Just dance!
oh where to begin, I'm writing this to record my trip to San Francisco this past weekend, woohooo MLK weekend. I have been meaning to visit my best friend Sher out there before she graduates law school. Well what do you know it's been 3 years and she's graduating this spring so a trip was needed. This trip was part Sher, part visiting SF, and part vacation! So this is the whirl wind tour I took in 5 days flat.
Friday: Fly into SFO from PHL getting in at 7:02pm, quickly leave airport with Sher and Beth (her partner) and we jet off to go return the zipcar. With a couple minutes to spare we get it back to the Mission District (where they live) and it's off to drop my back pack off at their place. We then quickly go out again and meet up with my friend Gregory, who just moved out to SF a couple of months ago, and who lives in the Castro area. We eat at a vegetarian Indian restaurant called Udupi Palace. There are so many beautiful people just walking around SF, it kind of reminded me of Italy, only less snobby. Good food, good convo etc. Then we leave there and head to a random bar called Casanova and order a drink. There were two couches catty corner to each other, one being occupied by 3 guys and one that was empty. We all sit down at the empty one and Sher goes to order us drinks. I proceed to sit at the end of the couch which is closest to the guys. One of the drunk guys then leans over and proceeds to hit on me. Seriously? Literally less than 2 hours after touching down in the mecca of the gay, I get hit on by a guy! Anyway that was annoying. Beth tried to save me when I got up to find Sher and get away from him. I thought he was hitting on her instead, I found out later he was trying to find out more info about me. She told him I was gay, he didn't believe her. Sher came back, we quickly drank our drinks and left. Understandably so. Our friend from college Cecil was randomly in the area with her new girlfriend so we met up with her on the streets and went to another bar called El Rio. Much cooler, had a great outside sitting area in the back. We all got more beers and sat around. We all commented about what a great atmosphere it was, it seriously felt like you were at someone's summer house party. SUPER chill, everyone just having a great time. Cecil ran into some random kid she knew from HS and we all just chatted it up. We decide to play shuffle board that was in the bar area and proceed to have fun with that, Cecil and I beat Crystal and Sher. yay. We head back to the open area and get a REALLY strong smell of weed. We get together with Beth who is talking to some random older woman. She apparently was the one with the pot and offers us a hit. Ok by this point I'm too overwhelmed. San Francisco is amazingly beautiful, the weather is gorgeous, and apparently total strangers can just offer you pot while drinking at a bar. No one seemed to care, it was nuts. By this time I'm fully sold on this city! Anyway stuck around for a little while longer and then we all decide to peace out. I go back to Gregory's place, get a slice of pizza, cause we're drunk and that's what gay people do (buy gay pizza, it's a known phenomenon haha) which by the way was like a 30 minute walk back. We go home, we crash.
Saturday morning: Gregory wakes me up trying to sneak out to go to the gym at 9am, I'm a light sleeper. So he's like "come to the gym!!" Omg gay boys and their gyms. What would they do without them?! I go, we work out. I haven't worked out in ages, my body hates me for it. We go back, shower and then have brunch at a brunch place called Home which is literally less than a block away. Then by around noon we head out to walk our asses off for the next 6 hours. We first walked up a ridiculously large hill, at the top there was a scenic outlook where we got a panoramic view of the entire city. It was beautiful. We then walked through Golden Gate Park, a park area known for its...let's just say liberal residents a la homeless people. In less than a minute and a half of entering the park, we were offered mushrooms, weed, crystal meth, speed, and crack. Omg nuts. Everyone there was absolutely high on whatever they were on, it was the 60s all over again. Walked further through the park and ended up at the De Young Museum and went to its observation deck where you can see all of San Francisco, it was pretty damn awesome. Then we walked down Haight Ashbury, a hippy dippy street that's well known