First Day: Goodbye, unemployment!

After one graduates college, it is customary for one to look for a job, whether it be for financial purposes, dream/self fulfillment, or any other reason. It may happen right after graduation or even a year or so after; mine happened over 5 months after I graduated. Some of my batchmates started working immediately after graduation, some even before, but by 3 months after graduation, almost all of my friends have already been working for a month or so. This pressured me a bit to start looking for a job. A few days after coming home from a 3 month-long vacation, I stalked design firms online and asked friends if their company or if they know if another firm was hiring. A couple of inquiries later, I sent my resumé to 3 firms and got quick replies from 2 of those. I got offered by both firms after an interview (plus CAD exam) and a couple of exchange of emails. Obviously, I had to make a decision.

I chose the one which was closer to the house because of the faster and cheaper commute. I also chose that firm because of its familiarity; it's located in a city that I kinda grew up in, and that's also the firm where I had my summer internship last year. Being able to hitch a ride in the morning with my siblings, because of it's close proximity to their school, is just an added bonus.

So, how was my first day? It was okay.

Because I knew majority of the people there (after spending a summer with them and all), I skipped the awkward introductory part mandatory in all first days of anything. It was fun to be welcomed back and to see the old/new officemates and friends I've made during that summer. It was exciting to see the old office with its new configurations; it made me very nostalgic, seeing how things have changed. I kept texting my old partner-in-crime, who interned with me at the office, comparing how things are now and how things used to be. It was actually a great day, except...

I was hit with allergies from wearing a blouse which has been untouched from the cabinet for over 3 months. I finished one roll of tissue halfway through the day! Actually, I'm not sure if this is still allergies or if it's already a cold brought about by the rainy weather. If it weren't for my runny nose and teary eyes, it would've been a fantastic day.

Work-wise, I got to work with the commercial side of the company. Last time I was there, I was under the residential group. My experience working under that group was a factor why I chose this firm. As much as I loved working under that group, I also want to try something different; I wanna expand my horizons. In spite of all the horror stories I've heard about that side and what becomes of their workers, I am optimistic that I will persevere, by God's grace. "It all depends on how you'll act and/or react to the projects and situations." - old/new boss

So, that concludes my first day of work. No biggie, but my family has been making a big deal out of me working for the first time. I honestly didn't feel the need to make it that big of a deal, probably because I wasn't feeling the first day jitters (probably because it wasn't really my first day there). But, hey, as long as we get to celebrate it by eating out, then I'll play along.

But, yeh, I'm pretty excited to see how I'll grow and contribute to this company in the coming months. I'm very excited to be one step closer to reaching my dream of becoming an Architect!

Amphibious and Flood-proof Houses

Recently, a wild and crazy monsoon hit the Philippines that was followed by massive flooding in different parts of Metro Manila and nearby provinces. Buildings and houses near rivers or located at low points in the metro received the most devastation. People had to be evacuated or rescued due to severe flooding.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again - Filipino resiliency, optimism, and unity in times of calamity never fail to amaze me. People would gather old clothes, pool money, buy clean water and food for donations and even offer manpower to help out with the relief and rescue operations. You'd see people smiling even after their homes have been flooded. You'd hear stories like, "12,000 prisoners from the Muntinlupa Jail gave up their meals for the day, so the food could be donated to flood victims". Even with the little they have, they were still willing to help out. I am proud of my countrymen for having such spirit and heart.

images from Facebook, compiled by Anton Mercado

However, I was a little surprised and a bit disappointed that after the typhoon Ondoy, which brought similar devastation, the country is still unprepared to avoid such flooding.

Different solutions, such as the ones stated in this article, have been proposed to avoid such devastation; however, due to numerous reasons that I shall not elaborate (just take a guess on what those reasons are), these haven't been fully pursued, or if they were ever pursued, they weren't successful.

I think everyone, including myself, has different ideas on how to solve this problem of devastation brought about by flooding. As an Architecture graduate, I would focus more on the Architecture-related solutions, and one of these is to make houses amphibious and/or flood-proof.

Arch 360-Philippines posted different execution of this idea. Check out their FB page to see what they found, but let me share to you some of my favorites...

Fantastic Flood-Proof House Designed to Break Free & Float

Install hydraulic struts to lift the house from resting level during flood events.
Design and image by Daniel Smith.

