Sunday night I got back from 3 short days in San Francisco, 2 nights. Brother Randall met me at the Bart area of the airport and gave me a card to get through the turnstile. We rode the Bart back to downtown, and then waited for a city bus ride to Hyde St. and Powell, only a block and a half from the apartment. Have not been there since 1996! Apartment hasn't changed much, top floor of a three story building built in the 1920's. Randall has the whole top floor, apartment is maybe 600sf, one bedroom, but it actually is pretty roomy. Kitchen is closet size, but WTH, he's a batchelor, and keeps his pantry bare for the most part. Mom was there, and brother Andy also. A Rattray Clan reunion. Nice. Randall went out to the gym, then had a rehearsal for a bit. After that we went out to a little diner and had dinner. Great food, and by the time we were done, about 9 pm, the place was packed and there was a line forming outside the door.
We put a dvd in back at the apartment, but I was crashing, and went to bed early. Cable cars start going by the front door at 6am, and I had been awake for awhile, so I got dressed and snuck out about 7am for my walk down to Fisherman's warf, which seems to be my tradition when I go to SF. It is about 11 blocks, but uphill to Lombard St. and then downhill to the water, so it is quite a workout. Stopped at Starbucks and had a hot chocolate and an oat bar. Cool and a little foggy outside. Then walked west a few blocks and headed back zigzaged a bit, looking for the area where we had dinner. Took awhile, but found the little market I was looking for and got a banana and some Diet Coke. Met mom headed out while at the corner of Vallejo and Hyde, so she gave me the keys, said Andy had gone out running, and Randall was still sleeping(he was sick, coughing and congested). So I went in and put water in the bathtub(no shower) and took a splash bath and washed my hair. Later when Randall got up we went a few blocks down Broadway to the Jug Shop and got two bottles of wine for Annie's wedding sent to her and Scott. Wedding Present shopping done! Then went to Walgreen's for a few supplies(ice for my diet coke!) and back tot he apartment. More climbing hills! About noon, I walked back down that way and ate at a Taco place I had noticed earlier, it was great. Then walked through a street fair and blues festival on Polk and then up California to Whole foods. We were eating in the apartment Sat. night, and so I got ingredients for Caprisio salad(fresh mozzarella, basil, baguette, mom had been given two tomatoes earlier). Walked back to the apartment(more climbing) and was ready to sit down and have some ICED Diet Coke! Decided I had walked at least 7 miles that day! up and down.
Randall had a gig at the Atlas Cafe, so he left about 3pm to drive over there and set up. Mom, Andy and I took a bus down there and got there about 5pm. Listened to the music and had refreshments. Met Randall's friend Ana, who sang a couple songs(in Spanish) with the group. Sweet gal, works at BAAQMD where Randall did. Anyway, she gave us a ride back to the apartment, and then came back for dinner with us. Randall made salad and broiled salmon. We had the Caprisio for appetizer. All in all, it was a really nice night, and the view from the windows at night was spectacular, golden gate bridge lit up with lights, and the lights on the layers of the city, and the bay out toward the west. Beautiful.
Sunday, Mom and I walked to the ferry terminal, about 15 blocks and caught the ferry to Sausalito. It was misty and actually rained and wind blew when we arrived, but we walked around the little artsy shopping area and then ducked inside a place called Winsome for lunch. i had a fritata and mom had clam chowder. We stayed in there over an hour to get warm and dry. Then when we left the sun was out for a little bit, walked around by the water, and then caught the ferry at 2:10 back to the city. The walk back was all uphill, and at one point we climbed 192 stairs up Broadway. Huff, Puff! I had to rinse off in the bathtub when we got back, as I was headed to the airport ! So, that was our great weekend as a clan, and I had never expected to get back to SF in my lifetime, and so it was a great treat to go again! Marvelous city, and having a great location to stay has always made it even better.
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