The Elephant Walk

Great day today.

Didn't sleep well last night. But, during the intermittent sleep, I awoke to light rain outside the window. Making it very easy to fall back asleep. Once morning broke, I finally woke up for real and went for a run around the Bay, convinced that it would be a sunny day. The sun never broke through.

Waited on a friend to come by and help me pick up a couch. We knocked that out pretty quickly. Then I went out in search of more furniture. I discovered the neighborhood of Mission Hills, which I had previously seen only on the outskirts. It's cool there. There's a bar there called The Lamplighter, which I'd heard of, that is known as the best karaoke bar in San Diego. As faithful readers may be wondering, Xavier's closed back in August, and I have not ventured out into karaoke land since. The Lamplighter gives me hope. During the day it was filled with out of work middle aged guys and one gorgeous bartender with a mammoth round ass. This is typical of many bars in San Diego, with the exception of the mammoth round assed bartender, most of the other bartenders are more surfer-type bodes, and typically adorned with excessive tattoos and piercings. Win some, lose some. In any case, I was glad for the discovery and for the soda water and bitters. Watched the first inning of the Reds-Phillies game there, no idea that I was about to miss a no-hitter.

Went to pick up my catering check. I got paid a measly $10 an hour. So the check came to $69 and change. By the time I was at IKEA, I got a call for a gig tomorrow as a dishwasher. Is this what I've come to??? I was on board to do it as it was from 12-4. But then they called back and changed the hours from 12-6. I registered for a wine class tomorrow, and that cost $35, so I wasn't about to throw that out the window and turned the job down due to the conflict. If the job ran 'til 4 I could do it and come close to recouping the cost of the class, and still be able to go to the class. If I took it with the hours 'till six, I would break even in cost but lose the class. I'll take the education.

Around 4pm I wound up in Ocean Beach. The farmer's market, which occurs in each neighborhood on a different day of the week around San Diego, was in Ocean Beach today, Wednesday. The day arrived here, Wednesday, June 30, I pulled into Ocean Beach for the farmer's market. Today was coincidence. Yet I got so much out of it. I walked between the stands into the middle of the street and was greeted by three llamas. They were on their break, eating tall grass out of plastic bins. They were happy to see me. I did not disturb them. But I was absolutely elated to see them. We shared our telepathic exchange. I then moved on to the other side of the street.

Two stands down, I found a Russian stand selling blini. 2 for $5. Fantastic. They were delicious, but I only know that because I've had much better.

I ran into a guy who stopped me because I was wearing my COMBAT ZONE, BOSTON t-shirt, which is money. He was an Irishman who used to live in Dorchester before moving West to work in construction without the interruption of winter. He's been here for 25 years, and loves Ocean Beach.

Every interaction today was easy, smooth, and organic. I had a new friend provide me a favor. I met new people. I felt valued. I bumped into wonderful things that were right there. Today reminded me of why I wanted to move here.

Thank you for today.

Also. Earlier today I saw a billboard for a Zoo Walk this Saturday which is aiming to raise money for elephant support. I registered and will walk. You can find more information below:
http://sdzoo.convio.net/site/TR/Walk/WalkontheWildSide2010?fr_id=1130&pg=pfind

Quick Plug

Still not ready to share my collection of LA stories out here, but here's a quick plug for you.

Met some friends of friends the other night at what my buddy and I presumed to be a German restaurant. We both pictured the sausage haus from the first date in Fast Times In Ridgemont High. Hulking plates, dark lighting, red leather booths, and huge steins of beer. Instead, we were at a lovely Swiss bistro. Bright lights, brick walls, wood fixtures, and moderate steins of beer.
It was pretty wild, sitting at an authentic Swiss restaurant in LA literally two weeks after sitting at a truly authentic Swiss restaurant in Verbier two weeks to the day before.

You can check the place out here, if you're ever in LA, I'd certainly recommend it. Great food, lovely setting.
http://www.chaletedelweiss.us/

October, Monday

Woke up in LA this morning to a comforting rain outside the window. Then I realized that I was waking up in LA. And it was raining outside. It all seemed perfectly natural to me since I was staying with a friend whose parents live around the corner from my house back in Mass. We're used to this stuff. But here we were in LA with raindrops falling down under grey skies. Odd.

On the way south back to San Diego I figured the rain would subside. It didn't, only varying in degrees as I went through one town into another. Once I finally made it back to Pacific Beach I could see sun out to the west over the water. No precipitation. But it is in the low 60s and grey. Just a few miles inland it's raining. How strange. Some merchants apologized to me for moving to San Diego at such a gloomy time. I was pleasantly surprised that they didn't blame me for bringing the bad weather out here.

After a few errands, I stopped along the shores of La Jolla at Bird Rock Beach. Here are a few photos.

Debut

Made some eggs this morning with my new Calphalon non-stick pan. Worked like a dream.

Thanks, Mom.

Linner

There are some days where I only eat once. This started on the cross country trip. There's not motivation behind it, simply a case of being distracted or preoccupied. Today was one of those days, therefore I just finished what could be called my dunch or linner, as it will be my only meal today.

I slow cooked some pulled pork in barbeque sauce, lime juice, and spices. I didn't really do it properly, only spent about 4 hours over low heat. Nevertheless it made for great sandwiches. Pulled chicken with chopped onion and dill pickles on fresh buns toasted in olive oil, one had meunster cheese, the other Irish cheddar. All that paired with mineral water and a California Red Zinfandel. Lovely.

As the Red Sox game is in a delay, I watched a bit of the Braves Phillies matchup. Since the Padres blew it last night, and this week, and this past month, it would take a Braves collapse to give them some chance at the post-season, but either way they have to win every game. National League games lag a bit, fortunately Encore is showing Never Say Never Again, one of the best bonds, even though it's an unofficial entry in the series. Klaus Maria Brandauer is probably the best ever bond villain, though I'm also partial to Christopher Lee in The Man With The Golden Gun. Both films are also neck for best bond babes, Kim Basinger and Barbera Carerra in the former, then Britt Ekland and Maud Adams in the latter. Marvelous.

Some Photos From Our Stormy Day

Continuation

Saw a beautiful rainbow. Made a wish. Took another walk. Saw lightening. A ton of lightening in San Diego today, trees set on fire.

Watched the Padres game. They actually had the tarp on the field and delayed the start of the game. I know this is ironic, but what a kroc! I learned a new term today. Virga. Rain that does not fall. There were clouds, lightening, thunder, but very little rain. Plenty of virga. Do you think Ray Krok, mastermind of McDonald's, would let some virga interrupt his game when the post-season was at stake??? No surprise, the Pads lost! Now they have to sweep the Giants just to qualify a one game playoff to reach the post-season. After leading in first until the middle of September! What a joke!

Happy October, everyone!