Pictures: Click to View.
Usually the end of year process includes 2-3 days of business planning. This year, our team is being integrated into the larger Corporate Training organization, so we did not have to spend the time on this annual rite. However, we also didn't get to have our end-of-year celebration either. As a team we decided to have a dinner at my house and invite a few extras who have joined the team (bonding opportunties) and who have supported the team over the past year. We had cocktails and appetizers before heading down to a movie. Following our film, we headed back to the house for dinner, dessert and a rousing game of bingo. Sadly, I was also aware that a job offer was pending and that this event could be my last with the team. Four days later I got the offer and after many lengthy discussions with Frank, decided that it was an opportunity that was too good to pass and accepted the position. I will miss working with this particular group of people who have been amazing work colleagues but also very close personal friends.
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Sunday, August 20, 2006
Tourist Update (August) - On Vacation
Pictures: Click here to view
Summer is a great time to visit San Francisco, especially if you are in need of a new sweatshirt! My colleagues have gone to Japan, Greece and Turkey and I had stayed home. So, in need of a little break from the city, I decided to take a week off and took a mini-trip to Los Angeles to see friends and got back in time to go with Frank to Las Vegas.
Los Angeles
I don't remember the last time I've driven the beautiful Interstate 5 but I think it was more of a mental block than anything else. There is something to be said when you can spend the night for less than it costs to fill my Ford Focus. I paid an average of $3.47 per gallon. Thank God I also received United Miles. Anyway, I thought I was being clever by cutting over to the 5 via Gilroy but instead of cutting of hours on my commute I got stuck behind a set of semi-trucks who were moving at 5 m.p.h and so what should have taken 30 minutes took nearly 2 hours. Once on the 5 I got to see the remains of the burnt land which smelled quite pleasant compared to the cow manure from the stockyards. By the time I got to the Grapevine it was dark and I had the choice of country, hip-hop or Christian Talk Radio. Am I so liberal that I think that our President calling people Islamic Fascists was wrong? I just don't think it's funny to comment that it's never "Bill" or "Ted" blowing up planes. I have a slight inkling that after Timothy McVey blew up the buildings in Oklahoma if someone said he was a Christian fascist, the same talk show hosts would be up in arms. I could be wrong.
My first stop was at Etan's in LA. MapQuest is great but the people who put up the signs in around the city have a wicked sense of humor. Let's hide this sign behind a tree. Lights? Why bother. I drove past the Hollywood Bowl, Downtown Hollywood and after numerous phone calls for help found my way to Etan's. In the dark, his complex, complete with a guard station looks quite modern, which having been built in the 40's was not. There are one way roads, round abouts and the street signs are Burnside Circle, Burnside Avenenue and Burnside street. Did I mention that the signs were not really useful while in a car. I found a parking spot and the journey began again ... this time on foot. Several phone calls and visits to the wrong towers I found Etan.
The following day we headed to the Grove for lunch, met Eric and after seeing Little Miss Sunshine went out to West Hollywood for dinner. At the Abbey we spotted our first semi-celebrity, James from the reality show Boy Meets Boy. Had we been more nightowls, we could have seen Jessica Simpson perform Amazing Grace at a club and then grab her boobs. Hmm. Did she know she was in a gay club? Whatever.
The next morning, I said goodbye and headed down to Laguna Niguel to visit James and the girls, Maggie and Bella. We headed to Hamburger Mary's for brunch and then hung out for the day. It was then time to head back to San Francisco and I opted to take the 101 back and while it took longer, views of the ocean were much more scenic and with my iPod now connected to my tape player I had my tunes to sing along to!
Las Vegas
There have been rumors that I was not excited about going to Las Vegas, but that is simply untrue. Now I may have pondered the sanity of going to the desert in the month of August or that LV is the white trash capitol of the world but I was secretly looking forward to it. Besides, it was Frank's birthday and he wanted to go and that was the end of the conversation.
Frank did something I do not have the patience of doing ... getting a hotel room off of Priceline.com. Basically, Priceline enables you to propose a price and if the hotel chooses to accept your bid, you're in! Frank did the magic and we got a room at the Venetian. Classy ... in a Vegas sort of way. The airport was not as bad as we anticipated and the room was great. Huge. And the fact that Frank's friend sent him Elvis glasses only made that much more fun.
Hmm. What did we do? We donated to the casinos and they gave back ... a little. We went to the Canyon Ranch spa and ran into Zeb Atlas. We also had great meals and the Wynn Hotel and saw Le Reve, a water show with people flying in and out of the water. Amazing. We also participated in a focus group and got free tickets to Madame Tousseuds wax museum. Good times. Downtown Las Vegas ... scary, though the Slotto machine was quite addictive. It's like a slot machine and the lotto all in one! After another morning in the sun by the pool, we had to say goodbye to Las Vegas and return to the land of fog. Luckily there was a cooling trend and Las Vegas was only 100 degrees instead of the usual 115!
Celebrity Sightings:
A wax museum is one thing but seeing the real thing is well ... a little thrill; granted it is a little sad to be excited by simply being able to associate images to a living breathing person, but it is a thrill. I would like to add that unlike some nameless friends who went all weak in the knees when it came to meeting Diana Ross (we spoke and she touched me!), I was coy and only positioned myself to force the people I recognized to touch me. Yes, I've touched the Titanic this year and have had a brush with celebrities ... Zeb Atlas and Nick Carter.
Our sighting of Zeb Atlas, Fitness Model (see interview), took place at the Venetian Spa. We were touring the facilities and he was coming down the stairs. The fact that we were using the spa facilities and not the work out facilities might explain the difference in stature, especially since we are about the same height. I suppose he does not hit the buffets when he is visiting Las Vegas. Shame.
