Today is a gorgeous, 75+ degree day. A block up from where I live, someone has a planter full of tiny flowers so ultra bluey-purple that you cannot look at them in direct sunlight. Just across the street from them, someone has painted a giant turquoise hippo (who closely resembles William, the Mascot of the Met) above a garage (along with a toucan and some other animals). I am definitely in love with San Francisco right now.

But if I am indeed in love with SF, then I have to admit I had a torrid affair with Pajaro Dunes this weekend. The beach house was amazing -- perfectly situated and suited for the 26 or so of us who descended upon it. It was a dune away from the beach in the back, and 100 yards from the sand volleyball court in front, with its own hot tub. (I was literally in the top 3 of the most frequent hot-tubbers.) Mornings were foggy and cool, days were hot and clear, and nights were just the kind of cold to wear a sweater comfortably. The first night, despite staying up so late that all beds and viable floor space were taken, I was more than happy to camp out on the porch with two of my friends and watch the sky lighten in blue and then gray scale stages. (The second night we snagged some of the beds.) I met new people and got to see people whom I've always wanted to see more of. There was dancing, singing, cooking, grilling, and continuous good spirits and celebration. Alexis and I built a totalitarian government and a sea turtle out of sand and detritus. There was even a spate of foot massages. Not a single negative event occured. Well, arguably, there was a dead sea-lion on the beach, which made a few people sad, but being the arm-chair zoologist that I am, I was thrilled at the chance to observe one up close. (It was not yet in a real state of decay and did not smell, so don't get grossed out.) If anything, the weekend ended too soon...

...but most of us, instead of splitting up, stopped at an In & Out Burger (I must say, I was a first timer and it was ALL that it was cracked up to be -- the fresh ingredients are unbeatable) on the way back to Berkeley, and then played volleyball in the park until the sun went down.

I suppose it's not really fair of me to have a vacation within a vacation, but I am no less grateful for such a fun, escapist, hitch-less weekend with my closest friends. ;)

Ultraviolet flowers to you all, and good day.