#san mateo lunch place

[umichenginabroad]

Let the games begin: The Last Hurrah :(

Week 10

It’s our last full week here! Time really flew by and I can’t believe that I’ll be back in Michigan soon. To make the most of it, we stayed booked and busy to cross things off our San Sebastián bucket list. For the remaining days of our research, we also had a lot to finish up for final presentations. No more afternoon naps, we had to make this final rally count!

My week technically started on Tuesday due to the unfortunate bus situation from over the weekend (read last week’s post for that experience). I went to the beach to soak up some rays and then Jayashree and I went to this restaurant called The Yellow Deli. Maybe this is a hot take but I would say that this became one of my favorite spots to eat in all of San Sebastián, even though it doesn’t specialize in pintxos. It was mainly the vibe of the place that we enjoyed the most since it was like a funky woodland medieval tavern. The cheesecake and hot cider were a perfect combo of pure delish. Mateo always raves about the cheesecakes he eats everywhere he goes but I think he’s really missing out on this one.

On Wednesday we went to La Mamma, our favorite pasta place, since Izzy hadn’t been yet. This time, Deidra decided to try a new dish and I’ve honestly never seen someone experience that much anguish over food before. At first, she said it had a little bit of a kick to it but that didn’t seem to phase her yet. As time went on, poor Deidra started to crumble and it was obvious that the spice was winning. Sweat, tears, and hopefully not blood went into Deidra persevering like a champ through her pasta. Very proud of her for that effort, and I would show a pic of the aftermath but she’d probably kill me if I did so here’s us before Deidra’s five stages of grief:

Bataplán Thursday! At long last we got Izzy and Diego to go to the club with us for one last night out. The funny thing is that Diego kept trying to convince himself to not go but this guy ended up being the life of the party. The club life in Spain starts late and goes on into the wee hours of the morning which is definitely not for the weak. Even though we had work Friday, it was worth it to have fun with the group and do round two of arm wrestling yet again in Bataplán. Later on in the day, we got ready for one last trip which is special because of the…

Olympics!

Friday afternoon we boarded the bus to Bordeaux, about four-ish hours away to go see an Olympic soccer match. I’ve never watched an actual match in person before, so I was really excited to see all the hype and wear my San Fermín fit again in support for the one and only ESPAÑA! We did a lot of exploring the city before the game and found that it was super cute with highlights being castle gateways, a ferris wheel, mini arc de triomphe (nearly every european city has one for some reason??), and a reflection pool. To fuel for the game, we had an energizing lunch courtesy of the huge carrefour market in the city center. You can get a rotisserie chicken, roasted potatoes, and a dessert for like €5?? We then made our way to the stadium on the crazy packed and sweaty tram, then finally made it in and got our dream picture with the mascot of the olympic games: Phryge the French Hat. 

Our seats were in a good spot pretty much right in front of the goal. Earlier in the day, I had bought a spanish flag to wear like a cape and to wave around during the game. As honorary spaniards, all of us had to represent and we. didn’t. disappoint. After every goal we were putting in the WORK to do the chants like our lives depended on it. Spain won 3-1 against the Dominican Republic and I like to think that we were a tiny part of causing that win to happen. I feel like before this game I didn’t really understand what made people so crazy about soccer, but being in the stands in person changed that perspective for me and I had a fun time! At the end of the day after having the sun blast down on us in the stands, we were collapsing. Refueled at a Canadian restaurant where I tried poutine for the first time and it was pretty tasty. Then, ended up back at the reflection pool where Izzy and I went on a rampage of splashing each other to the point where our pants were beyond soaked and I had to wear my flag around me like a skirt. ‘Twas a good end to a good day!

Next week will be my final reflection post, so come back for my last blog ever, tears already! :(

Olé, olé, olé!

Emily Dobao

Biomedical Engineering

IPE San Sebastian, Spain

August 2nd, 2024

[franklloydalwaysright]

What are possible ways of alleviating food insecurity in Cincinnati (including the UC campus)? 

Eliminate Food Deserts  

Many neighborhoods in Cincinnati do not contain any grocery stores. Neighborhoods such as Bond Hill, North Avondale, and Oakley all do not contain supermarkets and require over a 1 mile walk to reach one. This lack of supermarkets requires people to not only pay for transportation to and from a grocery store, but then also to pay for the groceries. Our group thought of two ways to solve this problem. To build more transportation routes to grocery stores from any neighborhoods that do not have any immediate access to one. Our other solution is to simply build more grocery stores in Cincinnati. The latter one being objectively more difficult to but does provide a better solution for everyone. By simply building a bus route people still have to pay for transportation to and from the grocery store but it is much cheaper than using a rideshare app. But by building grocery stores in food deserts, they would get guaranteed business as everyone needs food to survive and when looking for places to go food shopping, most people are going to choose the place that is most convenient for them to shop at, especially if they do not have any form of transportation. 

"grocery store in london" by stefo is licensed under CC BY 2.0. 

Community resources (gardens, kitchens, pantries, farmers markets)  

Community gardens are a great way to produce quality and healthy ingredients for meals. Growing crops in urban areas is also a great way to create jobs and create more of a sense of community within and around the gardens area. Just adding greenery as well is a great way to add to the atmosphere of any space. Community Kitchens also are great way to provide meals that can be nutritious with the right ingredients. These kitchens are also a great way to bring the community together by providing an area for people to gather and enjoy food together. Community kitchens can also aid to teach cooking skills to the youth of the community, effectively alleviating food insecurities in two ways.  Food pantrys are also great places to provide ingredients to entire communities as well. Here at UC, just off campus you can find the bearcat pantry which provides all UC students with many different groceries all free of charge. All three of these resources listed are both great ways to provide jobs to people in Cincinnati but also ways to alleviate food insecurity as well.  

"Beresford Community Garden, San Mateo" by vicki moore is licensed under CC BY 2.0. 

Food stamps and other programs  

Cincinnati can provide more funding and raise the maximum income requirement to access food stamps and assistance. Almost 30% of families cannot afford food based on their given income (Living in poverty in Cincinnati - Heatheirare Access Now). Given the inflation and the rapid increase of food prices in the past decade, raising the maximum income cap for food assistance would allow people who face food insecurity eligible to receive assistance. This could be provided by expanding outreach to poorer neighborhoods and more flexible eligibility criteria that target those excluded from food stamps. Specially targeting the food insecurity of UC, UC should offer less expensive meal plans for students facing food insecurity. Meal plans at the University of Cincinnati start at 2,528, with no inexpensive options available. Schools such as UC should be providing free, QUALITY lunches and breakfasts for all students. More options such as Bearcat Pantry should be available to students and poorer neighborhoods in Cincinnati.  