Our second sighting was of Nick Carter, one of the members of the boy band, The Backstreet Boys. Nick and I go way back, though I doubt he remembers the 6'3" man standing 6th row center at the concert in San Jose a few years back. Although, I must admit that I stood out amongst the screaming teenage girls. The ushers asked if we, the friend who dragged me along and I, were with a record lable. I wish. Fun concert. Too old for the audience. I can also claim to have hosted the daughter of the man who put the band together in my studio and that we procurred a concert poster for the friend when we were in Sweden, even though there was dubious material attached to it. Anyway, I had been eyeing the white diamond slot machine, which reimbursed us $100 for our time at the Venetian and before we headed to the airport we had to cash in our winnings. In route to the Cashier I spotted someone who looked familiar playing craps. It was Nick Carter, looking a little rough compare to his boy band days. I stood beside him and watched as he placed a $400 bet and lost. As he left the table, he brushed against me. If I was a true friend I would mail the shirt to my friend ... but I opted to wash it instead! As they say, what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. What they don't say is that it is usually your cash that stays behind!
Summer is a great time to visit San Francisco, especially if you are in need of a new sweatshirt! My colleagues have gone to Japan, Greece and Turkey and I had stayed home. So, in need of a little break from the city, I decided to take a week off and took a mini-trip to Los Angeles to see friends and got back in time to go with Frank to Las Vegas.
Los Angeles
I don't remember the last time I've driven the beautiful Interstate 5 but I think it was more of a mental block than anything else. There is something to be said when you can spend the night for less than it costs to fill my Ford Focus. I paid an average of $3.47 per gallon. Thank God I also received United Miles. Anyway, I thought I was being clever by cutting over to the 5 via Gilroy but instead of cutting of hours on my commute I got stuck behind a set of semi-trucks who were moving at 5 m.p.h and so what should have taken 30 minutes took nearly 2 hours. Once on the 5 I got to see the remains of the burnt land which smelled quite pleasant compared to the cow manure from the stockyards. By the time I got to the Grapevine it was dark and I had the choice of country, hip-hop or Christian Talk Radio. Am I so liberal that I think that our President calling people Islamic Fascists was wrong? I just don't think it's funny to comment that it's never "Bill" or "Ted" blowing up planes. I have a slight inkling that after Timothy McVey blew up the buildings in Oklahoma if someone said he was a Christian fascist, the same talk show hosts would be up in arms. I could be wrong.
My first stop was at Etan's in LA. MapQuest is great but the people who put up the signs in around the city have a wicked sense of humor. Let's hide this sign behind a tree. Lights? Why bother. I drove past the Hollywood Bowl, Downtown Hollywood and after numerous phone calls for help found my way to Etan's. In the dark, his complex, complete with a guard station looks quite modern, which having been built in the 40's was not. There are one way roads, round abouts and the street signs are Burnside Circle, Burnside Avenenue and Burnside street. Did I mention that the signs were not really useful while in a car. I found a parking spot and the journey began again ... this time on foot. Several phone calls and visits to the wrong towers I found Etan.
The following day we headed to the Grove for lunch, met Eric and after seeing Little Miss Sunshine went out to West Hollywood for dinner. At the Abbey we spotted our first semi-celebrity, James from the reality show Boy Meets Boy. Had we been more nightowls, we could have seen Jessica Simpson perform Amazing Grace at a club and then grab her boobs. Hmm. Did she know she was in a gay club? Whatever.
The next morning, I said goodbye and headed down to Laguna Niguel to visit James and the girls, Maggie and Bella. We headed to Hamburger Mary's for brunch and then hung out for the day. It was then time to head back to San Francisco and I opted to take the 101 back and while it took longer, views of the ocean were much more scenic and with my iPod now connected to my tape player I had my tunes to sing along to!
Las Vegas
There have been rumors that I was not excited about going to Las Vegas, but that is simply untrue. Now I may have pondered the sanity of going to the desert in the month of August or that LV is the white trash capitol of the world but I was secretly looking forward to it. Besides, it was Frank's birthday and he wanted to go and that was the end of the conversation.
Frank did something I do not have the patience of doing ... getting a hotel room off of Priceline.com. Basically, Priceline enables you to propose a price and if the hotel chooses to accept your bid, you're in! Frank did the magic and we got a room at the Venetian. Classy ... in a Vegas sort of way. The airport was not as bad as we anticipated and the room was great. Huge. And the fact that Frank's friend sent him Elvis glasses only made that much more fun.
Hmm. What did we do? We donated to the casinos and they gave back ... a little. We went to the Canyon Ranch spa and ran into Zeb Atlas. We also had great meals and the Wynn Hotel and saw Le Reve, a water show with people flying in and out of the water. Amazing. We also participated in a focus group and got free tickets to Madame Tousseuds wax museum. Good times. Downtown Las Vegas ... scary, though the Slotto machine was quite addictive. It's like a slot machine and the lotto all in one! After another morning in the sun by the pool, we had to say goodbye to Las Vegas and return to the land of fog. Luckily there was a cooling trend and Las Vegas was only 100 degrees instead of the usual 115!
Celebrity Sightings:
A wax museum is one thing but seeing the real thing is well ... a little thrill; granted it is a little sad to be excited by simply being able to associate images to a living breathing person, but it is a thrill. I would like to add that unlike some nameless friends who went all weak in the knees when it came to meeting Diana Ross (we spoke and she touched me!), I was coy and only positioned myself to force the people I recognized to touch me. Yes, I've touched the Titanic this year and have had a brush with celebrities ... Zeb Atlas and Nick Carter.
Our sighting of Zeb Atlas, Fitness Model (see interview), took place at the Venetian Spa. We were touring the facilities and he was coming down the stairs. The fact that we were using the spa facilities and not the work out facilities might explain the difference in stature, especially since we are about the same height. I suppose he does not hit the buffets when he is visiting Las Vegas. Shame.
