Paris pre-planning with latte

Dancing Jen and I covered some the basics for our trip yesterday (12
days, October, hotel vs. apt., park sitting, museums, Versailles. coffee,
snoring, one small suitcase, etc.). This will all work out just fine, in
fact it will be magnifique (Fr.).

Dr. Ryan (!) Stone

Yes, Sandra Bullock is an amazing actor and this is an exciting movie
about a woman who goes through an (ahem) difficult experience.
Gravity is well worth seeing and now available from the Flix®. I
really don't know if I could have watched it on the Big Screen because
I sometimes forget that movies aren't REAL and they overwhelm me,
which is what they are designed to do. So at-home is just fine for this flick.

new exhibit at the LOH

Van Gogh when he was sane

Intimate Impressionism has nothing to do with Victoria's Secret. This is a
small show of only 63 pieces from the National Gallery of Art in DC,
I checked out a few last night and deemed it worthy, especially some of
the Bonnards and Rodons. Pop in next time you are out at the ocean, it
doesn't take long and you will be pleased. I guarantee it.

seven in the hills of SF

Forest Hill - need GPS

Dexter

Suzy's birthday tart (thank you, Linda!)

Linda, Suzy and Eric

One of the amazing things about living here for SO long is that there are
always new streets, neighborhoods and places to discover. I had never
really been "in" Forest Hills before, so last night was a fun GPS adventure.
This is Randy's home on Edgehill Way and it is a delight. It's so very
rustic and quiet. Tiapos settled in for a great evening of food, chat and
oh yes, some writing and responses to our work. Again, lucky me.

sweet nabe place

No one knows where the Noeteca name comes from, but we do really like
this little restaurant on Dolores. Last night we met Neti and Frank here
for dinner and it was perfect ~ quiet, great food, reasonable prices and
friendly service. The nightly special was some lovely artichoke gratin...yum.
It reminds me of those tiny French restaurants we all love so much.

not an easy read

I guess the best thing about this novel is that I downloaded it FREE
from the SF Public Library, with Tanya's help, of course. I so love
Jonathan Lethem, but this is slow going. It's all about a group of
Jewish Communists living in Queens back in the 1930's. So you
think it was all about love and harmony? I am working on my "best
of" list of books and Lethem's Motherless Brooklyn is on there.
Dissident Gardens, alas, will not be.

sidewalk etiquette

 I'm a Round Robin writer this week - an opportunity to rant

I REFUSE TO (the prompt)

I've decided that I will no longer let "the roving youth" push me off the sidewalk.
They don't mean to, it's just that they often walk in lines of four and they simply
don't see me. Well, fuck, I've paid taxes in this city longer than they have
and if I bump into one of them, too fucking bad. Why do I have to be the one
who moves to the non-sidewalk, jaggedy curb part to let them pass?

Then we have the monster strollers and baby carriages to contend with.
Suddenly the world should make all sorts of special arrangements just because
a baby has been born? I like to walk on ultra chic 24th Street and that
place is wall-to-wall babies, the solo walker is forced to accommodate the
young families by weaving and bobbing and oh-excuse-me all over
the place while trying to walk here.

I will, of course, do whatever I can for dogs and their walkers. They are truly
special and need friendly hellos and sometimes the gentle ear scratch.
Our city if filled with dogs and I think that is a very good thing. Precita
Park is dog heaven and I sometimes stop on my way home just to sit
and watch them play. Woof.

the truth is stranger...

There are 200 plus paintings by Rudolf Bauer in the basement of the
Guggenheim Museum. Currently there are some at Weinstein Gallery
in SF and we'll be going to see those soon. But yesterday we saw this
amazing one act play at the SF Playhouse. The best review is over there
on the right (SF Theater Blog) and we were thrilled to learn that lock-stock-
and-easels the three great actors and the entire set will be heading to NYC in
September to perform there. This theater company is making us proud...

a day to relax

I did see one or two displays at the Bouquets to Art yesterday and I
liked this woman with the flowers in her tummy. Last night we watched
The Shipping News (streamed on the Flix®) thanks to the Great
Plotnik who also loved the movie and the book. Today - downtown
to the theater and some walkin' around town.

four women, two girlies

Flora and Lucybelle

Ruby and spotted puppy

Ruby eyes Flora

It's amazing how quickly these lunches up at Progressive have become
such an important part of my life. We do, of course, still talk about
the museums, but so much more is going on in our lives that we don't
dwell on the gossip...too much. I walk to/fro and that is also a delight.

