Twinkling Toes?

In Germany, I believe. Obviously, a musical city.

Cypress, Walnut Creek

This place has been open for about a month, in place of the former VeSu restaurant. The chef is from the former Virage, a French restaurant, on the other end of town.
Theme is French-California stylish.
We went to celebrate our 46-ish Anniversary.

Warm greetings upon entry, and a Kindle-like wine list pad to study. Fun, of course, but not connected to the bar. Oh well, it's geeky enough.

Super (too?) friendly waiter. Droned on and on about the specials while DW#1 was fiddling with the Kindle wine list. Got through that, ordered the escargots for an appetizer. Sobon Zin and Domaine Pinot Meunier red wines accompanied.

Service was a bit slow, but the cremini mushroom tops with escargots were well worth the wait. A basket of French bread to help with the butter sauce was delicious and welcomed.

We continued with the sea bass dinner and the knife-sliced beef carpaccio. Both were excellent, tasty, beautifully presented. Again, service was a bit slow.

Piano at the bar was a welcome distraction. Noise level is a bit above pleasant, but okay.
Staff continued friendly. Nice to see.

Dessert was crackers, fresh fruit, heavy sweet cream with fruit drizzle. Excellent.

Tab for two, with wine and tip, about $100.

Highly recommended. California cuisine with a definite French touch. Next time you're in town, let me know and we'll go. Split the tab? :)

The Importance of Eyes

We've had a few questions about eyes (left eyes) today, but all has turned out well. So, here's a chance for you to rest your own eyes.

And, of course, our all-time favorite for study and peaceful contemplation:

And, to all a good night! :)



Don't Mess With My Grandma

I was most impressed, of course, with the graceful placement of Christmas lights on the porch railing. Obviously, a welcome family to the neighborhood.

Apologies to Edward Hopper (1882-1967)



 In case you forgot the original:

Shanghai China

(Wondering why the Party didn't change the name "Shanghai.")
I've been to China only once, and that was to Shanghai, perhaps the most cosmopolitan of the mainland cities. It was sometime in the early 2000s. Very exciting and accessible city.
Here's a pair of pics from Shanghai, looking over the Bund, across the river, to the Pudong New Area. Top was taken in 1990; bottom in 2010.
Wow!

Click to enlarge.

America's Porous Borders!

Two immigrants, captured on digital chips, moments after crossing the (Saranap/Lafayette) California border!

Miscellaneous

This is called the Taxi Corral. It's in the middle of the parking structure at San Francisco International.

Buttons, buttons

Evan Williams, of Obvious Corp., has posted a gotcha link on @Twitter:

http://youarenotsosmart.com/2010/02/10/placebo-buttons/

Please push on it, and watch what happens. :)

She must be a relative, by birth or by marriage

What we know: She resides in Germany. She is fluent in English. She has dyed her hair purple.
Don't ask, because I don't know. :)

"Moneyball"

It's always fun, and often frustrating, to be a fan of the Oakland A's. So it was great to head out for the big screen and watch "Moneyball" with Brad Pitt. I mean with DW#1, not Pitt. Pitt stars in the movie.

It's a fun flic, replete with many shots of the Coliseum and West Oakland. And it's a good story, highlighting the buying and selling of human beings, always in search of the World Series ring.

The movie has been out for a while, so catch it soon. Or, get the DVD. Heartily recommended.

It's not (quite) Vermont, but . . .

. . . here in Saranap, we do enjoy some Autumn colors.

All in all, I modestly believe, a pretty decent show for November.

Oakland rioting, Berkeley loving

Cut and paste time, just because I can't get blogger to embed videos anymore. Things have gone to hell since Rudy left Blogger. Anyway, please do it:

http://youtu.be/r_UsM05Qt1U

And, if that's not enough (you know whom I'm talking to), try this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScAv_GN8FGU

Random notes from Japan

Yes, there are Halloween decorations all over Tokyo...any excuse for a holiday, I guess.

