Last weekend I dog sat for a friend in San Francisco and had the best time. Definitely helped that her dogs (Han and Leia) are so cute. We walked around Glen Canyon on Friday and on Saturday I took them to Golden Gate Park. Before leaving on Sunday I stopped in Noe Valley for breakfast and then headed home!
Road Trip to Portland!
Despite my sister living in Portland for over 5 years, I've always opted to fly instead of drive. For this trip myself, my mom and dad did a road trip and stopped overnight in the adorable town of Ashland. Ashland sits near the California/Oregon border and is home to the famous Oregon Shakespeare Festival. It’s an adorable town lined with cute shops with Shakespeare inspired names. Even though it was raining we walked around and strolled through the beautiful Lithia Park.
Where I've Been
It’s been almost a year since i’ve updated or posted anything here! I’ve been busy with work, life, etc. Pre corona I visited my sister up in Portland and I’m also going to visit her again in a few weeks. I went to my first family reunion in Santa Barbara. I loved learning more about my family history and meeting new relatives. This year, despite covid, I’ve been able to get out here and there and enjoy what the Bay Area has to offer. Myself and my parents took a day trip out to Marin and stopped to walk along the Golden Gate Bridge. Although I can’t see the world going back to “normal” for a long time I am feeling hopeful for 2021 :)
Levy Family Portraits
After Thanksgiving I took a little day trip up to Sacramento for some family portraits. I babysat little Elizabeth back when I was in college but hadn’t seen her in a few years. She’s now 4 years old and it was crazy to see how much she’s grown!
Deborah and Michael's Wedding
Early October I had the pleasure of photographing a family friend’s wedding. It was a very sweet and beautiful day. My dad officiated the ceremony which was really fun to watch. We really lucked out with the weather as well.
Maine with Adventure Bus
Last week I took an amazing trip to Maine with Adventure Bus. I went on a trip with them 3 years ago to Utah and Arizona and had a blast. My mom had done this exact Maine trip with them 2 years ago and loved it so much she wanted to do it again. I had a great time meeting new people and spending time with my parents. We landed in Portland and made our way to our first stop, Portland Headlight located on the coast. We saw some cool lighthouses before heading to our campsite. Our second day we had a little rain but luckily it cleared up. We did some canoeing and then headed to Sunday River Ski Resort for some easy hiking. The next day we did our most difficult hike at Grafton Notch State Park. The view at the top was unbelievable. We then headed to Acadia National Park. Some campers got up early the next few days to watch the sunrise but I slept in. I did manage to catch a gorgeous sunset from Mount Battie. Aside from hiking and exploring national parks, we also got to check out a few cute towns. We got to stroll through Bar Harbor and Camden. On our last full day we took a ferry to Monhegan Island. It was cute and charming but something seemed a little off to me. It’s a very popular tourist destination but I wouldn’t say it’s worth the hour long ferry ride to get there. I found a good article that sums up a lot of my thoughts on the island here. Overall I had a lovely time and would definitely go back.
The French Riviera In July
Following my 10 month teaching fellowship in Israel I decided to take a trip to France before heading home. I spent a few days in Paris before going to Bordeaux, Marseille, and Nice.
Since I had been to Paris the previous April my schedule wasn’t too packed with touristy activities. I did however check out the Musée des Arts Décoratifs. It’s in the same area of the Louvre and much to my surprise and delight there was hardly anyone in the museum.
I then headed to Bordeaux for some wine tasting! The 6 hour train ride provided some beautiful views. On my first day I took a wine tour to Saint-Émilion with the company Rustic Vines. I did the full day e-bike option where we visited 2 wineries and the adorable town of Saint-Émilion. I was a little nervous about riding the electric bikes (especially on a wine tour!) but they were really easy to navigate and I had so much! The next day I wandered around Bordeaux’s city center. I checked out an amazing wine bar, Le Bar à Vin. Most glasses are around the 2-3 euro range, the most expensive being 8 euros.
After a few fun days in Bordeaux I headed to Marseille, the Paris of the south of France. I didn’t love Marseille but I still had a good time. I checked out Mucem, did a boat tour of the calanques, walked around the panier neighborhood, and saw some gorgeous views from the Notre Dame de la Garde.