belated, understated and quite nice

Because of Spring Training we could not have our traditional O'bash for
St. Pat, so we celebrated last night wih the O'Plotties and we had a truly
lovely evening. In a way it was better because we had time for some
catch-up and less running around trying to be the perfectionists that
we definitely are not in everyday life. Today I meet the x-FAM females
for lunch and news (which just might border on gossip).

the bloom is off the rose

The first time I saw BTA at the deYoung I was enthralled ~ all those
beautiful floral creations that mirror the art. Yesterday I didn't even go
to see the exhibits, I just strapped myself to a cash register and went to
work. Every year more people come to see this and it's a huge money
maker for the museum. I go back there on Saturday and maybe, just
maybe, I'll take a look at an exhibit or two, but then again, maybe not.
Who is jaded?

a bleak NY winter

...this one is back in the 1960's. I wouldn't watch Inside Llewyn Davis
until someone assured me that the orange cat is OK at the end. This is
one strange Coen Brothers film with some humor and some sorrow.
Llewyn is not exactly a lovable struggling folk singer character. but
there are quite a few surprises that make this worth seeing. The music
is wonderful, in my tin ear opinion. From the Flix®.

Scottsdale - the review

outdoor eating and endless lattes

see you next year!

When I catch my breath I will make notes for next year. The top photo is
the garden at the otherwise rather funky Mexican restaurant where we
had tacos on Saturday night, the one across from Poisoned Pen. That's
a definite "go back to" spot. On Sunday night we had dinner at Tommy V's,
just like we did two years ago. Again, sitting outside, but we ordered
waaaaaaaaaay too much and we hate wasting food. The waitress said
they don't allow the homeless in Scottsdale, but they exist in other nearby
cities ~ that made swallowing even more difficult. Next year we split
the entree and maybe even a salad. I like having the blog as a reference
tool when I travel to places I've been before. Oh yes, the Sunday game.
We lost. GREAT seats in the shade right behind home plate, that and a
bag of kettle corn were among the highlights (and there were many).
And just for the record, sleeping in my very own bed was so truly
wonderful last night. I'm refreshed and ready for work. Sort of.

it's a wrap

blogger turns back on murky canal

trolley is free and fun (honest)

Sooooo nice to get home. Just walking out of the BART station at 24th and
Mission after being in Scottsdale, airplanes, airports ~ oh, our air is so
very wonderful. It was a fine trip, just long enough. We didn't sleep so
great last night, so I'm heading for a nap. I will write some more notes
tomorrow before work out at the LOH. I can do it, yes I can...

Scottsdale Day #2

I'm still not used to posting to the blog from this mini MsPad, but it is sure easier than bringing the laptop. Up early this morning to print our boarding passes for tomorrow and then to write the Blogmaid  and reflect on our nice yesterday here. We took a leisurely walk after the Comfort Suite breakfast, and why can't they provide more fresh fruit? Stopped at the Poisoned Pen bookstore, happy to see that it is still in business! Ginger bought some Cara Black mysteries for her trip to Paris next week. Then we had our lattes and sweets (photo) at Paradise, and it did seem like a slice of that, to us.

We walked some more and came home to get ready for the game. We sat in the shade, better seats but a worse game, we lost to the A's and they are always tough and our pitching wasn't up to snuff.

Our only snack was peanuts so we were getting hungry and left in the 8th inning to head over to a lovely and inexpensive Mexican restaurant across from the Poisoned Pen - delightful outdoor seating and okay food. 

Early home for some showers, reading, Sleepy Tea and talk to Husbando who took himself to lunch at Tadich's yesterday, running into the St. Patrick's Parade and all that entails. But he was in a good mood, enjoying his solitude.

Our game today is at 1pm and we play the Cleveland Indians. Three games in a row is just about the right amount. So very nice not to rent a car and deal with parking and traffic on this trip. 

