UMTravels

Nothing like a little roll in the hay to send you off into vacation land — with less sleep than I’d like.

This evenings report is from the charming basement piet a whatever (apartment in a city that you don’t consider home) of Mark and Onyx though only Onyx is in attendance as Mark is in Fort McMurray which is not quite as far north as the DC-3 that I want to take. With me so far?

Great Art Party work in the morning — and yes, go buy a ticket — they need to sell tickets — yes, go buy a ticket. Got the catalog posted in PDF form — 20 megs worth uploaded over a slow EVDO cell phone connection, twice.

Eleven in the morning saw my rescue by Lynne for my morning flight to the Bay Area. The gods smiled on me with lunch in the Board Room for Alaska Airlines and an upgrade to First Class from United for the flight down to San Francisco — and more gods smiling because I’ve secured an upgrade for the return flight as well. These days what an upgrade means is that you get the snack mix and a free cocktail or two. And for you fans (or non-fans) of United, there are precisely two minis of Chivas Regal Scotch in the First Class cabin and one in the rear — which means that once again, I drank an entire plane out of Chivas Regal.

Onyx was (as is) a sweetheart for picking me up at the airport. I’m guessing he won’t be so sweet when it comes to my early return on Monday.

If you have been following posts you know that I haven’t actually fessed up to any of my other friends in the Bay Area that I’m actually here. Most of my previous trips I’ve taken over Mark and Onyx’s house and entertained my friends (and Mark and Onyx) with dinner parties — and they have been wonderful, but I do feel like a roll into town like a tornado and roll out just as quick. This trip has no plans and will unfold as Allah wills.

And what is Allah’s will today? Home for cocktails and then off to pick up Mouse (whom I had a crush on years ago when he had long hair) before heading to the North Beach neighborhood of San Francisco for dinner at Pinnochios— an Italian restaurant.

Tips for finding parking in San Francisco — have the guy in the car who doesn’t own a car go hold a table for you. Everyone else pray for parking. And for us, on the next block after Mouse went to get a table totally worked. The fact that we were seated immediately made up for the crowds waiting to get in.

So Onyx had the veal — and Mouse and went for variations on the pasta, clams, and mussels — I should have gotten the pasta as well, but live and learn. We actually got after dinner drinks and a couple of desserts of which I preferred the poached pears smothered in semi-sweet chocolate — and I’m not even a chocolate fan.

Mouse went off to an Industrial Rock concert, Onyx suggested a movie, and I suggested home (away from home) and bed. A fine evening all the way around, but the hay is calling. Tomorrow there is something about Eldergerry Mead in the works.

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