it never ends

Ahoy,

I was originally scheduled to make it back to Chicago with S, but I got a call from SFMTA that they would interview me. So I shuffled everything around, and flew up from LAX to OAK the day after S left. This gave me the opportunity to drool over the SFMTA headquarters. This impromptu trip up the coast also gave me the opportunity to see some people I hadn't seen in a while.

N from Cal was nice enough to pick me up from the airport. We stopped at Shooting Star Cafe so I could feed him because he can afford to splurge so often on Asian desserts under the fiscal constraints of a start-up lifestyle. This was actually the second time I'd been here, both after I had left Cal. I so rarely ate out when I was a student here, I feel like I know so little about dining options in the Bay Area.

My friend S from Cal, graciously agreed to host me for the night, and even allowed me to stay while she wasn't there. She showed me her fancy new LEED Platinum building near City Hall. It was great, totally drool-worthy. We had lunch at the Burmese Kitchen nearby and I got so full, but the coconut rice is so good - you have to finish it all.

My friend R, from Semester at Sea (it's probably been more than 3 years since I've seen him), happened to have the day off so I got to show him some places in SF. We drove down Market, which was not my brightest decision by any means. The lanes there are so confusing now what with cyclists, cars, bus only, etc. Then there are the homeless to contend with. One of the was walking by, opened our back passenger door and continued walking. So that's something new to watch out for. I spotted some boats practicing for America's Cup in the water. We drove up to Coit Tower to look at things far away, and made our way back  down to Dolores Park. We stopped in the shop location for Curry Up Now, and ice cream at Bi-Rite. People watching in Dolores Park is always fun.

I next directed him to the Sutro Baths area, where we wandered, explored for a while. It was super windy here today, much more than last time I was here. As the sun was coming down, we made our way across the Bay Bridge to Berkeley. I showed him my old stomping grounds, and some food places. We got him coffee for the drive home, and we bid adieu. Hopefully, I'll see him again in less than 3 years this time. Funny thing is he was in upstate NY, while I was in NYC, but we never managed to meet. The nature of our relationship has always been last-minute, rarely planned, always a good time.

compulsively attached,
jt