sfo > yvr > pek (tomorrow!!!)

tomorrow at 4:45 am, we leave for sfo...D's parents, S&A, J&I, LZ are all taking us. it should be a fun party, feel free to join

it's been a jampacked few weeks (a serious understatement!!), packing up at our beloved PPP apartment, driving the 16-footer truck down to SD, hanging out with C's parents, hotpot and beach and golf, flying back up to norcal, hanging out with D's parents, sailing and hiking, last dinners and brunches and desserts with friends. all the while, D's been eating as many burritos as he can.

looking fwd to seeing J&M on the other end. we'll update with our new surroundings soon...
lots of love,
d&c

Last Day Top 10

In honor of my last day of work at Piperlime (*sniff*), stuff I will miss at Gap Inc:

10. Coworkers who run search ads against your name to prove that you Google yourself. 

9. You can un-press the elevator buttons at San Francisco HQ.  If you accidentally press 2 when you mean to press 3, just double click and the light goes off.  Genius.  Why are not all elevators like this?

8. Being surrounded by clothes and shoes all the time. In the hallways, sample closets, everywhere.  

7. The ridiculously hot coffee in the Gapeteria.  So hot that you can put tons of milk in it and it will still steam.  So satisfying.

6. Proximity to the Embarcadero.  The path to walk on.  The ferry building.  The water.  And the big arrow statue thing.  I'll miss that too.

5. Friends and Family (now "Give and Get").  It's so fun to share your employee discount with friends who love to shop.  Now I'll have to hope I can get one.  

4. Going home at a predictable time every day.  After a life of consulting, totally amazing.   

3. The employee discount.  You can't really beat 50% off at Banana Republic and Gap, especially when the merchandise is good.

2. Playing on Facebook was part of my job.  Seriously.

1. The people are fun.  

*****

cc

the countdown begins: stuff to savor before we go

Having been to Chin(ar) a few times before, we have a relatively good idea of what we'll be craving after we've been there for awhile. Here's a random list of stuff we are trying to savor now:

Lines
We totally take waiting in line for granted in the states.
People in Chin(ar) don't really use them. They have more of a push-shove-survival of the fittest tactic. I typically lose these battles. Therefore, I will miss lines.

Burritos (and cheese)

This is for D, as I don't eat too much of either. But he is already sad at the thought of no burritos in Chin(ar). I hope to post an entire blog of his burrito countdown as he eats his last, so this is just a teaser. But yes, D is going to miss burritos terribly.

Fresh Air
Oh, pollution. We've loved living a five minute walk from the water this past year, taking walks and running by it many times a week. I'm scared to think what trying to take a run in polluted air will be like. Good thing D's doctor prescribed him 2 inhalers (and he doesn't even have asthma). Goodbye fresh clean sea air, hellooooo Chin(ar) funk

Berkeley Bowl
Amazing fruit. So clean, so fresh fresh. I love this grocery store. Maybe even more than my first love, Wegmans (I know, Rochester people are falling off their chairs right now).

Tart Froyo

Fully Functioning Stummicks
nuff said

People
In the very specific sense, obviously, since there are 1.2 billion other ones over there that we hope to meet. But it is hard to leave loved ones over here.

***********

There are other, heavier things, that we may miss...significant events in the lives of people we love, our jobs, watching little ones we love grow. But those are too serious to blog about. Don't get us wrong, we're terribly excited, but in counting the costs, you start realizing what you're leaving behind. And how very thankful we are.

cc