Y100 is worth about $1.60. Dollar coins are very convenient. We should have some.

Most things in Japan are very polite and very efficient, You pay for it all. It's (almost) worth it.

99% of taxis in Tokyo run on CNG. We're at about 20 % of SF taxis. We can do better.

"Green" beer is non-alcoholic. It's getting very popular in Japan.

Tokyo streets are, almost uniformly, clean, well signed, and smooth. Green asphalt for walking, red asphalt for stopping. No potholes anywhere.

Old San Francisco

I'm thinking that may be a pic of North Beach and the hill now under Coit Tower.

Fleet Week 2011

Cut and Paste. Enjoy the sounds.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/video?id=8382264

Bummer

Miscellaneous

(So, I had these two pics and no place to put them.)

 I would take my new Jeep out for a spin,

but, then I'd have to buy some insurance.

:-)

Percussion Time! (In a three-piece suit)

http://youtu.be/wgaD54YcXpA

(I can't seem to do easy links any more. My fault. So cut and paste if necessary. Tks.)
(Tried again Saturday morning.)

Which Was Wrong?

Three pics are of relatively recent man-made objects. Each was designed to be attractive.

As for me, I see humor in each. And, I wonder if Frank Gehry's work will be considered as poorly as the Edsel design now is.

Memories

Please forgive the lack of scale and the reprehensible color combinations but, guess what we found this weekend. Memories of warmth, anyone? :)

This Is Just Plain Fun!

http://twistedsifter.com/2011/08/20-clever-logos-with-hidden-symbolism/

Just click on cut & paste the link above and enjoy a few minutes of design magic.

BTW, if you have a Google toolbar up above, highlighting the URL will cause it automatically to show up in the search box on the G toolbar. Then simply click on "Search." Thank you, Google.

Slow Boat to Sitka

There are a few things to be learned from a luxury summer cruise to Alaska in 2011:

• Cruise life is sybaritic (and should be done at least once in one's life.)
• Alaska is a very big forested state with many islands.
• Alaska's economy, in the small, coastal towns we visited, is anemic.

That said, some memories:

 Let's see...Vancouver, Mandatory Abandon Ship Drill,

Hubbard Glacier (in the distance), Enjoying the Verandah, Ketchikan...

 Ketchikan downtown, Sitka downtown

And, after the cruise, on the deck on Lopez Island, WA.
Nice trip. Enjoyed by us both.
(Thanks for looking.)

San Francisco Summer Fog

That thing the fog does from William Couch on Vimeo.


The Fog is wonderful. I watch it most often flowing over the Oakland Hills to Orinda. This is the view from a roof in the City.Thanks to William Couch. 

Nostalgia

I do remember, foggily, those long-ago days.
(Do not fret. DW#1 pan fried Dover sole for dinner tonight. That got me to thinking.)

Golf is for Views

Rummaging through some files, and found the following:

This is the approach to the ninth hole at the Presidio Golf Course in San Francisco. The course opened to the public in about 2008.
Of architectural interest is, on the left, the Club House, which is on City land. In the middle, in the distance, is the Lone Mountain campus of the University of San Francisco. And, on the right, is the gorgeous tiled dome of Temple Emanu-el.
It's a memorable view, even if you miss a hole-in-one by six or seven strokes.

America's Cup 2013

San Francisco Bay is getting ready for the 2013 America's Cup. The course is inside the Bay, so there are many sites from which to view the races.
The following aerial map is taken from the preliminary environmental documents. Pick your place and set out your lawn chair early. (Click to expand.)

I thought it was interesting...

...and you might, also:

Getting Old Hurts

Haboob!

And here I thought these dust storms (haboob in Middle Eastern Arabic) occurred only over there in the vastness of the deserts. But, on Tuesday in Phoenix:


I'm impressed. Anyone want to buy a time-share in Scottsdale? Cheap price.

America