Discussion Question – Why do you think that despite food insecurity being such a big issue in Ohio, there isn't much action being taken against it? 

[greenbagjosh]

Days 2 to 4 - The Chico Halloween 2003 and drive up to Medford, Oregon with Grants Pass and Ashland

Hi everyone

I wanted to let you know about fifteen years ago today, when it was the last time I visited Chico, CA and Oregon. It was the weekend of 31st October to 2nd November 2003. During that time I visited

- Chico

- Orland

- Redding

- drive on I-5 past Mt. Shasta

- Hilt CA and Oregon state line

- descent into Ashland and Medford

- drive to Grants Pass before returning and having supper

- fuelling up at Medford Safeway

- long drive back to Foster City CA via Willows, lunch at Black Bear diner

- arrive home in Foster City by 9:30 PM

On 31st October 2003 I arrived at Chico about 7 PM at the Super 8 motel, after having left work about 3 PM by prior permission - it was a 4 hour journey from Redwood City via San Mateo-Hayward bridge and I-880 to I-80 then I-505 and on to I-5 to Orland, and then on local roads thereafter. The Super 8 is near Cohasset and CA-99, and at the time it was next door to a Denny's that I remember previously eating at on Sunday 7th January 2001. I dropped off the luggage and found a place to park in the downtown 4th Street parking structure before traffic got worse. I went to a couple of places I remember from my university days, particularly Duffy's, watch some live concert, but I don't know if I went into the Madison Bear Garden, there is always a line outside on Halloween night. Since my university days at CSU Chico, nothing much seemed to have changed. After eating a "Sleepy Dan Special" meal at Jack's Diner, I went back to the hotel.

I think I woke up the next morning about 7:30 AM. Super 8 was serving breakfast. Some guests had slept in their costumes when they came down to the breakfast room. I had to check out by 8:30 AM so I could get a good start to driving to Medford. Why Medford? I had been wanting to go to Medford for probably since 1998, just to have a leisurely tour around it, and also Ashland. Leaving Chico, I drove north and west on CA-32 to Orland, so I could get a good photo of the big catfish. I have no idea how long the catfish has been standing or why it was even placed there. After Orland I went north on I-5. I-5 is not particularly hilly between Arbuckle and Red Bluff, and then from Anderson to just north of Redding it is fairly flat. Somewhere around Mountain Gate up to Weed, I-5 has many curves and speed limits are down to 55 mph or 90 km/h. The scenery is interesting, especially if you get close enough to see Mt. Shasta.

Hilt is the last town in California on I-5, before the Oregon state line. From Yreka to Hilt, I-5 has a gradual incline, and after crossing into Oregon, there is a gradual decline towards Ashland. Downtown Ashland has a Shakespeare program, and I would find out later that evening that I arrived on the last day of the season. In Medford, one town away, I had booked a night at the Red Carpet Inn, basically a typical motel with outside access, and they served complimentary breakfast. I drove around downtown, parked my car around Main Street, and walked around, trying to find the Russian restaurant that I remember going to in a previous visit in June 1996, but never found it. Back then, smartphones were nonexistent and to google anything you would need a computer with 56k or broadband. I did find a Hawaiian restaurant, called the Hawaiian Hut, which would give me 10 miles credit on United Airlines for every dollar I spent. I had some nice spare ribs and white rice and it also had macaroni salad. I could not eat it all so they gave me a takeout box. I drove also to Grants Pass, because I wanted to see how far north away from home (at the time, Foster City, CA) I could drive, but in August 2013 I beat that, but that's a story for another time.

After Grants Pass, I drove past Medford on to Ashland. It was the last day of the season for Shakespeare. I did not know of any performances I wanted to see, so I just strolled around downtown for an hour or so. Then I drove back to Medford to sleep.

The next morning, Sunday 2nd November, I slept in a bit more than I thought but not too long before they stopped serving breakfast, I was lucky to have some toast and coffee. I also had the leftover Hawaiian food from the previous night that I would eat later. I think I started back home at 10 AM. Before that, I had to fill up the tank, it was getting close to the 1/4 mark. Oregon diesel prices in 2003 were close to those in California, maybe a few cents cheaper. But you could not fill the tank yourself due to the Oregon state law forbidding self-service. I filled up, bought some soda for later, and then headed south on I-5, up that long incline past Ashland to Hilt at 55 mph, and then after Hilt downhill. Somewhere after Hilt there is supposed to be an agricultural checkpoint. That does not include leftover prepared food, just fresh fruits and such. I think it was about 11:30 AM when I arrived at the first rest stop in California from Oregon, so I ate up the leftovers. From Yreka to Weed the drive was fairly flat, then there came the curvy road down to Redding, and then flat from Red Bluff to Willows. At Willows I was getting hungry and I think it would have been around 4 PM when I arrived. I knew at the time, the Black Bear was also offering the 10 miles per dollar deal with United Airlines. I think I had just a sandwich and Coke. I stayed enough to rest up before the 200 mile journey back to Foster City. The car's fuel gauge had yet to break the 5/8 mark as it was getting around 51.0 mpg.

The drive home went fairly uneventful, other than a short stop close to Nut Tree in Vacaville. I think the rest of the way I went on I-80, I-880 to the San Mateo-Hayward bridge and my exit was at Mariner's Island Blvd in Foster City, which lead to my street. It would have been a little after 9 PM when I arrived at home. Luckily I did not have to be at work until 8 AM on Monday the 3rd November. I would have one week until my next international adventure to somewhere new. On my longest nonstop flight on United that I can remember.

So that was the last time I drove on I-5 to Oregon. Hope you enjoyed this Halloween story from so long ago.

Next week, I should have the story of my fifteen year anniversary of my visit to Hong Kong, Macau and Tokyo Narita, but not Zhuhai in the PRC (though I was a quarter mile away from it, on the Macau side).

[windycitypizzabbq]

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windycitypizza.com

[always-andromeda]

iii. Flock | Eli Sunday x fem!Reader

Eli Sunday x fem!Reader

Word Count | 2,280

Summary | "Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward." Psalm 127:3

Author's Note | very big shoutout to @lost-in-sokovia. definitely took some inspo from her auggie pieces while writing parts of this! if you aren't part of auggienation yet, this is your sign to! okay, I've done my part in this community today, time for a nap, catch y'all on the flip side.

Warnings | pregnancy, mentions of giving birth, a single mention of blood, nothing else I can think of!

Parts | i. | ii. | iii.

It was shortly after the wedding when Eli began to make plans to travel around California; to achieve his God given mission. He plans to do more than his father before him. He's already expanded the church in Little Boston from the cramped rickety building he'd started with what seemed so long ago. But the message is spreading and he wants to take advantage of it.

