It started with Hexin's bachelorette party. I got a new dress the night before the party, and a new pair of shoes just an hour before. Luckily I found the shoes.. which are also really pretty. I'm quite satisfied :)
The dinner were great. The show was eye-opening, haha. I did not do anything bad, nor did anybody do anything bad to me. It was refreshing to see everyone had a good time, and Hexin had a blast. I'm so happy for her. The clubs were pretty nice to visit, but as always I hate the loud music, cause I could not hear a normal conversation. Plus, the dress was strapless and my shoes hurt, so I could not comfortably dance. But still, I loved it because Hexin loved it :)
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Then it was the memorial weekend getaway in San Francisco. Oh how I am grateful that the weather was perfect that weekend. Just as if it was made for us! We had the perfect group, too. Four people, one outspoken and daring, another bubbly and excited about everything, another knows SF very well, and me.. I'm the good attendee :p.The highlights are.. visiting Haight and Ashbury neighborhood. I really like this T-shirt that says, "I went to San Francisco, and all I got is this cloudy t-shirt" and it has many little clouds on it. Too bad I did not make a quick decision to buy it. Maybe Charlotte will get it for me the next time she is on the area.
Next is visiting Castro.. the gay neighborhood. I thought it's _so_ SF. I don't plan to explain anything about this neighborhood, nor am I interested to live here--of course not--but it was good to visit :)
The next day we got our lunch sandwiches from a small take-out-only shop called Ike. It's that small that all the workers inside are standing and the customers have to line up outside the door, but it has over 2000 5-star reviews from Yelp. So cool. The sandwiches were pretty yummy, though quite unhealthy. Most of us ate only half of it. But still, to visit this small sandwich place that was featured in Travel Channel.. awesome.
After eating the sandwich, as you can guess, we were quite sleepy. So we head home and planned to take a nap :D. However, the four girls decided to have girls talk. I found it pretty useful (for my future haha) and enlightening. No, I don't have this talk with my usual circle of friends.. it's rather lame. And I like this.. open, honest, and encouraging discussions. So true to life.
The last day was worthwhile. While waiting for my flight, I had dimsum at an apparently-very-famous Koi palace in south SF. That place must be more crowded than the NYSE trading floor! I thought. Then Tim showed us a Japanese dollar store nearby! Whoo, do I like that place! I bought $1.5 toilet seat cover that I have been looking for, haha. Cool.
I enjoyed every moment of it, including when my heart beat fast while driving up the hill of Lombard street. I wish I have pictures to share.. but my friends took them all so this has to wait.
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The last getaway was this past weekend. It was Hexin's wedding. It did not go smooth--but of course we all expect that--but the whole thing was lovely and memorable. Not to mention I am one of the bridesmaids, which is exciting by itself.
The weather was forecast with scattered thunderstorm for Saturday. So Hexin and I woke up with a rain outside and we kept checking the weather hour-by-hour ever since. She was very anxious. She had imagined a beautiful romantic wedding in the garden since a year ago (or maybe longer). We had rehearsal in the garden and that place was amazing. Even if it was going to rain all day except 5 to 6 pm, when the ceremony was to take place, we were still going to have it in the garden. That's how persistent Hexin and Erik were. But it was hard to predict whether the rain would stop that hour. So in the morning Erik and the groomsmen left to a nearby city--20 mins away--to get some big umbrellas and rolls of cloth for Hexin to walk on. Just in case. There was some drama involved, but let's cut it short.
I admired the way they worked through the problems that day, and how they came up to a solution. They did not agree to each other all the time, but they understood each other and cooperated.
It really was just God showing us them (and us) that they could work on anything together, because from an hour before the ceremony, until the party ended at 11 pm or so, there was no more rain. In fact, the sun was striking hot on the bridesmaids that I had to wipe my sweat off my forehead a few times during that 25-min ceremony. We were so happy! The pictures will turn out gorgeous! I can't wait.
Other fondest memories I have:
- Hexin and Erik both claim themselves to be: the better kisser, the man/woman in charge of the house, the first to say "I'm sorry". Hehehe..
- Group packing for the cookies. Ten (or so) people figured out three ways to close the boxes. I still like the two crossing lids on the top, but that's just my personal preference :p
- Hexin walking down the aisle with Gary. I thought it was very thrilling and Gary is such a calm soft-spoken dad. Then Erik watched her from afar, holding his smile and tears. Brian later told me that he rarely sees Erik cry, so that was a very special moment. **Now, the spoiler.. if he hadn't cried anyway, Hexin was going to be upset. LOL.
- In the maid of honor's speech: "Hexin has grown to be a beautiful, intelligent, and independent woman whom I admire", "start the journey to fulfill each other's dream". I can't agree more to it.
I love you, Hexin. I hope our friendship will last a long time and span across the continents.
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I am back to my regular life now. It still feels hard like before. I mind the loneliness at home, but I like my personal time to sit back and.. daydream. Something is missing, and that is definitely my relationship with God. I miss Him. Some things are extra condiments I do not want. But I will try to be grateful for everything I have and everything that I am. After all, I have a family and good friends who love me :)
