Mini Pilgrimage: The San Francisco Bay Area

I just got back from vacationing up the east coast recently, so it seems strange to write about a vacation that happened over a year ago in the bay area.  As I said in my latest comeback post, a lot has happened and I have plenty of content and photos from that gap of time to post about!  

Even though some of my family has lived in the bay area for several years now, I didn't get around to exploring the city of San Francisco until last April after my niece's baby dedication.  

I love exploring cities, and have had the opportunity to wander around American cities the past few years.  With a limited budget, I haven't traveled overseas in the last several years, so I've made the most of travelling throughout the U.S.  Let me tell you, there is so much to see and experience.  It all started with a short trip to Seattle, Washington in 2012.  I decided to check out a travel guide book, just so I could learn more about what the travel experts say about where I should go within the city for the best sights, and of course, food.  

I've noticed that travel guide books sometimes provide recommended self-guided walking tours, where you follow directions throughout a neighborhood and learn about the history of the sights you're seeing throughout the tour as you read and walk.  I fell in love with this type of walking, and I have called it "pilgrimage walking."

Pilgrimage walking is so much more than just sight seeing.  This kind of walking allows you to be fully immersed into the history of a community or neighborhood while experiencing your own story and journey in the midst of it.  There is something powerful about the visceral, embodied experience of walking, listening, learning, absorbing, and interacting with stories of physical places, and how it affects your own story.  

One of the self-guided walking tours I decided to do was in Chinatown where I learned about the rich history of Chinese immigrants and the development of their community in the city.  I was so caught up in pilgrimage walking in that story and community that I didn't even bother to take pictures, I just wanted to stay as present as possible with what I was learning, and how it affected me.  

But I have plenty of photos of the beauty of San Francisco, with my usual favorites from urban street art as well.  Cities are full of life and beauty.  I often lose that or forget that since I've lived in South LA for so long.  But taking time to wander and learn and absorb and interact in a community is a reminder that there is depth and so much more than meets the eye, and more importantly, how it becomes a part of you when you're intentional and paying attention while walking in it.  

Peace,

Sharon

Mini pilgrimage: South Pasadena

May was a crazy month, friends.  It was just one of those full months!  I'm hopeful that June will be a bit slower, with the hope of implementing some different rhythms in my life that include ongoing daily creativity.  I have many blog post drafts yet to be born, but for now I present you with a little one about one of my favorite neighborhoods in So Cal--South Pasadena.  

My very first home/apartment in Southern California was right at the border of LA, and South Pasadena. I love South Pas' beauty, and the quaint, adorable shops and boutiques on main streets like Fair Oaks Blvd and Mission Blvd.  South Pasadena will always have a special place in my heart as it was my first home in Southern California after college.

One of my very favorite areas in South Pasadena is a square where the South Pas Library sits--between El Centro St., Fairview Ave., Oxley St., and Diamond Avenue.  The South Pas Library itself is a gorgeous, old building with beautiful architecture.  While the square is small, it houses a lovely little green quiet space, ideal for hanging out for a Sabbath day for me!

My vintage Doc Marten boots have had a lot of play time these days especially since they've been repaired.  I happily kicked them off while I spread out my blanket on the grounds of the South Pas Library.  I still can't believe that I've had these boots since high school, that they still fit me, and they are still in such good shape.  

And right across the street of this square is a little cafe called Kaldi.  It's a perfect spot to grab a cuppa something delicious, and then lay on the grass or sit on one of the benches to rest, read, picnic, or simply be and waste time.

I don't get to come out to South Pasadena very often, but whenever I find myself having time and being in that area, I always try to make it a point to spend time at my favorite square by the South Pasadena library.  Enjoy this beautiful spot, there's plenty of parking nearby, and the South Pasadena Library is a lovely place to wander as well if you're a book lover (btw, their movie collection is amazing, too!).  Peace.