It’s not very often that I decide to have a weekend getaway on a whim. But when my HS/college friend Jeremy and I reconnected, he gave me the idea to visit him in the Oakland area just before my hysterectomy. So I searched online for cheap tickets with Southwest Airlines and found a round trip flight for only $250 after tax. And since, he had an extra room at the house he shared with his partner and cat, I didn’t need to spend money on a hotel. I love a good budget trip!
After buying my ticket, I figured out someone to watch the house for me over the weekend. Mainly they were there to watch Stone and Wilson, our dog. I decided to pay for a parking spot at SeaTac since it was easier to do that than find a ride up to the airport on a Friday morning. Flying out of SeaTac is always a strange adventure. Sometimes the drive is quick and the line through security takes only 20 minutes. Other times, the drive takes over an hour and a half and the line through security takes 1.5-2 hours. I have thankfully only missed one flight out of SeaTac because I was late leaving my house. Now I know better and always arrive two or more hours before the flight.
I dropped off my sweet kiddo at school and drove up to the airport. Once I finally found a parking spot on the top floor, I snapped a quick photo of the space number so I wouldn’t forget where I parked. I put on my mask and made my way to the Southwest check in. Check in was easy with only one carry on item and my purse, and I made it quickly through security. After enough times flying, I have also learned to carry minimal amounts and dress simply. Sandals for the win again.
I suppose at this point in time, most folks aren’t as worried about traveling during a pandemic as we were back then. I wore my mask both because it was required and because it was the right thing to do. My chances of catching COVID had dropped substantially since I caught it in Jan. 2022, just a couple months before my surgery in early April. The surgeon was actually nervous about requiring me to have a COVID test pre-surgery on the off chance that I might still test positive 3 months after being sick. But we went for it. Thankfully my test came back negative.
Jeremy and Jess picked me up from the Oakland airport in the early afternoon. I knew that I wanted to see the Golden Gate Bridge but that was my only requested stop. He planned to take me to Jack London Square, the only public accessible mixed-use waterfront and marina area. The square features shopping, dining, outdoor recreation, and special events.
Since the weather was warm and sunny, we stopped at the Ben & Jerry’s for a few double scoops in waffle cones. They had the classic flavors as well as dairy free options that I had not been able to find in WA. I got two scoops of their “Netflix &Chill’d”, and we set off to walk around the square. We walked past some cool shops (like one that was all 90s memorabilia), several beautiful potted plants, and the marina. We eventually ended up at Heinold’s First and Last Chance Saloon, first opened on June 1, 1884. The building was originally built between 1871 and 1875 out of the remnant timber from the Umatilla, a stern wheel paddle ship that was built in the Oregon Territory in 1858. This ship was used during the gold rush and later in the Sacramento Bay area. The remains were originally used to create a bunkhouse for sailors. In 1883, Johnny Heinold transformed the bunkhouse into a saloon with $100 and the help of a ship carpenter.
As we walked into the saloon to order our drinks, I could definitely tell that this building is as original as it gets. They still use the original gas lighting in their saloon which adds to the ambiance and history. It is also called “Jack London’s Rendezvous”, after the author of “The Call of the Wild” and “The Sea Wolf”. Jack London first visited the saloon at the age of 10. Over time, he became wrapped up in the saloon and the area. He befriended sailors and captains, soaking up their stories of adventure that would go on to influence his writing. If you haven’t read “The Call of the Wild”, I’m going to need you to get a copy at your local library and read it one weekend. It’s one of my absolute favorite books.
From the square, we went to Jeremy and Jess’s place to drop off my bags and get my room settled. We looked up a few places nearby that we wanted to try out. Jeremy had been eyeing these Korean corndogs after seeing a bunch of Instagram posts. There is a street market company based out of San Diego called 626 Night Market that runs events throughout California. The night market in San Diego was established in 2012 and is named after the San Gabriel Valley area code. It is currently the largest night market in the US, inspired by the open-air night markets in Asia where folks gather to eat and drink lots of amazing foods, socialize, and shop. My mom used to go to a night market in Taipei, Taiwan when she was still living there (and sometimes when she gets to travel back there). There are several markets on my bucket list of travel, including 626.
