As you can tell from the title, this is going to be a super packed post. Last weekend was the last before my solo trip to the Philippines (how did it sneak up so quickly?!), and so I wanted to fill every second with fun and seeing friends again before taking off.
Friday: Wevine’s graduation toast + reunion with Whitney
To kick off the weekend, Princess got our entire girl gang together to celebrate Wevine graduating law school. Wevine spent her last semester abroad in the UK, and Whitney also flew into SF from for the occasion – it was quite the reunion!
We started the night at a wine bar downtown. It was the first time in months that no member of our girl gang was missing from a get-together, and we were so excited to all be together again. We ordered bottles on bottles of wine and champagne, and took turns giving heartfelt toasts to honor Wevine.
It was especially heart-warming seeing Whitney again. Flashback to last summer when we were inseparable and spent almost every day together. I missed her like crazy this past year after she moved to the east coast for med school! I’m so glad we got to see each other for the first time and catch up – it felt like no time passed. ❤
After the wine bar, we continued the fun at a new tiki bar nearby. Always count on Princess to organize an A+ night at the hippest spots in town.
Saturday: party bus to Sonoma + happy birthday Sophie!
Despite lots of wine the previous night, I woke up feeling 100% the next morning, woot! Time to rally and do it all over again. This time, it was Sophie’s birthday, and she got all her closest friends together for a day trip to Sonoma.
We first met at Sophie’s apartment to pregame. You know it’s gonna be a good day when you’re cracking champagne bottles at 10am ;). There were a ton of new faces but everyone was super inclusive, non-cliquey, and full of energy. Trust Sophie to get a super hilarious and fun group of friends together!
Then it was time to load onto the party bus. This was my first time on a legit party bus and let me tell ya, it was SO. MUCH. FUN. We blasted music, danced in our seats (and out of them too 😉 ), drank champagne/tequila…partying on the bus with this crew was honestly such a highlight of the day.
The first stop was Cline Winery. It was absolutely GORGEOUS, with lakes/gardens/picnic areas galore. It was a beautiful, sunny day and the property was filled with nature and openness. I love Sonoma wineries because they so relaxed and less like an operation shuffling you in-and-out like some of the popular wineries in Napa.
We did a group tasting of different white wines and rose.
Me + Kim + Sophie 🙂
Group shot 🙂
The second stop was right across the street at Jacuzzi Winery. This time our tasting was indoors in a beautiful cathedral-like barrel room with oak panels and paintings up to the ceiling. Gorgeous.
Afterwards, we took our time walking around the vineyard, sitting on the grass, relaxing under the sun, and enjoying each other’s company. It was everything I pictured and more. I didn’t want to leave!
The way back to SF was just as fun as the way up. At this point, everyone was soaked up in wine and we were all super comfortable with each other – we blasted some more music and got the whole bus dancing!
When you drink all the fancy wine you bought in plastic cups 😉
What a fabulous day trip. And the best part, we made it back in the evening so I could be in bed by 8pm. Aren’t day parties the best?
Sunday: Goat yoga + roller skating picnic + kava with Anna
12 hours of sleep and I woke up 100% again! It was my lucky weekend in terms of avoiding hangovers 😛
Another fun activity was on the social calendar…GOAT YOGA!!! Anna and I had been looking forward to this for weeks. If you’re wondering what goat yoga is…it’s exactly what it sounds like :P. Yoga with baby goats surrounding you! It’s absolutely ridiculous, adorable, and fun.
Anna and I met at City Grazing, a small goat farm right here in SF. Upon seeing the goats, I got so giddy with excitement. Flashback to my summer after college when I worked on a farm in Ireland…being close the goats felt nostalgic and hit my happy spot.
The yoga class was on the simple side, as everyone there was clearly not there for the yoga :P. We all followed the instructor while eagerly awaiting the goats to come up to us so we could pet/play/hug them.
After class, we had a few minutes to play with the goats. There was an entire area for the mama and papa goats, chickens, and a garden too. All the animals were so cute and friendly – I wanted to take them home. ❤
After yoga, Anna and I headed to Potrero Hill for brunch at a Peruvian spot. I hardly spend time in that part of SF, so we wanted to make the most of our time there. We got a pitcher of mimosas, enjoyed our yummy dishes, and enjoyed some Char-Anna quality time, which I was really craving before my big trip. ❤
Aftewards, we headed to Golden Gate Park for a little picnic by the roller skating lot. Every Sunday, a party is open to the public for skaters. Anna and I plopped down with our rosé and watched the skaters dance away in their colorful costumes. I also met some of Anna’s artsy friends from her photoshoot gigs. I just love discovering these fun, quirky activities in SF, and meeting the unique, like-minded people along the way.
Last stop of the day – kava bar, of course. Anna had never tried kava yet and it turned out to be a huge success! We unwinded our day by relaxing over kava tea and getting some work done on our laptops.
I can’t believe my trip is only 5 days away! I am super behind on planning as I only have my round-trip plane ticket booked. Everything feels super last minute since changing my flight from Sri Lanka to the Philippines only 3 weeks ago. Even though I usually keep things open for spontaneity, I’ve realized that the Philippine islands are super spread apart, and while I’ll probably stick with only booking my first night and taking things day by day, I think I need to have a more solid itinerary in my head compared to past solo trips. Any recs would be appreciated!!
Lastly, happy Mother’s Day to all the mamas out there! I sure feel lucky to have such a loving, selfless, positive, and warm mother. No gift can show the amount of love we have for our mom, but this year my siblings and I sent her a huge orchid plant and filmed this home-video. Mom loved it so much she cried! 🙂
I Run Like A Girl 