157. {LC's Journey 22} Empanadas, Cousin, Baseball, Flowers (in that order) {with Leah and Matt}

Welcome to 100 Ways. This is your daily exploration of Self and Soul. I'm your host and fellow explorer, Laura Christine, let's dive in and find our way home

What you dorky

So that was my cousin Leah. I have my cousin with me today.

This one is a little choppy because I'm talking to my cousin. So we kind of go here, there, and everywhere. And then her fiance comes in. But I think you'll follow this conversation. Well enough

I'm super, super stoked about it. I went to visit Leah and Matt, her fiance I went to visit Leah, not because I had to get my car, however, I did pick up my car in Oakland, which is very close to where Leah lives, but it was so much fun and she's so awesome and it was really cool to be able to connect as adults.

Because we really hadn't before. I mean, we maybe spent that one time in your mom's hotel room when you guys came to visit me when I was in college. When you were living in Ashland.

Yes, and Matt came And I met Matt then.

Yep. But that was, oh man. That was when you were leaving Ashland, so

Yeah, that was like 10 years ago.

yeah.

So this time I met Matt because he came to pick me up to bring me south to Stockton, where I ate the best hamburger I've ever had. There was peanut butter on it. There were jam on it. Probably bacon because otherwise I wouldn't think it's the best I've ever had. Oh my God. I have not had one that good since.

Which is crazy because it's Stockton, California and it's not like a super. Big city or anything. It's just one of those outlier towns that you can find these really hole in the wall places

Oh my God, it was amazing. I also remember filling up his truck for like$90.

you should not have.

Well, hindsight, it's all good. And then you drove me to where you guys live,

Oh yeah, that's right. after working a full day, I drove straight out to Stockton and then drove you back home,

oh, family. You gotta love it. Yeah. Leah made a triangle and I was driven south from Redding. So,

Oh my gosh. Yeah.

It was the beginning of my trip of very, very, very many, many miles around the country and it was wonderful. So highlights for me, if I may,

Yes.

there are some things that were highlights for me just in your place because they were family things like the gnomes that grandma had and the silverware that I grew up with and things like that. But, So that was just really rad. one of the highlights, of course, was the Giants game. That was super duper fun Giants. Oh, sorry, giants. And a's it was The Battle of the Bay. Was it the

Um, gosh, that was the battle of the the Bay, and that will be the last year because the a's are now going to Vegas

Oh, wow. Well, there you go. So see Magic. You always end up with magic. The other things were really walking around San Francisco in general, both of the days, the empanadas that we found, oh my God. And that Russian bakery. what just happened? You know that, I mean really it's the food, isn't it?

Yeah, it is

Making popcorn and watching. I don't remember what movie we watched. It was one of the Marvel ones.

A bunch.'cause I, I didn't realize you were, as big of a Marvel fan as you are. and that was really exciting to hear because I don't really watch Marvel movies with many people other than Matt. So,

yeah. What were your highlights? What was it like to have your cousin come visit?

Oh my gosh. Well, I loved it. I always love when I can have people in my house like it's, it's an apartment, it's small, in California things are always expensive. So having time with family in the small space that we do have it's always a highlight I loved the botanical garden

Same.

That was definitely one of my highlights. I have such great photos from there. Like Golden Gate Park in general is just the best place to go visit, especially when people are coming to visit you because there's so many things to see. I mean, just hanging out here, enjoying each other's company. The empanadas. I seriously, that empanada, that empanada place was so good. oh man. I was gonna say the Giants game too. That was just so fun. Baseball's just been such a big part of like our family and just something that we all really love and enjoy. To be able to take you to the stadium that I've been to the most was really special.

Oh,

you like the view of the bay and watching the game. Oh my gosh.

It was so fun and it was such a pictures duel. I remember, I, we were like Barb would be, which is my mom, Barb would hate this. She ha hates pitchers duels. But I had a blast and I still sort of regret not buying one of those antes blankets. I really wish I had bought one of those, like, who cares that they wrote 60 or 70 bucks? I would've loved that.

uh, if I go to another game, I'll get you one. I'll get you one. Yes. Oh my gosh. They always have those. It's great. You'll just have to come back and you'll have to go to another game.

I mean, that would be totally cool too,

It is what it is. You, you gotta come down.

Yeah. Wow. What a time.

I know. I'm trying to think of what else we did. I mean, the city is definitely special

We didn't have that much time to do things. I was working. You were working and then you took a couple days off so we could just explore.

yeah.

Oh, two other things that I wanna mention. We went to eat somewhere in San Leandro and I had. Duck. For the first time in my life I had duck tacos and holy crap, they were amazing.

