summer came and went

My time in San Francisco came to an end the middle of May.  I headed back home to Salt Lake to regroup and go through all of my unnecessary objects that I had stuffed away in a closet.

As my donating stack piled up while going through all my stuff, I was overwhelmed by the money I had wasted buying such things.  There is probably a point in most everybody's life where they also get to experience the same feeling.  We must go through this though to realize what not to do.  Finally after a week or so I was able to take my pile to the Salvation Army and what a nice relief it was.  I took my nice dressier items to a place in the downtown area where they help dress women, who do not have money to buy nice clothes, for job interviews.  It helped knowing that hopefully these clothes would help change another's life.  

While in SF my sister and I decided to find a place together for the summer and to go from there as I was not sure what I would be doing after.  We were fortunate enough to find an awesome location in the Liberty Park area.  I got a job with Rowland Hall for the summer camp program again which is located by the University of Utah, so it was nice to be close.  

My sister and I made a really good decision to move out to south Salt Lake not only for the area but for the great relationships that we acquired while there.  Our landlord, Ingrid, is such an awesome lady and has been a really good friend since we met her.  We often got together for potlucks and all the surrounding neighbors would bring a dish, it was always amazing food.  Ingrid being Dutch would make stews in her dutch oven over a fire and it was one of the most divine meals I have yet had.  I am not too much of a fan of eating meat for the fact of the harmful steroids, antibiotics, etc. used in the process but Ingrid's meat that she used for the stew was a different story.  Her meat came from a farm that she used to have where the animals were raised natural and as organic as possible without the harmful additives.  The lamb stew was my favorite.  

downtown Salt Lake farmer's market

My sister, Angelina, and I became very close this past summer.  We did everything together: walks in Liberty Park, breakfast at The Park Cafe, hiking, sitting on our porch in the rain, going to the farmer's market and much more.  We did not go camping once this last summer unfortunately but went in nature often.  I went out here and there but was very content with being around my house and the nearby environment with the positive energy.  The house we lived in was over 100 years old and has a eclectic vibe to it.  We invited family members over to our house and know that they enjoyed their visits as we enjoyed theirs.  

One of the highlights of my summer was taking a trip with some friends to Lee's Ferry which is a recreation area near Page, Arizona.  John, Emily and I met up with couple, Abe and Mehri, from Florida that we met on our venture to Escalante the previous year.  It was a great weekend and we were able to stop at the Grand Canyon on the way back, which would be my first time seeing it. 

I had another great summer working for Rowland Hall but the summer was coming to an end.  I wasn't sure what I was going to do next.  I wanted to stay in Salt Lake as I was liking our living situation but also had an urge for something else.  In the beginning of August I helped Jenny, one of my best friends, move out to San Diego as she decided to attend law school there.  While in California I booked a plane ticket to New York.  My cousin Todiana was going to be going out there for fall fashion week and I decided to go.  This would be my first trip to the east coast and what a better time to go as I was currently jobless.

After being in San Diego for two weeks I came back to Salt Lake to unpack my Cali clothes and repack for the big city.  During that week my friend Dre was in town and we were able to spend some quality time together.  Dre, my sister and I went and saw Thievery Corporation on the hill behind the Red Butte Garden Amphitheater and what a epic experience that was.  We danced up on that hill with all the other free spirited people as we gazed upon the cosmic light show happening on the stage below us, causing us to be in some sort of trance.  My week with Dre came to an end as I headed off to New York for 20 days.