Don’t know why I was so tired today… but really, TWO naps? One before the errand run and one after. Maybe I’m tried to rest up for my 24 hours of driving later this week when I head to the Northwest Territories… but first I have to pack for Vancouver and dinner with Helene and the boys tomorrow. Not much to pack considering it’s just one night:
GPS (to see if they have Canada on it’s chip)
WorldMark bag with napkins, oil, basalmic, spices
Bag with butter and Diet Coke
Overnight bag with tiny laptop and a change of clothes
Even a boring dinner… exactly the same as last night.
I probably spent more on this round-trip ticket to San Francisco than I ever have. Though with all the $98 round-trip tickets I’ve gotten, dollar cost averaging makes it look much better. But what can I say, you fly someplace on two weeks’ notice in the middle of summer, you pay through the nose. And it was MUCH CHEAPER than flying to Cairo (Egypt, not Indiana) to visit Moody. He’s in the stats for a 10-week iOS bootcamp.
Flight was on time – but no aisle seat in first on the way down, but nice views from the window. Like the one that explains why I haven’t seen flight landing on runway 2 from my deck…they are rebuilding it.
After dinner we watched The Maltese Falcon – mostly because it was set at Stockton and Bush which is where the condo is, though the exterior shots led me to believe that is was the building across the street that is now a parking garage.
Of course, Moody totally fell asleep, but I watched it to the end. Forgot how much I liked the film.
And right next to the street car line is where I had my sushi fix…well, sushi and oysters on the half shell:
Maru Sushi is the name. Damn tasty! It was a late lunch as I did an “owner education” at 10:30 (was supposed to be noon but they called and moved me up) – one of the most grueling sessions to get the $125 AMEX Gift Card. At least it pays for the two nights lodging even though I’m only using the second unit until 9PM when I need to leave for the airport for my flight home. The one-bedroom unit is nice (had a Studio the first night).
The trip was over way too soon for both of us. Maybe we’ll get to spend some more time together once he is done with school mid-August.
The first night I’m staying just off Union Square and connecting with my buddy, Moody, who I haven’t see in a year.
This is the place that Salamander has booked for his birthday in the spring – though I booked him on the top floor which doesn’t have elevator access – you have to walk the last flight at the back of the building:
These are two places I’m sure he’ll want to check out since he’s a writer:
But he’ll probably spend all his time here:
Or Chinatown:
All are mere blocks from the condo.
Had dinner with Moody at Cesario Brasserie which had a 10% off discount from the condo. Oddly, they didn’t have a full bar, but they did have a Sochu (24% alcohol by volume Korean) Martini. Yes, a Korean-based drink in an Italian Restaurant. I’m a little surprised that two of the restaurants we looked at going to didn’t have a full bar (neither did the Saloon from my last visit).
Moody had the Lasagna, which was massive and “food coma” worthy – I went with the starter of mussels, sopping up all the juice with the bread. Oddly, no food pictures. Guess we were too engaged to get out phones.
He had an early morning, so alas, no sleepover which meant I stayed up late knowing I could sleep in
Got out of the unit just before noon and headed to my usual lunch spot, Maru Sushi:
And my lunch Bento:
Having left my bags at the front desk, my destination after lunch was a KLM pop-up store front…apparently they have just started SFO-AMS direct service – they even had a babe on the corner with signal lights:
And free coffee drinks (and water, and key chains):
And a working business class demonstration – though no entertainment system:
.
A fun way to kill some time before heading back to the condo, picking up the bags and heading to Berkeley on BART.
Tonight’s dinner is a duck/mushroom soup (yum) with a little white wine…nothing fancy, just tasty:
Today’s agenda involves checking our one of our distributors (North Berkeley Imports), picking up a bottle of bubbles while there.
We actually have a customer that calls and picks up her Wine Club curbside – didn’t know other folks did that as well. Nor have I ever seen such a specific time amount on a parking sign:
Then off to The Berkeley Bowl for tonight’s meal – marinated black cod, salad, bread joined by Devon and Alicia.
