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Valentine’s day came early. Best move ever.

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Location: San Francisco, CA
Photo cred: Michelle & Benson
Camera1: Olympus OMD EM5
Lens1: Lumix 20mm f1.7
Lens2: Rokinon 7mm f3.5
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I’m blessed to date a girl who isn’t fixated to celebrating Valentine’s on the actual day. On the day of almost any holiday occasion that presumes a date, all hell breaks loose. Things are pricier, places are busier, and people are angrier. She and I both understand, so we made vday happen a day earlier.

I’m not a romantic, but I do know things won’t be too far when good food’s involved.
[su_heading]Katana-Ya[/su_heading]
For lunch—Ramen.
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Location: 430 Geary, SF
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A small pendant I made her. Gold leaf in a bottle. P2130649 P2130656

Uni Ikura Don + SoYu Ramen—$16.50 P2130658 P2130657 P2130663

Fried chicken, friend dumpling miso ramen—Katana-Ya Ramen $12ish. P2130661 P2130662
The ramen’s pretty bomb, and so are the fried stuff. Delicious meal, decent price, and above all, NO WAIT.

[su_heading]1:52PM[/su_heading]
While we’re around the area, Michelle decided to swing by Sephora—the real-life photoshop shop.
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It’s like virgin having sex, everything’s foreign to me. Never a better time to take selfies. P2130669

[su_heading]2:35PM[/su_heading]
Next destination:
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[su_heading]The Walt Disney Family Museum[/su_heading]
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Location: 104 Montgomery, SF
Hours: 10-6pm Daily, close Tuesdays.
Website.
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Located in San Francisco’s Presidio area, it’s a 40,000-square-foot museum that can take up to 4-5 hours if you’re thorough. Co-founded by Walt’s daughter, Diane Disney Miller, and his grandson, Walter E. D. Miller paying tribute to the great Walt Disney.

This is the absolute highlight of the day. The museum was magnificent, provided many stories and histories that I never knew about.
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Dude, Walt Disney is the cutest baby ever.

The first couple of rooms talk about the early life of Walt and his family. Its entertainment level isn’t high, but informative.
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Things start to pick up around here, when he moved to Hollywood to pursue  a career in arts.
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The first famous creation of Walt Disney isn’t no mouse, it’s a luck rabbit called Oswald. P2130693

The character eventually fell through because Walt got back stabbed by the middle man he’s worked with between him and the film companies. The guy took the art and his staff. What a fucker. On the other hand, if it weren’t for the guy, Mickey Mouse would’ve never realized. The fucker was a blessing in disguise. P2130694
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Very ugly versions of Mickey. P2130699 P2130700 P2130701 P2130703

The characters Walt and his team began to create: P2130708 P2130709 P2130710 P2130711 P2130712 P2130713 P2130714 P2130717 P2130718

In early 1940s, there were two major disasters hitting Walt Disney Studio—the World War and  the strike. P2130719 P2130720 P2130721

Took 3 months to resolve the strike and the animators were back creating campaign for the War.
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Man collect things. I collect art books, cameras, and dust, while Walt collected tiny objects. P2130728P2130729 P2130730

The best room, yet: The development of the Disneyland. P2130733 P2130734 P2130735 P2130740 P2130738 P2130742

Olympic Torch designed by one of the Disney artists. P2130743 P2130744 P2130745

Background story of Epcot—originally known as The Experimental Prototype Community of TomorrowP2130746

In 1966, Walt passed. P2130748

This one’s especially touching. P2130749 P2130750 P2130751 P2130752

Aw, Michelle was still sad about the death of Walt Disney. P2130753

Not anymore. P2130755

The first edition of Mickey. It’s so ugly, I had to get it. P2130756

[su_heading]5:52PM[/su_heading]
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Michelle gave me flowers for vday. P2130771

[su_heading]Amami Sushi[/su_heading]
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Location: 1789 El Camino Real, San Bruno
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Wrapping the day up with a stop here:
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The sashimi were fresh and delicious. Priced on the fair side.
The experience was good until we hit this:
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This is their special of the day—live uni. It was still moving when it was brought to our table.
It’s probably as fresh as it can be, BUT it turned out to be incredibly bitter. We couldn’t even finish the second piece. The hosts were kind enough to cancel the order for us. How unfortunate, the dining experience would’ve been divine. P2130787

[su_heading]Raging Boba[/su_heading]
Last but not least, dessert.
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There goes vday.
May all of you make the best out of Valentine’s. Don’t hurt nobody now.

 

’til next time,
Benson
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