a reminder

sunset surfers

For my last night in Capbreton, I knew that I wanted to be near the ocean for the sunset. The little house we stayed in was a short walk from the beach so at 9pm I rushed over to the sand to just sit and relax (the sun sets around 10 over here). I didn't realize that there would be a small crowd of people there for the same exact thing. And I certainly didn't realize that people would still be out in the water surfing.

I sat, did nothing, and it was beautiful. I found a spot on a ledge pretty high up but loved the way my feet felt dangling. I loved that there were so many other people who had taken time out of their day to sit and watch the sunset surfers. And I admired the 20-30 people still out in the water, waiting for darkness before they gave in and went home. It didn't matter that it was getting later and later. Had they even eaten dinner?

This is what I want in life. I want to be with people who stop to enjoy something beautiful. I want a schedule that revolves around my passion, not the other way around. And I always want to feel my feet dangling- like I could fall at any moment but that's why it's worth it.*

*But I'd still like to eat dinner.

{things to love} about sunset magazine

1. Two words: test kitchen.
2. Seeing multiple employees use fitness orbs instead of chairs at their desks.
3. The multitude of beautiful props in the photo studio. Gorgeous plates and fabrics galore!
4. Hearing business owners instantly brighten up when they find out Sunset Magazine is calling.
5. The tiny gym that's always empty. (And watching Gilmore Girls while I work out.)
6. The beautiful test garden and the fact they they grow tons of their own food.
7. Surprise birthday cakes/ice cream/pies.
8. Wisteria, tulips, and generally lovely flowers everywhere.
9. Marking up stories so that they're covered in tons of colors.
10. Being part of a wonderful team that produces an amazing magazine.

The past 12 weeks went by faster than I could have imagined. I got to intern as an editorial assistant for Sunset Magazine and realized that there's so much I love in the world of magazine journalism. Unfortunately, my internship ended on Friday but up until now I've never really wrote about how much I loved the place. (Maybe it's because I was working 20 hours a week on top of being a full-time student). Even while I was there, it was so amazing to be part of the Sunset team and directly interacting with so many stories in the magazine (the food and travel stories were my favorite, of course). The most gratifying feeling was seeing all of our hard work in print. The feeling is indescribable. I learned so much about the West that my wanderlust heart has been eager to take trips to places like Louisville, CO and Albuquerque, NM.

Fortunately, I'll be back again at the end of April to do some freelance work. And who knows what could happen from then.

If you have a list of things you love about your city (or job!),
feel free to send it in (with a photo of your feet)!
celeste.noche (at) gmail.com

suppenküche

This post is long overdue, but: the last Friday of finals week/ the quarter, Jenna, Anna, David and I went out to eat at Suppenküche in San Francisco. Ever since David and I have been home from Germany, we've missed German food (and beer!). Lucky for us, Jenna is a restaurant connoisseur and told us about this place. The wait was long (the place was so popular but so tiny) but my spätzle was well worth it-- so much cheesy goodness. Not only was the night a celebration of finishing the quarter, but earlier that day I received a call offering me an internship with Sunset Magazine after interviewing the day before. I am ecstatic, and Anna and Jenna congratulated me with a celebratory 2 liter glass beer boot full of hefeweizen. It was gigantic but I had a lot of help.*

*Unfortunately, I forgot my camera at home. The "camera regret" was overwhelming until Jenna sent these photos that she took with her iPhone. After seeing the first photo, I'm happier that it worked out this way.

sunset at cardigan bay

photos never do it justice.