if you go to SF. Then WALKED some more to get down to Ocean Beach, halfway there we hopped the MUNI (train system) and it dropped us right off. Walked around the beach, rolled our eyes at the half naked people sunbathing, oogled at the hotties and awwwed at the cute dogs frolicking about. Left Ocean Beach and walked a couple of blocks so that Gregory could get a slurpee. I only note this because I was shocked, though I shouldn't have been as I was just in San Diego this past summer, to see alcohol lined up next to the soft drinks shelf. Walked to Dolores Park where everyone hangs out. By that point (around 3pm or so) people had already left though it was still somehow packed with revelers. There was a huge rave party going on in one corner and we saw people drinking beer, wine and taking shots...on the lawn...in public. It was so crazy. It's like there's no city ordinance, though there is they just don't care that people drink in public. It was awesome, everyone's so damn free spirited. I love San Francisco. We then took the MUNI back to Gregory's place, got one of the best burritos I have ever had at a Taquería right next to his place. We hung out, let our achy, poor feet rest and watched Will & Grace. Good times. Then we got ready at around 9ish and went to Gregory's friend's birthday party. So it was at his apartment and by apartment I mean college dorm room: one giant living room, bathroom and bedroom throwback! So fucking small. We get there and at least 50 giggling, FLAMEY, gay men were packed in! We drink some there, I wasn't really feeling it so I was kinda sober, my friend Gregory on the other hand was not! I met his friend Akash and we immediately bonded. He didn't drink and I really didn't want to so while all the other boys were getting wasted Akash and I just talked. The party ended around 11 and the birthday boy wanted everyone to head into the city and go to the flamey gay bar called Badlands. One of the birthday boy's friends drove us into town, we parted with him, and went to some lesbian bar called The Cafe in the Castro. Got there, it was packed, danced a little bit. Akash had yoga in the mornin (gotta love San Franciscans? and their yoga) so he peaced out while Gregory and I went over to meet up with the gay boys at Badlands. Got in, was ridiculously packed like The Cafe. Perhaps the highlight of the night was going to the girls bathroom and helping out some random drunk girl who got super sick. While waiting for the stall, as there was only one, she did it in the sink, I gave her the trash can she did it there, then I told her to go ahead of me in line and then she did it in the toilet. Omg she was a mess. I even got her fucking water. She wasn't slurring her words but she was a total lightweight. I tried to help her out and say it's cool we've all been sick, don't be embarrassed. She says she doesn't drink a lot and she only had two rum and cokes. Good God, such a lightweight! The whole point of the night or at least on Greg's end was to find me a girl, haha which didn't happen and which was fine with me. Ok enough with that night.
Sunday: Next day, got up at the ass crack of dawn, took the MUNI train to the CalTrain that was leaving at like 8am to go to Stanford to meet up with my friend Brian in Palo Alto. Got there around 10, he picked me up about 20 minutes later, we literally chilled on his couch for about 5 hours, cheering on our beloved Eagles (boooo they lost, no Superbowl for us). I finally got to meet his girlfriend Moria (pronounced Mariah, as in Carey)! We watched part of the Steelers/Ravens game, then I hopped on the CalTrain back, caught the BART and got off at Sher's stop where she was waiting for me. The BART system is really funny because it was designed by the same architects who set up the Metro in DC. Seeing how I lived in DC for about a year and a half it all looked exactly alike. Weird. Anyway we went back to Sher's, got ready and walked to some Vietnamese restaurant that Beth and Sher wanted to check out. Ate dinner, their food was DELICIOUS. For Sher's birthday she had planned to have her friends meet at the Inner Mission Beer Parlor. Everyone met up there, it was a fun little get together, drank some beers. Got to see Jonathan! Guy from college who lived across the hall from us senior year. It was cool to catch up with him and meet some of Sher's friends. We closed down the place at midnight, walked home to Sher and Beth's place. Crashed there.
