🌊2️⃣ in California

I flew Swiss Air from Berlin to Zurich then straight onwards to SFO. Had the whole row to myself for the long haul flight, as well as 3 rows in front and behind me fully empty.

Empty security lines at the new Berlin airport, where they were also baffled by my free roaming emotional support animal. Swiss Air is one of the few airlines that allows ESAs to fly on connecting flights, not just direct flights to the states, though this is changing in Feb 2021.

Marzi and I chilling at the lounge at the Zurich airport. Thanks priority pass!

My parents took the first week of quarantine at home very seriously. I felt like (well-loved and -fed) biohazardous waste. Here is a private entrance to my isolated section of the house upstairs, where they also set up a little tea station for me. I had most of my meals sitting on the stairs talking to the soft glow of lights and muffled voices on the other side of this plastic sheet. My parents had to sleep on air mattresses in the living room since they were displaced from their room upstairs (but they said it felt like a fun camping trip...or they were just trying to make me feel less guilty)

This is how my grandma and I communicated for the first week 🥺. I also got to see her when I did yoga from the balcony in the mornings.

This is how I spent my mom’s birthday on day 2 of quarantine, having a safely distanced family lunch through the looking glass.

Saw these lights in SF after I got my negative covid test. Told my friend they reminded me of Burning Man...and turns out the artist who did the light display also indeed creates light installations for BM.

Took a photo of my friend’s building in SF because it made me happy.

Took a *fun* little stroll at this slice of dog beach heaven.

Took these cuties to become as good friends as their owners on Hippie Hill, as they ran circles around a drum circle.

Went to get my weekly covid test. California makes testing really easy, especially if you have a car.

Got to admire my sister’s new roller skating tricks (skating, as she constantly reminds me, and not blading).

I spent an embarrassingly large amount of time this month learning how to play Sweet Disposition on the piano (remember that summer indie pop anthem from the early 20-teens? that I discovered through some EDM remix in my 20s and which has now made it back into my life w a starring role in my covid running playlist..). More on this later....

We baked some thumbprint cookies w homemade orange marmalade and pistachios brought home from a cooperativa agricola (Valdibella) in Sicily.

Made some dairy free eggnog on Christmas morning 😋 starring a homemade Tiffany-blue pretzel gifted from a friend

Christmas hot pot, a family tradition

Got back into Mahjong with my grandma

I finally sat down to read Sapiens this holiday break, and felt very seen by this passage in particular 👀

Went on a hike in this beautiful green forest

Did a lot of yoga, both during and after my quarantine period, but sometimes I found myself w this little roadblock after a particularly long child’s pose.