Bay Area | December, 2024
December recap! We actually began the month in Los Angeles and ended it in Taipei. But here are some of our adventures around the Bay in between.
Our new-old Barbour jackets we got from Goodfight! Mine a re-loved and Alex’s is new. Time to go pick up our very first fake Christmas tree.
The Garrisons came over to help us set up the tree!
Love.
Craft fair season! Alex and I went to visit a few of our friends tabling in Albany.
Stephanie’s beautiful botanical illustrations. Plus, a visit from our friend Pamela and her doggo Pinto.
Picked up this spoon rest from Picnic by our friend Lizzie! And admired some beautiful hand forged knives by John.
Up to Napa, meeting Alex’s friends who drove down from Davis. We checked out the new Stateline BBQ spot. Very good! And group-friendly.
Afterwards, a holiday fundraiser event at a wine bar.
A little embroidery project for a brand new bebe!
Cassie’s mom filled us all with delicious dumplings. And I met up with my friend Mark who was visiting!
Anniversary date at the lauded new restaurant, Sun Moon Studio. Helmed by Alan (chef) and Sarah (baker), it incorporates their many years of fine dining experience with Alan’s Taiwanese American heritage and local produce and inspirations.
Sooo many delicious bites! We actually returned just one month later to host our friends here for a private dinner! Highly recommend it– Sun Moon Studio in West Oakland.
I was very excited when Leona invited me to join her for this indigo dye + seal carving workshop!
Nina of Dream Fields Indigo led us through a simple indigo dye process for our drawstring bags.
This all reminded me of the time that I had a whole indigo dye-themed zoom birthday party in the middle of the pandemic!
Before and after! Very pleased.
Then Nina’s mom was on hand to help with the seal carving portion of the class. We each started with a blank stone and first had to figure out what to carve.
Some her beautiful, organic examples.
After much deliberation I decided to carve ?, ‘xie,’ which is my friend’s maiden name. I found an interesting calligraphic rendition of the character, flipped it, and had help transferring it onto the stone.
Very wiggly, but it has lots of character! Fun!
A TAF reunion since Lester was visiting from NY! We visited Joanie’s Taiwanese American-inflected restaurant in Bernal Hill, Rabbit Hole. And we ran into Taiwanese American illustrator Felicia Liang who just happened to be there with her friends at the same time. Small world! Very tight knit community!
Lester and Ho Chie went for the elaborate surf n turf meal. Everything is delicious here though!
Bonus ube ice cream cookie sandwiches. And Joanie with Ho Chie.
Alex and I stopped by Sarah Kersten to shop her ceramics for a housewarming gift for Steph and John. Perfect beautiful fruit bowl!
Winter Solstice with friends!
Holiday festivities at Thrive City!
A beautiful excursion to Big Sur for a session! Always love when Alex tags along to my ‘workplaces.’
Then we had Christmas day with our tree and our presents, and dinner with the in-laws, before we flew out that same night for Asia!
That’s it for 2024 in the Bay! More to come on this grand Asia trip!
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.