Our second sighting was of Nick Carter, one of the members of the boy band, The Backstreet Boys. Nick and I go way back, though I doubt he remembers the 6'3" man standing 6th row center at the concert in San Jose a few years back. Although, I must admit that I stood out amongst the screaming teenage girls. The ushers asked if we, the friend who dragged me along and I, were with a record lable. I wish. Fun concert. Too old for the audience. I can also claim to have hosted the daughter of the man who put the band together in my studio and that we procurred a concert poster for the friend when we were in Sweden, even though there was dubious material attached to it. Anyway, I had been eyeing the white diamond slot machine, which reimbursed us $100 for our time at the Venetian and before we headed to the airport we had to cash in our winnings. In route to the Cashier I spotted someone who looked familiar playing craps. It was Nick Carter, looking a little rough compare to his boy band days. I stood beside him and watched as he placed a $400 bet and lost. As he left the table, he brushed against me. If I was a true friend I would mail the shirt to my friend ... but I opted to wash it instead! As they say, what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. What they don't say is that it is usually your cash that stays behind!
Monday, August 07, 2006
A Lazy Bear's Perogative
The 15th annual gathering of bears in Guerneville is probably one of joy and trepidation ... like the annual flooding; something that happens and sometimes something good comes out of it (i.e. a boost to the local economy). Frank and I had the opportunity to join in the ursine population North to the lovely town of Guerneville, California. I would describe it as summer camp for adults - there was food, there were bonfires and frolicking at the pool. Basically, a good time was had by all.
We stayed at a friend's cabin and had the opportunity of enjoying a bit of peace and quiet. We took a day off and spent a day at the beach before heading back to the crowds.
We stayed at a friend's cabin and had the opportunity of enjoying a bit of peace and quiet. We took a day off and spent a day at the beach before heading back to the crowds.
Friday, July 21, 2006
A Tourist Update (July)
48 Hours in San Francisco
Pictures: Click here to view.
I like to call it the "Do it before you die" syndrome ... you know, the time when you are on vacation and you never know if and when you'll ever be in that location again, so you create an agenda that should take a six months to do properly and squeeze it into 48 hours (give or take). Some claim that this syndrome is a uniquely American thing and that the "See Seven Countries in Seven Days" only appear to American advertising; aimed at Americans who fear that if they do not have their picture holding up the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the world as we know it will end. They get the picture, though in reality all they did was pile off of a bus, pose for the picture, buy a postcard, purchase the LTOP vibrator (it is for the neck after hours the long hours on the bus straining to see the sights fly by at 65 mph!), and then got back on the bus for the overnight drive to the Swiss Alps where they will unload, blow on a horn, take another picture and fall asleep dreaming of Heidi.
The funny thing is, at least for me, we did not have any plans for the weekend other than to take a bike ride. Hmm. Here's the agenda. See if you can keep up.
Pictures: Click here to view.
I like to call it the "Do it before you die" syndrome ... you know, the time when you are on vacation and you never know if and when you'll ever be in that location again, so you create an agenda that should take a six months to do properly and squeeze it into 48 hours (give or take). Some claim that this syndrome is a uniquely American thing and that the "See Seven Countries in Seven Days" only appear to American advertising; aimed at Americans who fear that if they do not have their picture holding up the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the world as we know it will end. They get the picture, though in reality all they did was pile off of a bus, pose for the picture, buy a postcard, purchase the LTOP vibrator (it is for the neck after hours the long hours on the bus straining to see the sights fly by at 65 mph!), and then got back on the bus for the overnight drive to the Swiss Alps where they will unload, blow on a horn, take another picture and fall asleep dreaming of Heidi.
The funny thing is, at least for me, we did not have any plans for the weekend other than to take a bike ride. Hmm. Here's the agenda. See if you can keep up.
Friday Night
- Start with a lovely 3 course Chinese Dinner (i.e. potstickers, entree and a fortune cookie)
- Travel by high speed rail (i.e. underground public transportation)
- Pass City Hall and the exciting upcoming 6th St. Corridor (i.e. be careful of crazy street people, strip clubs and crack whores)
- Attend a concert at San Francisco's historic Warfield Theater and receive a one-of-kind poster (i.e. Kathy Griffin - stand up comedian and co-star of "Suddenly Susan")
- Take an after-show stroll through San Francisco's Theater district and take a coach back to your evening's accommodations. (i.e. a MUNI bus packed with crazies on a Saturday night)
Saturday
- Ride the Historic "F" line down Market Street past the Mint, City Hall, and the cable cars
- Sample your way through the culinary selections at the renovated Ferry Building
- Literally touch the Titanic and an ice burg at the Titanic Exhibition, then reflect upon the experience near the cascading Martin Luther King memorial fountain
- Shop in San Francisco's premier Union Square or head home for a little R&R before a night of theater
- Attend dress rehearsal of A Chorus Line, the exclusive pre-Broadway show
Sunday
- Load up and head to Ocean Beach, home of the Cliff House, the Beach House and the world famous windmills
- Strap on a helmet, straddle your bicycle and wave at the ocean as you ride along the Great highway
- See the SF Zoo, home of the new African Safari, then make your way around Lake Merced
- Take a walking tour to Dotties Blue Cup Diner for breakfast before going to a Giant's Ball Game at AT&T Park
- Watch 12 innings and see San Francisco lose to San Diego in front of 42,000 people
- Grab a quick bite to eat, then attend a movie at one of San Francisco's movie palaces, AMC's 1000 Van Ness
This is a full weekend for anyone. But Frank and I are troopers and can handle the scheduling, though by Monday neither of us will be wanting to go to work. Let's start with Friday night.
Friday Night
I hate to impose on my friends but after viewing Kathy Griffin's Life on the D List season 1 and 2, we were very excited to have the opportunity to see her in person. If you do not recall who she is, check out Kathy's website. Apparently a lot of other people were excited as well, because the concert sold out faster than her mother could say Jesus H (you know who I'm referring to). We heard that due to strong sales a second show was scheduled and we quickly went online to get tickets and again tickets were gone. Sold out. Not available. Frank asked me to ask a friend who knows Kathy whether he might have a connection to tickets. He did and we were front row center of the balcony with other promoter people. Granted we had to pay but we had probably some of the best seats in the house.
