safe and sound in San Fran

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hello from San Fran - arrived here this morning at about 8.30am - earlier than when I left (that date line and all) - left SYD at 2.30pm on Australia Day - as the hostie on QF said on arrival - don't expect any Australia Day wishes here!

I will be very brief as it is already past 1a.m. and I aint doing this too much on my first day! I managed a pretty good sleep on the 13 hr flight over - how come you say? - well getting an entire centre row of 4 seats all to myself about 3 rows from the back - I unrolled myself into that and wrapped myself in a blanket and headed off for blanket bay as soon as the plane was airborne - no useless QF meals for me! (mind you I had not slept the night before, which helps I find...)

The Hotel Messer is only a short walk from Union Square and also the BART runs (under) Market St so handy for BART trips. So headed over to the Mission area - and my blog followers will know I blogged twice about consecutive meals at Garcon! - a French resto on 22nd/Valencia in the MIssion area - so as there was a musical event over there just up the road hopped on the BART to get there.

Dinner - the "usual" prix fixe for $35 fro 3 courses. I had to sit at the bar as there is some sort of Good Food month equiv. here for a month from mid Jan-Feb - no doubt mostly to coax out some post-Xmas spending. This gave me the opportunity to watch the very slick barman mix cocktails - including my "lychee upgrade" of gin, vodka, some lychee juice and also some French alcohol made form elderflowers (or something). For starter a lobster bisque - where they pour the hot soup form a jug into a plate with the creme fraiche and chopped mushrooms. Then a somewhat rustic risotto - with some very earthy mushrooms - one they call a hedgehog! - did not see a whole one but apparently like a chanterelle. The dessert was a semolina cake - which was, er, somewhat, semolina-y - i.e. a bit podgy.

The music was up Valencia - a small simple bar called Amnesia (moi, after a cocktail and 2 glasses of wine + jetlag??) - and the band was Gaucho - a sort of Hot Club de France Django type band - 3 geetars, bass, drums. It was free so not great impost to listen - they have played there for 8 years or so they said. It was a pleasant interlude.

Mission is a fairly Hispanic area, but also some interesting restaurants - and has a certain amount of somewhat deranged people wandering declaiming to no-one in particular about the state of the world! Good night - indeed.

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Photos

SFO airport
planes in the olden days

the Hotel Messer basin
a very good supply - packet of razors AND toothpaste (and mints) - exemplary

Old Navy store in Market St
and a lot of Old Glory-Stars and Stripes

Union Square (gridiron style) building
no gold paint - just late afternoon sun

Gaucho gypysy-style band
at a bar called Amnesia in Mission (if I don't forget!)

Comments

[Huddo]

Garcon! ahoy.
Hi Mike, Great to hear from you on the cell phone. Was a shock to start with! Great shots to start your blogs. The "ole" clipper air shot at the airport, and the Gold wash at Union Square, brilliant. music at Amnesia looked and sounded good as well. Love Huddo and girls.

[Melita]

greetings
Michael, pleased 2 hear u arrived safely and are enjoying San Fran. I had everything intention of calling you 2 check your departure time and possible but drop off but Louise and yours truly were somewhat distracted with Tim in RNSH. He was discharged Thursday afternoon and the eye is looking much better but he is still feeling less than 100% - Well somebody has been in your head twice in one week!! So while I'm on the subject of being concerned about folks I have 2 say that Phil and Lex are in Cairo right now so let's hope all, including you, come home safely. Do have a great trip my dear, Melita