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americanauthor · 7 years ago

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Chicago by way of San Francisco.

After a particularly busy Saint Patrick’s Day and mandatory day of vegetative rest, I packed my bags and headed off to start round 3 of Open Days for work. The first time I participated in these events was March 2016. I was a Senior at American and it was essentially a five day, unpaid interview over 3 states which consumed all my Spring Break that year. In 2016 I volunteered at the Spring Recruitment events for the college in Washington D.C., New York and Boston. In 2017 I staffed the events in Boston, New York, Chicago, Washington D.C. and Philadelphia. In 2018 I staffed the events in San Francisco, Chicago and Philadelphia. Open Day’s week is generally “Holy Week” for me.

Monday March 19th I got to Union Station, where I took the train to BWI airport station and took the shuttle to my Virgin Atlantic evening flight. Six hours and a slew of Ryan Gosling movies later (thanks inflight entertainment system) I arrived to San Francisco. Because it was special enough to get to go to California for work, I took a day extra before work began to meet up with my mom (who had been traveling in New Mexico). On Tuesday March 20th she drove us to Monetary, California -- about two hours away -- and we had a delightful jaunt around Cannery Row.

Here she is mounting the bench at my behest for the following shot.

Then it was her turn. I did not need a bench because I am not an elf.

We wandered in the rain amongst sock shops, souvenir stores and even one fairly sketchy looking old-timey photo place where after spontaneously deciding to get a novelty photo of ourselves, the girl working the desk took us back to a row of changing rooms and said “Okay, tube tops are there and shorts are in that bucket.” Needless to say we did not end up pursuing that activity.

I do love a good novelty [religious] tee, though.

We had lunch at Bubba Gumps and watched for animals in the Bay, then after a quick jewelry shop stop to commemorate our date with a silver otter necklace (”Aolysius”), mom drove us off to “17 Mile Drive” thru Pebble beach. In the pouring rain.

Here is the lovely “Bird Rock”, so named because birds like to hang out there.

And the “Lone Cyrpus” which has stood on this rock for over 250 years.

Had to get our photo with a local celeb like the “Lone Cyprus”.

Day one ended with a jaunt thru a town called “Carmel” and chai lattes to stave off hypothermia from the fact my suade boots are not, though I continue to wear them in the rain, waterproof. It was two hours back to San Francisco from Monterey, so to break things up we stopped for dinner in Palo Alto, near Stanford, and plotted our next day in San Francisco City.

After a filling Starbucks breakfast and forty minutes of traffic, on Wednesday March 21st, we set off to explore San Fransisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf.

We spent quite a bit watching the sea lions on Pier 39 bark and wrestle, before taking a stroll down the boardwalk and again ending up in Bubba Gumps for lunch (again).

Note Alcatraz behind mom. Not a bad view, and delicious coconut shrimp.

On our walk to Ghirardelli’s, stopped to take in some classic (cloudy) shots like the Golden Gate!

On our walk I also found arguably my favorite fountain ever. Introducing, “Merbaby”.

Did you know that when you to Ghirardelli’s they give you a free sample? Did you know when you go to three different stores they give you three different samples? I do now.

It worked on mom though because she ended up buying a tin of chocolate bunnies filled with caramel that I’m fairly certain will not make it back to Pennsylvania per her snacking.

It’s a tradition of mine when I visit a city to try and find at least one cool bookstore; I was recommended to find “City Lights” and enjoyed a while perusing the shelves there.

Here’s the view of the famous building who’s name I kept and keep forgetting, from “City Lights” door. I believe it is the Trans America Pyramid.

Tired and tourist-ed out, we headed back to the hotel to recharge phones and rest the legs before Mom started googling dinner options nearby and found the mythical, majestic soup dumplings. I love soup dumplings. They are arguably one of my top 3 favorite food groups. You can imagine I was elated.

Thursday morning, March 22nd, Mom headed off to the airport and I went to connect with work colleagues before our evening event. One short 40 minute Uber ride later and I was once again in San Francisco city as the rain poured. Not ten minutes later, however, the clouds cleared and blue skies -- yes, BLUE SKIES -- appeared.

Had just enough time to pop into Buena Vista -- the first U.S. home of the Irish Coffee -- and for very affordable $10.50. Irish Coffee’s are an acquired taste for certain; I don’t think I’ll be having another for a while but it was cool to sit at the long counter with the bartenders in white blazers and watch them craft this. I mean it was 10:00am so maybe next time I won’t start drinking Whiskey before noon, also. But experience!

After my morning cocktail, I stuck my head into the Cartoon Museum where I got to see the original drawings for the John Lewis Graphic Novel, “March”. Two years ago Sam and I volunteered at the Washington D.C. National Book Festival and worked the Graphic Novel pavilion, where Congressman John Lewis was talking about “March”. Seemed very timely.

Headed back to the hotel for an hours rest before getting dressed -- read, make up -- and heading over the High School for to wrap up the fun touristing and get started on the work. This is what will happen after a four hour event when someone on the team encourages “creativity” in posing.

It turns out that Mom’s flight was cancelled so I got a roomie for another evening. We ordered pizza to bed and watched Netflix before sleep. The next morning, Friday March 23rd, I was up bright and early for the team flight to Chicago.

After arriving in Chicago we took the train from the airport to the hotel and had about forty minutes before an event scheduled that evening. A quick shower and slathering on of makeup and out the door I went. We ended up having dinner (well, I had a coke of grilled brussell sprouts) at a bar called “The Gage” next to the University Club of Chicago. Bit strange to have drinks with a Professor who four years ago was signing my forms for Study Abroad class approval, but so is life.

Then it was off to bed and up early the next morning for a Chicago day. It was so bitterly cold that Saturday, March 24th, that I even contemplated buying a sweatshirt to layer. I own one sweatshirt; I am not a sweatshirt gal. But I was that cold.

If my case hadn’t been so packed already I would have but thankfully after getting some errands done for most of the day I decided to seek shelter at a coffee shop called “The Goddess”. I had a delicious sheep truffle, chai latte and read some of the novel I picked up in California.

By midday the nerves about my presentation on Sunday hit -- I headed back to the hotel, peeled off my layers and turned on the Kardashian’s while I started typing up the notes for my slides the next day.

Coerced from my hotel room with the promise of pizza, I joined half the team on an expedition to find deep dish. I do like Chicago, more than Boston or New York. And it’s not like D.C. in any way so I can separate and love them for different reasons without a conflict of interest.

And finally, after three trips to Chicago, got my picture with The Bean. It was much more fun to do that part with people, rather than being alone. I’m not being on needing to be in a group when traveling; in fact, I sometimes prefer to set my own path and wander. But with a belly full of warm deep dish I gave in to the adventure.

Sunday March 25th it was up early and out the door to the high school for the last Open Day event before Philadelphia the middle of the next week. The Irish headed back to Dublin that evening, with myself and Isabella dividing between Minnesota and D.C. I was thankful I made it through my presentation in one piece.

My bag, however, did not make it back to D.C. with me. That’s another saga for another time, but as a week straight of travel wound down I spent two hours with a man named Melvin at DCA trying to solve the mystery, on a Sunday night, of how my name got stuck to the bag of a Mr. Chen who ended up in OH and my case was no where to be seen.

Life, my friends, is never dull. And if you think it is, you’re not doing it right.

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