#alwyssa

The silver bells are ringing with each passing cable car An Irish coffee greets us at the Buena Vista Bar The Golden Gate is glowing on this cool December night And the cities highest towers shine like presents wrapped in light For it's Christmas by the bay The fog is just a memory to return again in May It's Christmas by the bay Where the sights and the stars above are inviting us to stay

Yes, it's Christmas by the bay The city sparkles now as the carols start to play It's Christmas by the bay Candles glow, and our hearts are light in a most familiar way

Where the stores are decorated and a chill is in the air We'll be holding hands together by the tree in Union Square For it's Christmas by the bay A time to celebrate in the San Francisco way It's Christmas by the bay I'm with you in my favorite place on my favorite holiday

Okay, so I didn’t actually get to spend Christmas day back in The Bay. I spent the day at work 😔, the same way I’ve spent Christmas for the past few years. At least this time, work paid for a taxi to drive me to and from work, there was a visit from Santa at the hotel (I mean how else would all those kids get presents without a chimney in their rooms? 😉), and people were generally in a good mood. #winning 

I also spent Christmas day watching Andrew watch his first full Warriors game since they were finally playing on a UK-Friendly time. Oh, and they won. He was very happy.

We had exactly 10 days at home and it was awesome. I was able to eat all my favorite foods, see all my favorite people, and bask in the California sun (although it was so cold! 40°F!!! What is this madness?!?! I was seriously freezing because some places don’t turn on their heaters. WHY?)

Here were some of the highlights of my trip (or things I took pictures of):

Starbucks Breakfast Date with my IGC girls

Going to church at IGC. :) 

叉燒卷粉 (cha siu gyun fun) or otherwise known as BBQ Pork Rice Noodle Rolls  made by my dad (It’s like eating Chinatown in your mouth)

Dim Sum with my beautiful Hapa cousins

Good ol’ HK dinner including milk tea with Venus (there is something very comforting about white rice, cha siu, and bok choy and those sugary cancerous drinks)

American Breakfast with our newly engaged friends David & Jessica

Andrew and his favorite restaurant, Taco Bell

Hot Pot and seeing Tracy & Nathan interact (hahaha)

Running and walking around Lake Chabot with Judy & June

Getting Boba 3 times (hello Cloud 9, iTea, & Sharetea) So GOOD. (sorry, no picture)

Jook & Fried Donuts with Chaoder 

Bola Bola Soup (or “Chinese Christmas Soup”) my grandma makes (it’s really Tangyuan in the Winter Solstice Soup) that I LOVE

Playing Nertz at the Engs before New Years (no picture again)

CHicken Pho with my HS besties  (Can I also say that Pho Ga Huong Que Cafe in Oakland on 7th Avenue between 12th & International is freaking amazing?!? I highly recommend! Ginger-Onion sauce is bomb and the soup really hits the spot!!)

Jiajangmyeong with DAshley (I totally forgot to take a picture of before baby life)

Watching Andrew marry two of his best friends

In N Out with 3 crazy children 

Watching our favorite youth pastor get ordained. (Sorry Toby! no picture)

I love The Bay. I don’t think I’ve ever been prouder to say that I was born and raised in the Bay Area than when I’m living abroad. How many people can say that they know people who work at companies that people use everyday like Google, Apple, Facebook, Twitter, & Airbnb? I love the homeless on the streets of San Francisco and I love the beautiful city skyline. I love the cultural pockets throughout The Bay and the eccentric people you can see on BART. I love that you you could practically go hiking in every city and I absolutely love the innovation, inclusiveness, and overall unassuming, chill, “no-need-to-dress-up”, “go-with-the-flow” lifestyle of The Bay. Also, there is In-N-Out. Need I say more? 3-4 years is not a long time, but it makes me sad that The Bay will probably be very different with when our time abroad is over and that it will be even more expensive to live there. But most of all, I love the amazing people I call family and friends. To be with you in my favorite place on my favorite holiday, is the real reason why I love The Bay. Until next time!