On the Horizon : The City by the Bay

San Francisco, here I come!

Right back where I started from

Well, that's almost the song and that's almost true.

About a week into the New Year, G received the news we had been waiting on pins and needles to hear: where we would be transferring to next. Yes, yes, we've only been in Jersey six months. But with G's promotion to first class gunner's mate last fall, we were 99 percent sure we'd be moving again come summer 2016. Currently, he is working a GM2 job even though he is now a GM1, so it just didn't make sense for the Coast Guard to keep him here. So we sat down months ago, talked about our options, made our dream sheet with eight picks and G submitted the list. 

Of our choices, only two jobs were on boats and both we put at the bottom of the list, due to their location and the fact that they would require G to go to school first. Our top four were all on the West Coast: San Diego, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Seattle. While G and I were really pulling for our No. 1 pick — the hubs has been homesick for SD ever since we arrived in Jersey — we were lucky to have G assigned to our No. 2. He will be supervising the armory at MSST San Francisco.

At G's promotion ceremony in November.

My husband is ecstatic to be moving back to California but honestly my initial reaction was less than enthused. I am a bit sad to be leaving the NYC area so soon; I feel like there is still so much to see and do and I wish we had more time to explore. (Though, I will be doing my best to make the most of our last five months here!) I am also not looking forward to the whole packing up and moving across the country thing again. Our last two experiences were less than smooth. 

And my nervous, hesitant reaction to the SF news was made only more so when we learned that we would have to live in military housing in Alameda. There goes the dream of having a yard for the dogs, something we told each other was non-negotiable on the house hunt this time, and now we have no choice whatsoever in where we live.

OK, time for some good news. Now that I've had a few weeks to process the idea, I am able to not only recognize but actually celebrate all the positives in moving to the Bay Area.

We will be back in our home state of California. While NorCal is very different from SoCal in many respects, we are more familiar with the area than we were when we moved to St. Pete or Union City. We both have visited and vacationed in San Francisco several times and G even lived in Alameda for a couple months. And, it goes without saying, the City by the Bay is an incredibly dynamic place to live. Plenty to see and do there as well!

The biggest pro to moving back to California though is that we will be much closer to our friends and family. It will be easier and less costly for them to visit us and for us to visit them. After living 2,500+ miles away from nearly everyone we know and love, it will be wonderful to be just a short flight or a 8-hour car ride away.

G will be working a land job again, which means he won't be getting underway (at least, not on any regular basis) and will be home most of the time.

And while I am still disappointed that we won't get to choose which neighborhood we live in or have an opportunity to rent a home with a yard, living in military housing comes with many benefits. It may not be glamorous or updated, but we will never worry about whether we have enough money to pay rent and utilities; it's covered! We will likely be living much closer to San Francisco than we would have been able to if we were given BAH (basic allowance for housing) to live on the economy.  And we will be living in a community of other Coast Guard families, so making friends, connecting with other Coastie wives and participating in base- and spouse club-hosted events will be easier.

So, there is a lot to look forward to, even if leaving is bittersweet. That's military life. You're never in one place for too long! Though, our tour in San Francisco is a four-year billet, so maybe — just maybe — we can actually get settled in for longer than a year.

All San Francisco photos by Victoria Smith 

of SFGIRLBYBAY. Top & bottom, Golden Gate Bridge. 

Cherry blossoms via Refinery29. 

Wedding Wednesdays : My Best Friend's Malibu Wedding

My best friend of 22 years said "I do" to the love of her life on March 27, their seven-year anniversary, at the breathtakingly beautiful Malibu West Beach Club, and I was so blessed to stand beside her as her maid of honor. It was a perfect, warm, sunshine-filled Southern California day and the sparkling Pacific and clear blue skies made for a gorgeous backdrop during the outdoor ceremony, held on a patio overlooking the beach. Marielle stunned in her Maggie Sottero fit-and-flare gown, with sweetheart bodice and intricate rosette detailing in the skirt, while the bridesmaids donned vibrant blue chiffon frocks with ruffled necklines. A close friend officiated the nuptials, and Marielle and JP shared sweet and funny personal vows they wrote for each other. (I had the privilege of looking them over before the big day!) Once they were pronounced Mr. and Mrs., the wedding party kicked off their shoes and headed down to the sand for pictures while the rest of the guests enjoyed cocktail hour on the patio. A nod to JP's love of football, the newlyweds made their grand entrance into the reception by breaking through a paper sign and strutting to the NFL theme song! They then went right into their first dance, swaying and spinning 'round to John Legend's soulful ballad "All of Me." The reception was held inside the beach club, and Marielle's vision of a cobalt blue and yellow wedding, with chevron table overlays (hand-sewn by the mother of the bride) and touches of glitter and gold, came together even better than I could have imagined. No seashells or nautical kitsch here; the look was bright, fun, graphic and modern. A chic beachside wedding. After dinner was served (the 105 guests noshed on beef short ribs, bruschetta salmon or butternut squash risotto), the best man and I gave our speeches (eek!), and then the dance party began. In addition to cake, a dessert table/snack bar (another nod to the sports-obsessed groom) offered up cookies, cupcakes, brownie bites, jam bars, gourmet popcorn and pretzels to fuel wedding revelers, while the flowing wine and beer fueled hilarious takes in the ever-popular photo booth. In addition to their photo strips, guests took home custom etched pint glasses inscribed with the bride and groom's names and wedding date. A lot of love, sweat, glitter and spray paint went into crafting a dream day—a day seven years in the making—and it truly was the best day ever for Marielle and JP. There's nothing more I could wish for my best friend.