It was a fun evening – and sadly I have to head to the airport in the morning.
No upgrade to First Class on the way home, I’m 7th down the list – but I do have access to the Singapore Business Class Lounge – I chose my flight specifically to be in the lounge when the noodle bar is open:
Hard not to love this lounge. But alas, I have to fly away – only had an hour to stuff myself before snuggling into Seat 6D.
Maybe next time I’ll get lucky – though the mid-day flight is ALWAYS packed.
Birthday time in Berkeley, California, just not mine. The birthday boy is Lunetta – who is turning an unspecified age. But first, I have to get there, and it’s a morning flight, so this is what I look like in my favorite seat, 1C:
But they wake me up with food – it’s an hour and a half, so it’s the fruit/cheese/cracker plate (with a Seattle Chocolate):
And finally awake by the time I’m at the Oakland airport….
I should have stepped further down to be under the Alaska sign – as that’s my airline of choice.
Lots of plans this trip. Booze shopping (maximum per checked bag is 5 liters, all of which must be under 120 proof), dropping off my passport at the Vietnamese Embassy for a visa for my January trip to visit Sean, and, of course, cooking the birthday boy a birthday dinner of braised lamb shank.
Here is my adventure in pictures….
After a lovely welcome dinner (scallops and a citrus salad prepared by the boys), it was time to get out of bed and get to the Embassy to stand in line, but first I have to get there. BART to the Civic Center exit:
But when I got there – a police involved shooting that shut down many intersections (and most of the Civic Center BART exits):
Walked a handful of block to where traffic was moving and hailed a cab – when I mentioned 1800 California, I’m going to the Vietnamese Embassy – he corrected me, “That is 1700 California, I’m Vietnamese – when are you going?” The Embassy’s Visa Section is on the 8th floor of a random medical building:
But since I was early (they have a LONG lunch from Noon to 2:30), I popped across the street for a Vietnamese snack (Summer Rolls) from Whole Foods:
I was third in line when the Visa Section opened….
Took less than 15 minutes….and $100 – maybe I should have just showed up at SGN (Ho Chi Min airport, though the code is left over from Saigon) with the “invitation letter” and paid the $46 – oh well, less time at the airport in January.
An amusing truck in front of the embassy – modified with tape…
This morning in a moment of clarity I emailed my buddy Moody to see if he was around since he hadn’t been answering text messages – he was, so after I was done at the embassy, I started the zig-zag walk to the Union Square area where he goes to school. It has been years since I’ve walked around San Francisco as a tourist, especially in The Tenderloin. Here are some of my favorite photos:
That would be a bad deal on their part for me as a customer…
And who can’t resist an amusing Chinese restaurant name…
That’s how I like them, Hung Phat. It actually looks like it’s permanently closed with someone living in the space.
Hooked up with Moody at the Powell BART station for the ride to Berkeley for dinner with the boys. It’s good to see him again – last time was in July – way too long!
Tonight’s dinner was BBQ’d Chicken Breasts with a lovely salad.
Wish he could have stayed the night, but it’s a school night for him – damn higher education!
Morning with strata (and egg dish) and a shot of my work desk in Berkeley:
Life is hard on the road (#lifeishard, #unclemarkie, #ontheroadagain) and the birthday dinner is no exception. I did a shopping run of BevMo and the Berkeley Bowl (dangerous place) to get the supplies for the Birthday Meal of Braised Lamb Shanks….first you braise:
Then you boil:
Then you plate:
Then you eat:
My trip ended with a SERIOUSLY early from back from Oakland – at least I was in First coming and now going – easier for me to sleep, especially with a couple of Red Barons (Champagne & Cranberry Juice, also known as a Poinsettia) in me. Odd thing is what I was travelling with – a BBQ that I bought at BevMo because it was $9.95 (plus tax), and a couple of pounds of rabbit meat:
Landed at a little after 11am, so that I could have a quick nap before reporting to the shop at 1:30.
Leave a passing comment »