GOLDEN GATE SING-ALONGS, CURRY COOK-ALONGS, AND SKYE

Vibrams. The crazy shoes that have toes.

I am basically always excited about something new. At that moment, it was my black Vibrams. I wore them everyday for a year, and then had to throw them away because not even I could stand the smell.

One of those days during that Vibram obsessed year, my sister visited me. I was living in San Francisco. I was living in a culty-commune place (another story), so I was eager to plan a lot of outdoor activities. One of them was hiking Muir Woods. I invited my friend Skye (@skylajo) to come with us. I adore Skye. If I had to describe Skye in a word, it would be SMILE. She has one of the prettiest smiles I have ever seen, and something about the energy of her smile makes you want to show yours off to the world.

So, I am in my glory. Muir Woods with my sister, Skye, and my Vibrams.

Traveling to and from Muir woods is in and of itself a treat. On our way home, after hours of the California redwoods blanketing us with perfect balance of sun and shade, we got in the car, and drove home. The sun was setting over the Golden Gate Bridge. It was an unusually hot evening in San Francisco, and we had the windows rolled down, music turned up. And then it happened…a song came on and for some reason, we all just started belting out the words.

“I have died every day waiting for you, darling don’t be afraid I have loved you for a thousand years, I’ll love you for a thousand more.”

I decided we should all take these 4 minutes of musical bliss to manifest the loves of our lives.

“Guys, this is our song. This is the song that is going to bring us the loves of our lives!” Skye smiled. My sister smiled. I smiled. And we all sang. No, we all belted. And danced. And repeated. As we drove across the prettiest bridge in the world, we asked for the most beautiful thing in the world. We asked for love.

That was 9 years ago.

Today, 9 years later, we celebrated Skye’s birthday with a curry cook-along with pro chef friends @howcookingschool, @alanajoyeckhart and family from Napa, to New York, to the Big Island of Hawaii gathered. We cut and cooked pumpkin curry. We sliced and simmered mango chutney. We rolled and flipped garlic Naan (check out the inspiring photos by @alexeckhart and glorious decorating and plating skills of @krissydeangelis).

All from scratch, all afternoon, all together.

Everyone was asked to share a quick story about Skye before we started our feast.

And as I shared the story of the gem of a moment we found on that red golden gate bridge in Northern California, I realized how much has changed in a decade in our worlds.

I don’t have Vibrams anymore. I don’t wear shoes as much as I used to these days. I don’t live in San Francisco anymore. I don’t travel as much as I used to these days. I don’t talk to Skye as much as I used to. People we loved have left us, some way too early. We have left people that loved us, hopefully not too early.

When I got home, I sent my sister these gorgeous photos that Alex Eckhart shot of our meal. She said, Skyeeeee….I love her, and I will never forget that time on the bridge.

My sister will marry the love of her life in 9 months,

I remain hopeful mine is on her way.

I am not sure if Skye has found hers yet.

But I do know this.

Today, as I shared the story, I saw Skye on the screen. And in that second, I was back on that bridge with 3 souls that wanted to find love, that wanted to find something that lasts the test of all time. 3 souls that for one afternoon saw the sun set over the Pacific with the wind in their hair as they looked out over a horizon of hope that one day, they’d share something with someone that is also crazy enough to turn the volume up, sing on a bridge, and look up.

Because life is better when you look up.

Life is better when you have a bright Skye in your life.

To make you sing.

To make you dance.

To make you smile.