Now, I've been to the Warfield Theater probably twice in my life. The first time was to see Tears for Fears back in the 90's. This was at a time when the group was about to break up and everyone in the audience brought sunflowers to wave. I understand why they did it but I was a little pissy by the fact that my view was continuously blocked by some fat chick waving this thing in my face. The second time I went to the Warfeild was to see Dido back in 2000. We were on the floor and other than sore feet really had a good time. I had forgotten that the former stage theater is basically a concert venue and for some reason they sell nachos and other limited food items which seem out of place in a venue that still clings to some of the grandeur of the past.
Anyway, we did not know if we would have tickets (the fear of Will Call), how much they actually cost, or where the seats were located, but we had tickets and that's all that mattered! We didn't have to pay the Ticketmaster surcharge and well I already described the location of the seats. Fabulous. I also got to sit next to a couple who obviously had connections and probably got to go backstage, since a woman came talked about what to do after the concert. They were nice but kept asking questions, which by itself is not an issue ... but they had been making friends with the bar tender and there is something unpleasant about getting a second-hand buzz from the breath of a person seated next to you. Was it a martini? Long Island ice tea? Cosmo? or a combination of the three. I can only say I was thankful that it was not beer.
It is amazing how censored the shows are on television. We've seen Kathy's concerts on Bravo, watched the television show (nominated for an Emmy this year) and quickly discovered, that she has quite the mouth on her; a very funny mouth but one that would make my mother blush, if you know what I mean. Anyway, on her show, the film crew followed her to Iraq. Kathy and a couple of other comedians went to perform for the troops. Prior to going, the army sent Kathy a letter with information on what was appropriate and what was not. Here is a clip (I did not film this) of her reviewing the letter, an uncensored segment that was not seen on the show:
On Saturday morning, Miss Kitty needed to receive her subQ shot and since we were meeting Etan at the Ferry Building for brunch, it would be easier if we stayed at my house. This seems like a simple thing to accomplish but, being San Francisco, it also entails close contact with the crazies who's entertainment dollars are spent on a bottles of cheap wine and a cruise around the city on public transportation.
As mentioned, the Warfield is in an area of the city that is still "upcoming" (i.e. not safe after 11:00). In true herd mentality we exited the theater onto the streets and nice, bathed people transitioned into street prostitutes (or a band of high school girls in skimpy outfits waiting for their tour bus on a street corner with a scary chaperone), homeless people and club goers heading out. We waited for the bus and finally got on one. It was packed. We jumped to the back of the bus and quickly realized that not only were we packed on a bus with people of questionable hygiene, we were also in the under 25 group of Argentine tourists who were not only listening to their ipod in a group but singing to Shakira's Hips don't lie and dancing.
Public entertainment is all well and good, but it should be entertaining. The girls were singing along unaware of the fact that they were not in key and knocking people about while shaking their booties. The bus grumblers became more vocal, starting to shout that "THAT IS ENOUGH!" which of course was not heard by the iPod singer/dancers. At Van Ness, a lovely women whose hair was a natural fire engine red (faded) states as she grabbed the pole that she knows the song and can dance to anything if she has a pole to hang on to. I make the assumption that she just got off work from one of our gentlemen's clubs ... and I can only hope that the club has fantasy lighting because in the harsh light of MUNI, it was NOT pretty. The Argentine's got a picture with the stripper and then jumped off of the bus, causing the grumblers to state that it felt like the longest bus ride ever. I have to agree. We got back to my place and after a good night's sleep were ready to conquer another 24 hours in the lovely city of San Francisco.
Saturday
Saturday morning is a great time of day to head down to the Ferry Building, although the popularity of the location is really growing. It is a great location to people watch and enjoy munching on tasty little brunch items. John and Etan were waiting for us as we jumped off of the "F" Line. We started our meal with sausage-on-a-stick and then I enjoyed 5-spice chicken from Slanted Door. Etan twisted our arms to get in the gelato line before we headed out to wander the farmer's market.
It was then time to head to the Titanic Artifact Exhibition. We made a quick stop by Beard Papa to try one of the cream puffs that are all the rage. Odd. Sweet. I'll be happy to take people to try, though I'm not sure what the thrill is, nor why they would stand in line for more that 30 minutes to have cream ooze on on their faces.
The Titanic Artifact Exhibit is interesting and when you walk in the first hallway, you receive a card with the name of a passenger. I was third class passenger and a Swede. I also drowned. Apparently the Swedes did not make it to the boats ... we were down in the bowels of the boat with Kate and Leonardo. Some of the rooms were interesting, especially the main staircase, the recreation of an ice burg and of course the actual piece of the Titanic which you could stick your finger through a hole and touch. So, I can now state that I have touched the Titanic, touched history, and of course, as a Swede, died.
After a little break, we headed back to my house for a little BBQ and then it was time to follow up the singular steak sensation with the opportunity of seeing the pre-Broadway engagement of A Chorus Line. For whatever reason, I've not seen the movie, a community theater version ... anything. The closest thing I've seen is a snippet of the iconic song and, of course, various drag queens doing their versions of the Dance 10, Looks 3 (i.e. the Tits and Ass song). Of course, the last drag queen I saw lip synch the song looked emaciated and was UGLY and I mean stop a speeding train ugly and ironically, for a song about getting enhancements ... did not not have either the "T" or the "A" to support the lyrics of the song. Anyway, through Frank's volunteer group we were able to join others for the dress rehearsal (i.e. front row mezzanie ... FREE!). The group of people seated behind us apparently LOVED the show ... we're talking 5 minute standing ovations and deep throated "YEAHS" at different points in the show.
Personally, while I enjoyed the show, I was nervous about the things being hawked up behind me that might land in my hair. I have to ponder how the show lasted as long as it did during its original run since the staging consisted pretty much of a line and a set of mirrors that appeared sporadically throughout the performance. Frank felt that they didn't really do anything new to merit the revival of the show but the music is catchy.
After a fairly unadventurous ride home on MUNI it was time to head to bed, so that we would be prepared for an early bike ride along Ocean Beach.
Sunday
Tourists should try to see some part of the city by bike. I would recommend the Chrissey Field ride, the Golden Gate Bridge to Marin County ride or start at the base of the Cliff House and ride along Ocean Beach and around Lake Merced. This is an area of the city that not many people explore. We met our friend Tom and headed out.
