All About Alameda

Today was Customer Appreciation Day along Alameda's Park Street. I was feeling the love on Park Avenue, the next street over and the one on which I lived up until six weeks ago. The day started with Yoga with Nancy at Alameda Yoga Station. She brought in a harmonium and we started and ended the class with chanting. I want to do more chanting - it clears your mind and creates a lasting vibration in your heart. My sister Marlene and brother-in-law Mandeep had two harmonium players at their US wedding and I will never forget the sound.

The day continued with a birthday party with my former housemates. Little Asher, has turned three. There were about 15 kids under the age of 8 running around and having fun. I so enjoyed picking apples with them and creating chalk art on the driveway. One mom said to me, "are any of these kids yours?" I told her no and she said that she could tell because I was having fun.

Next I partied with Theron and Elizabeth about 12 houses up the street from my old house. Theron and I use to work together and we both have similar Ike the Bikes. Today we celebrated Theron and Elizabeth's wedding which took place a month ago high up in the mountains of Colorado. The wedding was reenacted and we were in hysterics as they gave us the abridged version thanks to the picnic hostess Cynthia Winton-Henry, co-founder of Interplay. I caught up with friends and colleagues.

From there I biked back to Oakland in the warm, sunny, humid weather we are having this weekend. How lovely to have an extended summer.

Moving Day!

Nearly everything is packed, took me an hour. Now I'm starting to bring my stuff downstairs from my attic oasis. Next to load everything into my City Car Share truck. Then over to the new place to do a condition inspection, unload the truck and then wait for the Door to Door container delivery.

When the container arrives I'm then heading back to Alameda High Street to hire two day laborers. Stacey, my current housemate, is going with me to help with the hiring. Then back to the house to pick up a few final large items. Finally, off to the new place to unload the container. All this and then I take the truck back to Fruitvale BART, pick up Ike the Bike from Alameda Bicycle's valet parking (bike day care) and then take BART to MacArthur, my new station.

Off we go!

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

I've not even moved out of Alameda yet and already I'm missing the place. Tonight I promised myself an ice cream sundae from Tucker's and spontaneously called my friend Theron who lives down the street to see if he would join me. Ironically, he was thinking of calling me to do a Tucker's run. Serendipity.

We shared a frozen pizza and then trekked over to Tucker's. On our way we passed the Hob Nob, a divey restaurant/bar that I've never seen as hopping as it was this evening. An active singles social scene in Alameda? When we finally got to Tucker's and had our ice cream the owner treated us extra special nice. I'd never met the owner before. Where was all this neighborly action before I decided to move? Maybe I'm just coming out of my shell.

Biking for Leisure

Yesterday I took a morning and an evening bike ride, with Ike the Bike, along the beach in Alameda. A fantastic way to enjoy summer.

Go Deep

The advice I give my strategic planning clients is to identify your core competencies and go deep with them. Deepen the engagement, the impact and capitalize on what you recognized for and good at doing. Now I'm turning that advice on myself.

I need to deepen my routes in the Bay Area. So, I had a transition relationship. It was good and I enjoyed it, despite the surprise ending. Does that mean I'm spun off and should respond by roaming. How about I look at why I am here in the Bay Area, what I am doing that is working so well. My friends, career and location are working for me. Deepen them.

The first thing I identified that I want to change is my housing situation. This has been a very good place for me to transition back into the Bay Area and as you know from previous posts, I am ready to spread my wings. Earlier in the year I was flirting with moving back into San Francisco. But I love the pace, environment and my friends in the East Bay. So, I've started looking on CraigsList for apartments in Alameda and Oakland. To my delight there are many options in my price range - with move-in specials. I'm going to start looking next week.

I often dream of having my own kitchen and now that can happen. Plus, I could get a cat or dog if I like. All my possessions in storage can become part of my life again - well almost all - do I need everything in there? I'll have to take a look. My petite mason will be filled with artworks, colors, pots, pans, music and books. Friends will be invited over for home cooked meals. Oh the joy of it.

As soon as I had this vision of moving into my own place I was able to take a decent nap. Now I feel like a million dollars. Plus, I had a fantastic heart-to-heart with my cousin Corrina who reminded me to go deep and be true to myself. Go ahead, make plans, live my life and be confident and deliberate.

Morning Bike Ride in Alameda

This morning I was up at the crack of dawn because last night I lost my keys and I had to find them. They were in my hands when I locked up my City Car Share vehicle. Then I went to Alameda Bicycle to get my tires filled. From there I cycled home from Fruitvale BART. Arriving back at the house I went to open the storage room door to park Ike the Bike for the evening...no keys! I didn't fret. What's the point. They're only keys.

As soon as I opened my eyes this morning I called Alameda Bicycle to see if they found my keys. Nope. Okay, I pulled myself out of bed, put on my sporty biking clothes (what a nice change from biking in fancy business outfits) and started retracing my route back to Fruitvale BART. I figured the keys could be anywhere along the route or even on the fender of the City Car Share vehicle - hopefully.

Just a few blocks into my ride I stopped to adjust my seat and when I looked down at the ground - there were my keys! What were they doing on this side of the road? If I hadn't stopped I certainly would not have seen them. They were run over by a car and a bit mangled but most of them still work and just one was lost in the accident. Ah yes, another lesson in not fretting and just getting on with the search.

Took advantage of the beautiful morning and did some bike riding along the beach. Alameda is so beautiful. This image got a bit weird because I moved the iPhone mid-shot. But I'm liking the effect.

Trader Joe's Winner!