Amphibious home (that floats above floods) by Baca Architects

Architect Paulo Alcazaren also posted on his FB account probably the simplest solution of all...

"Here's a 3-minute sketch showing possible required amendments to the national
building code and zoning if people persist in building their houses in vulnerable areas.
Naval architects will be required to sign the construction drawings and documents."

Simple, right? Well, okay, it might not be THAT simple, mainly because of monetary constraints. Retrofitting existing houses or providing such houses to residents in vulnerable areas would cost a lot of money. But, as Architect Paulo Alcazaren said, "... we lose billions anyways every time it floods." So, think of this as an investment and insurance to keep our homes safe from flooding.

Bay Area Adventure: The Last Two and a Half Weeks

Saturday, June 16
My first day in Concord. I woke up to a nice view of the mountain.

Morning View

After breakfast, my (second) cousin and I went walking at Newhall Community Park. The park and its views were amazing. As usual to the parks there, we saw a lot of ducks and geese. We also saw something you won't see everyday in a community park - a snakeskin.

geese

snakeskin

According to the weather forecast, it was going to reach 103° F or 39° C in Concord that day. We headed out to SF in order to enjoy a colder climate and so that the tourist (me) and the kids on summer break could tour the city.

After that SF tour, we bought dinner at In-n-Out. I found out that In-n-Out has a secret menu. My "niece" ordered Neopolitan Shake and Animal Fries (french fries with some sauce, probably mayo and cheese, on top). I didn't get to try the shake, but the fries were pretty good.


Sunday, June 17
We attended my cousin's husband's friend's dad's birthday. The food and the people were mostly Filipinos. It felt like I was back home. Haha! There, I met Architect Noralita Dumlao and her husband. She asked about my professors in UP and talked about her architect son, who was also a professor at DBTC-Mandaluyong.


Monday, June 18
We went grocery shopping at Seafood City. Right outside are Goldilocks, Red Ribbon, Jollibee, a Filipino bakery, LBC, etc. Inside, you would see different Filipino products and Filipinos everywhere - from shoppers to employees and even Sharon Cuneta advertisements. Another made-me-feel-like-home moment. Hahaha!

Tuesday, June 19
Today, I went back to Walnut Creek for just a while. We stopped over at Northgate High School to drop off some books. It made me think, "so this is what a high school campus in the US looks like."

seniors TP-ed the trees

After that, we headed to Heather Farm to inquire about a tennis trainer. Then, we went to my (first) cousin's apartment to pick up some of my things.

In the afternoon, my (second) cousin and her kids played tennis at this park. I tagged along with them and went walking and jogging around the area as they played tennis. While walking around, I came across Pixieland and this park with a pond full of ducks and geese.

Wednesday, June 20
I met up with an old friend (schoolmate, busmate, and neighbor back in high school) in San Francisco. I think it was the first time we've seen each other since high school; around 5 years ago. We went around Westfield mall and around the area, going inside different stores on sale. Later, we decided to walk to Union Square just to check it out. There, I saw Larry Hunt aka the Bucketman performing. It was amusing to watch him perform live, especially since I've watched a friend's documentary on him

Before the Muni closed, we headed to my friend's place in Daly City for a semi-impromptu sleepover. Revelation Night, San Francisco edition! We used to call our after-school gimmicks in the village "Revelation Night".


Thursday, June 21
SF Adventure! Since my friend had work that day, I toured the city by myself. Thanks to the iBart, yelp.com, and wi-fi hot spots around the city, I was able to get around without getting lost.*


Friday, June 22
My batchmates back in the Philippines were having a despedida party for two of our batchmates who were leaving for Singapore on the 25th for work. I was touched that they invited me and another batchmate in Australia to this event, even if it was impossible for us to be there physically. So, I decided to wake up early to catch them online and attend the party via Skype.

despedida boy, thanks for the invite!

cheers!

I toured them around the house, introduced them to my cousin, and showed them the view outside by going outside. It was funny carrying a laptop and talking to it while walking around and outside the house; but, it's alright. It was great seeing my friends back home and hearing their stories of work and others.

while giving them a tour of the house

kwentuhan session

Aside from the batch party, today was Six Flags: Discovery Kingdom day! A separate post will be dedicated for this outing.

