TV puts on the screensaver it’s of a different aerial landscape video, and one of the ones that came up was Yosemite Valley, which Olivia said she had never been to before, despite growing up in the area!! Second, Mariah was talking about wanting to take a vacation, and rather than planning something huge, why not just visit and do stuff in the area?

Palo Alto

After landing wayyyyy too early in the morning, Olivia, Hana, and I went to the Baylands nature preserve in Palo Alto and it was soooo cool, I know very little about birds and it was fun hearing both of them talk about them, and we even saw a bald eagle, which usually isn’t in this area!!! So cool!!! We ended the day watching an entire season of Jet Lag: The Game (“just like jet lag the game!”)

SJ/Foothills

Second day was hanging out with Mariah, we went to see In the Mood for Love for the 25th anniversary screenings in San Jose, and from there went to the foothills near Palo Alto, which were very nice but the whole time Mariah and I were complaining about how we just couldn’t get any good photos there lol

SF

Finally getting to meet up with Nick!! We went to the Stonestown Galleria so Mariah could get film for her new camera and while we were there I played a single round of beatmania IIDX 32 Pinky Crush for the first time :’) I haven’t been playing regularly and I’m soooo bad now lol

After that we went to Tunnel Records to hang out with tumblr mutual pomoe/Patrick, then walked up the beach along that new closed road-turned-park!! We stopped into a cafe/bookstore and the barista there said that Boston had a restaurant with really good hamburg steak???? I wonder if it’s Cafe Mami, I will need to check

SF2

No good photos this day oops! met up with Mariah and Nick, did some shopping on Hayes and Valencia street, then met up with Justin, went to Green Apple books, and got food at Mamahuhu’s (which was recommended by the barista from yesterday)

Half moon bay

Beach day!!! Went with Olivia and Mariah, afterwards we went to Mariah’s house and hung out at the park by the river. Very fun day!

Yosemite

First time going since 2013! It’s crazy how beautiful it is there, we went to the vernal falls, which sadly the top misty section was closed but still sooooo nice. I feel like it’s super hard to take photos in the valley, especially capturing that sense of scale. I feel like these are generally better than my 2013 ones, but still not great! But the weather and Vibes were perfect so I have no complaints n_n

Driving to Ashland

Now starts the long drive to Portland, though on the way we had a planned stop in Ashland to see The Merry Wives of Windsor at the Ashland Shakespeare Festival. I think it might be the first time I’ve seen a professional theater production??? It was so fun even though those first five minutes were worrying with how little of the dialogue I understood lmao. Afterwards we hung out in the park/playground (second time on the trip????) and it was wild how many stars you could see even in the middle of the town

Portland

Last day!! We went to the Japanese Garden in Portland with Olivia’s parents which was so nice, especially since we went before the crowds showed up so it was very peaceful. After we went to Powell’s City of Books and we all got even more to add to the pile for the trip. Olivia went home at this point, but Mariah and I went to The Pie Spot (very good) and QuarterWorld to play some pinball, and then we were off to the airport to return the car and deal with the nightmare that was delayed flights (hers WAY worse than mine) and my redeye flight where I got zero sleep 😔

Really fun trip!!!!! Can’t wait for the next one!!!!