Yippee! I won this week's Trader Joe's "bring your own shopping bag" raffle at the Alameda, CA store. I get a $10 gift certificate. The perfect good news for tax day.

Self Portrait in Rocking Chair

Here's a shot of me sitting in the rocking chair in my office. I'm creating a reading nook.

Redwood Grove

Here's the redwood grove view from my office window. On top of the post, in the center of the image, is a birdhouse. We have many birds including humming birds and some very fat squirrels.

Home Office

In the past 24 hours I have become totally inspired to settle into my house. Stacey, Stefan and the boys live on the main floor and I have the upstairs. I've been slowly taking over this room and today I made it official by moving out their storage boxes. Instantly doubled my living space and now have a fantastic room in which to do my consulting and soon my school work.

After beeing a "squater" of sorts for six months I am finally committing to making this my home. Must be school that is helping me feel settled.

My plan is to spend most of my time in Alameda and only go into San Francisco when I have client meetings. That should be about twice a week. Alameda is so beautiful. We're two blocks from the beach and on from Trader Joe's. But the best feature of the house are the giant redwoods out back. Photo to be posted in a moment.

You've Got the Look

This morning my housemate Stacey gave me the most fantastic compliment. She said that I have a fantastic look and style that she loves and is impressed every day with what I wear. Wow. I thought I was cultivating, unintentionally, the frumpy shlumpy look.

To top off this upbeat Monday morning my co-worker Theron told me how much he loves working with me and how I inspire him. Theron also lives in Alameda and is my neighbor so maybe us island-based folks like to share the love.

There's No Place Like Home

I had the most spectacular feeling this evening coming home to my house. My friends John and Maureen drove me back to Alameda after dinner in Hayward and as we approached my house I though, "hey, that's my house." As I walked in I felt like I was really coming home as opposed to just arriving at the place where I stay. These warm feelings of love for my housemates Stacey and Stefan welled up in my heart.

A few factors were at play. First, the fancy mixed drinks we had for dinner put me in a happy state-of-mind. But also it was the affection I saw between Stacey and Stefan this morning as they flirted. This is the couple I knew before they had two boys. It was a little peak into the affection that holds their relationship together at the core.

So fantastic to live in a loving home with great friends, their sister and two crazy kids and their. Redefines family.

Surreal Zone

A sunrise shot of my bedroom that makes it look quite surreal.

A Warm Lap

Here's Rachel with the cat at Julie's Cafe taking immediate advantage of a warm lap. This cat is friendly but I've never seen it cozy up so quickly and fully to anyone before Rachel.

Morning Glory

These are the beautiful morning glories that thrive on a vine that has engulfed our house's front porch.
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

Late Afternoon Sun

From the door of my bedroom.

Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

Toe Beauty

Here are my toes after their pedicure. Looks more like they're recovering from plastic surgery. I had the pleasure of not splurging on the pedicure because my friend Geneve sent me an e-gift certificate for O Spa in Alameda which is O sO wOnderful.

The stylist put so much love and energy into my feet. She is the first person ever to say that I have beautiful toes, which is fine with me, even if she is paid to say it.

Stephen loved my toes - at least in his effort to make them straight. I'm sure he would enjoy this photo. The stylist also gave a nice twist to the crookedness saying that my toes love each other and just want to be together.

Today is officially toe love day.

Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

Commuting Buddy

On my Bike-BART-Bike commute today I had a wonderful surprise - my co-worker Theron and I were in commuting-sync. It is funny enough that Theron lives just 10 houses away from me here in Alameda. Even stranger that he has the same folding bike - the US version (hum, does it have a cool name like Ike? I'll need to find out.)

Riding back home in the dark with our flashing safety lights we took an adventurous route along quiet back streets in Alameda. It was like being a twelve-year-old again. We did all kinds of silly riding, speeding up, slowing down and making crazy eights. Really a fantastic way to cap a commute.

To Herb With Love

A shop in Alameda that had my grandfather Herb Kweskin in mind. Made me think of my grandmother Minerva.

Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

Pulling Myself Together

Yesterday I rented a Uhaul and picked up my final two moving boxes from San Francisco and brought them to Alameda. It was like a right of passage riding my bike to the Uhaul place, renting the truck, sitting in Bay Bridge traffic, paying the toll, working my way across San Francisco, picking up the boxes, again sitting in Bay Bridge traffic, dropping the boxes off at my new place, returning the truck and then riding my bike back home. This was bookended with my favorite yoga class and seeing the movie Mama Mia.




Unpacking the boxes this morning I discovered all the little bits and pieces that make a place feel like home. These are the collections of things I brought to London and continued to grow over the years. A collection of glass hearts, hand crafted eggs, my etchings, scarves, and ceramics. Placing them around my place I instantly felt like this is home. Unfortunately there were a few broken items but not bad considering they were shipped from the UK to DC and then on to SF.


Seeing Mama Mia with Rachel and David was the ultimate ending to the day. Meryl Streep, as always, is an inspiration. Clearly I identified with her character as I dreamt last night that I had her long, long blond hair. More than her hair I felt touched by the duality of her character's strength/vulnerability, calm/panic, age/agelessness, creativity/practicality. This photo captures it all, especially the setting - her bedroom in Greece.



After leaving the film we chatted about saving for the future. What is it that I am saving for? Rachel reminded me, the farm and continuing my work in international civic leadership. How quickly I was distracted from my clearly-stated goals during my whirlwind reconnection with Bay Area life.


This image of Meryl stretching herself apart and at the same time pulling herself together while jumping madly on her bed is how I'm feeling these days.