San Francisco, CA. 17 Oct. 2012
From my room on the 48th floor the windows open to the bay, Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz not to mention looking down upon this densely populated and magic city, San Francisco.
We arrived Monday night after our show in Portland and had a day off Tuesday. I never could get myself jump started even with three cups of Peet's coffee, a trip to the gym, lunch and a wander 'round the town ...I still felt groggy all day. I ended up back at the hotel for a nap before meeting my cousins who live here for drinks and dinner. My cousin Neal and I keep in touch somewhat regularly and I see him every time I come to the city, but his older brother Ron I've not seen in well over 20 years and a bonus was meeting Ron's wife Barbara. We started with cocktails at the hotel then moved on to several more with dinner. The restaurant, Boulevard, was touted as the best restaurant in San Francisco. Now that's quite a claim in a city known for it's brilliant cuisine. As soon as I stepped in I knew I loved Boulevard. The food didn't disappoint and the martinis were perfectly mixed. Highly recommended, Boulevard is located at One Mission Street, S.F. CA. 94104. A wonderful evening reminiscing with close family who know where all the skeletons were hidden. It was an early dinner, I ended up back in my room by 9, in time to watch a re-run of our presidential debate, then put on a little music and drifted off to sleep.
I was up at 6:30 this morning and honestly could not have done anything less with my day. Slightly ashamed to say, in this wonderful city, I never left my room until it was time to go to the venue. A perfectly luxurious day of reading, prowling You Tube for some great on-line guitar lessons and practising. It is unseasonably warm and gorgeous here, 80 degrees today and more of the same tomorrow. I threw the curtain wide, the windows open and let the outdoors come to me today.
Tonight's show was the first of two at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium named after this city's famed rock impresario and concert promoter. A curious venue, wide and shallow, a standing floor with seated balconies. A fantastic show, loads of fun playing tonight and our 70 minute set really sped by. One minute we were stuffing our in-ear monitors in and the next eating sushi after the gig backstage. We're all having the best time on this tour.
Back to our hotel and a couple of perfectly mixed gin and tonics in Guy's room. At some point into the second G&T, Last Train To Clarksville by the Monkees came on the stereo and we both marveled at what an absolutely great record it was.
As this is coming from San Francisco, I'd like to share a link with you all. A film made in 1906, four days before the massive earthquake destroyed much of the city. A camera was attached the the front of a cable car as it made it's way down Market Street to it's termination. A brilliant glimpse at a city that had no way of knowing the devastation that was imminent. Horse drawn carriages, automobiles and people all vying for the right of way and dodging the cable cars. Apparently this film was sent to N.Y. to process and that is the only reason it survives otherwise it too would have perished as did so much and so many. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozXvAIOtifE
So long,
Richard