Monday: Woke up, yay Sher's birthday, MLK Day! We walked to Savour, a breakfast place and had a nice brunch, mmmm crepes. Afterwards went and did a little grocery shopping. Got back, I took a nap cause I was exhausted, while Beth and Sher got ready for the BBQ they were having up on their roof. Woke about 30 minutes later to find some people on the roof. We had a great little BBQ with random friends of Sher's coming and going. The weather was absolutely PERFECT for a little rooftop BBQ. Good food and merriment were had. People left around 5. Sher, Beth and I did dishes and then lazed around listening to music, talking. They somehow were hungry around 8, apparently they don't skip meals, I on the other hand would have been more than happy to just spend the rest of the night chilling. We went out around 8pm to a wine bar called Parea on Valencia Street (the street Sher lives off of). Great atmosphere. We got some food and wine and chilled out for a couple of hours. Just hanging out, drinking and having a nice meal. Walked back and Beth gave me a massage (she's a massage therapist). It was nice. We went to bed.
Tuesday: Got up at the butt crack of down, 6ish, got dressed, hugged Beth and Sher goodbye, took the BART, made it to SFO in time and hopped on a plane back to cold ass Philadelphia.
The trip to San Francisco was amazing. I can't believe all the stuff I saw and did. It was a fabulous journey my only regret was that it wasn't longer. I really like San Francisco. If I could live there I totally would. We'll just see what happens once I get my Masters this summer, maybe there will be a job opportunity available! Anyway glad I got this all down. I might attach pictures to the end of this post just for fun but for right now that's all =)
Friday: Fly into SFO from PHL getting in at 7:02pm, quickly leave airport with Sher and Beth (her partner) and we jet off to go return the zipcar. With a couple minutes to spare we get it back to the Mission District (where they live) and it's off to drop my back pack off at their place. We then quickly go out again and meet up with my friend Gregory, who just moved out to SF a couple of months ago, and who lives in the Castro area. We eat at a vegetarian Indian restaurant called Udupi Palace. There are so many beautiful people just walking around SF, it kind of reminded me of Italy, only less snobby. Good food, good convo etc. Then we leave there and head to a random bar called Casanova and order a drink. There were two couches catty corner to each other, one being occupied by 3 guys and one that was empty. We all sit down at the empty one and Sher goes to order us drinks. I proceed to sit at the end of the couch which is closest to the guys. One of the drunk guys then leans over and proceeds to hit on me. Seriously? Literally less than 2 hours after touching down in the mecca of the gay, I get hit on by a guy! Anyway that was annoying. Beth tried to save me when I got up to find Sher and get away from him. I thought he was hitting on her instead, I found out later he was trying to find out more info about me. She told him I was gay, he didn't believe her. Sher came back, we quickly drank our drinks and left. Understandably so. Our friend from college Cecil was randomly in the area with her new girlfriend so we met up with her on the streets and went to another bar called El Rio. Much cooler, had a great outside sitting area in the back. We all got more beers and sat around. We all commented about what a great atmosphere it was, it seriously felt like you were at someone's summer house party. SUPER chill, everyone just having a great time. Cecil ran into some random kid she knew from HS and we all just chatted it up. We decide to play shuffle board that was in the bar area and proceed to have fun with that, Cecil and I beat Crystal and Sher. yay. We head back to the open area and get a REALLY strong smell of weed. We get together with Beth who is talking to some random older woman. She apparently was the one with the pot and offers us a hit. Ok by this point I'm too overwhelmed. San Francisco is amazingly beautiful, the weather is gorgeous, and apparently total strangers can just offer you pot while drinking at a bar. No one seemed to care, it was nuts. By this time I'm fully sold on this city! Anyway stuck around for a little while longer and then we all decide to peace out. I go back to Gregory's place, get a slice of pizza, cause we're drunk and that's what gay people do (buy gay pizza, it's a known phenomenon haha) which by the way was like a 30 minute walk back. We go home, we crash.
