fast friends. we spent endless hours together, studying, hiking, clubbing, and she was my tour guide during my first trip to new york city. {she had lived there for a few years}.
that trip and the story surrounding it bonded us for life. after c and i moved to san diego, she and i have made a strong effort to get together once a year. i either go to arizona,
or she comes here. this year, she chose to come to the coast. some highlights of our time together:
- we attended a show at cafe sevilla in downtown san diego which included an 3-course meal with
seafood paella being the main course. we drank fruit filled sangria, enjoyed spanish guitar while watching a flamenco dancer in full costume stomp her feet and clap in rhythm. there was even a belly dancer who balanced a sword on her head while doing a full backbend and split. {connie whispered to me that we could do that if we wanted to - sure I said}. *wink*
- we spent time relaxing and talking - no matter how much we talk every month {and we do often}, there's still more when we get together. we talked about our dreams to travel more and where we want to go, our marriages, our children {her oldest daughter just graduated high school}, aging parents and of course what we are currently reading. connie even found time to read a bit in the backyard. she wanted to be outside as much as possible and reminded me she left 117 degrees back in tucson and was soaking up every second of the 78 san diego temps. she reminded me not to take it for granted.
- we did an old town trolley tour - i used tickets i had purchased for my mom during her recent visit. we never used them as she decided she'd rather spent the entire afternoon in old town wandering the streets and visiting the little shops. connie was happy to be the recipient of them. we started the tour in old town and spent 3 hours being driven all around san diego while the friendly tour guide/driver shared some history of san diego's downtown, our ball park, seaport village,
the historic barrio logan neighborhood, balboa park, and coronado. afterwards we had lunch at café congress in old town.
and the weather was perfect the entire time...
-outdoor movie night - connie had yet to see the movie musical la la land and i was happy
to help make it happen for her. since this movie is meant to be seen on a large screen,
and because i have a patient hubby who really loves me {and wants our guests to enjoy their time with us}, he set up the oversized screen and speakers again ...something he had done a few
weeks earlier for a group of my girlfriends. i also invited a couple girls over who weren't able to attend the first showing and we gushed over ryan gosling. those of us who know and love the music did our best not to sing along. we all hope to see this as a musical on stage soon {we've heard rumors it's in the works}.
- the presidio - we spent sunday getting coffee and visiting presidio park. i had been up to the presidio a few times for photo shoots but i had never been inside the museum. i was missing out because it was chock full of history. i am determined to see some more of california's missions over the next few years.
