Mind what you volunteer for

When we first moved to Kiev, my motto was ‘turn down no invitation’.  On the quest to meet new people, I joined the International Women’s club, 2 book clubs, the PTA.  While never much into ballet, I eagerly went along to a girls’ night out at the ballet.

In the same spirit, I went on-line here looking for volunteer opportunities.  

I found a shelter looking for volunteers to work a street fair.   The idea: the shelter recruits volunteers & the street fair donates the ‘wages’ they would have paid to that shelter.  Easy + possibility to meet people + support a worthy cause = I signed up for a 4-hour shift at the Folsom Street Fair.

I remembered it was pretty alternative – read it described as “a true only in San Francisco original, the world’s largest leather subculture street fair”.

At first glance, it looked like any street fair

Food trucks getting ready...

Lots of sponsors to thank..

(hmm - past Miller Lite the sponsor list isn't so everyday) 

Friendly gate guard..

Relatively empty streets - with a bit of foreshadowing of what was to come…
A corset stand

Unusual outfits

Not exactly 'state fair uniforms' for the food & beverage crew

(the rules stated anyone working in food & bev had to cover their cheeks - cracked me up that they needed to make that clear!)

I got instructions on how to man my station – as a “Green Team member" 

(a nice way of saying a recycling & composting lady)

As the fair got busier, the 'subculture' bit got way more visible

Spanking...

Strappy straps…

Unabashedly naked...

Prisoner…

(Struck me that this leash holder looks decidedly 'librarian')

Full on pampered dom...

And just good old SF festive…

Clearly fab people watching - and while as the crowd thickened (& people got closer), I started to wonder if it was a bit more 'subculture' than I was ready for - it also reinforced that SF is truly a place where self expression is welcome.  AND that I can STOP giving any thought to what I 'should' wear.

Here's to new experiences AND to knowing when to jump in the deep end vs. dip a toe!

Prost to Oktoberfest – even if it’s more Oriental Trading Co than Munchen

Blame it on being ¼ German, or on always looking for an excuse to get festive…..for the past 7 years we’ve celebrated Oktoberfest. 

It started with a low-key, beer & brats BBQ with Quincy’s preschool class.  It has evolved to 100+ people parties & 3 trips to Munich to celebrate full-on Bavarian style.

This year we were a bit at odds - our flat isn’t big enough for an ‘invite the whole class’ event – and we couldn’t yet justify a trip back to Munich..

Luckily the city hosted an Oktoberfest on the Bay.

And - Eric & Jen (our partners in Munich Oktoberfest 2009) were up to the task

We found many elements as expected

The ambiance...

The food...

The jumbo beers & Bavarian outfits...

(of course, in litigation / paranoid USA the steins were plastic J)

Where it differed, was the range of ‘Oktoberfest’ inspired costumes…

Many Oriental Trading Co 1-piece / sexy durndle

Some – as you’d expect in SF - with their own interpretations….

While it was no Bavaria, we appreciated the spirit

Here’s to getting your festive on!

Scooter Arms Race

It started as any arms race does - incremental baby steps that individually seem inconsequential, but collectively turn into a WTH happened?!

During our e-bike trial week, Xavier & Zoe were a bundle of giddy excitement - enthusiastically bellowing "Hello!" to all passing drivers with windows down.

Post purchase, trouble started….

As the driver, our cargo bike is crazy convenient & super fun.   However, the cool factor of being driven on one - as a 9 year old - is a little too 'mini van' for X.  

• About a week in, he began insisting we drop him a block away.
• 2 weeks in, he started making noise about wanting to ride a scooter instead
• 3 weeks in, he used his allowance to buy a flea market scooter

Enter - scooter #1 - basic flea market find

Given the 4 mile path to school, we agreed to a bike there, scooter home model…

(gotta love a bike that can even handle hauling a scooter)

However, 4 miles on a scooter is tough.  

