Full Moon, San Francisco, and the Chicken Man

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If you had a list of the things that made up a full, rich life, would you include a date in San Francisco under a full moon? Would the fact that it was a blind date and you would be making a special stop just for that purpose add to the romance or scare you off?

I had not considered such a thing to be on my list until the opportunity presented itself. Thanks to my sister-in-law and her Jewish match-maker instincts I was presented with the opportunity during my travel down the West Coast.

Scott Peck wrote that the element of mystery is a big part of romance. San Francisco is the West Coast’s most romantic city. Add a full moon, and how can you not give it a shot.

Spending time with an attractive, engaging, and curious woman was my good fortune. Two meals, long walks, and the kinds of talks you have with long time friends, sneaking into roped off sections of the Moscone Center, and cocktails on the 36th floor of the Hyatt Regency added to the romance of an evening whose glow lingers on.

I took a chance on a sheik restaurant with a southwest/mexican/mesquite theme who specialty was their dedication to premium Tequila. The fact that it was co-owned by Sammy Hagar, the Red Rocker, only added to the fun. We had to walk through the middle of nowhere to get there and I was starting to think I had blown it.

We noticed a spotlight in the distance ahead and wondered what was going on, only to find out the spotlight was in front of the restaurant that was packed with hip young 30-somethings doing their thing. I was teased that the spot light was very impressive, but didn’t meat the standard since one of the four lights was burned out. We had tasty margaritas, a great meal, better conversation and closed the restaurant down, outlasting all the other diners and most of the staff.

Having spent 4 ½ years in the Bay Area during collage I am fairly familiar with San Francisco, though that familiarity is rusty. It is wonderful to see it anew through the eyes of someone who lives there.

Big enough that people of all stripes bustle about without making eye contact. West Coast enough that the drug dealers and panhandlers are laid back and you can walk the streets at night unencumbered by fear. It is a City where you stroll past people smoking pot, see women kissing each other in the middle of the street and come upon a man with a sign declaring himself a chicken. (Later on we heard a man impersonating a wolf and thought about telling him where the chicken man was.)

One of the things I like best about the city is the Morning light. San Francisco has great morning light. With the light blue sky reflected off the angled windows of the tall skinny Victorian architecture. Where the gently sloped streets seem designed to meet the first rays of sun. Trolley car tracks create seams of warm light calling you down the grided streets of cold hard concrete.

Coming into the City I felt like it was a place of my past that had been experienced and had little new to offer. Life is a rich feast for all the senses if one is open to the possibility and willing to take risks. I for one am glad I sat again at the table and sipped from the cup of new experiences, and visited the City once more. It is a great town; I just may have to move there.

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Comments

[Debby]

STOP!
Stop Bryan!! - get real - they have earthquakes!!!! - Ooops so do we....

[Erika]

enjoyed meeting you
Thanks for making the special stop. You are so easy to talk to and I went home feeling very encouraged and positive. Enjoy your travels!

[Shirl]

Ditto
Hey, they have fog, super spendy housing, and lots of rain... oops, ummmmm... :-)

[Kitty]

Move There So I'll Have Someone To Visit
Now I keep humming the theme song to "Arthur" - you know "When you get caught between the moon and New York City...the best that you can do is fall in love..." Ooops, I mean "San Francisco!" I think you should definitely consider moving there. Your date sounds fab (both the person and the experience).