Spring Cleaning

Spring is here.  Easter has just passed.  As a principal of an elementary school, spring is rarely joyous considering the tensions and pressures associated with the end of a school year.  These past weeks, I've spent some time getting some spring cleaning accomplished.  I've gotten laundry done, cleaned out the years of grime in the oven (uggg, what a tedious task), and had the carpets cleaned (professionally).  I feel a certain amount of catharsis accomplishing these tasks, as the drudgery of the winter seems to evaporate when the carpet and the oven are clean (freaky I know, but I am the son of a German cleaning fiend).  

The city of San Francisco has been doing a bit of it's own spring cleaning.  Light rains cleanse the city from dust and grime.  The grime pools in water on the nooks and crannies of the cornices and on the various mailboxes and signs.   Even a light rain causes a slow down in this fast paced city and a moment of desperately needed introspection.  Spring rains help wash the sins of the city away, sort of Mother Nature's absolution after a long dirty winter.  

Annual spring cleaning satisfies my compulsive German nature, and touches upon my Catholic imprinting.  My family was only Christmas and Easter Catholics, and I for one am as far removed from Catholicism as one can get.  Still, having two Catholic parents, the themes of Catholicism still hold sway.  Spring cleansing and absolution/self forgiveness are wonderful spring themes, Catholic or not.  

Speaking of Catholics and sin, Easter Day was spent at the Hunky Jesus contest with Art (visiting from NC).  The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence host the Hunky Jesus contest every year at Dolores Park.  What a fantastic way to spend Easter Day.   The bonnets were fierce, the drinks were plentiful and the Jesuses were everywhere.  This annual sacrilege was worth braving crowds and horrific parking.  We gathered with a group of friends, new and old, to enjoy a sunny day in the park with thousands upon thousands of potential acquaintances.  We indulged in way too many drinks and I went home to sleep off a bit of spring exhaustion, while Rusty and Art enjoyed an evening of bar hopping and beer busting!

The day before Easter (Saturday), we went to the AIDS memorial garden to honor Tiger, not a personal friend of ours, but a friend of many of my blog readers.  The memorial service was more of a celebration with many flag twirlers there performing in his honor.  There were a few hoopers as well, and a lot of "club" music.  A beautiful celebration of life!  


After, we went to an egg decorating party in a flat above the Castro with about 150 people from the Lone Star (a bar, no, an institution in SF) This party helped us feel really young and downright skinny (of course three or four bears in a flat can make a party seem over crowded), but the egg decorating contest was beyond compare.  The inventive use of sequences, feathers, beads and chenille made me weep. After we stopped by Truck (a pseudo redneck bar no true redneck, gay or straight, would ever be caught dead in) and met a couple of random bunnies.  At first we thought they might be part of bunny-con, but in true SF fashion, they just decided to hit the bars in bunny outfits.  Loving the randomness of SF.  Other highlights of Arts visit include a trip to the wine country.  Enjoyed the kindness of strangers, definitely worth it to go on off days when the workers are less harried.  The best part of the day was a trip through Benzinger biodynamic winery.  Biodynamic farming utilizes natural methods (similar to organic but more stringent and also focusing on sustainability) to grow wine grapes.  The wine country was really chilly with 25MPH winds...Brrrrrrr.  

We also took Art to Beach Blanket Babylon, and by sheer luck, Val Diamond, a favorite star and 30 year veteran of Beach Blanket Babylon, was performing.  While eating Tiramisu in a little cafe after the show, who should walk in but Val Diamond, could the evening be any more perfect. 

We enjoyed another dinner party in which Art and I cooked.  Jesse and Sally (old friends of Art, and now new friends of ours) braved the trek over the bridge to the land of five and dimers (that's 510 area code to those unfamiliar).  We served artisan pasta, artisan cheeses, artisan sausages, artisan baguette, and banana-misu.  Yes, everything we bought had the word artisan on it somewhere.  

We went to the Tonga room at the Fairmont on friday evening before it closes.  Yes, there is a threat to this local favorite.  The Fairmont is renovating the ballroom area and this may mean the end of the 1950's Polynesian Paradise.  I'm sure there is some movement in SF to Save the Tonga Room, as nothing ever happens without controversy in California.  Upon leaving the Fairmont, who should be standing on the street corner but the Brown twins (please refer to my 2/1/09 posting for an explanation of the Brown twins).  Unfortunately, we had no opportunity to speak with them as we were in a cab at the time.  

After the Tonga room, we were off to perhaps the best bar in San Francisco, (recommended by Jesse and Sally), Bourbon and Branch.  This is a speakeasy complete with a password to get in.  The bar also reserves a table for a limited time 90 minutes, and after your ninety minutes, one is shuttled into the"Library" of the bar, (just another part of the bar with actual books on the shelves.  The bar is covered in velvet wallpaper with a beautiful tin ceilings.  The menu has a wide selection of fine Bourbons.  As far as theme bars are concerned, Bourbon and Branch may need to be our new favorite considering the precarious status of the Tonga Room.  

Spring break is at an end, and Art has flown back to Raleigh.  I'm still catching up on all of my school paperwork.  Testing is right around the corner and then summer break, hard to believe, I know.  Spring has been busy but we are looking forward to a quiet summer.  We are also looking forward to Donna, Robin and Julie visiting at the end of July.  What fun!  We hope to see you all soon.