October | 2015 | Lena boards first

Oct 26 2015

Orionids and Orion-nopes!

Last week was supposed to be the best time to see the meteor shower next to the constellation “Orion”. A very reliable source (the internet) told me that the best time to see these meteors was right before dawn. So I woke up at 4am to venture into the foothills of California to see these marvelous wonders. However, things did not go as well as expected.

me trying to keep warm

A friend brought their digital camera and blow up mattress to watch the stars with. Here is a nice long exposure photo that she took.

look! a shooting streak! (photocred: @beclshum)

This was around 5:30am.

However, when dawn came, our view of Orion was masked by an intense fog that came rolling over the “mountains”. Needless to say, we were unable to see any meteors after that.

So we hunkered down with our giant blankets to keep warm and waited until 7:30am so we could go eat breakfast at “Alice’s Restaurant” near Woodside.

i need glasses to sleep

Even though i didn’t see much, i was able to see 2 meteors….and most importantly of all, the banana bread french toast and country potatoes for breakfast made everything worth it. I guess there’s always next year.

led zeppelin’s “misty mountain hop” comes to mind

Tagged california, friends

Oct 23 2015

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let's go

Let’s Go! – Fashion Free in Paris

A few weeks ago, one of my blogs about Paris was published for the student online travel blog “Let’s Go”. Click the link below to read what I had to say.

http://www.letsgo.com/2015/10/09/fashion-free-paris/

Tagged france, paris

Oct 23 2015

Lands End

If you’re like me and you heard the words “Lands End”, you’d think “fancy clothes that I never buy”. But did you know that “Lands End” is actually a place to hike in SF? Well i didn’t until i stumbled upon it after a bridal shower for a friend that we had in Golden Gate Park. In between adventures of opening presents and adventures in the rush ticket line for Phantom of the Opera, me and some roommates decided to adventure to Lands End (not the clothing store).

2015-08-22 13.40.08

Turns out, it’s a great hike for wheelies and friends alike and sports some great views of the Ocean and Golden Gate Bridge. The paved wheelchair accessible trail only goes a quarter of the total trail, so if you want to go further, bring a sherpa. 2015-08-22 13.39.52

I see you blue “Accessible Trail” (and the fuzzy reflection of my iPhone)

This hike is easy. A typical grade is 4% and the worst it ever gets is 60%!!! (I wish I could capitalize numbers)

2015-08-22 14.31.54

Look! A trail!

FREEDOM!

Near the beginning of the hike you can take an alternate route down the cliffside where you end up at Sutro Baths which was built in 1894. They are interesting to explore if you are into historical Grecian aquatic hygiene or just want to romp around in water. I ended up staying at the top of the cliff to enjoy the sunset while the roommates romped.

People bathed down there

If you’re interested in finding more information/history of this place, check out this link:
http://www.nps.gov/goga/planyourvisit/landsend.htm

All in all, Lands End is a great place to go to spend an hour along the coast.

Beware of curly hair + wind

Discussing the Political Commentary of the graffiti to my left

Bi-annual meeting of the glasses club #landsend2015

Tagged california, friends, SF

Oct 09 2015

To every season…

* queues High School Musical song

This week marks the end of the regular season for baseball and the beginning of postseason.

Last year the SF Giants were barely squeezing through into the post season as the National League Wild Card…and eventually won the World Series! Since I live in the Bay Area, I of course wanted to go to a game but was unable to win the lottery for post season tickets. But! I did find out about this great alternative if you are ever in SF and want to go to a Giants game for FREE.

The secret is called “the knothole”.
http://sf.funcheap.com/sf-giants-opening-day-watch-free-knothole-att-park/

There is a secret “hole” in one of the walls of the stadium that is open to the outside world, where you can watch a game for at least 3 innings (more if the crowds are few) through a chain-linked fence that looks on to right field.

If i squint hard enough, i can see Buster Posey!

Freeloaders

That, my friends, is how i was able to see Game 3 of the 2014 World Series at AT&T Park. The Giants lost, but it was still an awesome experience. My friend Becca had to wait in line starting around 4pm for a 7pm game….which got us in to the last 3 innings, so if you want to see a World Series game, line up sooner. But most other games you can arrive at any point to see some live MLB action. By far, this is one of the coolest things I’ve experienced at a Major League Stadium.

Even if you do have to wait in line for awhile, there are always things happening along the bay to entertain you (just bring lots of snacks or else you lose your place in line). Two kayakers named Dave & Steve (my previous wheelchair was named after him) are usually out on the water trying to catch home run balls. Or street artists who will spray paint “SF Giants” on your t-shirt which will double as a temporary tattoo for the next week or so.

oh Dave

I’m World Serius

For my wheelie friends: everything is accessible to all types of wheelchairs and levels of disability. There is a metal bar close to eye-level if you are in a wheelchair, but it’s pretty easy to see the game above or below it. The stadium staff will also move people out of the way so you don’t have to fight the crowds by yourself.

Being small does have its advantages

Open the gates and seize the day!

Tagged baseball, california, SF

Lena boards first

As the world turns, so do the wheels of our lives…

Monthly Archives: October 2015

Orionids and Orion-nopes!

Let’s Go! – Fashion Free in Paris

Lands End

To every season…