So he starts booking train tickets all around California in every major city that he could.

"It'll be a full tour of the state! And it’ll just be the two of us. Sharing the Lord’s word.” He presses his forehead against yours as he tells you, swaying your hips back and forth with him.

You quickly learned he liked doing that, especially when he was overwhelmed by something. Just to catch your rhythm, he’d hum. He was fascinated by how you were able to stay calm during any storm. So the swaying was his way of letting your patience and compassion rub off on him; an act of self soothing. You love it; love being a beacon of light for him.

But little does Eli know, it won’t be just the two of you for long. It begins in San Francisco. You and Eli had just traveled through San Mateo by train. And when you get to the city, you’re dazzled by the sights. You’ve seen many parts of the state in the time you’d traveled with your father, looking for places to drill, but this was something different. Especially for Eli. In many ways, he is still the naive boy from Little Boston. So seeing how he reacts to the difference between his home and the unexplored is half the fun.

Eli has never seen buildings so tall and streets so wide. The trolleys fascinate him as well. And oh, the automobiles! Whenever he saw a particularly shiny one glide down the street he wanted to buy one. Just to drive you around in. You have to convince him quite often to leave the idea behind for now. You can hardly afford even a small hotel room in the first place. But the extravagance continues to impress him.

The hotel was decidedly not The Palace (where he’d really wanted to take you), but it was better than any place he’d stayed before. There was a proper radio in the room and real indoor plumbing. Even the bed had more cushion than the one at home, which he took great delight in.

Until you’re in the restroom, retching up your lunch into the porcelain sink. His expression is knitted with concern as he rubs circles on your lower back, and you assure him that it was probably the sway of the train that made you so nauseous. But he’s never seen you react this way after a simple train ride. The most damning of all is that the feeling doesn’t go away. You're still sick late into the night, barely being able to keep your food down.

Despite how you tell him over and over that you are just fine, you want to sit down every few minutes. But you don't give in to the screaming exhaustion your body faces. You two are up so early one morning, helping to feed the unhoused people that linger around the church when you feel lightheaded and begin to collapse. A few other women from the congregation catch you before you can really fall. They tell one of the men to find Father Sunday and notify him that his wife has fallen ill.

Eli nearly makes himself ill with worry. Were you dying? Was there some sort of flu spreading that God hadn't made him privy to? The Lord wouldn't dare take his wife so young. You’re never this sick. So he meets you at a hospital and waves away the church women who are crowding around you, asking endless questions about how you’re feeling. You’re grateful that he does it for you. Still too dizzy to do anything but keep your eyes on him and clutch his hand, Eli is shouting for a nurse, a doctor, anyone who could possibly help his angel.

Goodness, did he look like a fool when the doctor told him you were mostly likely pregnant. You weren’t dying. You were bringing in life! The doctor suspected you were around twelve weeks along, somewhere in the first trimester. Not far enough to show too much, but far enough that you knew you’d missed your period a few times. That and the sickness from over exerting yourself made it a pretty good bet that you were going to have a baby.

The doctor insists that you get rest, that if you work yourself up more, it could affect the baby’s health. Eli takes it so seriously. But you can't stand it, you can't stand the masses surrounding you. You can't stand the way Eli looks at you with distress.

“I won’t have you up and about when our child is at stake.” He waves his finger at you.

“You seem to forget that I am my own person and just because there’s a child inside of me, you don't get to control how I live my life." Your voice is stern, your pale figure talking down to him from the hospital bed.

Eli raises his voice, knowing that even behind the closed door, anyone listening outside would be able to hear him, “I am your husband and you shall do as I say!”

Immediately, he knew that he had gone too far. He tries to stay reluctant; tells himself that he is right deep down and that it is your duty to obey him. But you begin to sob, tears dripping down the front of the thin hospital gown. And Eli sighs, swaying in place for just a second as he thinks. He clenches his fist just tight enough that he determines he needs to be next to you.

He sits beside you on the narrow bed, one of his legs hanging off the edge. You flinch away for a second before allowing him to pull you close to his chest. Quite now, he says, “Tell me what is wrong, angel. Why can’t you just listen to the doctor.” Your demeanor was such a swift change from how eager you had been just a few months before. Had the mission changed you enough that your heart no longer had room for his children?

But you sniff back the tears and manage in a more resilient voice, “I won’t…I won’t let myself be a great big lump you simply carry around. I did that for long enough with my father. Always the thorn in his side.” You played with his modest cross pendant. 

"You could never be the thorn in my side, my angel. I promised I would give you everything. I wouldn't offer that if I believed you were a burden." You refuse to look at him straight until he adjusts your chin to face him with a single, shaking digit.

"I love you," He says firmly, "Nothing will ever change that."

"Say it again."

"I'll say it as many times as you need. At least until you believe it." That's the hardest part about his love. It is so selfless and true that you almost don't know how to handle it. Daniel hadn't loved you unless there was some sort of advantage to it. Meaning, he rarely felt it and never expressed it.

But Eli was all in for everything. As soon as you both leave the hospital, he finally takes up one of his congregation members on an offer to house him and his darling wife. He can't keep frivolously spending money on the hotel, no matter how much he'd miss the cushy bed. The room is on the second floor anyways and he doesn't want you struggling up and down stairs.

The family that takes you in is small. A husband and wife with a child of their own. The boy reminds you of H.W. which does a little bit to comfort you through the long days. Eli pulls away from his duties a little bit more, though you still encourage him to go to his services. His church needs him for than his little wife. He meets you halfway and appoints a few others in his congregation who are dedicated and well educated so they can pick up the sermons that he misses.

The idea is a blessing. Now he gets to spend more of his time with you, growing more and more lovesick as the weeks pass by. He rests his head against your stomach, feeling for little kicks. He's also become obsessed with thinking of names. With pages of biblical names flooding his head, he'll blurt them out right before bed, when you're just about to fall asleep. But none of them sound quite right.

It hits you in the dead of the night, your dreams swirling with stone statues of David and Goliath and Italian chapels, you awaken with a start.

"Eli," You whisper. Eli is wrapped around you, a hand over your stomach. He twitches, feeling you stir beside him. Eli, hums a little against your shoulder.

"Florence if it's a girl. David if it's a boy."

Barely awake, you feel the slight curl of his lips, "They're perfect."

The congregation asks you what you and Eli plan to name the child. But both of you keep the quiet, hushed secret that you'd both made while embraced in the dark. It was enough to make him give a toothy grin nearly every time he sees you. He can't wait to be a real father.