These photos were borrowed from the Instagram accounts of some of the couple's vendors: Matrimony Films, Nick Belohlavy Photography, and makeup artist/hair stylist Melissa Beck-Swarberg. I can't wait to see the professional photographs once they come in! Until then, I present my quick snaps from the rehearsal and wedding day, after the jump... 

San Diego Days

During our big California trip, when the hubs and I cruised down to San Diego to see a couple of good friends get hitched, we decided to stay a few extra days and make a long weekend of it, to soak up as much time in our beloved city, the place we fell in love (and got married ourselves!) as possible. G had been more homesick for SD than even he knew, telling me that when he got off the plane at Lindbergh Field he instantly felt like he was at home.

(One day we'll return for good, baby. One day!)

There is much to do and explore in San Diego, so even though G lived there for five years and I for one, we can always find new places to go and see and taste and do. While we visited a few familiar haunts—Mission Bay, Pacific Beach—we checked out some new-to-us eateries, too. (In case it wasn't already abundantly clear: we love to eat and drink.) Here's a few photos, if you'd like to see...

Our friends (family, really) kindly opened up their BayHo house to us for the weekend. This is the view from their back deck. Isn't it incredible? Beats staying at a hotel! Great view and great company.

For dinner the first night, the day before the wedding, G and I went casual and visited a place we'd passed by so many times while living in San Diego but I had never actually been to: PB Fish Shop. It is a relatively small establishment on Garnet Avenue and, like always, the inside and outside patio were packed to the gills. (Bad pun intended.) But there is a good reason; the food is incredible. Super fresh fish prepared any way you like. I hadn't eaten all day so I went big and ordered a plate of fried Mahi Mahi (which I promptly doused in lemon juice and malt vinegar), coleslaw and macaroni salad. Despite the fact that the fillet was as big as a brick, I ate every bite. So good.

Friday was dedicated to wedding festivities, and on Saturday the newlyweds invited all their family and friends to a picnic at Sunset Point Park, located right on Mission Bay. The weather was perfect, it was an absolutely gorgeous day, and looking out on the water all I could think was, "I wish I was on a boat." Not usually an activity I long for but it was just so beautiful out. So I jokingly told the hubs to put "get a boat" on his retirement to-do list.

After soaking up every drop of sun at the park, a group of us were craving Mexican food so we took a short drive over to Casa Guadalajara in Old Town San Diego. G and I love historic Old Town; it's where we had our engagement photos taken! The vibrant neighborhood boasts many wonderful Mexican restaurants—I've been to Cafe Coyote, Miguel's Cocina, Fred's Mexican Cafe and Rockin' Baja—but I had never been to the colorful, large and prominently-located Casa Guadalajara. I was sadly still full from lunch so I just ordered a cup of the albondigas soup, but it was delicious. As were the margaritas. I definitely plan to return one day for a real meal.

On Monday, our final day in San Diego, we decided to go back to Pacific Beach since it was just down the road from our friends' house in BayHo. First, we stopped for brunch at Crushed a new, sweet little restaurant bar featuring killer drinks, small plates and of course, a selection of sweet and savory brunch bites. G ordered up a bloody mary while I simply had to try a mimosa flight. All three glasses were tasty but the Lavender Love easily edged out the Rosemary+Grapefruit and Blood Orange+Pomegranate concoctions. To eat, the hubs and I decided to satisfy our need for salt and sugar by sharing both The SoCal omelette and the absolutely divine Nutella Banana pancakes.

Completely stuffed, we decided to walk off breakfast with a stroll along the beach, by Crystal Pier. G took my best friend and I here when we visited him over Labor Day 2011, the weekend that revealed to us that we could be more than just friends. (The story of us, here, including a photo of us that we tried to recreate, below.) So it was a wonderful, full-circle kind of feeling walking the boardwalk hand in hand, thinking of all that has happened since that day three-and-a-half years ago. Eventually, we made it to The Wood (formerly known as Beachwood), so we popped in for one last drink, a bit longer to admire the view, before saying adios to San Diego and heading back to Simi Valley.

A Golden Birthday : Cheers for my 30th at Malibu Wines

Despite my best intentions to get back into blogging last week after my six-week long California vacation trip adventure, I was simply too busy or tired to do so. Busy because just three days after my best friend's wedding it was my 30th birthday, and then of course the packing (oh, the packing!) for our return to Florida. And tired because of, well, all that—plus it was tougher than I imagined to get back on East Coast time. The first three days we were home the hubs and I slept in until almost noon! I'm not exactly what you'd call an early riser but G is, so that was quite unusual for him.