Following a quick shower, we walked to Dotties True Blue Cafe. We joined the crazies for 75 minutes and then enjoyed a Southwestern omelette, a fresh Pecan roll and a lot of really black coffee. But don't take our word for it ... see what Lashonda G said on Yelp.com.
Update 7/11/05: I went back with my boyfriend and had an absolutely great breakfast. I had to bump this one up, from four to five stars. The whole wheat pancakes with a hint of cinammon were melt in your mouth yummy. I don't know what happened but the maple syrup actually tasted good this time?? The french toast could have been soaked in egg a bit longer but my boyfriend's omelette was yummy. He ordered ham and cheese but that was the best damn ham I've tasted in an omelette and found my fork constantly in his plate. The fresh squeezed oj was good and the blueberry yogurt muffin was soft , filled with berries, and quite tasty. I've decided to bring family members here, despite the neighborhood. Best place for breakfast in San Francisco.
This place has great breakfast. I love combination plates, so I ordered the sampler which had french toast, pancakes, eggs, potatoes, and bacon. Everything was great, although I'm not a big fan of maple syrup, so that took away from the breakfast a bit (for me). Everything was very hot and right off the grill, since everything is cooked on a hot grill in front of the bar. I went with the basics but there was a lot of specialty menu items that sounded good. I ordered and received my meal rather quickly, and the waiter was super nice. I rated this place a 4 instead of 5 because of the maple syrup thing, the wait on weekend mornings, the lack of parking in the neighborhood, and the sketchy people EVERYWHERE. The neighborhood is not so great, but you forget about that once you're inside and chowing down."
It was now time to get on MUNI and head to the Giants game. San Francisco played the San Diego Padres and after 12 innings lost 6 to 5. After Dottie's we were not tempted by the culinary options, but when the temperature got hot enough a little Bud Light draft sure hit the spot! It hit the spot three times. The stadium is great and the old ladies who were seated behind us (not in their own seats) tried to convince us to go sit in their seats in the sun! Hell no. I live in San Francisco for a reason and it was to flippin hot this weekend. My seat was in the shade and I was not going to leave. We stayed for 9 innings and then had to leave to get keys to the kitty sitter.
We finished our weekend with a quick bite at Quizno's and a movie at AMC 1000. I can't say I'd recommend Monster House but it was amusing and a little scarey at times.
I know. I know. You ask, "How could they do all this in 48 hours?" With a little planning, anyone can. So? What are you going to do next weekend?
Wanna go for a ride?
It is the countdown to bathing suit season (i.e. the cruise at the beginning of November) and Frank and I are trying to find ways to 1) lose weight and 2) get excercise on the weekend. The solution is to finally get the bikes we've been talking about and promise to take at least one ride each weekend.
Our first trip was to go from my place, over Pacific Heights, down through the Presidio to Chrissey Field. From there we would head to Fort Point turnaround and head back to Van Ness and complete the loop at my house. Along the way we passed our Mayor, Gavin Newsom, getting in to a limo and ran into some of Frank's Under One Roof friends where we determined when the next camping trip at the Russian River would take place. Good times, except Frank thinks I tried to kill by sending him down a steep hill on his first trip. It's not true. He survived and is a better rider because of it. However, for our next ride, we're going to drive to the ocean and take the bike trail along the ocean and then go around Lake Merced.
Pictures: Click to view
Our first trip was to go from my place, over Pacific Heights, down through the Presidio to Chrissey Field. From there we would head to Fort Point turnaround and head back to Van Ness and complete the loop at my house. Along the way we passed our Mayor, Gavin Newsom, getting in to a limo and ran into some of Frank's Under One Roof friends where we determined when the next camping trip at the Russian River would take place. Good times, except Frank thinks I tried to kill by sending him down a steep hill on his first trip. It's not true. He survived and is a better rider because of it. However, for our next ride, we're going to drive to the ocean and take the bike trail along the ocean and then go around Lake Merced.
Pictures: Click to view
An Outrageous Race in Oakland
Pictures: Click here to view.
In the course of only 4 hours, Frank and I saw more of Oakland than either of had in the past five years! Frank and I have joined a new group "SF Couples" and our first event was called the "Outrageous Race." Basically, couples were grouped in to teams and let loose on the city of Oakland.
Team Jerry included myself, Frank and of course Jerry! We raced to Oakland's Fairyland, found preserved duck eggs, located the wolf statue in Jack London Square, meandered through a mausoleum, searched a cemetery and discovered Woodland Amphitheater (Ok, not like Columbus discovering America ... or maybe it was like Columbus discovering America!). We thought we were racing along ... but in the end, we were the last team to arrive back at the host house.
It was a good time and we're looking forward to future events.
In the course of only 4 hours, Frank and I saw more of Oakland than either of had in the past five years! Frank and I have joined a new group "SF Couples" and our first event was called the "Outrageous Race." Basically, couples were grouped in to teams and let loose on the city of Oakland.
Team Jerry included myself, Frank and of course Jerry! We raced to Oakland's Fairyland, found preserved duck eggs, located the wolf statue in Jack London Square, meandered through a mausoleum, searched a cemetery and discovered Woodland Amphitheater (Ok, not like Columbus discovering America ... or maybe it was like Columbus discovering America!). We thought we were racing along ... but in the end, we were the last team to arrive back at the host house.
It was a good time and we're looking forward to future events.
Saturday, July 01, 2006
Fillmore Jazz Festival 2006
I took the bus home and arrived as the streets of the Fillmore were being washed from two days of the annual Jazz Festival. It is a little eerie seeing wet streets empty ... no buses, no cars, nothing but the occasional security guard informing a local that they can't turn left or right. You would think that the security fences would provide a clue, but people still have to ask.
On Saturday, Mark and Avis joined Frank and me for a day of music, food and the hunt for jewelery! The usual crafts people were in attendance as were the margarita vendors (which according to the beer folk were watered down). One of the things that stood out this year was the photography people and the pictures that popped off the canvas. The music was fun and eclectic.