When you go into labor, Eli can't even begin to distinct one emotion from the other. He is worried, ecstatic, sick, and scared; his heart full of love but also full of fear. He hasn't forgotten that wedding night, his anxiety about you not making it through this experience. It's made even worse when the doctors and nurses won't allow him into the delivery room. They assure him that most men don't want to see their wives in this way. But he hears you screaming on the other side of that door. And there's nothing for him to do but wrap his arms around himself and try fruitlessly to control his breathing. 

He's sure that he will hyperventilate until a nurse comes out, declaring, "It's a girl!" The men of the church are cheering him on, urging him towards the room. And though he desperately wants to see you, he is terrified of what he'll find. He pictures something akin to a crime scene, blood splatters everywhere, horrified expressions and the feeling of death. His heart practically stops in his chest when he sees you so still on that hospital bed. Then he catches the labored breaths you're taking. Though the hospital used anesthetics that numbed some of the strain, you were cognizant enough to know that the recovery period is going to be difficult.

Rushing to your side, Eli is brushing the loose hairs off of your forehead and kissing your brow. A nurse quickly cleans little Florence, before presenting her once more to you. You take her in your arms easily, supporting her little head as she cries.

Seeing his daughter finally being born, the mix of sentimental feelings that rush over him is indescribable. He mumbles broken bits and pieces of prayers, thanking God for keeping you safe and for blessing him with a child. When he finally holds her, he is done for. She's still crying, but the sound slowly calms down when he sways her gently. Eli had decided long ago that he would be the most devoted and loving husband he possibly could. But now he gets to add being a father to that promise.

“Look at you, you’re so small. Such a little lamb.” He coos, running a finger over her plushy cheek.

“Little lamb…” You murmur quietly. So tired that you just might fall asleep. But you fought to stay awake as Eli tucked you into his side on the hospital bed, holding the bundle between you two. You finally see her face. All pink and wrinkled and scrunched up as she tries to sleep.

Eli lays his head on top of yours, “I am the most blessed man to ever exist.” You giggled at him, lovingly staring with half lidded eyes.

He notices your observation of him, “What?”

“She looks like you.” Your voice is hoarse.

“Oh, you hysterical woman. I can only hope she takes on your features. She’ll be far better off that way.”

“No…she’s going to be just like you. Spoiled and indignant.” Lightly biting your lip, you watch his expression fill with confusion.

“Spoiled? Indignant?”

Your laugh comes deep from your chest, “Mhmm. She is a preacher’s daughter. It’s only natural that she’ll be a little bit full of herself.”

“You’ll keep her head out of the clouds.”

“You’re so sure?”

“Absolutely. You do well enough holding me to the earth. What’s one more? Besides, she’s so tiny that it wouldn’t be much work.” He holds up her small, chubby fist as proof.

“You’re incorrigible.”

Eli turns to you, gazing into your sleepy eyes, and hoping he doesn't find any doubt in them, “But, you’re happy, aren’t you?”

With a gentle kiss to Florence's fuzzy head, you murmur, “Immensely.”

Eli only begins to suppress the sound of his sob, “Then we have done well for ourselves.” And so Eli Sunday prays that his little flock stays this way, happy, together, and filled with an abundance of love.

[aggresivelyfriendly]

To Be So Lonely

for @papiermachecat

"I can do this by myself."

It had started out as a rebel yell, when her perfect husband decided the life they'd created together had no room in it for new life; that it was a baby or him.

Victoria had chosen unconditional love over all the terms Dustin suddenly had tried to write into their wedding vows.

"I can do this by myself."

It was said as reassurance to her ever-worrying mother who could not imagine having a baby without a husband and all the way away Boston. "Mija, move home, there are jobs in Houston. I can move closer." Her mother hated Houston and would miss San Antonio everyday, but Victoria knew she would make that move. Boston was an entirely different world and, according to her mother, she would rather "Voy al Diablo" than live there through a winter. She'd come to visit when things were better, when She and Dustin were on the same page and that page was gonna make her an abuelita and she still would not suffer the cold. She would come in the summer. "Mi sangre is too skinny, mi amor," she'd said. Her mother was cold at 60. That declaration had come a year ago and her mother was getting her wish. Sort of. Victoria pulled her jacket across her belly and was thankful for the internal heater she carried. Though her blood was a little skinny even after years in Boston too.

Her mom was worried, for new reasons now, but women did this all the time. And she'd heard, "se casate y Dami nietos, o que? voy a ser la unica de mis amigas que no tiene nietos" too often, even before Dustin and often from the beginning seven years they were married. Maria Luisa wanted grandchildren. She wanted him in the best circumstances, from her only daughter and her husband. But she wanted them no matter what. Even if they didn't live in Texas and their dad was picked, by his genetics and the collection center's impressions, out of a book.

"I can do this by myself." It had been a reminder while she was daunted by those choices. This man was 6'2" and played college football. He had green eyes, which she loved, and his grandfather was Spanish, like hers.

But he'd been brusque with someone, his impression was standoffish. One staff member said rude. So, she turned the page. If she was gonna pick, she realized that it wasn't just physical stuff. She wanted an athletic guy, but not a frat boy. Unless he was a frat boy like Chris Evans, who was technically a client, and was a dream to work with. She doubted he'd ever given a sample, but Victoria could hope, he'd been a student once. So, she kept turning the page.

She'd settled for 6'0" with green eyes. A master's candidate who swam. Athletic, on his way to accomplished, but not a World Cup champion with a PhD.

It was too bad dating wasn't this smooth.

Victoria reminded herself she could do this herself, again, with her feet in the stirrups through the light cramping. Not everyone felt it when they had the IUI procedure, lucky her. She almost asked if that indicated she had better orgasms, but didn't. She didn't know the doctor well, the nurses, them she could joke with.

"I'm gonna do this myself!"

She cried it out on her bathroom floor from joy when the test came back positive when she'd just known. It was way before she made like a broken typewriter and missed a period. The coffee in the break room of her law office was always gross, but that day she'd had to leave the room it nauseated her so bad.

She'd ducked out at lunch to CVS.

Her hands had gone numb while she sat on them to contain herself.

The nausea at least made it easy to use the test long before she made her delivered ingredients into a meal.

Code blue! She was gonna be a mom!

"I can do this by myself?" She'd cried in disbelief when the doctor had found two heartbeats and a high protein level. They had told her it didn't always take, so it was common practice to fertilize mutiple eggs.

Twins- by herself.

She almost moved to San Antonio.

"I can do this myself!" She'd cried Into the disturbed surface of the toilet bowl when she'd timed her daily upchuck to avoid meetings with her boss, it would make it worse. Rodney was already abysmal at not eyeing her growing stomach with downturned lips.

Victoria wasn't interested in being a partner anyway, which was a good thing to have already decided. But she'd need to continue working full time after her maternity leave, all 6 weeks of it.

