Vivian Chen Photography

I collect rocks from my travels and save trail maps in a binder that’s bursting at the seams. I’m a sucker for well-told stories, perfectly crafted jokes and good conversation. I prefer meeting friends for hikes rather than for cups of coffee. I’ve filled my home with too many houseplants and like to believe I was a tree in a past life. Cloudy skies are much more interesting to me than clear blue ones. Petrichor and komorebi are two of my favorite words. Once I missed a flight because I was too busy playing with Norwegian ponies and I would do it again in a heartbeat. Fresh mangos, lian-wu and lychees satisfy my sweet tooth and connect me to my motherland as a Taiwanese-American immigrant. My favorite podcast is The Doughboys and I consider myself part of the Burger Brigade. The week I spent backpacking in Yosemite’s High Sierra backcountry left me awe-inspired and humbled by the California wilderness. I live in the San Francisco Bay Area with my husband, our son and calico cat.

If it’s raining, you’ll find me in the redwood forests of the Oakland hills, chasing fog and splashing in puddles. In the winter, I crave road trips to Death Valley along Highway 395 to feel small among desert mountain ranges. I love catching sunrises during morning runs around Lake Merritt and sunsets from wanderings at the Albany Bulb. When I need to clear my mind, I go to the ocean and listen to the waves. Nothing makes me happier than setting out on a hike with no particular destination, camera in hand, letting my heart lead the way.