Did That Just Happen

1 week

2 trips to San Francisco

20 hours spent in San Francisco

2 auditions

Too many memories

On Saturday of March 5th, I embarked on my second trip to San Francisco of the week. After Sunday's trip, I thought I would be very organized for this coming trip. I was taking the same exact flights as Sunday and I had planned out what areas I was going to adventure in. My itinerary was set. WELL..... Not exactly.

It all started with an hour delay... that then turned into a three hour delay. I was suppose to be in San Francisco at 10:30 AM. I didn't leave Seattle until 11:40 AM. Luckily, the new season of House of Cards came out on Netflix on Friday. As I crossed off things on my San Francisco itinerary, I added another episode on my airport itinerary.

I get on the flight and all is good. I will get to San Francisco late, but I knew I could see a few things and still do my audition. 

NOT

During my wonderful flight, I woke up from my nap and I was looking in my bag.

WHERE ARE MY BALLET SHOES?!?!?!?!

I kid you not, I had no ballet shoes. To this moment as I write this post, I still have no idea where the ballet shoes are located. 

Yes, Matthew Gattozzi was flying to San Francisco to do a BALLET audition for his career without BALLET shoes. That is not good. I am in my seat trying to not flip out. My mind is freaking the freak out. 

I remembered Rule 61: Breathe.

So I take a few breaths and calm down. I formulate a plan to get shoes when I land in San Francisco. I stay pretty calm on the plane as I wait out the rest of the flight... Yet I was itching to leave that plane.

TOUCHDOWN IN SAN FRANCISCO!

Time to get moving. I landed at 1:30 PM and the audition was at 6 PM. I get off the plane and navigate my way onto the BART which is San Francisco's train system. I got off the train in the Civic Center where my audition was being held. It was 2:45 PM at this point. I needed food and coffee. I check out Philz Coffee because I was told it was pretty amazing. It was. I had an mint mojito iced coffee that was so smooth and great. I bought some goodies for the roomies and then I was off to check out this Vietnamese sandwich shop called Saigon Sandwiches. The store is extremely small with four options for sandwiches. This sandwich was incredible! I do not have much experience, if any, with Vietnamese food, but I do have a lot experience with my taste buds. My taste buds were all about this sandwich.

In terms of being a tourist in San Francisco, it lasted 40 minutes. I walked over to San Francisco Ballet where the audition was being held. I tell them that I do not know where my shoes are and the whole story... or lack of a story. They make some calls, but they can't sell shoes from their supplies. 

WELP, there goes my plan.

It is 4:05 PM and I have no shoes. My mom told me to look up a dance store. There was a dance store 1.5 miles away. At 4:15 PM I start walking fast. I have yet to tell you this one detail. IT IS RAINING A TON. Earlier, my flight was delayed because the wind and rain was crazy. So there I was, being physically abused by the wind and rain as I am in pursuit of some ballet shoes for an audition. I get to the store, to find out my style of shoe is not there. BUMMER. It is like if you trained with NIKE shoes but then day of the marathon you had to run in Adidas shoes. No Bueno. Did I have a choice? No. I sucked it up and I got another style of shoe. I was in and out of the store in seven minutes. I troop it back to the studios drenched. Everything I was wearing reached its saturation point. Some articles are still soaked two days later. 

It is 5:15PM which gave me plenty of time to register and warm up for the audition. 6 PM rolled around with my hair soaking wet and my new shoes feeling a little weird. Nonetheless, Ballet Austin's audition was a success. I felt great in the audition and I honestly I had a ton of fun. I had nothing to lose because my day was a recipe for disaster. I will find out about the audition in the next few weeks... and if anyone from Ballet Austin is reading this, that contract for your company would be pretty sweet!

Once the audition was over I had to head back to Seattle after a rainy, crazy day. I learned one thing this whole day.

DON'T LOSE YOUR BALLET SHOES (RULE 81)!