Bean and Budge together again, 20 years later with sabrina bean photography
Sabrina and Sarah, brunette and blonde, best buds, children of the 80′s. Leg warmers, shoulder pads and puffy paint and Kids Incorporated were part of our childhood. “Totally rad man!” Um, no… I still shudder at the thought of my pale teal dress with shoulder pads that made me look like a quarter-back and studs on the front that made me look like I lost a fight with a bedazzler. (Fashion in the 80s is an entire other blog for another day.)
However, I do recall with fond memories of countless slumber parties and birthday parties that even my parents still talk about, when Sarah stole the show at my 50′s themed, 10th birthday party with a fantastic lip-sinched rendition (choreography included) to ”It’s my party and I’ll cry if I want to”.
She brought the house down! (I do have a pictures of this, somewhere. You lucked out Sarah, it’s somewhere in my mom’s house.) 
Her stage presence even at age ten was astonishing. She always knew what she wanted to be when she “grew up“and I admired that about her.
Sarah was my buddy from day one, from Mrs. Dudley’s class in third grade to Mrs. Palmer’s in 6th. We went to a small private school with our graduating class being less than 20 kids.
6th grade class- Sarah and Sabrina...in the middle. I can't believe I put this picture in here.
So when MySpace did finally make its debut I was living in Fresno, CA and she was living in Seattle, Wa. At the time that seemed a ridiculous distance to even contemplate visiting, so for now Myspace was going to reconnect us and it did. She became a Shakespearean actress and was living her dream while I was living mine, owning and operating a business with my sisterand my own photography business.
Fast forward four years when I moved to Portland, Or in 2008. Wow, we were so close now, we had to get together! I had always wanted to see Seattle and she had always wanted to visit Portland. PERFECT! So now that Facebook was in high gear and Myspace was obsolete and we both had “profiles”, we were bound to make this reunion happen.
Fast forward another three years, I’m now leaving Portland to move to Austin, TX.
CRAP!!!
We still haven’t seen each other!! Only 145 miles was keeping us apart. I told Tatiana, incredible graphic designer and amazingly talented artist ( who I love and adore) about this whole debacle of trying to reconnect with my friend of 20 sum plus years and she said “Let’s GO!” “Lets go to Seattle!” ”Lets go see Sarah.”
I have amazing friends!
The lovely and talented Tatiana
It was all arranged. I was going to see my best friend that I hadn’t seen in over 20 years. I was a jumping bean, ask Tatiana. I was so excited to see Sarah AND Seattle at the same time. We drove to Seattle on a beautiful sunny day in July.
My anticipation grew as the Seattle skyline came into view.
Seattle skyline from the car
When we parked the car I actually got butterflies. I was so nervous and excited and overjoyed over what was about to happen. I was gonna see Sarah!!! Happy dance!
We found where she was working, a fantastic wine bar in the heart of downtown seattle, called 106 Pine where she’s the GM. We walked in and I couldn’t believe it, she looked exactly the same, just slightly taller
Our eyes met, she whipped around the counter, both our arms stretched wide we gave each other the biggest hug! Holding and squeezing each other like two little school girls. I’m getting all teary about it, even now. It was like we were in third grade all over again. WOW, 20 years!!! It was both awesome and totally rad!
20 Year Reunion!
“A smile happens in a flash, but its memory can last a lifetime.” My happiness has put the most ridiculous look on my face!
We left 106 Pine after our brief reunion and waited for Sarah to join us after she got off work. We wandered Seattle and found ourselves at the famous Pike Place Market.
Public Market Place.. it was just like I had seen in the movies
I could have taken pictures all day
Everything looked so delicious
Seriously Fresh Seafood!
mmmm... cream puffs
I can see why people love Seattle . A friend once told me that Seattle was like....if L.A and San Francisco had a baby! Spot on Mark... spot on!
Sarah met up with us and showed us around town to some of her favorite spots. We got to hang out one on one and catch up on the last twenty years while sitting in front of a beautiful fountain at the Seattle Center. 
It was like old times…20 years hadn’t changed a thing. It’s kind of fun trying to explain what has happened in your life over the past 20 years, briefly. We laughed about our twenties and shared stories of heartache and happiness in our thirties. Crazy jobs we had worked and stories of our travels made it into our short visit. Talking about old friends we still kept in contact with and friends that we lost along the way. My favorite thing about friends like Sarah is that you can go 20 years and pick up right where you left off. I’m so lucky to have friends like that.
“Truly great friends are hard to find, difficult to leave, and impossible to forget.”
Sarah was even kind enough (I still can’t believe she did this) to treat not just me, but FIVE of my other friends to see the space needle! That is so her! She was always sharing her snacks with me or whatever she had in her lunch, she always shared. She’s always given with her heart. You can tell by her hugs!
“Oh, I love hugging. I wish I was an octopus, so I could hug 10 people at a time!” Drew Barrymore. Meeting Tatiana for the first time.
We headed to the space needle! What a treat! Thank you again Sarah! 
we took the monorail... like Disneyland
The Space Needle is fastened to its foundation with 72 bolts, each 30 feet in length.
Sarah and Sabrina
Tatiana and Michael and me
Gorgeous
It was very breezy up there
Coming down the elevator
another view from the elevator
When our feet touched the earth once again, we wandered back over to Pike street and Post Alley. Tourists must!
smiling Sarah
stunning Sarah
sill in disbelief that it's been 20 years
Post Alley
Sarah then took us to her favorite restaurant with a pale pink door that you would never guess was a restaurant. ironically it’s called the Pink Door. Sarah’s generosity was overflowing as she picked up the tab, again! If you ever get to Austin Sarah, you’re not paying for a thing!
live music while we ate dinner
- “Parting is such sweet sorrow”"There is magic in long-distance friendships. They let you relate to other human beings in a way that goes beyond being physically together and is often more profound.” ~Diana Cortes
This is my friend Sarah. Isn’t she fabulous?!
Borrowed from Sarah's FB page. This is her in Trout Stanley with Balagan Theatre Company in Seattle, WA.
This is Sarah in King Lear, as the role of Regan. Also borrowed from her FB page
I’m so proud of her!
For more pictures from my trip to seattle, visit my FB page.
These are some beautiful photos. Seattle looks amazing.
I have always liked Seattle.
Loved the photos. Real friends are those that no matter how long, when you get together it is like you have been talking all along. Blessings to you.
Thank you Sherry!
The photos are amazing! The photographer is even better!
Such an amazing time and I felt like I rediscovered a friend and made new ones.
You are truly an awe inspiring artist.