(First) cousin came back from the East Coast that day and he met up with us in Six Flags. After Six Flags, we went to another second cousin's house nearby for dinner and a mini-reunion. We were reminiscing/talking about the past reunions and other relatives who have come and gone. After dinner, we went back to Concord, dropped off my (second) cousin and her kids, picked up my things, and headed to Walnut Creek, where I originally stayed when I arrived from the Philippines at the start of the month.


Saturday, June 23
I woke up to my cousin cleaning the apartment; then, he announced that another cousin and his boyfriend, whose birthday was that day, are coming over from LA for Pride Weekend. An hour or so later, they arrive! That evening, we bought a cake for the boyfriend and we met up with cousin's best friend and her boyfriend for dinner at Jack's Restaurant. The food was good and the service was excellent; totally a commendable restaurant.That night, I realized I don't like noisy crowded bars. I prefer intimate gatherings in someone's house. I miss batch parties in batchmates' houses.


Sunday, June 24
We went to the Terrace Room at the Lake Merrit Hotel in Oakland for lunch.



The hotel, which is now used as a senior home, is located in front of Lake Merrit, hence the amazing panoramic view of the lake from the restaurant. Aside from the view, another commendable item would be their bottomless mimosas, simply because they're bottomless.

Cousin's boyfriend and I were analyzing how the Terrace Room seemed like a later addition to the older hotel. We noticed how some balustrades could've been the railings of an originally-open balcony and how the archways could've been windows or french doors that lead to the balcony. We noticed other clues to this claim; but in spite those, I'd say they did a decent job in trying to make the Terrace Room mesh with the original structure.

After lunch, we went to SF just to check it out on Pride Day. We missed the parade, but the party downtown was still ongoing; heck, people were already "partying" on the crowded BART carts.

Because we don't like crowded places, we didn't stay there very long. At least I get to say that I've experienced San Francisco Pride, the largest pride celebration in the country (I think), even if we were just walking around, avoiding... obstacles.

Back in Walnut Creek, we had a peaceful family-like dinner at the apartment.


Monday, June 25
Cousin and his boyfriend left for LA. I think the rest of the day was a bum day for me, because I can't remember what else happened this day...


Tuesday, June 26
Today was shopping for pasalubong for my sisters and mother. I love walking around downtown Walnut Creek. It's like a huge open mall and it's safe to walk around.

Also today, I saw a bluejay, two hummingbirds, and two other fat birds (I'm sorry, I don't know their species) right outside the window.

2 fat birds encircled in yellow, a hummingbird encircled in purple, and an obvious bluejay...
can you spot the other hummingbird in the picture? it's flying around somewhere.

Wednesday, June 27
When I woke up, I got scared as I saw two moving figurines on the window sill. I was laughing so hard when I realized that they were solar-powered figurines of a waving Queen Elizabeth and her corgi that nods its head.

Outside, I saw and heard a noisy squirrel, squeaking for over an hour.

Thursday, June 28
An unmemorable day, since I can't remember again what happened on this day.


Friday, June 29
Another SF Adventure! This time, with my cousin. We went to visit some notable places in the city that I haven't visited yet, such as the Cliff House, the Alamo Square, and the Castro District.*


Saturday, June 30
It was my cousin's friend's birthday, so we went to Tomi for sushi buffet. They had a huge selection of sushi and other food (soup, dumplings, rice, ice cream, cake, etc.) for a relatively cheap price.

That evening, my cousin and I went to watch Keane live at the Fox Theater in Oakland. This calls for another separate post.


Sunday, July 1
As promised, my cousin brought me to the California Academy of Sciences.*

And, today marks one month of my stay here.


Monday, July 2
Bum day. We gave our legs a much needed rest from standing 4-hours two days before and from walking around Cal. Academy for 4-hours the day before.


Tuesday, July 3
I met up with my ninong (godfather) whom I haven't seen in 11 years. He lives in San Jose, but he was near Walnut Creek today because of work. And so, we met up for lunch and did some catching up.

After lunch, I went around downtown again to do some final shopping before I leave Walnut Creek tonight.

That afternoon, we went to SF again because it was free day for most of the museums there.* Admissions in certain SF museums are free every first Tuesdays of the month.

For dinner, we went to my cousin's friend's house in Hayward for some barbecue. And after dinner, we headed off to Concord, at my (second) cousin's house to spend the night with them, as I'm joining them as they travel down south the next day.