"I can do this by myself!" She screamed at the poor attendant when he asked if the father was meeting her while wheeling her to the delivery room. Poor guy couldn't know what a contraction felt like.

"I can do this by myself," she wept when she got both babies, Maribel and Mateo, strapped into their seats for the first time because they were just gonna let her leave the hospital with these tiny fragile things.

By herself?

Without a book or manual?

"I can do this by myself," she reassured herself when her madre got back on a southbound plane after suffering through 6 weeks of winter, but with a smile on her face and a baby on each hip.

It only took 3 weeks of daycare drop offs, no matter how highly rated the place was, and pumping through her lunch break for her to finally admit it.

Victoria couldn't do this by herself.

Well, she could, but she could use some help. So she had found another catalog, on the internet, full of international students looking for room and board and a job.

And that was how she wound up sharing mother's milk tea and overnight oats with the beautiful boy standing up in her kitchen. He was about 6 ft and had green eyes, may have been a swimmer, but he was fresh from London.

"Hi, I'm Harry."

He'd taken a baby, because she had one in each hand, and helped her get them both settled in lieu of an interview. She'd totally forgotten about his appointment. The others had been so lackluster.

She'd been ready to kiss him when Mateo not only fell asleep on his shoulder but was transferred to his crib with barely a peep.

He was hired when he tasted the fenugreek tea he'd asked for, made a face like an unhappy frog, and said. "I'm gonna go buy you some Guinness. That's good for the milk too, and tastes a whole lot better!" Then he took Maribel, and cooed her down to her sheeted mattress as well.

The door closed behind him,  before Victoria could get her open mouth to close around any word, thanks or please, or what? "Right!" she said to the closed door, and it was suddenly ok, she didn't have to do this by herself.

[wheresrr]

Gerry’s Grill, restaurant and bar pioneer turns 23

What comes to mind when one thinks of the number 23? Is it Michael Jordan, the G.O.A.T. of basketball? Is it the age of real adulting for some, a point in one’s life where he realizes he’s a full-grown adult with all the responsibilities that come with being one?

For Gerry’s Restaurant and Bar, more widely known as Gerry’s Grill, the number marks the years it has successfully catered to the discriminating palate of the Filipino people. 23 years ago, on February 14, 1997, the first Gerry’s Restaurant and Bar opened its doors on Tomas Morato, Quezon City. And the dining landscape has never been the same since. Gerry’s Grill pioneered the resto-bar concept that continues to appeal to the Gen X, its original clients, as it does the Millennials of today. Many have followed suit but Gerry’s maintains its uniqueness for a good number of reasons.

Touted as among the few preferred go-to restaurant–bars in the metro, Gerry’s boasts of over a hundred stores thus deserving to be called the “sari-sari store” of resto-bars by virtue of its being found in every major dining and entertainment hub in Metro Manila. And in each branch, one is surely never short changed.

Gerry’s has proven time and again to withstand food fads like the grill wars, i.e., shawarma, samgyupsal (Korean Grill), lechon manok/baboy and numerous experimental and fusion cuisines. This means that their Filipino-themed menu has become ingrained in the food psyche of Filipinos, a tradition no less. Their variety of dishes and beverages represents the whole Philippine cuisine. Its flavorful Sizzling Sisig, Beef Kare-Kare and Inihaw na Pusit have been legendary food staples at every Filipino customer’s dining table. The rest of the menu caters to almost any craving.

Even the beer gulping culture of the country has been shaped and influenced by Gerry’s Grill being a top-of-mind watering hole through the years. Its wide food selection is considered the holy grail of pulutans (hors d’oeuvres) that is perfect for inumans (benders).

Bert Santos, an engineer, waxed nostalgic when he said that he literally grew up with Gerry’s Grill as his tambayan (bar/beer joint) for unwinding during his college years. Today, Gerry’s is a favorite lunch place for his family after hearing Sunday mass. While Buddy Sanchez, a doctor, said Gerry’s holds a special place in his heart because this was where he bonded with his work buddies after a stressful day and where he eventually met his future wife, Sally.

Gerry’s has recently opened its branches in San Diego, California and Houston, Texas, a good addition to its overseas chain which includes branches in Singapore, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Avenida, a modern Filipino restaurant and bar, inspired by the Avenida Rizal (Rizal Avenue) of the post-war era, is another Gerry’s Grill-owned restaurant that opened in San Mateo, California. With these developments, our overseas kababayans have every reason to celebrate Gerry’s 23 years of great food and great service.

Craving for sumptuous food after reading this? Go to the nearest Gerry’s Restaurant and Bar branch; visit www.gerrysgrill.com.ph to view the complete list of their branches, as well as all the food entries on their 2020 menu. You can also visit their Facebook page, @gerrysgrill.com.ph for more info.

[spectrumgreys]

Arizona fingerprint card

#ARIZONA FINGERPRINT CARD UPDATE#

#ARIZONA FINGERPRINT CARD DRIVER#

With no analogue in any other state, this regulatory system placed licensing, and employment, almost exclusively into the hands of the police. Through House Bill 2585 (1998), the Arizona Legislature erected a regulatory apparatus known as “fingerprint clearance cards” (and a wholly new administrative agency, known as the Arizona Board of Fingerprinting). To better assess these consequences, we compiled information on the fingerprint clearance card laws and the most common low level crimes that we were getting lots of calls on: simple marijuana possession simple assault misdemeanor DUI criminal damage misdemeanor domestic offenses, etc.-to see how you could lose your card, and whether you have a chance of getting it back. Helping our clients to not only navigate these treacherous regulatory waters, but in fact helping them realize that they are immersed in them in the first place, is in my view paramount to effective representation. Because suspension is triggered upon arrest for a myriad of common crimes, and review as a practical matter is slow, an expedited and carefully planned resolution is critical. Maybe one she’s had for ten years.įor these reasons, attorneys should take special care when representing a client in a criminal matter who holds any form of Arizona fingerprint clearance card. We did extensive research in this area of law and found that these fingerprint clearance cards were pretty easy to lose– sometimes merely getting a ticket for certain things in Arizona such as “criminal damage” would by itself get the card automatically “suspended.” Presto.

#ARIZONA FINGERPRINT CARD DRIVER#

Click here to be redirected to AZ DPS to check your application status.We’ve found that a lot of our clients have something called an “Arizona Fingerprint Clearance Card.”Īs you might expect, The Arizona Department of Public Safety (the State Police) requires that every school teacher not only have a teaching license, but a special “fingerprint clearance card,” but there are thousands of other people have to have them: the school janitor has one the lunch ladies the bus driver the kindergarten volunteers the little league coach all the minimum wage childcare workers.

