Definitely Not Living in the Moment

I know that we are meant to live in the moment...but goodness gracious, the August and September moments have flown by faster than a cheetah with her ass on fire (yes, a charming image I know, but accurate). Opening up the school for the start of my third year has been exhilarating and exhausting.  There's lots of exciting things in store for our students at Marshall Elementary!  We are starting a significantly different model to service our underperforming students.  This basically means most every minute has been consumed with implementation.  Fortunately, I have a fearless staff with the ability to change.  Making a buck aint easy in this economy and thanks to the Governator, it's especially difficult in education.   Just as an aside check out my school's new and improved website...awesome!            

http://www.marshall.cv.k12.ca.us/

Enough about work, the thing that has kept me sane are the many visitors, family members and friends in our lives.  I'm slowly falling in love with the Bay Area once more.  Living in our cute neighborhood with a slight urban edge is sure helping.  Just reading our list serve (with over 1500 people on it) one would think crime is rampant and one shouldn't leave the confines and security of the home. The list serve is known as Glenfriends, but I really think we have joined a list serve for delusional and paranoid schizophrenics.  Glenfriends, for all I know, may be the name of a state hospital a la Dorothea Dix.  We can rant for days about allowing dogs to crap on the lawns, or about the atrocious parking situation.  One may be wondering why we don't just opt out, easy enough right?  Well, one does need to be up on the latest in the 'hood (and so another paranoid, delusional schizophrenic is groomed).  I must say, my block seems fairly sane...and relatively friendly.  

As you may recall, Anna, my mom, was here last July, and I still had one hold over photo to share.  Maybe it was the 70 degree weather, or the Berkeley Rose Garden, but mom and I ended up having a great conversation about her first marriage, about meeting my dad and how she came to live in America.  Certainly a dramatic tale told with all of the flare a German woman can muster.  

Before school started in August, I enjoyed a surprise visit from my one true love, Gail!  I've missed my favorite little bundle of firecrackers.  It was great reconnecting and getting to know her husband Joe a little better.  

We ended up touring the standards (Golden Gate Park, Twin Peaks, Fisherman's Wharf, Chinatown), but also catching a Giants Night Game...

AT and T park is sure a treat for any visitor, but even nose bleed seats can set one back more than a few pennies.  No one in their right mind should be allowed to charge $8.75 for a beer...(anyone detect the crotchity old man in my voice right now! "I remember in my day...")!

As for other visitors, Deb and Thiru came for a visit to see their prodigal son, Dinesh.  We ended up at Absinthe...my favorite restaurant in SF.  The bartender at Absinthe has written a wonderful bar book, it's called, "The Art of the Bar" by Jeff Hollinger and Rob Schwartz (publisher- Chronicle Books - the absolute best publishing firm).  It seems the high end cocktail is all the rage in SF.  It's really just a reason to charge anywhere from $8 to $12 for a martini.  Everyone knows that I'm not much of a drinker myself, but I currently enjoy Hangar 1 Vodka (Kaffir Lime Infused) in a martini glass...Hangar 1 is a high end local vodka distillery.  Das schmecht gut.  I'll be happy to prep you one on your next visit...just leave $8 on the counter. 

Speaking of high end cocktails, Kerry Chisnall came for a visit.  He seems really well and fairly content.  The big scoop is really his girlfriend Crystal.  What a wonderful slice of southern pecan pie she is...

She is absolutely gorgeous, extremely bright with a sunny disposition...Southern to the core but with a razor sharp and slightly edgy wit.  I have a feeling Ms. Crystal can handle herself quite well, thank you very much!   Yes, I do have a bit of a crush on her but of course not as much as Rusty~ he's so easy, flash a little low cut number and he's your baby daddy.    

We ended up at the Rick House...a new bar in downtown SF.  A "Rickhouse", it appears, was a bourbon storage house during prohibition.  The bar serves delightful punch bowl sets.  Very potent cocktails contained in a lovely and fairly innocuous punch bowl with petite seemingly harmless cups.  We ordered one and staggered on to dinner at Osha, a Thai place on the Embarcadero.  

A little aside, The Rickhouse recently opened after our favorite dive bar, Ginger Trois, closed in the spot.   Named so because it was the third bar named after Ginger Rogers in SF...It was about the only gay bar in downtown SF.  The clientele consisted of old lechers, rough trade, and career alcoholics.  The bartenders were ancient and may have come with the building.  The drinks always got  stronger as the night wore on.  The bar tenders would also imbibe during the evening and be about half lit before the night was over.  They would also start fighting loudly...Man, I truly miss that bar.  

Kerry and Crystal's visit was too short, really.  Next time we'll make them come to the East Bay to our humble home.  

We went to Opera in the Park this year.  On Opera Season opening weekend, the Opera company presents a concert in the park with thousands of people in attendance.  The company always sings crowd pleasers.  The day was overcast...but the weather was warm.  A workmate of Rusty's, Richard, met us at the park, and we enjoyed good eats, as well as good wine (and yes, even Hangar 1...). 

Richard is a great guy, despite his Southern California upbringing...Hey, I seemed to overcome my raising, so can he!  
The crowds were remarkably respectful, minus the few people who didn't stand for our national anthem...who knew that would chap my hide as much as it did, but there you have it!
The very next weekend, we went to AT and T park (again with Richard, he's an Opera fiend it seems, we also attended with one of my teachers and her son) for another round of free opera.  25,000 people crowded into the stadium and enjoyed il Trovatore, by Verdi.  Many would recognize some of the songs from Bugs Bunny cartoons ~ no lie.  The story is absolutely impossible of course.  A nobleman has an old gypsy burned at the stake for fear she will harm his new baby, the daughter of the gypsy grabs the noble man's baby and has a desire to throw the baby in the fire.  In her confusion and haste she accidentally throws her own baby in the fire.  Well, she decides to raise the nobleman's baby as her own, and when the baby comes of age exact revenge on the nobleman.  This is where it gets complicated!  And that's why I love Opera, especially free opera at the ballpark with 25,000 people.  I wonder where else one could gather 25,000 people to sit through an opera on a chilly san Francisco evening.   Good times.  
The first day of Autumn has passed, and I am truly missing the changing of the leaves in North Carolina, as scant as it may be in Raleigh.  This is usually the time of year I make a point of going to Hanging Rock for a hike, really a wonderous walk through the woods filled with vibrant colors, the last colorful gasp before barren trees hunker down for the winter.  If anyone goes to Hanging Rock please send me a picture to quench this thirst for chilly nights and brilliant reds, yellows and purples.  To wit, I miss NC!

Next posting?  Who knows, but I'm sure some photos of Folsom Street Fair, Phil Hyde will be here next weekend, and a trip to Florida for Thanksgiving.  Lots of exciting happenings here at the Walrus Inn, and all posted on Side Tracked.  Enjoy the shorter days and cooler nights.