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I've been here at the Bay Area for over a month now, and I've fallen in love with this place. I honestly want to stay and live here, but I only have a tourist visa, so I can't do that unless... blah blah blah. It actually saddens me that I'm leaving this place in a few hours, but I'm still excited that I'll be going to SoCal and see other relatives and friends down there.

So... yeh, I'm leaving for SoCal in a few hours. We'll be driving from Concord to LA. I know I should get some sleep, but I'm thinking that I could do that in the car, since it's going to be a 7-hour drive.

Oh, it's the 4th of July today. It'll be the first time I'm "celebrating" this American holiday. I'm also excited about that. Hopefully, we get to see lots of fireworks at another second cousin's place in LA.

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Forgive my late update. I know my posts were supposed to be a weekly basis, but my Fridays and Saturdays have been busy. I promise I'll post the "separate posts" soon.

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* - more details will be in a separate "SF Adventures" post

Walking Tours: Bay Area Adventure - Week 2

Saturday, June 9
My cousin brought me to Lafayette Reservoir so we could burn some carbs before pigging out on chicken and waffles for dinner. However, after than 2.75mi walk, I was too tired to eat, so we didn't get to eat chicken and waffles anymore.

The place is so peaceful and relaxing. The views are spectacular. There are a lot of wildlife there; we saw different species of birds (ducks, canadian geese, crows, etc.), a coyote, and some deer. There are also some mountain lions there, but (thankfully), we didn't get to see one.

finish line after the 2.7mi mark

 Canadian geese that got left behind because of 2 goslings that can't fly yet

The trail we walked on is paved with asphalt. Every few miles, there are drinking fountains, picnic areas, and restrooms. It reminded me of my thesis and my thesis site, LPPCHEA. Oh, the potentials of LPPCHEA...

Sunday, June 10
My second cousin, who lives in Concord with her family, invited my cousin and I over for lunch. And so, we drove off to Concord on a scenic route.

Their house is fairly new and very homey. I admire how there's a foyer upon entering the house. I also like how the kitchen opens up to the sala and dining area.

Although the title says "walking tours", this was one of the days this week wherein I didn't get to walk around. I was pretty much a bum the whole afternoon while my cousin went to do volunteer work at this free clinic.


Monday, June 11
My second cousin and her son decided to drop by Walnut Creek to go shopping. They parked outside the apartment and I brought them to H&M. Thanks to last week's walk around the block and Google Maps and Street View, I was able to take them to the store without us getting lost.


Tuesday, June 12
Another bum day... or so I think. I honestly can't remember what we did this day.


Wednesday, June 13
It was SF Design Week and they had this Open Studio Tour event on the evening of the 13th. I invited two of my friends from church in the Phils, who now live in the area, to accompany me as I visit different design studios in SF. Thankfully, they agreed to join me, so I had companions and tour guides for the evening.

first time to ride the BART by myself

The BART reminded me of the MRT and LRTs back home, just because they're both trains. I kept wishing how the MRT and LRTs back home would be like the BART - how it's so spacious, how it's so organized, how they allow bikes and skateboards on the train, and how it has its own app, the iBART, which shows routes, schedules, and advisories.

It was my first time back in SF since I arrived on its airport around 2 weeks ago. But upon arrival 2 weeks ago, we went straight to Walnut Creek, so I didn't really get to tour the city. So, it was actually my first time to tour the city in 6 years.

We only got to visit 5 studios because the design studios were far from each other; most of our time was spent walking to the different locations around the city. Thank God it was cold in SF; that made walking around much more bearable.

Sadly, I didn't get to take pictures that evening. I think I was too engrossed with the beauty of the city that I forgot to pull out my (cousin's) camera and take pictures.

the only picture I took that evening

After our tour, we had dinner at this Thai place on Folsom called Basil. I was still kinda full from all the free food from the different studios that I only ordered soup. The waiter asked if I wanted to order anything else because what I ordered was just small. But by the end of dinner, I didn't even get to finish my "small" bowl of soup. It reminded me of how different American serving sizes are from the ones at home.