Sons of Liberty,

Oh my God, so good.

those duck tacos. Seriously, they make them so well. I think I've had everything on their, their menu, and it's just so good. So here's Amala. She came to say hi.

Amad Dala came to say hi, which is good because she was one of the highlights as well. That cat is the sweetest cat. That and the other thing. San Leandro is right near Oakland. It's in the Bay. it's not sparsely populated. So I go to get my car, which is a whole other thing. And I actually am going to talk to Tom tomorrow at this recording. I don't know when it's gonna come out, but Tom had my car for a while on Hawaii when I left. I pick her up and, oh my God, did that feel amazing? I was so happy to have my car. I mean, car to me is freedom, especially in my situation where I was gonna be traveling. Like my car's, my freedom. So I get my car and I bring it back to your apartment, and lo and behold, the spot open on the street is right in front of the stairs to your apartment. How magic is that?

Meant to be.

Mm-hmm.

That's insane

Yeah.

because that that spot's hardly ever open.

Right. again, it was meant to be, I was meant to get my car and I was meant to be able to park right where I should, since I'm a queen, so I might as well like live that up and like get the queen spot

I also loved when I came home from work one day, you were like, I went exploring in your neighborhood, and I was like, Wow. Like I don't think I've even really explored very much in my neighborhood. And you're like, I ran into like this shop that serves food and you came home with a flyer that I posted on my fridge

Awesome.

I think it was like, they served tacos on like Wednesday, but it was a like a thrift store or something where you got the hat.

Yep. I remember getting the hat. Yeah,

Oh my gosh. And I was like, oh my gosh, how have I never known about this place? I need to go.

because you live there. That's how

it's so funny that you can live in a spot for so long and not realize what's actually around you if you don't take the time to get out and explore versus like us, like we live in the East Bay, but we explore so much in San Francisco, like the city.'cause it's like a destination where we should really explore closer to home because there's such. unique niche spots that you could actually enjoy closer to home.

I kind of like this point that we're making a lot of people think. To go exploring or go on an adventure or have this exciting life, you have to go other places and far away, or drive across whatever, or go to a different country and it's just not true. There's adventure, literally right outside your door.

Seriously.

Mm-hmm.

I, I learned that from you when you were here because I was like, oh, I need to go exploring on my neighborhood more.

Yay. I'm glad that I could pass that along. I mean, even, oh yeah. There's just adventure every day. Leah and I both now we work in retail management and every single day is a totally different day. It's an adventure every day. No wonder I like it.

Well, That's why I've stuck with it for so long, because it's like if I'm doing the same thing every day, it's boring. It's not fun. It becomes stagnant like, I need to have all these different things happening All the time because it's that much more exciting. You never know what's gonna happen, and it's just like it keeps me going.

It's so fun. Even when people tell you how bad you suck, everyone at your store sucks. It's like, okay, have a nice day.

Sure. I'm here to listen. You're good. All right. I'll take care of you. Thank you. Goodbye.

Oh man. We could do a podcast on

Just retail.

That would be, didn't they make a show to that though?

It sounds like it would be a good show. A dramatic show.

very, it would be super funny. Come to Vermont.

Hey, I've never been, so why not?

Vermont is like the west coast without the ocean and far, far, far, far, far fewer people. Super crunchy, super granola, like super hippie. I love it.

I bet you do. Is it similar to Ashland or very different?

It's. Similar. in some ways, people here at least it seems, are not so reserved. Like literally everyone dances. I don't think there's a soul here that does not dance. I had my associate in paint today who's an older gentleman. Really kind guy. Very to the book. He started dancing today. Talking to another associate, and I came up and I'm like, Ooh, dance party. Awesome dance party at paint. no one's afraid of dancing. So if you think of that's how comfortable people are with themselves here, to just be who they are, which is what I experienced when I went to Ashland. I was like, wow, people can just be who they are here and there isn't a. Fear or that reservedness that we have in Minnesota.

Yeah, I get that for sure.

So like I said, it's like the west coast without the ocean. thank you, Leo. This was so much fun. I love you so much. You're the best cousin ever, along with your sisters and our other cousins.

Oh man, I thought I was the best.

You're all the best.

Oh, no, this was really fun. Thank you.

Absolutely.

Thank you for exploring with me today. I would love to continue this conversation with you. We can do that at Laura Christine, us. You'll find contact in the menu, or you can go to Laura Christine us slash contact, and you'll be taken right to it. Let's dive in a little deeper and see how fully we can flow with the duh.