Mr. and Mrs. Ben Tompkins!

After a few "low heavy cloud" delays into SFO, shipmate Erin Maus made it to California soil for the very first time! We joked it is ridiculous she has been to the likes of Dar Es Salaam and Chennai but never to CALIFORNIA before now. It was a whirlwind, but we did an okay job of giving her the basic lay of the land which of course included a shared hot fudge sundae at Ghirardelli :). It has been June Gloom around here all month but the skies parted for Erin and we had an absolutely PERFECT day to walk the bridge on Saturday morning.



We picked up additional shipgirl Paige who was in the city having lunch with friends that morning. The feeling of reunion is so strong with these girls - but I do have to say Big Wiz was sorely missed. The interesting thing about Big Wiz for me is she is now so strongly associated with DC for me and it isn't until I'm back with the SAS girls that I am reminded of many parts of our relationship from those early days.

SOMEHOW we found a way to carry on without BW and ambled through the Berkeley hills up to the Brazil Room at Tilden Park for Erica Davidson's wedding to Ben Tompkins! Lately when I talk about friends, I find myself ending the conversation with "I love that friend... I don't know anyone else like her/him." Erica is no exception. I love Erica... I don't know anyone else like her. So with that spirit and the memories all the way back to Rancho swim meets through afternoons at Shannon and Christie's in elementary school to romping around Beijing in an loathing haze, I was overjoyed to watch her say her vows to someone so wonderful and bathe in the happiness she so richly deserves.

This smile was big... even for Ers!



Gorgeous setting with the trees all around...



Cake cutting!



Girls with the bride (this after Erin and Paige tried to sneak in one WITHOUT me! Ugh.)


The wedding was such a great reason to get the SAS girls together and we have now tasked Paige with planning Greece 2010 (I will be taking a calm back seat to those details and let Paige carry the torch... my how far we've come, huh Paige! ha). It was also very fun getting to see a BUNCH of long lost pals from Erica's class or Burton Valley such as DORI who I just love and am excited is back in the area.

Of course any California visit would be incomplete without a trip (or two) to In-N-Out, so we indulged (Not my fault! We were on our way to the Roundup when Erin passed out so the alternative was... well... food):

Paige is really excited for her burger!



Except... not so much for the "spread"... I guess I now understand why I have never heard of someone getting the sauce on the side before. Yuck.



As BW so appropriately commented... these are the exact same faces we made after the Ambassador's Ball dessert table (and by dessert table I mean the one we built for OURSELVES from the REAL dessert table. Oh my god it is so gross thinking about that you guys haha).