On our way back home from Napa and Sonoma, we decided to detour via San Francisco’s Chinatown. A happy surprise from veering off the direct route was the drive over the Golden Gate Bridge. It was a beautiful day — any nip from the chill was cured by the sun — and that sense of expansiveness from seeing the San Francisco Bay and Pacific Ocean felt glorious.
Being Christmas Day, Chinatown was alive and lit with colour. Bakeries were packed with people and moon cakes; the alleyways bustled with tourists; and storefronts displayed a motley of knick-knacks: good luck cats, New Year cards, jade bracelets, hologram 2015 calendars. The air resonated with traditional Chinese string music, either from the strum of a solo busker or a quartet.
It was an unplanned side trip but such a happy one. On that note, I wish you all a prosperous and healthful 2015. May it be full of surprise, unexpected detours, and happy outcomes. XO
Golden Gate Bridge
Filed under: Art, Asia, California, Inspiration, Los Angeles, Photography, Travel, USA Tagged: chinatown, Christmas, Golden Gate Bridge, Happy New Year, San Francisco
