One thing that is painfully obvious is that I'm not as young as I used to be. I know, big newsflash on that one. The drive down rather did me in, for some reason. Possibly because I hadn't had much sleep either of the two previous nights. I left Brookings at 5 am, arrived in the city around 1pm, deliberately slowed down because I'd told my friends who own the studio that I would not arrive before noon. They were using the apartment. So, I stopped in Healdsburg for awhile to rest up -- man, has that town changed! The photo above is part of the view from the studio -- so hard to take!
The party was fun, although I was shaky with fatigue and only stayed for about 3 hours. Aside from the hosts, I only knew one person there but it was a good group of interesting folks, mostly advertising types, fittingly. This is the view from their home on Potrero Hill. There is no such thing as a bad view in this City -- I love every square foot of it.
On the other hand, I'm finding that walking the hills is no problem at all -- I think it's easier than when I lived here in my 20s and 30s. I know I'm in better condition now -- I did all my running and cycling and backpacking, etc., after I moved away. Yesterday, I walked up Russian Hill to my old digs, back down, and again up to the studio about five blocks away. No problemo!
I had to force myself out yesterday morning. I was really tired, but was not about to waste a day here. I began walking aimlessly, more or less, partly searching for a likely coffee shop with wireless, partly just scoping it all out with a vague destination of the Buena Vista Cafe for brunch. The studio is located on the lower edges of Russian Hill, in a tantalizing mixed area where Chinatown and North Beach overlap. In no time I was in the heart of North Beach, sussing out restaurants for potential lunches.
On to Fisherman's Wharf, where I partly played tourist then headed toward the BV. I wasn't hungry, but needed sustenance and after all, I've been lusting after this place for a couple of weeks now. As usual, it was packed, but I remembered a small backroom that tourists don't always find, so I found a seat right away and let the waitress know I didn't need a menu. I ordered a Ramos Gin Fizz, Eggs Benedict, and coffee. A Ramos is a fixture in this area, and the BV makes a great one. I guess it's the heavy cream that makes them so good. The coffee was organic and wonderful, and the eggs benedict -- as dreamy as I remembered. Perfectly poached eggs on Canadian bacon and an English muffin, slathered in incredibly good hollandaise sauce. To die for.
Afterwards, I wandered some more along the water and through part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area before heading back to the Wharf for a bit. Then I walked up to Chestnut and Leavenworth, where I lived for some of the best times of my life. Looks as if it's now condos, but at the time my roommate and I had the middle flat, 6 wonderful rooms with great views from each end. We had some parties there, I must say. Perhaps the most memorable was a Halloween costume party where the costumes were as creative as the ad agency people who wore them. Late in the evening a small group of stragglers wandered down the hill to the Buena Vista (me barefoot in a grass skirt and bikini top) where we eventually got thrown out because someone at the bar picked a fight with one of our guys who was wearing an arab headdress. Our claim to fame is that after that, costumes were not allowed in the BV, although thankfully we were not personally banned for life.
The flat was one block away from this. And yes, I hated joining the throngs of tourists to take this photo, but alas..... they didn't mind. Another tale -- one night I'd been in some bar down on Union Street and when I left in my red 240Z I realized I was being followed. I drove up Lombard from the Marina District and as I neared the top of the hill I began to get nervous. I didn't know who these people were or what they wanted. When I reached the top of the hill a Cable Car was bearing down on the intersection so I gunned the Z and barely made it across in front of the Cable Car. From there, I only had a block or so to go and the Cable Car effectively cut off the pursuers. It was a close call! I've also been known to take that Z down this twisty part as fast as possible, late at night. Fun.
The view from the studio is as good at night as in the daylight. Pardon the hand-held camera shot through glass, which is indeed a bit blurry.
This morning, I walked down Taylor Street 5 blocks to this coffee shop -- really steep! And now I have to walk back up to return this computer before heading out for the day. I'm thinking of finding the stairs up Telegraph Hill, which is another nostalgic point for me. Right now, I can't say I have the energy, but I know from yesterday that I feel fine when I'm walking -- it's only when I sit down that I turn to mush.
