"Can I have another Diet Coke?"

How was my day? Oh, thanks for asking! It was fabulous, actually. I went on a field trip, something I thought I had to give up back in grade school. But no! Not at PwC. The specialized group within the tax department that I work for, International Tax Services (ITS), had a "group outing." I really didn't know what to expect, but it turned out to be a really fun day.

My group is AWESOME. I seriously got so lucky. Most of the group is pretty young and hip. Everyone has been so welcoming to the little intern... it's really the ideal situation.

We started our field trip by all piling into one of the manager's huge soccer mom vans and driving up to Presidio. Now, if you don't know what that is, I will just say that out of the small percentage of the city I have explored, the Presidio is one of my favorite areas. It is an old military base that has been bought by the State to become a "National Historic Landmark." But it also serves for business and residential purposes, like Lucasfilm, who just moved into the complex. Anyway, it's gorgeous. It is on the northern peninsula of the San Francisco bay, so no matter where you are on this small park you have an amazing view of San Fran while you are surrounded by scattered redwood trees. These pictures don't do it justice.

So first we went bowling. I was reminded how much bowling is NOT my sport. But it's OK--no one noticed; by about 1:00 pm almost everyone had already kicked back a few beers. "Really, Camille?!? Just a Diet Coke??" They stopped asking after a while. By the second game, I was kind of grateful for those beers as everyone became a little loopy (or drunk). It was hilarious! I never thought a bunch of accountants could be so funny and wild, especially at an upscale bowling alley.

Then we went to lunch. We went to this super shwanky restaurant looking over the golden gate bridge. It started off with everyone having a "starter Martini," and me with my third Diet Coke for the day. Then we ordered, which was soon followed by a round of some fancy red wine that I can't pronounce. I had another Diet Coke. Then it was dessert, and everyone had a cup of coffee and some "dessert wine," and I, as you might guess at this point, had another Diet Coke. THEN, we were done. OH WAIT! Joel, the head partner suggests (rather loudly, I must add) "hey! why don't we go to a bar?!" ARE YOU KIDDING?!? These people are drunk, it's 4:00 in the afternoon, and they want to go to a bar?!? Luckily one of the managers had to get some work done, so I jumped at the opportunity to get a ride with him. Whew. Nothing like hanging out with drunk accountants...