X gave it the college try - made it 2.5 miles the first day, 3 the next.  But it took forever and the rest of the ride (he & Zoe holding the scooter on their laps) was a hot mess of "his scooter is SQUISHING me!"

Enter - scooter #2 - Who knew blue electric….

I never knew these even existed - but saw a guy driving an e-skateboard - so turned to the all knowing…..Amazon.

Found an electric scooter: solid reviews, 9mph speed, good for kids 8+ & on Amazon Prime.   Bought the least expensive one - the e90 Razor.

Xavier was thrilled 

He has mastered it - rides parallel to us on sidewalks on busy streets, joins in the bike lane on wide streets.

Zoe however, suddenly became surly - the "it's NOT fair" and "he won't let me ride it" broke me.   Instead of using good parenting judgement or take turns logic, I once again, turned to Amazon….

Enter scooter #3 - didn't mean to increase power red….

We picked this one from my tiny phone screen, based on color.  

What I didn't realize, until it showed up, is there are varied levels of power & speed.   

Turns out the e100 goes 10mph & is significantly larger.

Now Zoe's giddy & Xavier's pissed.

(shown scooter Trick or Treating)

My lesson for the day - if you are going to turn to Amazon to solve your problems, be sure to read the fine print - and with 3 kids it's NEVER going to be fair!

Getting into Halloween

It was exciting to be back in the States for Halloween - and several elements were as you'd expect:

Carved Pumpkins….

(With guest carvers Amy & aunt Sam)

Cycled through various costumes….
Given the evolving costume ideas & changing minds through all of October, we've had to institute a 1 costume purchase / Halloween rule….

However, Zoe expanded beyond 1 through technicalities - these are PJ's

She also got fox ears & a tail - convincing me those are 'accessories'

And ended up not wanting to wear any of that - instead would only wear my monster…

But the best part - by far - was just how into Halloween this city gets...

Several neighborhoods went so all out, they closed off the streets to cars 

What could be better than candy AND cartoons?!   

This house projected shows out front

Even the adults totally get into it

A day of the dead lady handing out candy….

Quincy's math teacher + the school Director…

A biking butterfly...

My fave - a neighbor surprise dropping his giant spider on passer-byers from the balcony….


There's nothing better than festivity & spirit.  
Here's to a town that gets that in spades & even got the kids to say (about our Halloween decor) "Mom, I think we need to step up our game"

Cheers to that!

San Francsico Mini Van

Like many cities, San Francisco’s roads are narrow & parking is less than abundant.  Like many European cities, the norm here for cars appears to be small & eco friendly.

I estimate 25% of vehicles on the road are one of these 2…...

Meanwhile, San Francisco has several elements making it THE perfect biking city – moderate climate year round, loads of bike lanes & a laid back, almost overly conscientious (“you go first”,  “oh no, I couldn’t - you go”) drivers. 

The bike lanes are well used.

However, the exhilaration of blowing by a line of 20 cars waiting for a light & liberation to find easy parking comes at a price – HILLS!

(if the street is steep enough to require stairs, we avoid it on the bike ride!)

Hard enough to get up solo, but hauling a kid on a tandem would require a level of leg strength & grit I’m just not sure we have

Enter – the San Francisco version of the mini van!

We tried this electric assist bike a few months back – it was love at first ride.   Load up with over 140 pounds of kids & backpacks and we can still breeze up hills thanks to the bike’s ‘super boost’.

Our 20 minute car ride to school has turned into ~25 minute bike ride full of encouragement and smiles from strangers along the way (so far I’ve gotten loads of “good mornings”, a “you GO girl!” and a “I brake for bikers!” shout out).

Based on the number of ‘kid & cargo bikes’ on the road, we are not the first one to discover the joy of a van/bike commute

Even a  'SUV/ bike' - 2 baby seats AND a kid trailer…..

Here’s to fresh air, camaraderie on the ride & sharing the road