The Sounds of the Fillmore
On Saturday, Mark and Avis joined Frank and me for a day of music, food and the hunt for jewelery! The usual crafts people were in attendance as were the margarita vendors (which according to the beer folk were watered down). One of the things that stood out this year was the photography people and the pictures that popped off the canvas. The music was fun and eclectic.
The Sounds of the Fillmore
Sunday, June 25, 2006
A Tourist Update (June Part II)
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Our Participation
San Francisco in the month of June goes through a mini-transformation. Unlike Chinese New Years or some of the other major festivals, Market Street is lined with large rainbow flags that wave a subtle reminder of a prominent group in San Francisco. There are really three things that you, as a tourist, should try to experience if you are in San Francisco during the month of June: Tranny Shack, Pink Saturday and the Pride Parade & Celebration.
Frank asked why I would include this as part of the "Tourist Update" and all I can say is that if I was a tourist it would have been a week to remember. Here's why.
Our Participation
San Francisco in the month of June goes through a mini-transformation. Unlike Chinese New Years or some of the other major festivals, Market Street is lined with large rainbow flags that wave a subtle reminder of a prominent group in San Francisco. There are really three things that you, as a tourist, should try to experience if you are in San Francisco during the month of June: Tranny Shack, Pink Saturday and the Pride Parade & Celebration.
Tranny Shack
Tranny Shack is a weekly event held at The Stud, a bar located on the corner of 9th and Harrison St. For the truly adventurous, you could plan on dinner at Asia SF, where the hostesses are all gender illusionist's. The "girls" are so good that we had serious debate convincing Pamala that was technically being served by men. I digress. At Tranny Shack there is no question as to how these girls were brought into this world. Which raises the question ... are they trannies? Performers? or drag queens? I'm not sure how to answer, because the show starts at midnight with a rousing rendition of the Muppet Show introduction (it's time to get things started ...) and didn't end until 1:30 (yes, in the morning).
Now why would I recommend Tranny Shack for Pride when it takes place every Tuesday? Good question. Usually for Pride there is a special guest hostess and this year Lady Bunny stayed in New York and Chi Chi Larue filled in her heels and did a great job. She is known for her directoral efforts and can bring down the house with a rousing rendition of "Addicted to Port" to Robert Palmers "Addicted to Love" and commanded the stage as only a overweight man in a dress can do! And while Heklina seemed a bit subdued Diva Dan brought down the house with bad taste in his interpretation of a Missy Eliott song. FUNNY!!!! We ran into Diva Dan at the Pride celebration and a chance to get a picture (though Johnny failed to capture the fact that she is on 6 inch heels!).
Pink Saturday
Pink Saturday is really a "womyn's" day and is typically an event that really starts once the Dyke March arrives. in the Castro. The ladies start at Dolores Park and it true revolutionary style, refuse to request a permit. They, their motor bikes, accolytes and others arrive in the Castro and the party begins. The streets are blocked off and people wander and dance at any of the many outdoor stages that are built. I have to say that standing in line with a straight girl from Sacramento opened my eyes to the fact that the event is changing. Why would a straight couple travel from Sacramento and attend Pink Saturday? Then her friend stumbles out of the port-a-potty and proceeds to conduct a personal rendition of the rainbow flag of diversity by throwing up on the side of the port-a-potty wall. Frank and I decided that at this point ... it was time to go home.
PRIDE Parade & Celebration
My roommate ranks the noise of the Dykes on Bikes that start the Pride celebration (imagine 450 motorcycles racing past) as second only to the sound of the Blue Angels that visit us once a year as well! We missed the gyrls, having opted to enjoy breakfast at Squat & Gobble outdoor in the sun. Unlike last year, the weather played nice and we were appropriately sunscreened and ready to head down to the celebration.
We were not as concerned about seeing the actual parade but I did want to see Leslie Jordan on the main stage (Karen Walker's nemisis from Will & Grace). We jumped on the underground and encountered an entourage of French garb. Hmm. San Francisco. We decided to see more of the parade by walking against the progression. It helps to be over 6 feet tall! We saw our friend Joe, Lesley Jordan, Elvira (why was she in the parade?) the Barbary Coast Cloggers (see video) and walked past the Golden Gate Theater where Rent is going to open (interestingly, the movie Rent was filmed in part across the street!). People watching is always the most fun and once we got to the fundamentalists who were protesting and telling everyone that they were going to hell, we jumped underground and headed back to the Civic Center for the food (meat in a bowl!), ice cream and of course free entertainment.
The Pride Movie
Pride 101
My cousin was having a discussion with her sister and shot me an email inquiring my thoughts on Judy Garland. I wasn't entirely sure as to the motivation behind the question, so provided the following response:
Hmm. I think Judy Garland is dead. Other than that, I don't spend
much time thinking about her. I have, however, met her daughter Liza
Minelli at a CD signing and she seemed pleasant enough. Historically, the
death of Judy Garland was the last straw for some drag queens in New York
City. When the cops came to shut the bar down, the queens rose up (thus
the Stonewall Riots). This is also the reason that June is designated as
"PRIDE" month, because it was when the people rose and said 'we're not going to
take it anymore ... or something along that line.
I was not entirely satisfied with my response so I tried to conduct an informal poll and was not satisfied with the answers. So I went to Wikipedia. What follows is what I call Pride 101.
Pride - a Wikipedia Definition
In June 1969, a group of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people
rioted following a police raid on the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City. The late Miss Sylvia Rivera a transgender rights activist and founding member of both the Gay Liberation Front and the Gay Activists Alliance is credited by many as the first to actually strike back at the police and in doing so, spark the rebellion. The Stonewall riots are generally considered to be the beginning of the modern gay rights movement, as it was the first time in modern history that a significant body of LGBT people resisted arrest. First year anniversary marches organized by other groups were also held in San Francisco and Los Angeles in 1970.