But today is Monday, a fresh start to a new week and just a few days into a new month and I'm feeling recovered. (Even if our bags have yet to be unpacked. Oy vey.) As much as we loved visiting our friends and family in Simi Valley and San Diego, after so much time away it felt good to walk into our own place, our small, humble apartment home, and relax. While puppy Jasper came along with me on my adventure, our big girl Cali was over the moon to see us when we picked her up from the house of some truly great friends who had watched her for three weeks (!).

Since I've been in and out of the blogosphere for a while now, I have a lot of catching up to do. So much to share! Today I'll start with my aforementioned birthday—my golden birthday! I turned 30 on the 30th. 

G knew how busy and, I'll admit, stressed I had been with planning my best friend's bridal shower, and bachelorette party, and with helping her do any and everything to prepare for the wedding (dress fittings, DIY supply shopping, crafting, sign making, general MOH listening and encouraging, etc.) so he happily took on the task of planning my birthday party. While I knew something was happening on Sunday, March 29, the day before my birthday (and two days after my bestie's wedding), I didn't know what or where or who. The hubby decided to keep that a surprise. Even though I kept pestering for details! 

Funny enough, a friend had mentioned to me the idea of going to Malibu Family Wines to celebrate, which I thought was a fantastic idea since I had never been but always wanted to go. When I passed this information on to G, he told me not to worry, he already had a plan in mind and in motion. As it turns out, he was planning to take me to Malibu Wines all along! That guy. He knows me so well.

After arriving to the outdoor winery, I was greeted by a group of friends and family, waving and cheering under a gazebo reserved just for the party. We popped bottles of red, white, rosé and champagne and got to drinking. (And eating, and chatting, and playing Jenga and Cards Against Humanity.) It was a beautiful, sunny day and a wonderful afternoon hanging out with my best people. Friends from elementary and high school, friends from my days at the Acorn Newspapers, even my parents came out for the celebration. I felt so loved and appreciative that my husband put the whole thing together for me.

(A few more snaps of me and my silly, beautiful friends...)

The next day, my actual birthday, was low-key but just as nice. G and I went to breakfast with my family, I opened my gifts, and that night we went to Marielle and JP's house to hang with the newlyweds and cook dinner together. I made my go-to, crowd-pleasing appetizer, bruschetta, the hubs made his delicious sausage pasta coated in a decadent white wine sauce, Marielle made garlic bread and vanilla cupcakes, and JP poured the wine. It was perfect.

Part of me can't believe that I'm 30. I don't feel sad about it necessarily, but maybe in denial. Ha! Perhaps that's something to explore in another post. Truly though, I feel lucky to have amazing people who love me in my life and I have a feeling that my thirties are going to be even better than my twenties. Cheers to that, right? Yes, I have to remind myself sometimes but there is so much to look forward to, and many more adventures on the horizon.

Wedding Wednesdays : Bright & Cheery San Diego I Do's

This past Friday, G and I had the pleasure of returning back to our beloved San Diego to witness the wedding of two dear friends, Casie and Clay, who tied the knot bayside in Marina Village.

Claysie, as the pair is affectionately called, is the sweetest, most fun-loving couple around, and their big day was a total reflection of their upbeat personalities. The color palette featured bright and cheery hues—pink, yellow, orange, blue, green... All the colors of the rainbow! Guests were even invited to pick up a pair of neon sunnies upon arrival, to don during the waterfront, outdoor ceremony. And they were needed, because it was a gorgeous, sunshiny SoCal afternoon. Casie and Clay could not have ordered more beautiful weather for their wedding day.

The ceremony and reception details had a rustic and handmade touch. Burlap-wrapped mason jars filled with an assortment of blooms lined the aisle. Casie wore a stunning lace gown with an open back, showing off her slim figure, and her bridesmaids complimented her dress in vibrant blue lace frocks. Inside the light and airy reception room, burlap runners, colorful napkins and candles dressed up the round white tables, which featured DIY centerpieces (similar to ours!) made in part by the bride and groom: wood slices topped with wildflower-filled mason jars. Clay even crafted the rustic, wood slice table numbers!

Other fun details included personalized cocktail napkins, a "wall" of photos illuminated by twinkle lights and a Jenga guestbook where friends and family could leave short words of wisdom or advice for the newlyweds on one of the game's wooden tiles. In addition to dancing up a storm, the hubby and I had a blast watching Casie and Clay warm up the crowd by playing the shoe game (wish we had done that!), and later playing Bingo, one of C&C's favorite pastimes and party games. It is now my firm opinion that no wedding is complete without a few rounds of Bingo.

It was a beautiful wedding full of love and joy and we were so happy to be a part of it. Now, a few photos from the day, if you'd like to see...

After the stress of planning our wedding last year, it was so wonderful to just be a guest. You can dance more, drink more, relax more! Luckily, Casie and Clay seemed to thoroughly enjoy themselves during their wedding though. That is my wish for every bride and groom. And we have one more wedding to attend before we head back to Florida: My best friend's wedding! You can bet I was taking mental notes when Casie's maid of honor gave her speech (she totally rocked it). Nine days to go and counting!