were nice enough to get me at the airport and take me to a Greek restaurant where I began with this appletini
and then we shifted to a plate of Greek food.
It was fall break week and so a good time to go to California for a trip combining many things. I began in San Diego where Dansyl
were nice enough to get me at the airport and take me to a Greek restaurant where I began with this appletini
and then we shifted to a plate of Greek food.
Next morning, we headed to the Pancake House
having picked up Jane at the bus
and admired the menu
and the specials
as Dansyl were prepared to order their usual
with the regular syrup
and fruity syrup
to accompany the omelettes
and their pecan pancakes
and my banana nut pancakes
along with the salsa that came with my Mexican omelette.
After devouring too much food (which would be a theme for the week)
we headed to the ocean where we parked the car
and noticed the trail
and as we walked, we saw the surfers in the ocean
and the power plant behind
as Dan and Jane finished the walk
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Back at the apartment, we recorded the winners in the pumpkin decorating contest
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before we had a small snack
and eventually headed down to dinner where this appetizer
needed my salad
to come into focus
as Jane got her meal
as did Syl
and Dan
and this was my spaghetti
and these were the shared French fries
which we managed to finish
as Jane
Syl
Dan
and I
worked on our meals and celebrated with ice cream for me
and key lime pie for Dan as the meal was completed.
The next morning, the buffet bar was set with food
and I made this meal
as Jane made this
and we headed off to the airport where we took the departure picture of Jane with Dansyl
and then me with Dansyl.
On the other end, I stayed at the Claremont in Oakland and this was my room
and bathroom.
The next morning I drove across the bay to Palo Alto and met John Little for a cup of coffee before his wife joined him for lunch
as I departed to catch up with Susan Goldman
and then checked into my room at the Crowne Plaza
and used the facilities
before heading off for a cup of coffee with Tom Kessler who was en route to a band concert.
After room service of a pizza, I headed to the airport to meet Suzanne and Ben.
The next morning, we headed down the block to Hobbee's
where Suzanne
chatted with Jacobo
while Ben
and I
got ready for cinnamon tea
and breakfasts of BDBIT (Best Darn Breakfast in Town) for Suzanne and Ben
and huevos rancheros (with the new pumpkin coffee cake) for me.
Next we headed towards the Shoreline for a short nature walk and enjoyed the birds that we saw there.
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and see the basketball memorabilia
and display of scholarship athletes before Ben went to his information session.
Meanwhile, Jacobo and I went to the train station and gathered Sarah and Jane and brought them to this restaurant where Buddha looked down on us
as Jane
Sarah
Jacobo
and I
enjoyed a roll
before my moo shou vegetables came to be served in lettuce caps
and the others enjoyed their meals (of unknown flavor by now).
We gather Suzanne and Ben and bought this brownie to share
which made Ben
Sarah
Jacobo
Suzanne
and Jane smile
as I experimented
until I found the perfect self portrait
and after this drink
was finished by Ben
we headed off to Lois' house
where we had an unfortunate wine bottle drop
the remains of which we had to gather
before admiring their views
and their local owl
after which Jacobo arrived
and we ate
which seemed to engage Suzanne
Jacobo
Sarah
Ben, Gary and Lois
and Jane and me in conversation
as Lois attempted to record the gathering
before we headed to dinner and had a photo session mediated by the waiter.
Friday morning, we drove into San Francisco and parked at Sarah's stopping first to admire the view
and then taking pictures inside her apartment
before we began the tour of her building observing cautions about the deck
and the local gang
and capturing the laundry room
complete with instructions
and their storage area.
Having done so, we headed off to Green's
for lunch
but were distracted by a bit serial adder next door
before Sarah
studied the menu
and we admired the view
as Jane and Suzanne
Sarah and Ben
and I
settled in for salad
and black beans
and a soup that was a soup
a roll
and some ginger beer
while watching this ship rock
before our main courses arrived.
After lunch, we stopped next door at the foundation building a 10,000 year clock
and then walked along the coastline past Alcatraz which we didn't seem to be able to capture in our hands
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en route to Ghirardelli Square
as Jane captured a tree
and we admired a lone swimmer
before recording some history
thinking about the chocolate shop
and watching Kara's cupcakes.
Back at the chocolate shop, we enjoyed the free samples but no more
as we took some photos
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before walking towards Fisherman's wharf and stopping to take some photos with static friends.
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some of which he shared with Suzanne
as the experience made both Ben
and me happy
though we hoped that Suzanne wouldn't take this shirt seriously
as I made a few new friends.
Our next stop was the sourdough baking museum.
Here we admired the local characters including the gambler
the businessman
and the local companies
not to mention Mark Twain
and the person who gave his name to Sarah's street.
We also learned a bit about economics (supply and demand)
before going to bread displays
where we learned that Olive bread
is Jane
and then I learned that I am walnut bread
and so we had bread samples
and after learning the history of the martini
watched the manufacturing process for the bread which we have enjoyed so many times.
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and back up the hill
made our way back to Sarah's apartment and on to our hotel room
with a view of Coit Tower
before I ate my pizza
and admired the ravioli
before we made our way home for the night past this amazing sign
at the Thai restaurant
and then saluted a childhood hero as we left City Lights bookstore and headed to our room.
Next morning, we met again for breakfast
at Cafe Divine
and had our drinks
and then biscuits and gravy for Ben
a bagel for me
Omelettes for Sarah and Suzanne
and waffles for Jane
before the waiter
took our picture
and we recorded the check
and then drove off to Berkeley where we parked the car
and saw this sticker for a cause which didn't win
as Ed appeared fresh from buying a car
and here was the car
and we made our way through the class of 1954 gate
and the dismount zone
and by the campanile
to the boards advertising the graduates in the class of 2010
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even as we admired the statue
and marched into town
past this obligatory phone booth photo (which tells it like it is)
into a store that sold this T shirt
and then to a street merchant selling all manner of tie dyed clothing which Jane admired
as we made our way to the shoe store to get shoes for many of us
and then began our journey back to the car but first stopped to see a wedding gathering
and then a fire hydrant shaped like a bear
and one shaped otherwise
as we made our way to Chez Panisse
where the menus came
and the bread
which kept Jane
Ed
Sarah
Ben
Suzanne
and me going
as beer
cider
and Straus milk came
along with our meals of curious description.
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and coffee
and an ice cream dessert
and some chocolate
to stimulate more attempts to get the etched name in a photo
before the bill came
complete with details
and we took a final photo before heading off.
After a break, we walked down the path past these beautiful plants
into the night
but not after Mark Twain
as we made our way
to the cable car but while waiting learned that Lizzie Just had gotten engaged
and so after recording the sign left from the World Series
and the fare rules
we boarded for our ride (and a last bit of San Francisco sightseeing)
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and the car we passed
before we reached the Japanese restaurant which gave us warnings
and edamame
and dumplings
and left the opportunity to switch glasses so that this was Sarah with Suzanne's
Suzanne with Sarah's
Jane with mine
Sarah with mine
and me with Sarah's
before some of our meal came and we concluded that the rest might never come
and so we began the trek home past this cute sign
and the least of the beat street signs.
On our way tot he airport, we stopped to fill our gas tank
and then took the monorail to our plane where no food was served.
