The Adventure List: The Beginning

I have now lived in San Francisco for almost exactly two years. Two years of painfully high rent (that comes with a stunning view of the Bay Bridge from my bed). Two years of extraordinarily steep hills, every single day (but my ass has never been in better shape). And, ever since I moved in - two flew-right-by years ago - there are some things I keep saying I want to do, but haven't ever made the move to do them.

So, the New Year gave me some inspiration, as it always seems to do. I made a list. (I like lists. A lot, actually.) I made a list of things I wanted to do, places I want to visit, and restaurants I wanted to try in 2011. (Yes, restaurants. Have you been to San Francisco? A new one opens about every five minutes.)

Then, I sent that list to a group of my friends in the area with the following instructions:
1. Read over the list
2. Tell me which ones you want to do
2a. Suggest more!
3. Once I get a final list, I'll email you and set dates

So far, I've gotten a great list together, and even started on some of the things! Haven't decided yet if I'll blog about every single one, but thought I'd start it off with the first thing I checked off my list: the 25 Years of Pixar exhibit at the Oakland Museum of California.

I didn't intend to dive into the list so quickly, but I found out that it was the last weekend, so decided to kickstart the adventure. Amy and I bought tickets for Saturday night and BARTed over to the Lake Merrit station in Oakland. When we got to the museum, it was buzzing, even though it was 6:30 pm. Lots of babies in strollers, kids toddling around, and people like me and Amy feeling 10 years old - in the best way possible. And who wouldn't, surrounded by Woody, Buzz, Nemo, and the rest of the Pixar crew?

There were strictly no cell phones or cameras allowed inside the exhibit, so I don't have anything to show off here. But I can tell you this - I was grinning like you wouldn't believe.

Something got me about the exhibit. I realize it's not "fine art," but I could relate to it on a personal level. We see the finished products on the big screen, and are sucked into the emotions of the story, because they truly are great stories. And sometimes, when we're wrapped up in the plot, we miss the incredible artistry and creativity that goes into these major films. All that was brought out into the open at the exhibit. There were early sketches of characters, colorscripts that show the color schemes of each major scene, sculptures of the characters used for 3D modeling - all kinds of tangible things that have to happen before the computer design of the movie can take place. It made me see some of my old favorite movies in a new light. I saw them as art, instead of a nostalgic guilty pleasure. (The little kids running around squealing "waaalllll-eeeeeee" made for a pretty fun atmosphere, too.)

So, I think it was an excellent start to the 2011 Adventure List. Hopefully I'll keep trying new things, and shedding light on old things. Hope some of you will come along for the ride!