Since Jeremy and I had been sharing Instagram photos back and forth before the trip, we knew we had to indulge a bit. He got Korean dogs and all of us got mochi donuts. I added in a milk tea with boba to really complete the vibe. There was also a Taiwanese restaurant in the food court, but I didn’t want to overdo it. Later that evening, we walked from their house to downtown Livermore. I enjoyed a prickly pear margarita at a small bar while listening to a DJ outside that was spinning some throwback R&B songs. After a round of drinks and some late-night pizza, we made our way back to the house to rest up.
The next morning, we woke up fairly early and had some coffee before going to the Brushy Peak Regional Preserve. We slathered up with sunscreen. Even though it was March, it was supposed to be sunny and 80 degrees before noon. Brushy Peak is a 1,702-foot mountain in the Diablo Range. We did a quick hike through the preserve, joking about Microsoft windmill screen saver background as we made our way through the trails. We also came upon a couple cows resting in the shade of some eucalyptus trees.
From the top of the ridge, we could see the city of Livermore. Thankfully we were able to take in the beauty of the preserve before the dry season. Jeremy had stated that they were starting to see more brush fires with the temperatures increasing and rain virtually nonexistent. We barely saw any other people on the trails. But there was one guy that was very carefully examining the ground around him with a notebook. We slowly realized that he was looking for magic mushrooms! Hopefully he found was he was looking for. We will never know…
Our next stop was Sycamore Grove Park, an 847-acre park with trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding. We opted for the paved Arroyo de Valle Regional Park Trail, 5.9 miles that connects to the Del Valle Regional Park that features a campground and a small lake. Post trip, I had a chance to look at the map and do more research about this regional park. AllTrails lists 26 different trail options ranging from easy day hikes to strenuous backpacking with ridgelines, lake shores, and forest groves. There are even places to rent boats or power boats to check out the lake. I would imagine that early spring would be a beautiful time to visit with the hills and peaks covered in vibrant green and manageable temperatures.
We didn’t make it the full 5.9 miles on the regional trail. With drinking water constantly, it was difficult to make it more than a few miles before desperately needing to turn around for a bathroom break. There are only bathrooms at the parking lots at the two entrances (Wetmore and Arroyo Road). Before turning around though, we saw some rad pathways lined with sycamore trees as well as evidence of a woodpecker, another long beaked bird, or boring insects. Either way, of course I had to take photos of the textures and colors. Even the algae in the dried Arroy De Valle were intriguing. I will eventually use these references photos for something fun. Sadly, these parks and trails are all close for the foreseeable future due damage caused heavy rains and storms from this past winter (Dec 2022/Jan 2023).
We left the Sycamore Grove and freshened up back at the house. It’s amazing how just rinsing your face and a short cat nap can make you feel like a new person when you have been walking in the heat all day. Major props to people that hike in the desert or complete the Pacific Crest Trail. I know there is a point on the trail where you stop caring about the dirt and grime that is accumulating on your body. I experienced that just camping in the Tetons and Yellowstone for a week. But to carry all the water you need (which weighs over eight pounds per gallon) or drink from limited and questionable water sources all while moving forward is an amazing feat.
Jeremy heard about this place called Da Boccery (a play on words for debauchery and bocce ball) in Livermore. They feature paid activities such as bocce ball, shuffleboard, foot pool, and ax throwing; an arcade with your standard arcade games and pinball machines; and free activities like cornhole, giant jenga, giant connect four, and numerous board games. We mainly came for the food and drinks and to people watch.
The cocktail menu they have is hilarious. I ordered a Tea Bag, passion hibiscus tea with Tito’s vodka and honey. You can also order this by the pitcher. Oh. My. Lord… Other drink names were the Coconut Job, Moby Dick, and Aperol Squirter. Hilarious. I also could not stop awkward laughing at the fact that I placed my order for a Tea Bag. Then we got to the food. We got a round of shrimp wontons, white bean dip, and sloppy second fries. The boozy chili cheese nachos also sounded amazing. This is gonna sound bad, but I honestly don’t remember what I ordered for my main meal. I *think* I got the Korean bulgogi tacos, but I could be entirely wrong. The appetizers were the stars of this show. And the amazing side salad. It’s bad that I don’t remember… Maybe my age is catching up to me in some ways.