You can check the status of your fingerprint clearance card/application by visiting the AZ DPS website.

How do I check the status of my Application/ Card? Click here to log into your Swing Education account.

Please log into your Swing Education account and provide Swing with your IVP card number.

If you already hold an IVP Clearance Card: There are also details about beginning this process if you’re out of state.

#ARIZONA FINGERPRINT CARD UPDATE#

Important! - Once you receive your fingerprint clearance card number, please update your account so that Swing Education can verify your clearance card. The price is around $75.25, and subject to change. AZ DPS recommends calling ahead to verify hours of operation prior to travel and estimate wait timeīe prepared to pay to schedule an appointment.Visit  for a list of fingerprint locations and hours.Enter Swing Education’s address: 700 S Claremont St, San Mateo, CA 94402, #200.Select “Public and/or Charter School Contractor, Subcontractor, or Vendor and their Employees”.Review the Privacy Act Statement and click continue.If you have never gotten an IVP Clearance Card before, select "No".Click "Apply for a New Clearance Card" then select "IVP".Log into your AZDPS account, or if you don't have one yet, create one.Select "Request a Replacement/Apply for a Card for Myself or Someone Else".If you don’t already hold an IVP Clearance Card, you will need to obtain one through the following steps: This is done through the Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZDPS). One of the requirements to substitute teach in Arizona is to complete a criminal background check and obtain a Fingerprint Clearance Card (FCC). Arizona IVP Fingerprint Clearance Card (FCC)

[happylambau]

Happy Lamb Hot Pot Menu

If you're looking for a great vegetarian lunch spot, happy lamb hot pot menu is the place to go. They serve fresh, healthy meals with all natural ingredients. The staff is always ready to help you make your order. The menu changes frequently, so check back often to see what's on the newest menu! Then, check out their online restaurant review, or download their complete menu for future reference. We hope you enjoy the dishes!

The restaurant has been in business for a few months, replacing the Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot in San Mateo. The decor is clean and modern, and you'll find a bar area up front. The restrooms are also clean and have a nice touch. If you plan to go on a busy night, you can expect a long wait. In fact, if you're planning on ordering, you should plan to spend at least an hour there.

The menu is a great choice for vegetarians, as it encourages natural flavors and juicy meat. The menu also includes a large range of vegetarian options. You'll also be happy to find a variety of other options. Besides vegetarian options, Happy Lamb Hot Pot is a great option for meat lovers. A selection of hot pots is available to choose from. The meat is tender, and the sauces are tasty.

The Happy Lamb Hot Pot restaurant is a great choice for those looking for a new hotpot restaurant in the Lower East Side. The restaurant features a variety of meats and vegetables and a modern and clean décor. The service at Happy Lamb is impeccable. The friendly, knowledgeable staff will be happy to serve you with a smile. You can expect a wait time of approximately an hour. If you're planning on a dinner here, make sure to book well ahead of time.

The Happy Lamb Hot Pot menu features a diverse selection of delicious meals. The restaurant features Mongolian cooking style in its menu. Its ingredients are fresh and have natural flavours. Guests should also enjoy the fresh, sweet veg and succulent meat. You can also find the best deals on these ingredients by using coupons. Then, get ready for your next meal at Happy Lamb Hot Pot!Happy Lamb at Happy L.E.

The Happy Lamb Hot Pot is located in San Mateo. This Mongolian restaurant was previously known as Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot, but it is now owned by the Happy Lamb. It uses robots to serve their customers. The restaurant has clean, modern decor and a bar area in the front. The bathrooms are clean and well-maintained. The Happy L.E.-based establishment is always crowded, and reservations are essential to get a table.

Happy Lamb Hot Pot has a menu filled with delicious options. You can save up to 50% on your next meal by using a Happy L.L. coupon.com discount code will get you the lowest price at Happy L.L. from the menu. The best way to use coupons is to browse around and compare different websites. Most coupons will allow you to save money while shopping online. This way, you can find the most effective discount for Happy L.L. in San Mateo.

The Happy L.L. Hot Pot is a popular Mongolian restaurant in San Mateo, and the robots are a great addition to the restaurant. They serve food quickly and efficiently, which makes them unique in the area. The Happy Lamb Hot Pot menu is an inexpensive and tasty choice for dinner. Whether you're in the mood for a meaty meal or something a little more healthy, you'll feel right at home with the Happy L.L. and a healthy meal for the price.

The Happy L.L. restaurant in San Mateo replaced the Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot. The restaurant is modern and uses robots to serve its customers. The decor is clean, with a bar area up front and clean bathrooms. It's a great place for a date night, but it gets busy quickly. The waiting list for Happy L.L. can be over an hour. You can call ahead and reserve a seat.

[umichenginabroad]

Week 5: Cultural Immersion

My family came to visit this week! Started off strong with an organized lunch with our professors where we the students cooked lunch. I got the chance to show off my chops by searing some steaks and topping them with a red wine sauce I made from scratch. After that I met with my family for dinner. I got the chance to show them around and experience some of the nicer restaurants that I can’t afford on my own. It was really nice to see my family again as it feels like every year I see them less and less. With college and internships I spend a lot less time at home so it’s always refreshing to see them again. 

Here’s Diego and I whipping up the steaks and another pic with my fam

Wednesday after work I took them to one of my favorite restaurants/tavern called Juantxos. We had bocadillos de tortilla and I taught my mom what a kalimotxo is. Typical drink here that’s half wine and half coke, delicious.

Little bro got a new haircut. They gave him the classic spanish cut.

Thursday was much the same with us exploring the city. We did some shopping and I packed a bag to stay with my family for the weekend. I had Friday off as part of our program.

Friday we decided to drive to the French side of the Basque Country. We explored Saint Jean De Luz and Saint Jean Pied de Port. The Pyrenese are gorgeous. Incredible green landscapes full of cattle. Saint Jean de Luz is a gorgeous city as well. Similar to San Sebastian in that it is a coastal city. It was incredible to see the similarities and differences between the Spanish and French Basque Country. Saint Jean Pied de Port was my favorite place we went to this weekend. Quintessential French Basque town where every house is white with orange roof tiles and built around a stone palace atop a hill. It is the start of the Road to Santiago, a pilgrimage many christians do to Santiago de Compostela. We had delicious food and delicious cider in a cider house. 

Saturday we explored Biarritz. My dad has an old friend he met there when he worked at Epcot in college. It was awesome to be shown around by a local and we capped the day off with one of the best meals I’ve ever had at Cafe de Paris. 