After dinner and after parting with one of our friends, some guy approached us and asked if he could have his picture taken with us. With my other friend being so friendly, she agreed, had our picture taken, and had a little chat with the dude. Americans are so friendly. Apparently, encounters such as this are not unusual here. But, my friend warned me never to agree to something like that when I'm by myself. Haha! Of course! I CAN'T do anything like that, thanks to my Filipino upbringing of never talking to strangers and being snobby while walking/commuting alone. But, I'm trying to change that! I'm still trying to get used to greeting people while walking on the streets.


Thursday, June 14
After yesterday's SF Adventure, I got hyped up to tour the Bay Area more, starting with downtown Walnut Creek. I checked Google Maps for points of interests and the way to get there and back. I didn't have a definite route; I just took note of the POIs and in which direction I was walking towards and I made sure that I would go the opposite direction somewhere along the way.

Walnut Creek Library on the right

in Civic Park

flagpole and gazebo in Civic Park

I remember this bridge from 6 years ago

It was hot outside, but thanks to the dry climate, I didn't sweat as much as I would back home, even if I was already walking for over an hour.


Friday, June 15
Today was the day that my cousin flies off to the East Coast to chaperone his students' field trip. Because I was going to be alone for a week, my second cousin decided to take me in while my cousin is out.

Before bringing me to their home in Concord, I brought my second cousin and her kids to H&M and Forever 21 for shopping. I love how the downtown area is just a walking distance from my cousin's apartment.

H&M was on sale! But, I didn't get to buy anything there because the clothes that I need to buy (those that can be used for work), aren't on sale. I did buy something from Forever21 (yay, new belt and tops for work!), in spite of not being on sale. I might drop by H&M and Forever21 again soon to buy pasalubong for my sisters. Hopefully, they're still on sale when I come back, and/or hopefully, I could find some cheap yet nice clothes for them.


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Two weeks down. I am loving the Bay Area! I can imagine living in Walnut Creek and working in that awesome design firm in San Francisco. Oh, the dream... err, one of the dreams. If only they were hiring; if only they could hire me. 

First week in Northern California

Saturday, June 2
I woke up at around 9am. My cousin and I went grocery shopping to stock up on food. I'd say the best purchase was a tray of huge strawberries.

Forgive me; I'm not used to seeing strawberries as big as these.

The highlights of this day were seeing a bluejay from the dining room window and going to the Art and Wine Festival in Heather Farm Park.

Due to the lack of a good camera, this is the only picture I have of the bluejay.
Spot the tiny blue and white object on the branch by the lower left portion of the picture.

Heather Farm Park is such a pretty place. There were a lot of geese, among other birds and wildlife, there. They were pretty comfortable with people coming near them and taking pictures.

At the festival, there were a lot of food stalls, wine & beer stalls, and of course artists selling their crafts. There were also bouncing castles, a rock climbing wall, and a concert happening right in the middle of the park. I noticed how it's American culture to have such kinds of festivals in parks. It made me jealous that these kinds of festivals aren't as popular in the Philippines; probably coz of the heat, occasional rains, and shortage of well-maintained parks. But, I think it would be pretty cool if there would be a lot of similar festivals back home.


On my first 24 hours here, I was surprised to see the sun still up at 8:30pm; sunset was at around 9pm. Back home, sunset would be at around 6pm; it was already unusual for us if the sun was still up at 6:30pm.


Sunday, June 3
We had to wake up early because we were meeting up with my cousin's friends for today's activities. I woke up at around 5:30am and was surprised to see the sun already up. Back home, 5:30am would still be pretty dark.

We met up with my cousin's friends and we headed out to Suisun to go cherry picking.

I was never really a fan of cherries, so I was a bit hesitant about this activity. But, I have to say, those cherries we picked right off the trees tasted nothing like the cherries that I'm familiar with - the ones in cans and placed on top of ice cream sundaes and banana splits. They actually remind me of sineguelas, in terms of its taste and its seed.

I learned that taking the stems off the cherries would make the cherries rot faster.

After buying our hand-picked cherries, we decided to stop by the Jelly Belly Factory in Fairfield, which is in the same county as the cherry farm.

They have a sample bar, where you can try different flavors of jellybeans; from the official 50 flavors, such as very cherry and lime, to the BeanBoozled flavors, such as barf, centipede, pencil shavings, and toothpaste, which really taste like their namesakes. Aside from jellybeans, they also have other candies, such as peach rings, chocolates, and the classic candy corns, all of which you can also try at the sample bar.