For my final destination in the south, I headed to Nice. I’d say Nice was my favorite part of this trip. I spent two days relaxing on the beach and one day in Eze and Menton.
I ended my trip in Paris where I got to celebrate Bastille Day! I watched the fireworks in the Champs de Mars (where the Eiffel Tower is located) along with thousands of other people. The firework show was amazing and a great way to end my trip.
Passover in Paris
It’s been so long since I posted! Last month I took a two week trip to France since we had all of Passover off school. I flew into Paris and spent about a week there. I then headed to Lille where I stayed with family. I also went up to the Normandy area and got to check out some cute little towns.
Paris was amazing and I really lucked out with the weather. It didn’t rain once while I was there! I opted out for most of the touristy stuff and museums since I wanted to take advantage of the great weather. I walked around a lot of neighborhoods and spent some time just hanging out in cafes. I did end up going to two museums, the Picasso museum and the Musée des Arts Forains. Both were great and I would highly recommend them to those looking for something different than the more popular and crowded Paris museums.
In Lille I had a great time walking around and learning about the history of the city. I really loved all the shops and architecture in the old part of town. I also got to go to my cousin’s work in Belgium. He works at a brick manufacturing plant which was really interesting. We had a delicious lunch in Belgium and also went to a big liquor store to pick up some beer. On the French/Belgium border there is still a sign which translates into “French Republic Customs Office” My cousin told me that prior to 1992 (before the European Union) there would be huge lines on both sides of people going in/out of France and Belgium. Now all that’s left is a sign and tons of tobacco shops on the Belgium side (due to difference in taxes). After Lille I headed to the town of Caen where two of my great aunts live. I had never met them so it was really sweet to spend time with family.
I had such a great time and it was a much needed break from Israel. Now I just have a little more than a month left in my program. Time has really flown by and I’m starting to feel sad about it ending. I am ready to see my family and friends back home. I’m also going back to France after my program ends before heading home. This next trip I’ll be exploring the southern coast of France which I’m really looking forward to. À bientôt!
The Halfway Point
The last time I posted a blog was after Hanukkah, which seems like so long ago! I’m now at the halfway point in my program and have been really trying to make the most of my time here. I was accepted into the Masa Hillel Fellowship which will hopefully provide career opportunities when I go back home. We’ve only had one session so far but it’s been great getting to know other people in Masa. My new years was pretty chill. There was a lot of people out in Tel Aviv but it wasn’t like how new years is back home.
Last month my program took us to Sderot which is a city very close to the Gaza strip. We talked to people who live there and we saw rockets that had landed in Sderot as well. It was a very eye opening experience. In January we also celebrated Tu BiShvat. We helped trim orange trees and had a nice little campfire afterwards. Last Sunday we had an amazing time in Haifa where we walked down the Bahai Gardens. Aside from going to school and the enrichment days with my program, I’ve been going to Tel Aviv a lot. I’ve been obsessed with hummus and love trying different places. Next month we’ll have 5 days off for Purim which is like Israel’s halloween. Then in April I’ll be going to France for our very long Passover break!
London For Hanukkah Break
Over my seven day Hanukkah break from school, I flew to London to meet up with my little sister and my parents. My sister is currently finishing up a study abroad program in London so this was the perfect opportunity to visit! I had been to London once before but I was 14. This trip we explored some cool neighborhoods and checked out a couple museums. The last night we took a haunted tour of London which was so fun. Despite the cold and sometimes rainy weather we had a blast.
Volunteering With Ani Shlishi
A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of volunteering with Ani Shlishi, a non profit thrift store in Tel Aviv. Ani Shlishi employs at risk youth in their store who then go on to a vocational course of their choice. These programs are funded by store sales. I spent the day taking photos of the store and models wearing clothes from the store. I had a great time and met lots of cool new people as well.
First Month In Israel
I’ve been living in Israel for a little over a month and I can’t believe how fast it’s gone by! So much has happened and I’ve been really happy with how everything is turning out. For those that don’t know I am living in Bat Yam, a city just below Tel Aviv. I’m teaching English in an elementary school which has been fun despite the challenges that come with teaching a foreign language.
