a home away from home

i don't mean to brag, dear friends, but i've only been here for a week and i've already made the front page of the san francisco chronicle!  well, not for anything i did, but for showing up at the obama rally outside of the fairmont hotel on sunday, the 17th.  there was a whole lot of cheering and media trucks and security and whack-jobs with "obama isn't good for the environment" pamphlets.   it was an experience, to say the least.

can you see me???  i'm above the "honk for peace" banner in my sunglasses.  im always in my sunglasses... the sky is just so white here!!  by the way, that's christine pelosi... you probably know her mother.  

i've become quite the tourist in the past few days.  i owe a lot of it to vincent, my advisor and brandi, a fellow student who has thankfully let me crash on her couch.  they have really helped me get comfortable in the area because if it weren't for them i'd probably be alone and crying most of the day.  they've told me all there is to know about the safe neighborhoods, the best restaurants, the muni transit system, etc.  i've seen a lot of the different sights so far:

my very first san fran farmer's market

the infamous castro street

delores park, where people are known to take off all of their clothes to sunbathe... even with a children's playground a few feet away... san francisco

union square and the financial district.  lots of very expensive stores here.  

lombard street, with its famous twists and turns.

and of course, all of these crazy hills.  i'm very thankful that i'm not driving.  seriously, i would never survive these streets... never.

it's been quite a ride, so far, and of course in the back of my mind have been two very important topics: school and finding a proper home.  with classes starting just seven days from now, i have been very well prepped for the coursework thanks to all of the students that i've already met and spoken with.  they all seem to love the program and get along well with one another, so i'm looking forward to meeting even more of them and hopefully making a new bunch of friendships.

as far as housing is concerned, i am happy to announce that i have just sealed the deal on an incredible, rustic apartment on wallen street in the hayes valley area.  it's just a few minute walk to the castro and a one stop muni ride to haight/ashbury and the other downtown areas.  i couldn't be happier.  it's really what i have been looking for this whole time: a nice, quiet place to call home in the center of downtown san francisco.  it's perfect.  right down to the carpet that is identical to my grandmother's back in new jersey.  the apartment is also blocked from all noise pollution thanks to it's placement in the housing complex.  we're actually surrounded by other properties so we have the courtyard in front of us and more buildings.  i can do a lot of studying there.  i can't wait to move in.  robert, the owner and my new roommate, is currently steaming the carpet so i can enjoy laying on the floor if ever i was inclined to do so.  i think the best part about this is robert's music collection.  he's been collecting for decades and he has all kinds of records and cds - magic.  

this is my bedroom- yes, mother, robert has a cat.  it's name is ATTICUS.  as soon as i heard his name i was sold

the entrance

the hallway

the kitchen

i can't stop raving about it.  i'm looking forward to covering it with a bunch of photos and possibly some artwork from home...  

for now, i get to relax before traveling downtown to help move my twin mattress around.  here's hoping it all goes well... it certainly has so far.

love and loyalty