Souffle at the Cafe De Paris in Biarritz

Sunday we head towards Lourdes. The spot of the appearance of the Virgin at the Grotto of Massabielle. It is a cute town home to a breathtaking church and pilgrimage site. Being raised catholic it was an incredible experience to share with my family. We ended the day back in San Sebastian for the Noche de San Juan celebration. A tradition here for the summer solstice characterized by traditional basque dancing as well as the burning of a tree.

Overall, I had an incredible week. I saw my family, explored new cities, and connected with new cultures. Always a city boy I still think I love the idea of living in a tiny town more than a big city. Hopefully sometime in the future I’ll be able to return to these little towns and stay for longer.

Mateo Jimenez

Mechanical Engineering

Engineering in San Sebastian, Spain

[paintedfl0wers]

Restaurants with Meeting Space - Guidelines

If you are searching for a new place to have dinner and hold meetings, looking into restaurants with meeting rooms might be a good option. Whether you are searching for a casual place to eat or if you have a special event to attend, there are many restaurants with meeting space that will meet your needs. The best way to choose the perfect restaurant with meeting space is to figure out what you are going to be using it for and what type of atmosphere would be best for your gathering. If you have a lot of people coming over for drinks and you want to create a formal atmosphere, you will want to go with a restaurant with formal seating and a long, formal table dance floor.But if you are looking for somewhere to have an informal get together or a more intimate conversation, many of these same restaurants will have smaller, more casual tables, with comfortable chairs, and perhaps even a bar area. You will often find these restaurants with meeting rooms to accommodate groups of two or three. This is especially convenient if you are having a large group of people come over for cocktails and a few glasses of wine. In many cases, you can arrange the entire party at one place so everyone can sit and enjoy their meals and drinks at the same time.small banquet rooms offers excellent info on this.

When you are looking at restaurants with meeting rooms, you will need to pay close attention to the wording on the listing. For example, you should avoid restaurants that use words such as "dinner" and "lunch." Such phrases are intended for casual dining and do not portray the sophistication that is expected of a formal dining experience. In addition, you want to avoid restaurants that use words such as "house" and "brewery."You should also pay close attention to the number of words in the listing. Most restaurants list their hours of operation. If you see the word "hours ago" this is almost surely an indication that the location has been closed down. Pay attention to what the word "last name" means. In many cases, this refers to the name of the person who runs the business.A final tip for choosing the best restaurants with meeting rooms is to pay close attention to the sentence type. It is common for restaurants to begin each statement with "how's", "what's" or "when is". Avoid this at all costs. Instead, begin each statement with "the" or "the whole" and finish the sentence with "eat" or "have." As well, avoid the use of "they" or "they're" when it comes to meal descriptions.

In searching, keep in mind that there are going to be some larger restaurants that don't list their hours of operation. In many cases, there are smaller restaurants that only serve lunch or dinner. However, those restaurants may still be open late at night. That's why you want to check each one of them. You might be able to schedule a late lunch or dinner reservation through one of your favorite San Mateo County restaurants if you don't find one that lists their hours of operation on their website.You can also take the location of the restaurants into consideration. When you are reading a review, make sure that it gives you a clear picture of what is going on in each restaurant. If you have several options, then you have more of a clue about what to expect in terms of cleanliness and service. The last thing you want to do is go to one of these restaurants and find out it is closed.Meeting spaces for restaurants in the lehigh valley are very important. You need to know exactly where you're going to go and what you will be paying for before making a reservation. Review the restaurant reviews that are available online and choose one that fits your needs. Once you do this, you will be well prepared to make the right choice when you book rooms in the rooms for rent in the lehigh valley.

[windycitypizzabbq]

With the summer weather cooperating, our patio has been the go-to place for lunch in San Mateo. 

650-578-1942

[elizabeackall]

Avenue south residence floor plan

I was working in the Tokyo office of Japanese Electronics Company in 1996. That was the year I became a Section Manager of Business Development for the emerging market countries. I ended up visiting India six times in six months, during that year. I, like all Japanese, especially all Japanese kids, like curries; however, it was the year when I first encountered authentic Indian curries and cuisines. I loved them. When I was transferred to San Francisco the following year, I looked for an authentic Indian restaurant in the Bay Area. I dined out in several Indian restaurants in San Francisco and the Bay Area, until I found this restaurant that I liked and decided to keep going back to that place at least once every two weeks.

It is a restaurant named "Bombay Garden." It is located in downtown San Mateo, which is close to the San Francisco International Airport. From the center of San Francisco, one can take Highway 101 South to get to San Mateo. To reach downtown San Mateo, one can exit Highway 101 at Third Avenue, the San Mateo exit. One can even take Third Avenue west. Here one will find the restaurant located on the left-hand side. It is about a 30 - 40 minutes drive and very simple.

Third Avenue, San Mateo, has many restaurants where business people usually eat lunch and take their business associates for dinner. There are lots of food choices available in a variety of cuisines, such as American, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Thai, or Indian. Avenue south residence floor plan  My recommendation for this Indian restaurant on Third Avenue in San Mateo is for the lunch buffet. Bombay Garden serves a lunch buffet every day. It serves the same basic selection of foods with a change in the main food choice on a daily basis.

Customers do not have to worry if they come on the wrong day for the wrong thing. There is always something new.

The restaurant's dining space is not big, but is clean and tidy. The inside is decorated like a typical Indian restaurant, with traditional Indian pictures and dining furniture. The picture of the Taj Mahal, which hangs in the center of the main wall, is impressive, and is surrounded by smaller pictures showing ancient Indian life.

The restaurant has an L-shaped buffet counter in its far corner. You can fill your plate with salad-there are both regular and Indian-style dressings to choose from. The buffet also has a choice of rice pilaf or vegetable fried rice. You do not have to worry about looking for naan (Indian bread) because your waiter will serve it directly to your table. After you pick up some tandoori chicken, you move ahead to the curry section. The selection of curry changes daily. Generally, the restaurant serves chicken curry, spinach and cheese curry, bean curry, or mutton curry. On some special occasions, they serve fish curry or shrimp curry, which are superb. Bombay Garden is also famous for serving traditional Indian desserts and fruit ice cream, including mango, orange, and strawberry flavors.

[shuichiswrld]

Teriyaki Salmon Don Bouri | First time trying @izakaya_ginji in San Mateo,CA. Got to try their lunch menu. And I went w/ the Teriyaki Salmon don bouri. And it blew my mind! Such good flavor, the fish was so delicate from being cooked to perfection, the sauce and nice and tangy and the rice is cooked perfectly too. This place knows exactly what they’re doing. I need to go back and try their dinner menu because they’re known for their yakitori. Rate:10/10 Price:$13.00 6:03 pm (at Izakaya Ginji) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bz6xUKnl_HS/?igshid=10z1kaowuvtu3

[umichenginabroad]

Over the river and through the woods to the volcano we go!

