SAN FRANCISCO

Last summer I felt a surge of envy seeing a picture of a friend wearing a jacket during the dog days of summer and vowed that I’d find a way to weave a chilly weekend or two into Houston’s longest season.

San Francisco fit the bill, not only offering a 30 degree drop in temperature, but a chance to catch up with a couple of people dear to me. The joy of spending time with old friends is difficult to explain, let alone depict, so my photos focus on a jaunt to Marin and details from where I stayed.

The Feusier Octagon House is, as the name suggests, an eight-sided structure from the mid-late 19th century with 14 foot ceilings, chandeliers in every room, and inlay on the floors, among other delightful features. The shape of the home came from the idea that well-being could be influenced by form—and that in an octagonal structure, each room would receive light throughout the day. A fun result of the trip is that I’ve been inspired to design an eight-sided Guide Star for the home. Some images I want to come back to below.

Our other adventure was to find the spot where this picture of my mom was taken. She indicated it was near Lloyd and Scott Streets and I was surprised at the lack of monumental change over four decades. I brought the very same intergenerational sweater for fun in efforts to remake the picture. I’m including it, even though I’m loathe to share my expression, to show we really, really tried. Turns out missing the jungle gym and the pregnant belly matter more than I thought!