Brenda Howard known as the "Mother of Pride" an early leader of the Gay Liberation Front and Gay Activists Alliance in the early post-Stonewall era coordinated the first month anniversary rally and then the "Christopher Street Gay Liberation Day March" on June 28, 1970 to commemorate the first year anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion. Howard also originated the idea for a week-long series of events around what is now known as Pride Day; this became the first of the extended annual LGBT Pride celebrations that are now held around the world.
In New York and Atlanta the annual day of celebration to commemorate the Stonewall Riot came to be called Gay Liberation Day; in San Francisco and Los Angeles it was called Gay Freedom Day. Both names spread as more and more cities and towns started holding similar celebrations.In the 1980s there was a major cultural shift in the Stonewall Riot
commemorations. The previous loosely organised, bottom-up marches and parades
were taken over by more organised and less radical elements of the gay
community. The marches began dropping "Liberation" and "Freedom" from their
names under pressure from more conservative members of the community, replacing them with the philosophy of "Gay Pride". The Greek lambda symbol and the pink triangle which had been revolutionary symbols of the Gay Liberation Movement were tidied up and incorporated into the Gay Pride, or Pride, movement,
providing some symbolic continuity with it's more radical beginnings.
Opposition
Within the gay community, some reject the notion of gay pride, perceiving therein an undue emphasis on sexual orientation and a lack of discretion and modesty to the
detriment of either public morals or the cause of gay rights; they propose to
soften strident activism in order to better integrate into the mainstream.
Others oppose gay pride on account of its identity politics, which run in
opposition to the ideals of an Enlightened liberal democracy. Many gay people
who are not heavily liberal believe that they are being excluded and ignored in
favor of the identification of gay society with political concepts they do not
agree with. Others see it as depreciative of the identity of the individual;
they say one's sexual orientation should not be one's quintessential defining
characteristic. It is not unusual to see small groups of religious
fundamentalists protesting at gay pride events.
Pride as an acronym: People Rejoicing In Diversity Everywhere
The Rainbow Flag
Color has long played an important role in our community's expression of pride. In Victorian England, for example, the color green was associated with homosexuality. The color purple (or, more accurately, lavender) became popularized as a symbol for pride in the late 1960s - a frequent post-Stonewall catchword for the gay community was "Purple Power". And, of course, there's the pink triangle. Although it was first used in Nazi Germany to identify gay males in concentration camps, the pink triangle only received widespread use as a gay pop icon in the early 1980s. But the most colorful of our symbols is the Rainbow Flag, and its rainbow of colors - red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple - represents the diversity of our community.
The first Rainbow Flag was designed in 1978 by Gilbert Baker, a San Francisco artist, who created the flag in response to a local activist's call for the need of a community symbol. (This was before the pink triangle was popularly used as a symbol of pride.) Using the five-striped "Flag of the Race" as his inspiration, Baker designed a flag with eight stripes: pink, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.
According to Baker, those colors represent:
pink = sexuality
red = life
orange = healing
yellow = sun
green = nature
blue = art
indigo = harmony
violet = spirit.
Baker dyed and sewed the material for the first flag himself - in the true spirit of Betsy Ross.
Baker soon approached San Francisco's Paramount Flag Company about mass producing and selling his "gay flag". Unfortunately, Baker had hand-dyed all the colors, and since the color "hot pink" was not commercially available, mass production of his eight-striped version became impossible. The flag was thus reduced to seven stripes.
Sunday, June 18, 2006
A Tourist Update - June (Part I)
View Pictures: Click here to view
June is Pride month is San Francisco. The rainbow flags wave from light poles lining the entire length of Market Street and the tourists are out in force. Not to judge ... but a little pride goes a long way and next Sunday will be full blown festivities, including the parade and the festival grounds.
This weekend we did a unique double feature for us ... two museums in two cities in one day.
The DeYoung Museum
Michelle, a friend of Frank's from work who calls me "D" (which I like), joined us for the trip. Our first stop was to head over and catch the Arts and Crafts exhibit at the DeYoung. Unfortunately, the museum is still new enough to be really popular and the exhibit is going to close soon. The displays were crowded and the baby's crying. I felt the Miller claustrophobia strike and moved at my own pace through the exhibit. Frank and Michelle took a little longer - then after a trip to the Tower we jumped back in the car and headed to Oakland.
The Oakland Museum of California
If you live on planet earth, you probably know that Disnelyand turned 50 last year. As part of the celebartion a special exhibit is on display. Behind the Magic - 50 years of Disneyland is an interesting exhibit and strangely enough had fewer children than the DeYoung. It was a fun exhibit and the audio tour, along with the pictures made for a good day.
After a quick BBQ dinner in Jack London Square we headed back across the bay.
June is Pride month is San Francisco. The rainbow flags wave from light poles lining the entire length of Market Street and the tourists are out in force. Not to judge ... but a little pride goes a long way and next Sunday will be full blown festivities, including the parade and the festival grounds.
This weekend we did a unique double feature for us ... two museums in two cities in one day.
The DeYoung Museum
Michelle, a friend of Frank's from work who calls me "D" (which I like), joined us for the trip. Our first stop was to head over and catch the Arts and Crafts exhibit at the DeYoung. Unfortunately, the museum is still new enough to be really popular and the exhibit is going to close soon. The displays were crowded and the baby's crying. I felt the Miller claustrophobia strike and moved at my own pace through the exhibit. Frank and Michelle took a little longer - then after a trip to the Tower we jumped back in the car and headed to Oakland.
The Oakland Museum of California
If you live on planet earth, you probably know that Disnelyand turned 50 last year. As part of the celebartion a special exhibit is on display. Behind the Magic - 50 years of Disneyland is an interesting exhibit and strangely enough had fewer children than the DeYoung. It was a fun exhibit and the audio tour, along with the pictures made for a good day.
After a quick BBQ dinner in Jack London Square we headed back across the bay.
