oh good friends...

You know that feeling you get when you meet someone and your hearts and minds just seem to be on the same page? Like there is some unwritten understanding between your souls and every time you get to hang out with these people, you come away feeling refreshed and hopeful and inspired?

Well, that's how I feel when I get to spend time with the girls that I have become better friends with here in the bay area. I know I have said it before, but I don't think any amount of my saying would ever do justice to the overwhelming gratitude I have in my heart for the amazing girlfriends I have found here. I never cease to be amazed at the creativity, generosity, spunk and strength that oozes out of these girls.

We had a lovely Sunday Funday in the city today...
Yup, you're right, you recognize it from The Pursuit of Happiness.

We started here. At Glide Memorial Church in the Tenderloin. For the 11am Gospel Service. Lots of soul, raspy passionate voices, cute sax players, beautiful music and PEOPLE--the place was packed to the gills! This week marks the 45th anniversary of Glide's pastor and there was a whole lotta celebrating going on (the pastor was wearing a HOT pink shirt under his jacket!), although this is not outside the norm and it is not unusual for this place to be packed - they sure do have something special going on!

Isn't the stained glass beeeeautiful?

Then we headed to the Rex for a yummy Sunday brunch.....yummmm...spinach and mushroom omelete with potatoes!

For dessert...a rice pudding shop...how great is that?

And then dessert stop #2 at the Candy Shop. Don't these glass jars just make you squeal with excitement?!? Oh is that just me?

And with a whimsical entrance like this, really, how can you resist?

Then it was off to the main event. Painting! Pictures of fruits and veggies for Kat's kitchen! Yup, that's right we spent the afternoon painting fruits and veggies.

How great did they turn out?!

And thanks to Erik's superb naming, we have titles for our paintings already...
Lemon = Slice of sunshine
Eggplant = Purple Phenomenon
Artichoke = Artie
Avocado = Seduction
Pomegranate = Cheer Pom

So yes, an exceptional day! And one final thought before I close out for the night - on the drive home tonight we were talking about some big ideas and you know what I was comparing us to in my mind? This is kind of bold to say, I know, but I was comparing us to famous groups of artists and musicians - you know like all the jazz musicians that were friends back in the day or the writers like Jack Kerouac and his crew and the way they inspired each other creatively. Yeah, call me absolutely crazy and maybe even a bit dellusional or arrogant to compare us to some of the big time great creative thinkers of our time but that is who we reminded me of. More on this conversation later...

For now, it's off to bed with me :).

Oh but before I go, just a couple more images of the weekend.

The Japanese Maple tree changing color in the front yard. It's gorgeous and makes me so happy every time I see it!.

The dried beans I used to make soup this weekend.

A beautiful ad created by the wife of the owner of my fav. running store in Menlo Park! If I ever did marketing, this is the kind of stuff I would want to do.