This week I have three dinner dates to spend quality time with good friends whom I don't see as often as I used to, and not nearly as often as I'd like.
Monday night I worked past 9:00, so really wasn't in the mood for anything but food and drink, so Shilpa (also working late) and I took the train to Fuzio for cocktails and comfort pasta.
Tuesday night I was very excited to spend the evening with James and Kate. We used to pal around together all the time, as they say- back in the day. Now we are all too busy with our new jobs and other activities, and what free time they have, they spend with their respective, co-habitating significant others. We made a plan to try a new restaurant, but something casual and not costly. We settled on Crave. When we got there we found Kojak parking, but no seating as it was closed for a private party.
While pondering on the sidewalk a passing Jorge called my name for a hug and holiday wishes. He was on his way to his "special friend's" house with a little Christmas cheer of his own. Jorge himself is a professional photographer, but this sight was so cliché and iconic, I had to snap my own pic.
We walked aimlessly for about an hour, no one willing to make a decision, and no one eager for anything than the others' company. We thought it was silly that such SF veterans as we (each of us celebrating our decade anniversaries in the City) could not come up with a dinner plan. Ultimately, we wanted comfort tastiness, cheap eats, a full bar, and good energy. The latter two are harder to find than you think.
We went back to Fuzio. As we were three we had to wait about 30 to 45 minutes for two twosome tables to open up next to each other. But we were happy with our cocktails and conversation while we waited.
Yes, I had just eaten at Fuzio the night before, but every time I go there I agonize over the menu and ultimately order the same thing. I was actually excited to go again in quick succession because as I had just had my favorite the night before, I was free to have something else. Sure, that Caramelized Mushroom Linguine was good, but it's no Shanghai Curry Chicken. (Shilpa does the same dance every time too-- studies the menu intensely but always orders the roasted pepper chicken sandwich on focaccia.)
While we were waiting, the conversation turned to how long we've been in the City, how we met, and how long we've been friends-- which is basically since we made our homes here ten years ago. We also started talking about what brought us to the City by the Bay, and I had to confess that, in large part, what moved me to move here was feeling lost and unfulfilled in Nashville, and watching the Tales of the City mini-series (which I had to rent from Blockbuster because the Nashville PBS affialiate censored/banned it), and then reading all of the Tales of the City books.
In true Tales of the City fashion, it was just then that someone tapped my shoulder and asked me if we had put our names in with the hostess yet. It was Armistead Maupin, author of Tales of the City.
I love San Francisco.
I was in work meetings yesterday from 11:45 to around 6:45. and was again in need of a beer and some comfort food. Paul Day e-mailed last week to schedule a little holiday quality time with just the two of us, sans boyfriend. We both wanted casual, close, and cheap, so we met in the middle and thoroughly enjoyed a stress-free and carbo-loaded meal at Crêpes on Cole. I have been too busy and over-scheduled to make it back to the Funky Door, but after all of these holiday meals, I need to sweat.
And last night I stayed up late designing a little Holiday present and belated thank-you gift for Klaus--my former SF friend now back in Copenhagen, who hosted me and RMJ in his home last summer. Klaus is in San Diego for the week for a conference and is flying in/out of SFO so he can visit me and RMJ. RMJ is organizing thing for tomorrow-- another quality time December dinner date for me.
But the December Dining experience I'm really looking forward to is a repeat performace with Chuck and Ginger in Nashville.We've set a date for the 26th. Ginger has already placed her order:
Date: Tue, 12 Dec 2006
From: VPHale
Subject: Re: xmas cocktails
To: chuckr, wilsonh
btw, make sure you get me three krystal cheese and a chocolate shake.
oh yeah, and a pack of cigarettes. thanks.
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