Marin County
Danny and Allison eloped in the Marin Headlands in November. It was right after the Northern California wildfires destroyed the town of Paradise, and the Bay Area was shrouded by a thick cloud of smoke.
Read MoreKalin and I have been friends since middle school. We both played dwarves in a Willits Young Actors Theater production of The Hobbit. During production he dated my friend Amber (who played Bilbo Baggins). In high school we were both active in our school's Peer Counseling program and there were a few memorable Halloween parties in his honor (his birthday being the 1st of November). So there's a bit of history there. We have also maintained relationships with multiple mutual friends and we have stayed in touch over the years.
Read MoreA couple of weeks ago I went for a run after work. It was a Monday. I was in Piedmont at the top of a hill, up above Oakland and I could see everything. Lake Merritt, downtown Oakland, the port, the Bay Bridge, Treasure Island, Alcatraz, Mount Tam. The fog was pooling over the Golden Gate and had already engulfed San Francisco, only the Sutro Tower was poking up and through. The sun had just dipped below the horizon and the sky was putting on a show. Florescent pink, purple and orange lit up the clouds and were reflected by the bay. The city lights were starting to twinkle, and headlights were snaking a river of light along hwy 24.
I didn't have a camera or I obviously would have taken a picture. I focussed on allowing what I saw to imprint itself in my memory. I stood there and watched the colors change for 10 minutes and felt lucky to be alive just to witness the beauty around me. I couldn't fathom how any person in the presence of such a vision would not stop and think "wow." I decided that the next night I would get somewhere spectacular in time for sunset, I would invite a friend, and I would have my camera with me.
I'm so glad Nicole and Edie could join me.
