SFO

that book [on the road] didn't affect you?

no, it bored me. yet ironically, it probably affected me the most.

SF was a last minute getaway.  im not a planner, so booking my flight on monday was actually one day earlier than i normally book.  the cost of a last minute flight is probably something that i could do without and why is it that every time i travel, i feel as though im going to miss my flight.  "maybe it's gods way of telling you to stay in one place" - mc.  i left friday afternoon anyways.  5.5 hours later, i was hugging ed shin, drinking vino when ekhym popped in.

ZUNI - esther continues to rave about polenta and the cheesy gnocchi which i remember not really liking, it was maybe too slimey or gooey or just the fact that i was a carb that made it hard for me to mentally enjoy.  we did order the famed chicken, which was absolutely delightful.  however, im sure if i wasn't too drunk and actually looked at the price, alongside the 1 hour cook time, i may have just opted for stale popcorn, fruit anjoo and korean tongdak anyday.  wait, i think i prefer tongdak and yuhaks anyday anyways.  by the time dinner was done, i was drunk.  and we hopped into a mad man of a taxi racing us across town to an asian party.  dark, and full of mini skirts, we danced, drank and when i finally made eye contact with ed, we went home.

the girl and the fig - everything about the trip just kind of went smoothly.  no rush, no timing, no stress and of course no sleep.  woke up @ 8 and made my way to esthers.  by 1 oclock we were at the girl and the fig chowin down on sardines, mussels and local cheeses.  it was such a nice day, reminiscent of any quaint shore town.  port wash, hamptons, they're all the same really, but this was better.  local bounty fresher, happy cows, happy grass, happy cheese, better fruit, better sun and friendlier people. we ate, we chatted and we were recommended to hit up the artesa winery by the bartender.

ARTESA - i've been to a lot of places in my life and well, this place..WOW. absolutely stunning.  an architectural marvel in the winery business.  as if the landscape of the vineyards, clear skies, greenery weren't enough, this winery was masked into a mountain above the land where once u walked out, u saw everything, clean crisp, developed and amazing.  we had 2 sets of wine tasting, of which we could easily have just gone straight for the cabernets only and the ghey behind the counter asked "are you a producer?"

YOUNTVILLE - is this place the mecca for michelin dining? does thomas keller have too many restaurants there?  is bottega really that good, because chiarello looks like an arsehole on tv.  ones goal in life should be to volunteer to cook for kellers fund raisers in which u'll then have clout and know people so getting reservations at these places would be no problem.  STOP MBA ekhym, fundraise npo and cook! ADHOC - we were full when we ate there.  very very full.  and the food was still very very good.  if lunch was amazing, then this place was totally amazing times two.  refined cuisine is startling.  how perfect can a poached egg really be?  how perfectly room temperature could broccolini really be to pare with the lardons and egg?  quinoa and brined pork porterhouse?  did i really have the most pefectest pork on the planet?  its all like a silent dream.  a haze of consciousness or gluttony or your'e just too full where ur ears ring and all you have tunnel vision.  sheeps milk cheese and local honey came next.  and then that peach crostini and ice cream.  perfectly done, light, heavy, refreshing, simple, complex, friendly, enchanting, euphoric...all in one sitting.  DOUBLE ESPRESSO PLEASE.

THE PIER saturday night esther drove me around town.  and sunday morning we walked down the pier.  i tasted boudin chowda.  and realised the SF uniform.  gap jeans and fitted zip up hoodies.  and toms.  we had OUT THE DOOR for breakfast.  a MT VIEW BBQ for lunch.  and then CHINATOWN CRAB for dinner.  we ate, we talked, we caught up.  "i was homesick the first few weeks i was here so i treated myself to the four seasons breakfast"..."oh, that's a temple...no wait. it's a citibank"

it was a good trip.  first time in 10 years however i don't think i could live in the land of prius' and touch phones.  the weather is just too drastic of a mood changer.  it'll get you sick, make you depressed, get you to feel better all in the span of 2 hours. am i going to visit again?  only if ekhym is around.