Matt & Chinping's Wedding - San Francisco Trip

Just two days after having some friends visit I was off on my first trip out of Cardiff on my way to San Francisco. It felt weird not to be driving along North Conduit on the way to JFK passing hookers, bad hotels and trash strewn pot-holed filled roads, so for my first airport drive the ocean view and easy drive was a nice relief. Jorma got me to the airport in 25 minutes, I was at my gate in 20 more, even with forgetting I had a water bottle and a laptop. They didn’t kick me out or confiscate my beloved SIGG, they just let me dump it out, unpack and try again! I ain’t in NY anymore. I think I’m going to like SAN as my new airport…

I was off to San Fran for a very fun occasion, the wedding of my lifelong neighbor growing up, Matt Siegel. In Meadville things and people don’t change much and that’s exactly why you stick around those parts. Hence, the circle continues… Meadville is a place where I can still drive down N. Main and point out houses where people live, even though I haven’t lived there for over 13 years. People stay, people stay together and people stay friends. I find this whole thing crazy and magical. So when my childhood fort building pal Matt decided he was getting married in Palo Alto last year I never thought I would be living just a little shuttle jump up the coast from him. I was so happy I could make it! My parents flew in, Sue Serra flew in and a whole group of Meadvilleites and teachers and relatives of the Siegels and Hargenraters flew in. It was one big splashy party at the Mermaid Inn.

We had a lot of laughs, took in some really great thrift stores and garage sales. Saw the beautiful campus of Stanford University. Braved the 95* weather. Ate tons of great food, and danced up a storm.

Matt and Chinping were married in happily wedded blissy style. They looked like a true pair, smiling, grinning and dancing away the night. I was happy to see my parents and get some quality sight-seeing time with Sue Serra. We took the day after the wedding to tour San Francisco with the ultimate goal of walking far enough to not feel guilty about our 3 scoop Ghiradelli cones.

As we walked along the waterfront with the cars whizzing by and the intimidating fortress of concrete from the Bay Bridge overhead I suddenly got the feeling of summer in New York. For a quick flash I could’ve been under the Brooklyn Bridge, walking Dungee on my way back to Dean Street. It smelled like city, it tasted like city and it sure sounded like city. I flashed back. I was going to hop on a plane back “home” in just 3 hours and for the first time in 8 years I wouldn’t be landing in bustling New York. I would be landing in sunny San Diego. The wave of relief that washed over me was immense. I couldn’t wait to get back to the ocean.

I pulled into baggage claim at 11pm where Jorma was waiting for me, he grabbed my luggage and we walked in the balmy air to short term parking where he had Dungee in his truck wagging her tail. He had fed her steak all weekend but she was still happy to see me. That’s loyalty. We drove home with the windows open and our tails wagging, dreaming of hitting the surf the next day. It felt good to be home.