wiener dog + folk dancers = good weekend

The first of two January Bay Area trips happened this past weekend (the second is for my reading at Diesel in Oakland, Jan. 31, 3 p.m.—mark your iPhone or whatever). On Saturday, my college friend Nerissa got married. I teared up predictably the minute the church doors opened onto the aisle. There’s something about seeing someone you’ve known well and for a long time cut and pasted into a big, archetypal ceremony. It’s strange and beautiful, realizing for the first time that archetypal ceremonies might actually apply to your life. (Or not, as I’m pretty sure St. Gabriel Catholic church isn’t doing too many gay weddings these days, but you know what I mean. It was still lovely.)

There’s also something beautiful about taking off your heels after a long day and watching Almost Famous in your pajamas, which is what we did with Jenessa and her boyfriend John when we got back to their place in Oakland.

We started the trip in a similar high-low mode, imagining ourselves in emeralds the size of mandarin oranges at the Cartier exhibit currently at the Legion of Honor, then heading out to Marin to schmooze with Nicole’s wiener dog Lola and play video games.

Lola takes flight.

Me, Lola, Nicole.

Did I mention Nerissa is drop-dead gorgeous even on a bad day?

Stephanie and Mel flash some kind of UCLA gang signs, I think.

Wedding highlight: Filipino folk dancers!

They were sparkly and amazing.

Garter ritual: always better than the bouquet toss.

Kinda sparkly ourselves.