Bay Area | April, 2024
Here is a look back at our jam-packed month of April. We also visited Florida this month, but otherwise we were busy having adventures all around the Bay. First, Thai food for date night in the city.
Vince, Alex, and I made the pilgrimage to Russian River Brewing Co. up in Healdsburg to wait in line for their coveted once-a-year release of Pliny the Younger. It has a cult following, and people willingly wait in line for hours and hours to get a taste of this beer. Us included.
This was the line on a Tuesday. I don’t even drink beer. But this way you’re allowed to try three cups on site, and more importantly purchase three bottles per person to take home, so I came to contribute my allocation to the cause.
CHEERS! Nearly four hours later! Our prized booty. I’m partial to the cute little boxes they came in. Normally they only give two bottles per person, but this was the special 20th Anniversary edition.
Afterwards, we swung by our faves at Reeve Wines to go pick up our membership allotment. We got to meet Guy, the new friendly farm dog!
Thank you to John for staying and serving us a full tasting even though we ran late due to the long beer wait.
For all the times Alex and I have been up to Healdsburg we had somehow never made it up to Lake Sonoma– until now! Sadly so much of this land has burned (over 1200 acres) in the Point Fire in just the last week. So beautiful though. And we’re very relieved to see that Reeve, which has unfortunately had multiple experiences with fire season, has so far made it through. We hope the rest of the season is very calm and uneventful.
Such an indulgent mid-week excursion and a lovely hike. Just what I like: high views to effort ratio.
Afterwards, another John recommendation (you have never steered us wrong!): the Geyserville Gun Club, full of eclectic decor and food. Asian influenced and delicious.
Back in San Francisco, the 7.2 earthquake in Taiwan is front page news. And a sighting of Clarissa Wei’s Made in Taiwan.
Accountability check-in is just me and Kayla this month. Love.
Eric on a brief visit from Seattle, while Vince recovers from wisdom teeth surgery in the corner.
Leona’s Taiwanese book club! Olivia with the Twrl Milk Tea.
Borrowed these Taiwan flags from Leona so we could cheer on our Taiwanese pitcher Kai-wei Teng.
Wendy Cheng has written such a powerful accounting of Taiwanese American activism and history in her book Island X. It was so wonderful to be a part of this book club and to hear Professor Cheng talk about the project herself. It would have been such a dream to have access to this kind of scholarship back when I was studying documentary studies and Asian American studies in college.
Speaking of college, I met documentary filmmaker Anita Chang (on the left below) when I was working on my thesis project, Re-Framing Taiwanese America. It’s already been nearly two decades! Just to age ourselves a bit.
Home opener for the San Francisco Giants. Back at the ballpark to see what’s new. One new thing is the crab noodles– I would pass. The crazy crab sandwich is still the best!
The new China Basin Park is open just across McCovey cove from the ballpark! Here’s the Willie McCovey statue, returned to the public after years in storage for the construction. New things are happening in Mission Bay all the time!
Our eclipse viewing experience. And Leo hanging with his uncles at the playground.
Kai-wei Teng, the only Taiwanese player in the MLB this year! Unfortunately he got sent back down to the minor leagues shortly after this, but we did get a signed ball from him while we were in Tampa Bay. We are rooting for his success!
Not sure what happened to Mackenzie Chung Fegan’s nachos, but mine were pretty great. The burrito bowls are also usually very generous. I have a lot of feedback about her quick little article, but of course I would, haha.
Here’s the remote portrait session I helped direct for Jon, with Pei as photographer while they were in LA and I was in SF.
Here’s the resulting photo.
Bike rides to the farmers market.
A hike through Tennessee Valley with Amy.
Followed by Hook Fish, one of our repeat faves.
Sat in on this book panel discussion led by Joanna Ho for her latest, We Who Produce Pearls, when I happened to be in the neighborhood for a photo session.
Mandarin & Mahjong day!
Cal Night at the ballpark…
… and fireworks night too!
Dog day at Oracle Park! There was a huge dog parade and costume competition. The whole warning track was filled with people and their pets for a solid 45 minutes. Very cute.
Dan brought Buster to the park but Sydney and mom stayed home, so they checked in via FaceTime.
Dog Buster meets Lego Buster! They share the same birthday, hence the name. Of course Buster had to come visit the ballpark!
We got Dan & Buster onto the Simba Cam!
A very fun day at the ballpark.
Hiking at Fremont Older.
Yet another beautiful month here in California!
Anna Wu is a wedding and portrait photographer based in San Francisco. She compulsively documents and blogs all of her daily adventures. Follow her on instagram and view more of her professional work at annawu.com.
