Mission

Yesterday, I finally made my way to my host Kylie's apartment, where I will be staying for the week.  Some background on the situation.  Kylie is a friend of mine that I met on a yoga retreat I went on in Costa Rica back in February.  Kylie is an Australian lawyer who has been living in "SF" for 8 years, working for 6.  I don't know if it's an Australian thing or just a Kylie thing but she is the sweetest person I have ever met.  Genuine. When I was planning my trip I reached out to her because I knew she lived in San Francisco but also I knew she had done a lot of traveling herself and I wanted some tips and pointers.  When we got to talking about where the best places to stay in San Francisco were she suggested that she lived in the Mission district which was a prime location had an extra bedroom and would love to haves me.  I wasn't going to argue with that!  Her apartment is amazing!  First of all it is huge.  I can only imagine the cost in the city for an apartment this size knowing full well rent in NYC and from what I hear SF is the most expensive city in the country.  

I love the kitchen.  It has this old antique oven and stove top.  Everything in the kitchen is organic, gluten free, etc.  Everything in the bathroom is exfoliating, all natural, organic tampons!  I guess that's California for ya...I am not going to get away with my Gold Standard pre-workout and my $1.00 bottle of herbal essences that is "polluting the ocean".  I really don't know how I can afford to live here I mean everything is more expensive.  The cost of everything she has in her kitchen cabinets is probably more than all the clothes in my suitcase, 😂.  Kylie has a delivery service for everything!  I have been here for less than 24 hours and a cleaning service, dry cleaners, and groceries have all come through this apartment!

Today I took advantage of Kylie's neighborhood.  I walked around all afternoon and spent a lot of time people watching in Dolores Park.  Dolores Park is often referred to as the "gay beach".  I think it brings together the three different communities closest to this area.  The Mission district was primarily a large Latino population and then gentrification happened and young, hipsters with money started moving into the area i.e. Kylie.  Also, close by is Castro district which has a very large gay community.  It was very interesting to sit and watch the various people at this park on a Monday afternoon; a mother with her son, a couple with their dog, two gay men having a picnic, a homeless man in a sleeping bag, a hippie kid selling braided belts.  I still feel so naive and sheltered from the world in so many ways.  Lacey Township doesn't exactly have a lot of diversity.  Yes, I lived in Philadelphia and Baltimore.  During that time I was in school and surrounded by other college students.  I never really embraced the full culture of the people living in the city, I stuck to people that were just like me for the most part.

Kylie and I will be going to yoga tonight.  It will be nice to keep the relaxing theme of the day going. 

Song of the day "Old Pine" Ben Howard. Ben Howard's Every Kingdom album just embraces that whole 'hippie granola' vibe to me.  I wasn't expecting SF to give off so much of that vibe because I still thought it was very similar to NYC.  It is expensive but very laid back.  Also Ben Howard is a great artist is practice yoga to, extremely relaxing. Namaste. 🙏

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Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/user/cteijelo/playlist/1uNEjK1mra1y0s3gAkTEZ4