Sometimes, it feels like I’m stuck in a moment and time is not really moving, but looking back, where did all my time go? I think I’m just impatient and I want to get to the end of the story and get results. So much change yet nothing has really happened… Talk faster, people!

Here’s an example of my impatience. I got my new Mavic Air and waited and waited for the cherry blossoms to fully bloom, but the trees blossomed about halfway and a rain warning was issued, so I gave up on waiting and went out for this shot:



Not bad I guess, but could’ve been more blossom-y.

Waiting for food, also not one of my favourite pastimes. Luckily, B understood that, and for a quick lunch today, we went to Viet House, a nearby pho place on Cambie with good service. She had the #18, Spicy Hue Lemongrass Beef Noodle Soup, ie, BBH or Bun Bo Hue:



Why did they rename it to this fully anglicized version? I’m not sure. I had the #17, House Special. Standard soupy noodles that hit the spot and didn’t break the bank. They had beautiful ceramic bowls holding the soup noodle, and I appreciated the cleanliness of the restaurant. If I go back, it would be at night and I would want to try one of their alcoholic cocktails as well.



A Vietnamese restaurant that serves alcohol out in the open with a real liquor license? Awesome.

The rest of this weekend will be dedicated to working on my patience and catching up with friends before flying out to Boston. I might miss a post this coming weekend, because I’ll be hopping over to Florida as well. Sorry.

As my yoga instructor said this week, it’s not always about reaching the destination, enjoy the steps in between too.

What a beautiful town! I did not have enough time to explore the streets, the shops, the beaches, the restaurants. I woke up early to catch the sunrise by the ocean:

This was a 30 minute walk from my hotel. I almost wish I took a taxi instead, because it was still rather chilly. Pretty quiet spot at 7AM, with a few joggers and 2 men practicing their boxing by the shores. There’s a pretty steep cliff drop off at the edge of the plants in the image above. Be careful – don’t text and walk around here, you might just drop off the edge.

We then had a long day of inspirational talks and discussions about female leadership in tech, followed up a team building event of painting and wine. Our group of 30 famished women were famished by 5, and we walked over to Zaytoon, a restaurant with a beautiful patio serving Middle Eastern food. First things first, drinks!

This was the one with elderflower, quite tart:

I had the mixed shawarma meats, which comes with rice and salad. The rice is mixed with spices, and THE FLAVOURS! It was actually quite a heavy meal, but before I knew it, I had finished it all. This combination of meat and rice is irresistible… Highly recommend visiting, for the food and the atmosphere.

I sat at a table of coworkers I had never met before in my whole entire life. They work out of the offices in America, and it was awesome to get their perspective on work, life, culture. There are struggles around the world, from natural disasters (mud slide recently in Santa Barbara) to more personal events at home, yet everybody stays so positive. It's very encouraging.

What did I learn from this trip?

- Traveling to the West coast is much more convenient than the East. It’s warmer, so there’s less to pack.

- I work with some smart cookies, men and women alike, and we all have a common goal which really brings us together.

- Attitude, stay positive, good things will happen.

Where to next???

Go Back to Goleta

I have a craving for a hearty brunch, must be the sleep deprivation. Red Wagon would really hit the spot right now.

I came here with my mother one day. I had the breakfast with the pancakes and potatoes and eggs and added some JD syrup on the side.

Mother had the special, with the eggs and I think benedict sauce, beets and other veggies on the bottom. I loved this because it’s so fresh. Service is alright, they’re so busy that the servers really gotta pay attention.

D and I hit up Murrin for the views today:

I’m ready to start flying. I got the DJI Spark.