Trip report
Our trip to San Francisco went something like this:
Thursday
Left work early to head to the MAX line to the airport. Got on the flight to OAK, which wasn't bad and they had complimentary beer. Getting from OAK to our hotel was a bit of a logistical nightmare, since neither of us really knew where it was in relation to the BART station. The folks we were down to see were off to karaoke, which sounded like fun but we were too tired to make it to the hotel and back to the train and then into the city and then back to the train and then back to the hotel. Particularly after no food. So we checked in after stumbling around University Ave., then hit a little college bar for dinner. Cafe Au Coquelet would become a common stop on our trip. I am not sure I recommend stumbling around in a strange city at night while carrying a suitcase.
Friday
Woke up late since many people were at work. The guide in the hotel led us to believe that one of the nearby restaurants had extensive breakfast options, so we tried it out. I think it had recently changed hands so it was OK, if a bit limited. Headed into the city to goof around, walking around various shops before hitting the Apple Store. They actually had iPods on hand, something we cannot get in Portland for love nor money. Decided to check out whether we could cancel our incoming order, since it hadn't shipped (we couldn't), so we left for Maxfield's.
Mrs. GFR visited that bar on her first trip to SF, and so we always make it a point to visit there and have a lovely beverage. That Maxfield Parrish painting above the bar is magnificent, though I am a little surprised that it's just sitting there above a big group of bottles. I'm imagining the spillage, I guess.
Anyway, after the bar we went back to the Apple Store to get a new iPod. Instant gratification is good. I ended up picking the green one, mostly since green has always been one of my favorite colors. As a kid, I ate my M&Ms in a specific order, light brown-dark brown-orange-yellow-green. (This was before red and blue came in to replace one of the browns, obviously.)
After the iPod, we visited Binder and Laws at Stacey's Books, then headed to Oyaji for sushi with the other Junkies. A wonderful time was had by all. For a restaurant that is sorta not open yet, they do a pretty great job.
Tasha is blurry in my hat!
Sushi was followed by more drinks and eating at Casa Pimptastico (home of the world's scariest bathroom wallpaper, which really is The Yellow Wallpaper). Then we eventually stumbled back to BART and to the hotel, where we plugged in the iPod for charging. (I ended up naming it Mini Oa, which may be the geekiest thing I've done in a lifetime of geeking.)
Saturday
Woke up and went to Cafe Au Coquelet for breakfast, then down University Ave to Out of the Closet for warmer clothing. My friend La and her husband Sander picked us up in La Stang (a red, convertible '66 Mustang--a car I've wanted to ride in ever since I first saw a picture of it nearly ten years ago) and we went off to Napa and Sonoma for wine tasting. We hit Trefethen, Andretti, and a couple of other places which I have written down somewhere but cannot remember at the moment. There are few things better than driving in a convertible through fields of growing grapes, except tasting fine wines and cheeses overlooking said fields.
Following a trip to San Rafael to meet Murphy, cat of great reknown, Sander drove us downtown so we could meet Athenais for drinks at the Tonga Room.
Tiki drinks rock.
Once we'd seen the thunderstorm twice, we left the hotel to visit to the Grace Cathedral Labyrinth followed by a quest for dim sum. We had a wonderful time walking through Chinatown and talking. I think I have learned my lesson on Chinatown dim sum, in that I must never ever listen to the people who try to lure me into their restaurant for food. It's never been what it could have been. We were supposed to visit Reveritas for a party, but we were exhausted from our day and turned into pumpkins.
Sunday
Another BART trip to El Cerrito Plaza to meet Junkies for breakfast, which was great. Eggs Benedict at the Cafe Royale. I like a restaurant done in lunch boxes from my childhood. Then we crashed back at Casa Pimptastico as folks moved to their separate parties. Eventually we hit Telegraph Hill in Berkeley, which was a shopping bonanza. Great record stores, some good bookstores, interesting shops on the street. Laws served as an excellent native guide, showing us the good places to get stuff.
After some retail therapy, we went back to Albany to listen to the Patton Oswalt CD that Laws had purchased. It was perhaps the funniest comedy routine that I have ever heard--when I woke up later, I couldn't figure out why I was in so much pain until I realized my abdominal muscles were aching from all the laughing. Had some dinner and generally hung out with folks before heading back to the hotel.
Monday
Woke up, checked out of the hotel, and took the BART to El Cerrito Plaza. Talked for a bit with Mike and Busta, and then off to downtown. Had lunch with Laws, missed meeting Binder, and then had another drink at Maxfield's. (Many of my SF memories involve drinking. I believe I left my liver behind in San Francisco.) Back to Albany, where Mike and I played a lot of Vice City. Eventually we hit BART during rush hour and an Oakland ballgame. OAK is a very weird airport in that none of the gates are that separate, so it ends up being quite loud.
Portland has been raining since our return. SF felt like were sick all the time--hot and cold in succession with no real pattern to it. Dressing in layers helps some but we found we were almost always a little bit out of synch. So far I have not dreamt about work since I've returned, so that's always a good thing.
