All posts filed under: Photos

Post #45: I Love Trader Joe’s!

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Where the American and I live in San Francisco, it’s much easier to buy a Coach handbag than it is to buy groceries. And in most of the cities we have lived in, we’ve lived downtown. Buying groceries was never a problem, because there were plenty of supermarkets in the downtown area to supply the urban crowd. Even in provincial Ireland. But that’s not the case in San Francisco, and is the biggest drawback to living where we do. [Source: Trader Joe’s] Most of our shopping is done at the local Walgreen’s or independent markets/corner shops. We have a mini-Safeway about a mile down the hill, and had a ridiculously expensive independent supermarket about ten blocks away up the hill until recently. Cala Foods closed for good over the New Year period, and in June, Trader Joe’s will be opening up in its place. HURRAH! In the hierarchy of local supermarkets in the Bay Area, I’d rate Trader Joe’s well above average. Some say it’s very yuppie, but it’s no Whole Foods. Shopping at Whole …

Post #30: A Visit to Wine Country

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Welcome to the thirtieth post of the Great Writing Challenge of 2012. Five days a week for six months, I will be given a topic to write about. The stipulation: it must be 250 words (or more), and positive in tone. If you would like to suggest topics for me to write about, please email me at TheRebeccaProject [at] gmail [dot] com. I always had a sneaking suspicion that Sonoma was the poorer, younger sister of the Napa Valley. But not anymore. On Saturday, Sam the Canadian and I spent the day up in wine country, relaxing after Sam’s tough week sitting the Cal Bar exam. It was a balmy 22 degrees C/ 73 degrees F: a marvellous winter’s day for a trip up north.

Post #26: Upgrade!

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Welcome to the twenty-sixth post of the Great Writing Challenge of 2012. Five days a week for six months, I will be given a topic to write about. The stipulation: it must be 250 words (or more), and positive in tone. If you would like to suggest topics for me to write about, please email me at TheRebeccaProject [at] gmail [dot] com. …or this should really be called “I only fly business class long haul from here on in.” Over the holiday season, the American and I took off for Europe. Thankfully, the cold snap had not yet arrived, but it was great to get away. With only two weeks holidays per year, it was certainly the fastest jaunt we’ve taken as travellers.

Post #18: Barcelona

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Welcome to the eighteenth post of the Great Writing Challenge of 2012. Five days a week for six months, I will be given a topic to write about. The stipulation: it must be 250 words (or more), and positive in tone. If you would like to suggest topics for me to write about, please email me at TheRebeccaProject [at] gmail [dot] com. I fell in love with Barcelona the day I arrived. The city is so vibrant, and so interesting. I could imagine a life for myself there. We stayed in the old town, just off Las Ramblas, in a former brothel frequently patronised by Picasso. We wound our way through the small lanes, and rarely taking the same route twice. Having just arrived from frigid Switzerland by way of torrential rain in the Basque region, the warm Mediterranean city with a laid back vibe had me hooked instantly. I had anticipated the German-speaking legs of the trip to be more my style, so connecting with Barcelona was unexpected. We ate, we drank, we walked, …

Post #6: Packing Light

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Welcome to the sixth post of the Great Writing Challenge of 2012. Five days a week for six months, I will be given a topic to write about. The stipulation: it must be 250 words (or more), and positive in tone. If you would like to suggest topics for me to write about, please email me at TheRebeccaProject [at] gmail [dot] com. On Twitter this afternoon, I heard all my favorite bloggers discuss what they are packing for Alt Summit in Sat Lake City. Truth is, I’m super jealous. Maybe I should add Alt Summit to my Life List? I’m sure Maggie Mason would approve. I love hearing about what people deem important to pack. To some, it’s mundane and they want to head straight for the photos, but I think there’s a real art to packing light. Maggie Mason sometimes posts about what she packs for a trip away, and it’s amazing how she can fit everything into an overnight bag (see HERE and HERE. This woman knows how to pack). So whilst I …

A new camera

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Over the past fortnight, my family came to visit us in our little box in the sky. In that time, I only took one photo of them, and it was taken on my iPhone. But it’s just not the same as having a camera. So the time has come for me to purchase my first digital SLR. And I’m pretty excited but it’s a big commitment for a girl who is rather clumsy. Looking back on it, it’s disappointing I didn’t arrive at this conclusion earlier, in time to capture some of the fun we had in San Francisco. But what can you do? For me, I feel that rather than missing out on seeing the beauty or the wonder of a space because I’m too busy taking photos, I actually seem to appreciate things more when I have a camera in my hand. I see all the little bits and pieces that I would have otherwise overlooked, the little moments in time. And these photo trigger memories, smells, and feelings for me when I …