4/25

I am back from my week working up in San Francisco. The show went fairly well although my one large sale imploded unfortunately and came back. Man said the painting was too small.

I grinded it out all week, made a little money here, sold a few things for a loss, but stayed very focused and did what I had to do all in all, so I feel pretty good about my effort. Kept the dogs from the door for a month or two.

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The first night up I stayed with one of my oldest and closest friends in Oakland, the best cook Leslie and I know, Melissa.

She made me a feast, lemon lime risotto, pea shoots, scape and pork ribs with her own phenomenal proprietary dry coffee rub.

I had never heard of scapes before. It turns out that it is a type of edible garlic stalk. 

One lady comes up from Santa Cruz with them and Melissa had bought them at the Farmer's Market earlier that day.

Absolutely delicious meal.

Later she turned me on to a great selection of specialty spices that she had bought in New York.

I can't wait to try them in my own cooking, aji gallina, coming right up!

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I had an unfortunate fall at my hotel, a sidewalk that was about three inches too high. I caught it with my toe and flew about eight feet.

Scraped myself up pretty good. Wrist, hands and shoulders sprained.

It took a day for the manager at the Bay Landing to return my call. He breathed a sigh of relief when I told him that I was not litigious but that I wanted him to get the sidewalk fixed.

That afternoon it was painted. I asked for a free room for Sunday night but received nothing from them whatsoever but an offer to upgrade to a suite for free, something I had no interest in.

I guess that is the way the cookie (or Robbie) crumbles. Nice hotel really, with the exception of the bad sidewalks.

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Dave, Melissa and I ate at the HL Peninsula Pearl one night next door. 

I thought the meal was fantastic; the best sweet and sour pork I have ever had, vermicelli with clams, short ribs and braised duck with ginger and scallions.

I have read reviews that the service is bad, they were wonderful with us. We were practically the only non asians there. I had eaten at their sister hot pot place next door last time.

The manage said that if we were to ever return, he would stand outside and hold the door open for us. 

Sincerely.

It was a great experience. They gave us cool little mango piggies for dessert.

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Everything else about the trip is sort of melting together.

Sunday I worked until four, then packed out for three hours and finally drove two hours to a "safe" hotel in the Central Valley to stay for the night. 

I was worried about the East Bay, way too many break ins to press my luck another night with the truck on the street.

There were homeless people congregating around the front of my sanctuary hotel when I got there. Oh shit. This was my third night there and I was worried all night. Cops and screaming throughout my stay but I still had a van and a catalytic converter in the morning. Yippee!

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I met up with Renee at Harris Ranch for breakfast. She was driving up to be with her grandkids. and we were pretty close to passing on the freeway. Prime rib and eggs for me. Good to see my bud.

I got home around five, after awful traffic on the 71.

Unloaded the van today. Felt good, body feels good.

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I get my bladder biopsy tomorrow morning. 

It usually makes me feel like hell for about five days, hope it is not as bad as two weeks ago where I had some unusual bleeding for about ten days.

Not a lot of rest for the wicked. Pushin' too hard as the Seeds song goes but really no alternative.

We will see how it all shakes out.

I'll let you know.