The Jelly Belly Factory has free tours daily from 9am-4pm, but when we were there, the factory wasn't doing any candy production. Cameras are not allowed during the tour; hence, I don't have any pictures of us inside the tour area, above the factory floor.

Part of the tour was showing off artworks made out of Jelly Bely jellybeans. Actually, upon entering the building, you would already see such artworks scattered everywhere.

Fun fact: Jelly Belly beans were the former US President Ronald Reagan's favorite snack.
They were the official snack of the White House during his time in office.

One notable artist was this guy named Peter Rocha, who pioneered the Jelly Belly bean art. I realized then, after watching the video about those art in the tour, that I am not sure with the pronunciation of our last name. Is it ro-CHa or ro-SHa? We might have been mispronouncing our last name for generations.

During the tour, we were given samples of their jellybean in its different stages, from the initial soft jellybean without the outer shell, to the next stage with the unpolished shell, to the final stage with the glossy finish, in order for us to better notice the differences of those stages. At the end of the tour, we were given freebies.

a crayon filled with jellybeans and a sample of energizing jellybeans

After the tour, we headed to Davis to have lunch at my cousin's favorite sushi place, Fuji. It's an eat-all-you-can resto with a sushi-boat bar. My cousins loves that resto because the food tastes pretty good for a sushi buffet and because it's relatively cheaper than all the other Japanese restaurants that he knows.

After walking around the college town of Davis and letting the food digest, we went to Old Sacramento, a state historic park in Sacramento (no, duh).

Most, if not all, of the buildings here are restored historical buildings.

cobblestone walkway

Steamboats on Sacramento River

old and new

It's amusing how they kept (some) modern street objects, such as garbage cans and newspaper dispensers, hidden in wooden boxes to keep up with the old-town theme.

When we got back to my cousin's place at 3:30pm, I was still full from our sushi buffet. I slept as soon as we got inside and woke up at 9pm. After reporting to my family and friends back home until midnight, I went back to sleep and woke up at 9am the next day. Talk about food coma!


Monday-Friday, June 4-8
My weekdays were uneventful. Since my cousin was working during the day, I'd be left alone at the apartment in an unfamiliar territory. I'm afraid to take on an adventure of my own in this city; I don't want to get lost. However, I did walk around the block one afternoon, but the block's quite small as compared to the whole downtown area. But majority of time, I would just watch TV and sleep.

I think the most eventful thing that happened this week was visiting the Walnut Creek Library after eating dinner at The Cheesecake Factory last Tuesday.

A LEED-certified building, the library is said to be
the most expensive civic structure built in the county.

Different artworks are scattered throughout the library

Mural says "Shh!"
(The farther you are from the picture, the better you'd see the image)

Oh, another (significant) event was when we went to Hayward to buy this $100++ special shampoo set at this Korean beauty store. We had a nice chat with the store owner, a Korean, who was shocked to find out that my cousin and I were Filipinos, because all of the Filipinos she knew were small. My cousin jokingly said, "That's why I'm here; they don't want me there!" Haha!

But, that's not the significant event; it's this...

AAAAH! <3 <3 <3

After 6 years, I've finally had another In-n-Out burger! It was our dinner last Thursday, but it felt more like merienda because the sun was still up. I'm still not used to having dinner before sunset.


[EDIT] I just remembered another significant event. It was when my cousin made me drive his car from the In-n-Out in Pleasanton(?) to his apartment in Walnut Creek; my first time to drive on American roads. It was nerve-racking. Driving here is different from driving in Manila; nakaka-culture shock. First off, the speedometers here are in mph as opposed to kph. Although the kph equivalent can stil be seen underneath the mph values, the text is quite tiny. Other differences are how uncrowded the roads are, how fast the cars are, and how sensitive the brakes are. Cars would be going at 50mph (80kph) and would still be able to stop, even without slowing down (as much as the cars at home would). But, I think the most notable difference, for me, is how drivers and pedestrians diligently follow the rules and practice road courtesy (I'm still not used to cars stopping for me as I am about to cross the street).

In spite of it all, I managed to get us back to the apartment safely.

Hm... It was an eventful week after all.[/EDIT]

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So, I've been here for over a week now. Overall, it has been a pretty good week. I can't wait for more adventures to come in this unfamiliar territory. I promise that this coming week, I'd explore the area more.