Week 4

I normally take the time on Sundays to find a comfy spot somewhere in my hotel to write these weekly blog posts. However, due to a weekend excursion and the very long trip back, I’m on the bus with a few more hours to go and a lot of boredom to kill. Based on the title alone, I’m sure you’re the tiniest bit curious to want to know what in the world I’m talking about. If I guessed right, it’s your lucky day! You now owe me your undivided attention and $5 (I take any form of delivery: carrier pigeon, hot air balloon, the pony express, you name it).

Into the swing of things

Now with two weeks of doing research work under my belt, I’ve been getting into more of an established routine. My group partners Jayashree, Ricardo, and Diego are super great and we’ve been making so much progress with our projects. We have a little system going of how we divide up our work but usually end up collaborating together which I think is more fun. Our PIs, Jacobo Paredes and Javier Díaz have been keeping us on our toes with things to do, in particular learning about how the 3D resin printer works! During the day, we meetup with all our other friends in the program for (rather long) coffee breaks, lunch, and to just visit each other. I find it really interesting to hear about what they’re working on, like when Deidra Preuss (I know you read these Deidra! :) ) talks about her optimized electric motor or when Izzy figures out some insane code she’s debugging. All of us have been hanging out more together not only at work but outside of it too. We’ll grab a bite to eat, go to the movies, or obnoxiously knock on each other’s doors and walls just for funsies. We’ve even taken a trip to the hospital together for an almost bad allergic reaction from a chocolate croissant (see Mateo’s week 4 post to hear all about that). I can’t wait to see what more shenanigans (hopefully not health related) we’ll get into together. Recently, I’ve made it my mission to try as many different cheeses as I can and review them. As a woman of science I think this information is rather useful. I personally aspire to be like Remy from Ratatouille when he experiences the delight of pairing the cheese and strawberry together like a true master of culinary arts. I’ve been doing a fair amount of exploring around the city, trying new food places and not getting as lost in old town anymore. But there’s still so much more of San Sebastian I have yet to see and more areas of the map to unlock with my friends!

L’amour de ma vie: Clermont-Ferrand

And just like that, we’re back in France!

Why? It’s been a big dream of mine to visit a volcano, but need to start small first you know? Before the study abroad program began, Jayashree and I found a dormant lava dome called Puy de Dôme, which is part of a volcanic mountain range filled with other lava domes and cinder cones called Chaîne des Puys. These are all located very close to the city, Clermont-Ferrand, which features several buildings made of volcanic stone. Pretty neat, huh? Sooo, naturally we had to go because who could turn down the chance to see volcanos?

On our first day, we got there bright and early by bus at 8 am and just walked around the city to hit some of the places we wanted to see. Our first stop was the Notre Dame of Assumption Cathedral, the most iconic symbol of the city with its Gothic structure and stunning stained glass. The whole thing is composed of black volcanic stone from the region, and words can’t even describe just how amazing it looked both inside and out. From there, we visited more cathedrals, checked out the mall, ate at Five Guys because I was really craving a classic burger, and chilled in the main square before we could check-in at our airbnb. Our host, Loïc, was actually not even in France but having a blast at Réunion Island off the coast of Africa (good for him!) but made sure we got there okay and even left candies for us in the apartment. We capped off the night by watching How to Get Away With Murder and collapsed in bed with high hopes for our ascent to the top of Puy de Dôme in the morning…

A modern day story of Sisyphus

I love going on a good walk. Long walks, short walks, anything of the sort is my forte. Now, do I hike? This was my first ever real hike but pshhh I wasn’t going to back down from the challenge. We took a bus early in the morning (more like a series of buses and a tram due to some language barriers) and arrived at the base to start our journey. Accidentally started hiking on the wrong side of the trail and had to hop the fence, but besides that, we took off. The weather honestly couldn't have been any better, it was a light mist and a slight chill which felt really great when walking. For a good 89% of the trek I was doing just fine, having the time of my life and saying an occasional Bonjour! to a passing traveler. My fate was met when we reached the stairs. Up until this point, it had just been trails leading the way up. Closer to the summit though, there were several long series of stairs built in since I'm assuming a trail would've been inefficient. I started off as the engine that could, but quickly turned into the engine that couldn't. At an outlook point, I stopped to take a break and let my limbs regain a sense of consciousness before trudging along. I wouldn't let this break my resolve. The 10 hour bus ride it took to get here couldn't end with me ALMOST reaching the top. And so, we continued onward and cleared the stairs to find ourselves at the peak of Puy de Dôme! The view was nothing short of incredible, at a height of 4,806 ft the entire city of Clermont-Ferrand and beyond could be seen. Unlike Sisyphus, I completed my trials and tribulations with just a few bumps along the way...and almost losing my hat forever.

Dungeons and Dragons, or Caves and Slugs?

We took a well-deserved rest for lunch and then began our next endeavor, which was to see the Puy Pariou. This volcano featured a large crater at its center and at the summit a TON of wind. Unfortunately, the path to the bottom of the crater was blocked off since erosion had caused mini ravines to form and make it unsafe for travelers. Still, the top of Puy Pariou showed a beautiful view of the rest of the volcanic mountain chain, as well as another look at the city of Clermont-Ferrand. From there, we found that there was a cave system nearby called Grottes de Cliersou and couldn't miss the opportunity to do a bit of spelunking. At this point, the rain picked up and started making the trails kinda slippery, but it wasn't enough to cause us to feel unsteady (keep this in mind for later). The walk itself to the caves was sketch, the trail took many twists and turns, as well as got very narrow at times, but when we eventually got there it was so worth it. The formations of the rock created small pockets that we could go underneath, and when we shined our flashlights those weren't even bright enough to illuminate the cave :0. On the outside, there was a random group of teens listening to american pop music which added to the overall vibe (I guess ariana grande's voice echoing off the rock walls wasn't something I thought I would experience but I'll give it an 8/10). On the way back, I have two things to say. First, I saw the most ginormous slug I've ever seen in my entire life. To be fair, the only wild slugs I've witnessed were only during this hike BUT STILL! Now the second thing circles back around to the wet trails from the rain. It was a lot more slippery on the way down, and I was also wearing vans which are not in any way a hiking boot. Not my proudest moment, but I fell (3 times) with mud alllllll over my pants. Couldn't do much but just own it and keep trekking.

Would I come back again? Definitely. Hands down. There's still so many trails that we didn't get to go on and more sights to see in that mountain range and also back in the city. On that note,

BAAAye!

Emily Dobao

Biomedical Engineering

IPE San Sebastian, Spain

June 17th, 2024