Scottsdale Day #1

hot dogs in the Mission

South of the Border-style on 22nd Street near Bartlett. Michael Bauer,
the food critic for the Chronny, says it's not the big, expensive restaurants
that define a great city, it's the small neighborhood places that try
new, fun dishes. That was our yummy lunch yesterday. Now I'm
packed and ready to go, fell asleep listening to Jon Miller and our
Giants. Today I'll be laughing and chatting with Ginger as we check
out the team in the sunshine in Scottsdale.

learning, packing, reading

The morning started with latte/bagels and a Tanya tutorial on how to get
to the SF library site for FREE books for my LindaKindle2. Ruby helped, but
she is recovering from a cold and was not as 100% cute as usual, so a photo
of her will have to wait. My library card had expired ~ I took care of that
after the midday meal ~ you can see the lunch pix tomorrow early (before
the Super Shuttle arrives to pick me up around 5am). In the meantime,
very light packing for Arizona and reading The Circle by Eggers. I'm such
a fan of his, ever since A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius which
was published in 2000. Anyway, this novel is about a new hire at an Apple
or Google-like company and so far, so good. Her name is Mae and she
grew up in Fresno, kayaks in her spare time and the plot thickens...

so long Season Two

Every hour long episode is exciting, dramatic and so very draining.
Last night we watched #13 of House of Cards and it was terrific,
as always. Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright are so perfect together
and now we all need a good long time away from Washington, DC ~
time to take some deep breaths and long walks in the sunshine.
Powerful stuff.

Georgia and Lake George

I've only been through the O'Keefe exhibit once and need to go back a few
more times. It is at the deYoung through May 11th, and it's one of those
shows where people travel from all over to see the work. How fortunate are we?
The above oil on canvas (Lake George, 1922) is probably my favorite,
but I need some alone time to just breathe and stare at this exhibition of
53 paintings and sketches. Highly recommended!

good reasons

...to be nice to our neighors.

girlz in the hood

your blogger, Flora and Lucybelle

Tanya and Frances

I am the only one in this group still working at the museums. Me, the
oldest and laziest. But it just shows me how lucky I have been in my
work life to find such wonderful forever friends. We met last Friday
at Progressive up on Cortland. Unfortunately Ruby had a previous
nap-related engagement, but I hope to see her this week.

our day

Sometimes it's still difficult to remember that we are AT LEAST 50% of
the population. Why-oh-why doesn't this fact show up in every government
and every board room in the world? And yet, we persevere - we are so
much stronger than we know. I salute my wonderful women friends today
and everyday. Thank you all for helping me and yes, we will keep fighting.

new spot in the nabe

We met the Great Plotniks last night to test La Nebbia on Church Street
near 30th. It passed with flying colors and we had a very pleasant visit
while we enjoyed pizza, meatballs, lasagne, salad, anchovies, espresso 
and some catch-up conversation. Lots of families last night, so we are
sure it will be another restaurant success story.

bleak, bleak, bleak

...but a GREAT movie starring Bruce Dern and the Midwest. The director
(Payne) lives there and likes it, according to an article about him in the
New Yorker. There are some wonderfully subtle scenes and it's not all as
dreary as it could be. Nebraska is out on DVD now and well worth seeing.
My stepfather (Alden) was from Wisconsin and I just kept seeing him
over and over again in all the old guys in their plaid shirts. Sheeeeeeeesh.

the monday report

We had a lot of dogs to feed Monday morning, just because I was in a
rush to meet Ginger down at the Jewel. This included six puppies who
will have been adopted (most likely) by now. But everyone was fed,
the dishes washed and two buses later Ginger and I were discussing
our love of America's pastime over lunch. Then we bought our tickets
and all is right with the world so we celebrated with lattes and cookies.

sunrise on my city

charlie and bernie

Back to The Marsh yesterday afternoon to see Feisty Old Jew which we
liked better than we thought we would. Charlie Varon's one man show is
not condescending and his aged Bernie is indeed feisty, but in a sharp (not
pathetic) sort of way. It's only a one hour show and we walked to/fro so
that made the afternoon even more special.

our marshy weekend

Yesterday evening we went to the little Marsh theater on Valencia 
to see The Scion starring Brian Copeland. It's the true story of the
murder of three meat inspectors by the owner of the Santos Linguisa
Factory in San Leandro. Excellent, riveting and extremely well
written and it's been extended for a few weeks if you wish to see
this one act, one man show. Today we return to The Marsh to see
some feisty old jew and therein lies tomorrow's blog post.

it's the real thing

More rain, splish splash real rain causing puddles and road problems and
making us smile most of the time. I don't love walking in it, but yesterday
I did just to get out and get some exercise and that worked out nicely. I
met Frances at Noeteca on Dolores Street and it felt all warm and cozy,
reminding me of those trips we used to take in Europe where the rain
pounded down and we'd find some off beat cafe with delicious food
and happy people. And so it was yesterday here in our almost-nabe.