Thursday, June 17, 2004
The trip out today was almost ideal--planes left on time and landed early, the ride in from the airport on BART was swift and scenic. I called Fritz as soon as I touched down. He's fine, stronger and stronger every day. I left him at 7am and by mid-day a package had arrived with our rings from his nephew the mokume artist. He let his staff and our great friend A. the ceramicist look at them but won't look at them himself until I'm back and we can see them for the first time together. How can you not love a man like that?
Signs of the times: the planes are restaurants now--you pay for what you want to eat, no more food included in the ticket price. There's an a la carte menu and a complete meal price. You can still get a small bag of mini-pretzels and juice, soda, coffee and tea for free. But that's it.
San Francisco is as beautiful as ever. Every time I visit, I wonder why I don't live here. I went out tonight for good Chinese--crispy roast duck that's almost an obsession for me--and the setting sun on the French Baroque City Hall, the Asian Art Museum, the opera house and the modernist Davies Concert Hall etched them in sharply focused rays of amber light. I have arranged brunch on Saturday and something on Sunday with a couple of guys I know via the internet opera chat rooms, so I won't be completely without good conversation and companionship while I am here. But I want so much to be back home with Fritz looking at those rings!
Signs of the times: the planes are restaurants now--you pay for what you want to eat, no more food included in the ticket price. There's an a la carte menu and a complete meal price. You can still get a small bag of mini-pretzels and juice, soda, coffee and tea for free. But that's it.
San Francisco is as beautiful as ever. Every time I visit, I wonder why I don't live here. I went out tonight for good Chinese--crispy roast duck that's almost an obsession for me--and the setting sun on the French Baroque City Hall, the Asian Art Museum, the opera house and the modernist Davies Concert Hall etched them in sharply focused rays of amber light. I have arranged brunch on Saturday and something on Sunday with a couple of guys I know via the internet opera chat rooms, so I won't be completely without good conversation and companionship while I am here. But I want so much to be back home with Fritz looking at those rings!