Once we felt we had sufficiently indulged ourselves, we went back to their neighborhood and walked around to see all the things I couldn’t see the night before. We stopped at an antique/record store to see if we might find any treasures. Jess found a gorgeous crystal decanter set that totally matched their home vibes. I found one of those random old viewmasters that had color card for different national parks. I should have bought it but for some reason I decided against it. Maybe I already knew that I needed to downsize my life for the future. Jeremy and I checked out the back room of used records. I tried to find any of the albums that are on my “must have” list but came up short. I did spot these classics, the Twister soundtrack and Usher’s “Nice & Slow” remixes. I nearly laugh snorted when I found these. Even better, Usher was behind the counter under glass as a “rare collectible” vinyl. Had to pass on both of those. Sorry Usher and Bill Paxton. Although “Twister” is one of my favorite comfort movies. It probably makes no sense and that’s totally fine.
One the walk back to their house, I could see all the cacti and desert plant life that I had missed in the night. There were yards full of aloe, prickly pear, California poppies, succulents, and cacti I had never seen before. Absolutely stunning!
We debated going to a bar that evening to watch the Razorbacks basketball game. We also debated buying tickets to see them in the NCAA tournament that night since they were playing in San Francisco. That dream was cut short real quick when we realized that tickets were $1000+ per seat. We decided that Jeremy could figure out a way to stream the game at his place, and we would just relax there for the night. Was the best decision since I would need to get up early to get to the airport in time for my flight back home.
Sadly, the hogs lost. We were pretty amped up before the game since they had just upset the No. 1 seed, Gonzaga, two nights before. And we were up against Duke, the team we beat in 1994 to win the NCAA championship with coach Nolan Richardson. I don’t talk about it much, but my family was a big basketball family, and my dad was always a Razorback fan. He taught me to play ball when I was nine years old, and I played every year on a team until I graduated high school, including playing AAU ball in the summers. During my senior year, we toured the University of Arkansas campus after their women’s basketball coach had come out to watch my high school team play. I think I also met some coaches while I was playing 3 on 3 tournaments one summer. I know I wouldn’t have gotten a scholarship for sports. Plus, it wasn’t my main focus for going to college since I knew I wanted to major in Art no matter what. So, I stuck with getting an academic scholarship and attended a college with a great art program that offered me a full ride – the University of Arkansas as Little Rock.
The next morning, Jeremy and Jess were up before I was, getting their coffee and their day started. We had planned to leave around 7:30am so I could make it through security in plenty of time. It was an easy drive to the airport, I made it through check in and security with no issues, and I had enough time to order a latte and mix in my CBD powder. I have a slight uneasy feeling when I fly which I can discuss later. Never used to, but a lady on a flight a few years back ruined it for me.
As we took off, I was excited and anxious to get back home. Excited to see my kiddo who I missed even though I was only gone a weekend. I swear I miss that dude even when he’s only in school, but then he also drives me batty when he’s home. This is parenting. I was also excited to be in my space again and sleep in my bed. And I was excited for this next phase of my life. To be pain free. I had battled with endometriosis for most of my adult life after being diagnosed at the age of 24. Prior to that, I had unexplained abdominal pain and ruptured ovarian cysts. It took a couple years of asking and researching and finally finding a doctor that would hear me. When I told her my concerns and that I didn’t want to rely on hormones for the rest of my life, she suggested a partial hysterectomy. It was music to my ears.
A week after my trip, I would get a ride from my friend Rachael to Tacoma, and I would be under anesthesia for almost 6 hours while the doctor removed my uterus, fallopian tubes, and cervix. I was released that same day and got to go home to my sweet boy who was so patient and understanding during my healing process. We watched a lot of movies that Spring Break together, and he finally got a Nintendo Switch, his first gaming system. Rachael stayed with me for a few days to help with meals, getting Stone ready for bed, and being there in case I needed anything. She and my co-workers were so supportive and loving during the six weeks I was instructed to not do anything. No working, no lifting, no walking beyond in my house. That was a LONG six weeks.
When I got home that day from surgery too, I had gotten a few packages in the mail from Jeremy and Jess. They had me a care package with some chocolates and a couple vinyl records to add to my collection. Thankfully it wasn’t Twister and Usher…