The day after I arrived in Israel I went to a 3 day conference outside Jerusalem with the rest of the teaching fellows. That same week we had our first Shabbat with all the people in our program’s city. September is jam packed with Jewish holidays so we didn’t do much teaching. Apparently many people have been trying to get school to start in October here in Israel. We had a long weekend off for Rosh Hashana which was relaxing. I attended a dinner at my teacher’s house which was so nice. After Rosh Hashana we took a 2 day trip to the northern part of Israel where we explored Tzfat and the Golan Heights. The following week we had 2 days off for Yom Kippur. It was a magical experience seeing the roads free of cars and everyone walking or biking in the middle of the street. The last week of September we had off for Sukkot. Although my apartment didn’t build a sukkah, it was really fun seeing the different ones around town. Myself and 3 of my roommates took a trip up to Haifa where we visited the famous Bahai Gardens and went up to Acco.
Although it’s been nice having a lot of time off I’m definitely ready to get into a routine and steady schedule.
Switzerland and France
Before heading to Israel for 10 months, I stopped in Switzerland for a few days. I stayed in Geneva and took trips to Annecy in France, Bern, Lausanne, Lavaux, and Neuchâtel.
The first day I hung out with a friend from high school and his girlfriend. We walked around Geneva a little bit and went to the jet d’eau which was nice since it was super hot that day. The next day I took a bus to Annecy in France. It was so beautiful. I loved all the canals and the walking around the lake. The next day I took the train to Lausanne and then another train to the wine region of Lavaux which is a UNESCO world heritage site. I took a little train that took us up and around the vineyards. My last day trip was in Bern and the only city I visited that speaks primarily German. I also got to experience the nightlife in Neuchâtel which was super fun. I loved being in a foreign country where I could speak the language most of the time and I can’t wait to go back.
Los Angeles Family Vacation
This summer my parents took us on a family vacation to L.A.! We stayed on Sunset Blvd at the Andaz West Hollywood. It was such a cool hotel with a rock n' roll theme. We had such a great time exploring the city. On our first full day we went to the Broad museum which is free and saw some really cool art. Another day we rented a convertible and drove down to Venice.
Pug Day At Moksa Brewery
If you know me you know I love pugs. I had one growing up and am totally obsessed. When I found out a local brewery was having a pug day event I knew I had to go. Moksa Brewery partnered with a pug rescue foundation called Pug Pros. They had pugs that were up for adoption and were selling two beers that benefited the foundation.
Placer Wine Trail
On a hot summer day myself and group of friends went wine tasting along the Placer Wine Trail. There's no need to go to Napa when we have so many great wineries nearby! We started at Rancho Roble, then headed to Ciotti, following with PaZa, and ended with Dono dal Cielo.
Placerville Brewfest
Last month I had the pleasure of photographing Placerville Brewfest which took place in their historic downtown on Main St. There was a great mix of breweries featuring larger name brands and smaller local ones. I had so much fun taking photos of all the people and sampling some good beer.
National Rebuilding Day
For the second year in a row I volunteered with Rebuilding Together's San Francisco chapter for their National Rebuilding Day. I love giving back while doing what I love. This year I photographed 4 sites where volunteers helped repairs homes, community centers, and elementary schools. My first two sites were residential. The third was a little building behind a library that is used for after school programs. The final site was at an elementary school where volunteers worked on the garden. As someone who is not handy at all, it was awesome to see the volunteers using their skills to give back.
Elk Grove Brewfest
Last month I had the pleasure of attending Elk Grove Brewfest. One of my best friends works for Beers In Sac, a beer distribution company who put on the event. I had a great time trying different beers from tons of great local breweries and taking photos of all the festivities.
Hemly Cocktail Hour
Earlier this month myself and a friend attended Hemly's cocktail hour. Hemly's cidery is located in Courtland, CA just a 20 minute drive south of Sacramento. We had a great time enjoying their different ciders, especially the jalapeno flavored one.