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
Walla Walla Revisited - Dad's 70th Birthday
Pictures: Click here to view
Near Death on the bus
Ahh, public transportation, always an adventure and always unexpected. I was supposed to meet Frank down at the Embarcadero with my luggage so we could take BART to Oakland airport. I waited patiently at the corner of Webster and Sacramento. The bus arrived and I paid my $1.50 and sat down on a seat with my legs straddling my bag. I was in one of the seats that face the inside of the bus and was also near the back exit. At this point, I'm mentally checked out, trying not to focus on what I may have or have not forgotten. Then the altercation.
A man tried to enter the bus and claimed to have a transfer. He looked as if he might be one of our special citizens and the bus driver started yelling at him. He would have to produce a transfer or get off of the bus. He has tried to pull this stunt in the past. At this point, the gentleman asked if the driver would apologize if he produced the transfer. Just show me the transfer. And he did. This is where the running dialogue strated. The crazy homeless guy started yelling about disrespect. As a public servent, the bus driver should be more respectful, or so said the crazy guy. Of course, it was a runing dialogue with the word "MotherF*****" every other word. The bus continued over cathedral hill and up nob hill.
About the time we were going to start down the hill into China Town, an older Italian guy gets on the bus and sits in the empty seat across from me and in front of the crazy guy. Our friend is still ranting and the Italian guy tells him to shut up. The crazy guy asks him what he's going to do make him stop.
Near Death on the bus
Ahh, public transportation, always an adventure and always unexpected. I was supposed to meet Frank down at the Embarcadero with my luggage so we could take BART to Oakland airport. I waited patiently at the corner of Webster and Sacramento. The bus arrived and I paid my $1.50 and sat down on a seat with my legs straddling my bag. I was in one of the seats that face the inside of the bus and was also near the back exit. At this point, I'm mentally checked out, trying not to focus on what I may have or have not forgotten. Then the altercation.
A man tried to enter the bus and claimed to have a transfer. He looked as if he might be one of our special citizens and the bus driver started yelling at him. He would have to produce a transfer or get off of the bus. He has tried to pull this stunt in the past. At this point, the gentleman asked if the driver would apologize if he produced the transfer. Just show me the transfer. And he did. This is where the running dialogue strated. The crazy homeless guy started yelling about disrespect. As a public servent, the bus driver should be more respectful, or so said the crazy guy. Of course, it was a runing dialogue with the word "MotherF*****" every other word. The bus continued over cathedral hill and up nob hill.
About the time we were going to start down the hill into China Town, an older Italian guy gets on the bus and sits in the empty seat across from me and in front of the crazy guy. Our friend is still ranting and the Italian guy tells him to shut up. The crazy guy asks him what he's going to do make him stop.
"Are you going to hit me?
"I'll hit you, you dumb MotherF**** if you don't shut up"
At this point the Italian guy stands up, turns around, grabs the bag of the guy and throws the off the bus. Words are exchanged and the Italian swings at the guy. He stumbles off the bus and at this point the bus driver gets out of his seat and heads to the back. Frank calls.
"How far away are you?"
"I can't talk. There's a fight on the bus."
"Really? Are you taking pictures?"
"People are swinging at each ... I'm not going to take any pictures!"
At this point, the homeless guy jumps back on the bus and swings at the Italian guy, whose head then snaps back and hits the window with a thud. His hat falls off and lands on the floor in front of two Asian school boys, dressed in school uniforms.
"What? You've never seen a man stand up for himself? Stop staring you dumb Motherf****ers."
The Italian guy got off two stops later and in his place sat an older gentleman who smelled like 30 day old urine. The people in the back of the bus started to comment on the fact that the Italian guy should not have engaged in a dialogue with the crazy guy who was obviously not all together in the all together. Me? I was thankful to get off the bus unscathed and to get on BART and head back to the sane world of Walla Walla.
Silverwood
Silverwood is a small amusment park in Idaho outside of Spokane, WA. Frank and I flew Southwest airlines to Spokane and spent the night at my cousin Wally's. He and his son showed no mercy and whipped us at Yatzee! The next morning, after a unique version of the Dutch Baby, we met Mom and Dad and Julie and her family. It is a small park that was originally built around a train and old airplanes. The midway area of the park has expanded to include two great wooden rollercoasters and a few fun water rides. Considering the age and the height limits, it was a good day.
Silverwood is a small amusment park in Idaho outside of Spokane, WA. Frank and I flew Southwest airlines to Spokane and spent the night at my cousin Wally's. He and his son showed no mercy and whipped us at Yatzee! The next morning, after a unique version of the Dutch Baby, we met Mom and Dad and Julie and her family. It is a small park that was originally built around a train and old airplanes. The midway area of the park has expanded to include two great wooden rollercoasters and a few fun water rides. Considering the age and the height limits, it was a good day.
The following day, I got to pull Uncle duty and played in the water park before heading to Walla Walla for Dad's birthday party.
Dad's Birthday
Walla Walla is always an odd thing to experience as an adult. In many ways, it is the home of my youth and everything is very familiar. Now when I visit I see people with kids who are the age I was when I lived there. Of course, it doesn't help when your father is turning 70! I can remember when Dad was my age and 70 was a long ways away! Crazy. We had a good time with friends at a Mexican restaurant and then a family picnic on Saturday. Good times., especially when they came in and put the Sombrero on his head.
A Little History Tour of Walla Walla
Growing up in Walla Walla meant long bike rides out on the country roads. Bikes eventually changed to scooters and motorcycles, but some of the destinations remained the same. Fort Walla Walla is one of the destinations that is fun to visit and since it was Louis and Clark days the museum had special live performers, though Frank and I could not figure out how anyone would confuse the short puffy-haired blond women with glasses as Sacajewa.
Another destination that holds many memories is the Whitman Mission National park. Frank and I took the girls out for a walk after a movie and Taylor took an opportunity to lie down where Narcissa Whitman was shot. Then we walked on the Oregon Trail and decided that we were not fit enough to travel by foot 5 - 25 miles a day. Trying to wow the girls, I tried to boast about working with the guy who wrote the book for Version II of the Oregon Trail software. They are past the age where this has any meaning to them. Oh well. It was good to walk the trails again and I was glad that I could show Frank a few more sights.
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