Right now I feel a little bit like my soul has splintered into a hundred thousand glimmering fragments within my chest, and I have to breathe carefully for fear of suffering a myriad tiny cuts for every shining face I left behind in Cedar City yesterday.
My three weeks in that little town of Utah were truly magical, and I made a great many friends whom I hope to find again in new cities in the future. I have more Cedar tales to tell (and another Vegas post, too), but right now it hurts least to skip straight to my first night in San Francisco, where my much-missed-these-past-six-months wild jazzy Jeniqua met me at the airport for our week-long Californian adventure.
First, though, I had to survive three quick-change flights on three hours of sleep and no coffee. After two mad dashes through airports with no time for a caffeine stop, I found myself rummaging through my bag for the candy bar I knew I’d stashed away during our Vegas weekend.
The above Unreal #5 Chocolate Caramel Nougat Bar Unjunked is what I know as a Mars Bar, albeit made without artificial ingredients, hydrogenated oils, corn syrup, GMOs, or preservatives. It’s been a goodly long time since I last had a Mars Bar, but this definitely had the same malty caramel chewy mild-chocolate-y sweetness I remember from childhood.
I was tempted to smoosh this chocolate into the face of the old man seated next to me on the third plane, because he didn’t seem to understand that it’s rude to read what a perfect stranger is typing on her laptop over her shoulder. Ultimately, however, my need for a sugar rush beat my desire to teach a rude old codger some manners.
Jeniqua’s and my first port of call in San Francisco was Blue Bottle Coffee, as our hearts have both been yearning for true, proper, true, proper coffee. My first sip of this long black (or Americano) was like drinking silk.
Jeniqua’s face lit up at the first sip of her latte, and we were both impressed by the sea salt-flecked richness of the double chocolate cookie (though, in truth, I still always prefer my chocolate straight).
With the warmth of coffee in our veins and reaffirmed friendship in our smiles, Jeniqua and I headed off to fulfill our next shared craving: Japanese. At Sanraku, we pored giddily over the menu, knowing we wanted everything.
Jeniqua’s mind was focused on finding any sushi roll covered in sesame seeds, and mine was dedicated to tracking down seaweed salad.
Photo courtesty of Jeniqua
True friends work together to find dining bliss. And what bliss it was!
Sanraku, your Hiyashi Wakame seaweed salad was heaven in my mouth, and your Asari Miso Soup with Manila clams and green onions was a new extravagance in my life.
And edamame is always a winner. Just like Jeniqua, whose sparkling spirit had made me feel happy and at home, here in the city by the bay.
Oh that first cup of coffee after an extended period without it is pure bliss. Even better when shared with a dear friend
Yes, I don’t think I can even bring myself to call what I’ve been drinking in Utah “coffee”…
I would have told the man off!
I adore seaweed salad! Because not many people do, I have to order one for myself- more for me!!!!!!!! 
I usually order one for myself regardless of whether others like it or not.
Oh yes, seaweed salad and edamame are always staples in my Japanese-ordering. So good. I thought an Americano had a dash of milk too? Looks good anyhow – the test of a good coffee – if it tastes amazing WITHOUT milk, then you are onto a winner for sure.
Me and Viper are going to save up for a honeymoon in the States! I’ll need all your tips
Nope, Americanos are what we know as Long Blacks. Are you thinking of a macchiato?
WHEEEE!!!! You’ll have such a blast! When are you thinking of going? Maybe I’ll still be on this continent
Yeah it’s weird – I always thought just a macchiato = dash milk, but I’ve had a few people that are adamant americanos have milk too. Silly.
We want to do Vegas, LA (plus I’d LOVE to go to NYC too, but we will have to see if the budget stretches!) What ARE your plans…. do you have a 1 year visa?
No, definitely no milk in an Americano. I’d always do NYC over Vegas, but there is a lot of fun and vegan food to be had in Vegas. Visas in America are impossible, but I might be able to stay in Canada for a while, so it just depends on where/when you come
Ahh! SO much of your traveling awesomeness to catch up on. I will follow your San Fran adventures closely, since we’ve got 48 hours there on the way back to NZ.
Hooray for non-swampy Mars Bar-esque chocolate bars, booo to creepers who try to read your writing over your shoulder.
Happy travels! x
Alas, I don’t think I’ll be able to provide you with much San Francisco advice; we’ve spent most of our time drinking coffee and madly looking for warm clothes!
Wow, 3 weeks in Utah? Seems to have gone by so fast… but San Francisco is so much fun, with so many good things to eat and drink, so yay for that!
I can’t even comprehend that it’s been three weeks, and it’s over. Time is an evil fiend sometimes!
Oh San Francisco! Lovely place. And Jeniqua looks wonderful.
Took me forever to work out a long black was an Americano.
You’re still replying on your iPad! Jeniqua is a gorgeous woman of sparkly wonderment.
Yes I am cos I’m away from me laptop. It’s very irritating … Don’t know if it’s an Apple thing or a WordPress one.
LOL “I was tempted to smoosh this chocolate into the face of the old man seated next to me on the third plane, because he didn’t seem to understand that it’s rude to read what a perfect stranger is typing on her laptop over her shoulder. Ultimately, however, my need for a sugar rush beat my desire to teach a rude old codger some manners.” Best line ever!! You know I think this one goes on the back of the dust jacket of your book
I’ll bring that up with my hypothetical publishers, definitely!
So were you typing up this post on the airplane and did the old codger read what you wrote about him?
No, actually, I was writing heart-thoughts for my own benefit, so I felt quite invaded!
you are so right about the friends that can share food together, stick together. Love that sushi!
Your holiday just seems to be getting better and better. I love chocolate caramel bars and that one looks awesome. Very contrasting with the edamame! xx
Thank you Charlie. There are dips and highs in all travel experiences, but overall I’m having a stupendous time.
Don’t tell anyone, but I like edamame more than that candy bar.
Oh, old friends + unjunked chocolate + REAL COFFEE + fabulous food … definitely equals a very good cure for glimmery fragment sadness.
Absolutely. Doctors should prescribe this more.
Ah, so much sparklingness (and yes, jazziness
) in this post! And I think you should have written that bit about the man looking over your shoulder whilst he was looking over your shoulder. That would have shown him.
That would’ve been a very weird stanza in the poem I was writing!
Don’t get me started on people on planes, my goodness! But on the rest of your post, yum, yum, yum and yay! I’m loving your travel stories.
I love San Fran and yes to seaweed salad!
And next time some creep is perving I would write a direct insult on the screen: My pet hate is people who screen-perve, a VERY RUDE HABIT and if I didn’t value my healthy bar so much it would be squished in your face SIR!! Shame on you and buzz off!!
I wish I’d had you there to lay down some smack, Cat!
oh I love this! How good is blue bottle coffee?!?! love. Was such a treat to have a melbourne-style latte in the states. I’m sure you were craving it! So happy you had a lovely week with your friend!
Heidi xo
How good are the cute blue bottle baristas, too?!
I’m quite behind on your posts, because I was away for a long weekend catching up with an old friend of my own:) Much fun was had, but sadly no sushi.
Hot damn I love seaweed salad! Hope you’re enjoying the heck out of California, even if you are looking for warm clothes!
I have a new jumper and a new jacket. All is well.
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