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View from Fisherman's Wharf.
Today was my last weekday before beginning my new job on Monday. Thinking, what would I do that I would not normally do on a weekend or do in a longtime while living in San Francisco, I headed to NYC's version of Times Square, Fisherman's Wharf.
Now, I understand why Rough Guide goes as far as to describe the Wharf and surrounding area as such:
"San Francisco rarely tries to pass off pure, unabashed commercialism as a worthy tourist attraction, but with Fisherman's Wharf and the nearby waterfront district, it makes an exception. It's the one place in town guaranteed to produce shudders of embarrassment from most locals. An inventive use of statistics allows the area to proclaim itself the most-visited tourist attraction in the entire country; in fact, this crowded and hideous ensemble of waterfront kitsch and fast-food stands makes a sad and rather misleading introduction to the city. It may be hard to believe, but this was once a genuine fishing port; the few fishing vessels that can still afford the exorbitant mooring charges are usually finished by early morning and get out before the tourists arrive. The shops and bars here are among the most overpriced in the city, and crowd-weary families do little to add to the ambiance." Indeed. But regardless, it's kitschy, I hadn't been in awhile and hey, Butter Lamb insisted. He wanted to see the world famous seals.
No, not those.
These.
Unfortunately, because the Wharf is a tourist hot spot (think tons of kids running around with goopy, sticky and sugary treats and their clueless guardians), it was not safe nor possible to get Butter Lamb into a photo with the seals. However, he did pose with the sign at a much safer distance.
In less than 24 hours, the final Harry Potter book will be in my hands. I am seriously giddy in anticipation like a little kid. I CANNOT WAIT!!! I pre-ordered the book from the lovely and amazing Green Apple Books here in SF so that my money wouldn't go to some mega-corporation like Borders and to ensure I would not have to deal with UPS or the postal system, both of which have probably been dreading this day for months.
When I pre-ordered the book, the clerk at Green Apple handed me a green parchment paper with an order number, awater mark (!) a photo of Harry and the following words: "Bearer may redeem this pacrhment for one (1) copy of Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows at Green Apple Books. Valid commencing midnight, July 21, 2007. No questions will be asked." Brilliant.
To add to the excitement and insanity, KFOG has been playing magic-related music all morning, interjected with sound bites from the Harry Potter movies. I was lucky enough to have seen the fifth HP movie last Friday not only in IMAX but with parts of it in 3D. However, I am envious my NYC-based HP friends can take advantage of the madness that will be taking place at Scholastic headquarters in SoHo. And did you know that a British hotline called ChildLine is already preparing for a deluge of calls from children to help them cope with the promised deaths in the final book?
And not overshadow today's big event, happy birthday Dan! I promise to not read the book while at the Oakland A's game tomorrow but cannot make the same promise to and from on the BART.
Two weeks in the freezer and Butter Lamb has been going stir crazy. We decided to let him out for our trip down to Santa Cruz, then back up the coast on Highway One before we stopped in Half Moon Bay for dinner. Butter Lamb decided not to go down to the ocean due to windy conditions and the shark hazards. Good thing Butter Lamb didn't know about Devil's Slide before we drove this treacherous passage.
The best news first. Drum roll please... we're now both gainfully employed. If you would like more details, please send us an e-mail.
We've decided to keep the blog rolling, to chronicle our West Coast exploits and adventures since the majority of our readers are on not in this time zone. Butter Lamb will continue to make appearances, and continue to rest comfortably in our freezer next to the veggie burgers and ice cubes.
So, highlights of weeks one and two
- A welcome dinner at Joe and Jasmine's in North Beach. Our introduction to the city's MUNI system which is not necessarily convenient on Sunday evenings.
- A visit to Hockey Haven, the nearest watering hole to our apartment which is apparently owned by a Canadian and does in fact show hockey games throughout the season.
- D and D welcoming us to the joys of Gestalt and its European beers and "I can't believe it's vegan sausage and buns" fare; and welcoming us into their great group of friends. We all continued the European exploits with a Bridget Bardot/Bastille Day celebration yesterday evening here.
- A hike through part of Golden Gate State Park.
- Discovering the backyard of the Park Chalet after a day of walking around the Haight, the Castro and the Mission.
- Visits to two of the best bookstores EVER, City Lights and Green Apple Books. I think Dan bought every available Anthony Bourdain book at Green Apple, including a used one already autographed, "To Jennifer."
- Discovering cheap, cheap dim sum just down the street from us and relishing in not knowing what the hell half the stuff was listed in Chinese on the walls of the restaurant. And also the Chinese restaurant down the street that serves vegetarian "chicken."
- While the rest of the country blisters under insane heat, we're wishing we hadn't packed our WINTER coats. In storage. For two months. In Oakland. In a storage we can't touch. We're not lying. Outer Richmond at night is so cold, our landlady puts on the heat sometimes.
- Learning how to park on a San Francisco hill without busting the car in front or in back of you.
- SEEING TRANSFORMERS!!! And Harry Potter not just in IMAX but in 3-D! Okay, okay. We also saw Sicko last night, which is classic Michael Moore. You, too, will be purchasing a one-way ticket to France, Canada, Great Britain or dare we say, Cuba.
- Shopping at the Ferry Building Marketplace on Saturdays. Holy... this is a foodie and wino's dream come true.
View from Fisherman's Wharf.
No, not those.