One thing that is painfully obvious is that I'm not as young as I used to be. I know, big newsflash on that one. The drive down rather did me in, for some reason. Possibly because I hadn't had much sleep either of the two previous nights. I left Brookings at 5 am, arrived in the city around 1pm, deliberately slowed down because I'd told my friends who own the studio that I would not arrive before noon. They were using the apartment. So, I stopped in Healdsburg for awhile to rest up -- man, has that town changed! The photo above is part of the view from the studio -- so hard to take!
The party was fun, although I was shaky with fatigue and only stayed for about 3 hours. Aside from the hosts, I only knew one person there but it was a good group of interesting folks, mostly advertising types, fittingly. This is the view from their home on Potrero Hill. There is no such thing as a bad view in this City -- I love every square foot of it.
On the other hand, I'm finding that walking the hills is no problem at all -- I think it's easier than when I lived here in my 20s and 30s. I know I'm in better condition now -- I did all my running and cycling and backpacking, etc., after I moved away. Yesterday, I walked up Russian Hill to my old digs, back down, and again up to the studio about five blocks away. No problemo!
I had to force myself out yesterday morning. I was really tired, but was not about to waste a day here. I began walking aimlessly, more or less, partly searching for a likely coffee shop with wireless, partly just scoping it all out with a vague destination of the Buena Vista Cafe for brunch. The studio is located on the lower edges of Russian Hill, in a tantalizing mixed area where Chinatown and North Beach overlap. In no time I was in the heart of North Beach, sussing out restaurants for potential lunches.
On to Fisherman's Wharf, where I partly played tourist then headed toward the BV. I wasn't hungry, but needed sustenance and after all, I've been lusting after this place for a couple of weeks now. As usual, it was packed, but I remembered a small backroom that tourists don't always find, so I found a seat right away and let the waitress know I didn't need a menu. I ordered a Ramos Gin Fizz, Eggs Benedict, and coffee. A Ramos is a fixture in this area, and the BV makes a great one. I guess it's the heavy cream that makes them so good. The coffee was organic and wonderful, and the eggs benedict -- as dreamy as I remembered. Perfectly poached eggs on Canadian bacon and an English muffin, slathered in incredibly good hollandaise sauce. To die for.
Afterwards, I wandered some more along the water and through part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area before heading back to the Wharf for a bit. Then I walked up to Chestnut and Leavenworth, where I lived for some of the best times of my life. Looks as if it's now condos, but at the time my roommate and I had the middle flat, 6 wonderful rooms with great views from each end. We had some parties there, I must say. Perhaps the most memorable was a Halloween costume party where the costumes were as creative as the ad agency people who wore them. Late in the evening a small group of stragglers wandered down the hill to the Buena Vista (me barefoot in a grass skirt and bikini top) where we eventually got thrown out because someone at the bar picked a fight with one of our guys who was wearing an arab headdress. Our claim to fame is that after that, costumes were not allowed in the BV, although thankfully we were not personally banned for life.
The flat was one block away from this. And yes, I hated joining the throngs of tourists to take this photo, but alas..... they didn't mind. Another tale -- one night I'd been in some bar down on Union Street and when I left in my red 240Z I realized I was being followed. I drove up Lombard from the Marina District and as I neared the top of the hill I began to get nervous. I didn't know who these people were or what they wanted. When I reached the top of the hill a Cable Car was bearing down on the intersection so I gunned the Z and barely made it across in front of the Cable Car. From there, I only had a block or so to go and the Cable Car effectively cut off the pursuers. It was a close call! I've also been known to take that Z down this twisty part as fast as possible, late at night. Fun.
The view from the studio is as good at night as in the daylight. Pardon the hand-held camera shot through glass, which is indeed a bit blurry.
This morning, I walked down Taylor Street 5 blocks to this coffee shop -- really steep! And now I have to walk back up to return this computer before heading out for the day. I'm thinking of finding the stairs up Telegraph Hill, which is another nostalgic point for me. Right now, I can't say I have the energy, but I know from yesterday that I feel fine when I'm walking -- it's only when I sit down that I turn to mush.
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