Saturday morning: Gregory wakes me up trying to sneak out to go to the gym at 9am, I'm a light sleeper. So he's like "come to the gym!!" Omg gay boys and their gyms. What would they do without them?! I go, we work out. I haven't worked out in ages, my body hates me for it. We go back, shower and then have brunch at a brunch place called Home which is literally less than a block away. Then by around noon we head out to walk our asses off for the next 6 hours. We first walked up a ridiculously large hill, at the top there was a scenic outlook where we got a panoramic view of the entire city. It was beautiful. We then walked through Golden Gate Park, a park area known for its...let's just say liberal residents a la homeless people. In less than a minute and a half of entering the park, we were offered mushrooms, weed, crystal meth, speed, and crack. Omg nuts. Everyone there was absolutely high on whatever they were on, it was the 60s all over again. Walked further through the park and ended up at the De Young Museum and went to its observation deck where you can see all of San Francisco, it was pretty damn awesome. Then we walked down Haight Ashbury, a hippy dippy street that's well known if you go to SF. Then WALKED some more to get down to Ocean Beach, halfway there we hopped the MUNI (train system) and it dropped us right off. Walked around the beach, rolled our eyes at the half naked people sunbathing, oogled at the hotties and awwwed at the cute dogs frolicking about. Left Ocean Beach and walked a couple of blocks so that Gregory could get a slurpee. I only note this because I was shocked, though I shouldn't have been as I was just in San Diego this past summer, to see alcohol lined up next to the soft drinks shelf. Walked to Dolores Park where everyone hangs out. By that point (around 3pm or so) people had already left though it was still somehow packed with revelers. There was a huge rave party going on in one corner and we saw people drinking beer, wine and taking shots...on the lawn...in public. It was so crazy. It's like there's no city ordinance, though there is they just don't care that people drink in public. It was awesome, everyone's so damn free spirited. I love San Francisco. We then took the MUNI back to Gregory's place, got one of the best burritos I have ever had at a Taquería right next to his place. We hung out, let our achy, poor feet rest and watched Will & Grace. Good times. Then we got ready at around 9ish and went to Gregory's friend's birthday party. So it was at his apartment and by apartment I mean college dorm room: one giant living room, bathroom and bedroom throwback! So fucking small. We get there and at least 50 giggling, FLAMEY, gay men were packed in! We drink some there, I wasn't really feeling it so I was kinda sober, my friend Gregory on the other hand was not! I met his friend Akash and we immediately bonded. He didn't drink and I really didn't want to so while all the other boys were getting wasted Akash and I just talked. The party ended around 11 and the birthday boy wanted everyone to head into the city and go to the flamey gay bar called Badlands. One of the birthday boy's friends drove us into town, we parted with him, and went to some lesbian bar called The Cafe in the Castro. Got there, it was packed, danced a little bit. Akash had yoga in the mornin (gotta love San Franciscans? and their yoga) so he peaced out while Gregory and I went over to meet up with the gay boys at Badlands. Got in, was ridiculously packed like The Cafe. Perhaps the highlight of the night was going to the girls bathroom and helping out some random drunk girl who got super sick. While waiting for the stall, as there was only one, she did it in the sink, I gave her the trash can she did it there, then I told her to go ahead of me in line and then she did it in the toilet. Omg she was a mess. I even got her fucking water. She wasn't slurring her words but she was a total lightweight. I tried to help her out and say it's cool we've all been sick, don't be embarrassed. She says she doesn't drink a lot and she only had two rum and cokes. Good God, such a lightweight! The whole point of the night or at least on Greg's end was to find me a girl, haha which didn't happen and which was fine with me. Ok enough with that night.
Sunday: Next day, got up at the ass crack of dawn, took the MUNI train to the CalTrain that was leaving at like 8am to go to Stanford to meet up with my friend Brian in Palo Alto. Got there around 10, he picked me up about 20 minutes later, we literally chilled on his couch for about 5 hours, cheering on our beloved Eagles (boooo they lost, no Superbowl for us). I finally got to meet his girlfriend Moria (pronounced Mariah, as in Carey)! We watched part of the Steelers/Ravens game, then I hopped on the CalTrain back, caught the BART and got off at Sher's stop where she was waiting for me. The BART system is really funny because it was designed by the same architects who set up the Metro in DC. Seeing how I lived in DC for about a year and a half it all looked exactly alike. Weird. Anyway we went back to Sher's, got ready and walked to some Vietnamese restaurant that Beth and Sher wanted to check out. Ate dinner, their food was DELICIOUS. For Sher's birthday she had planned to have her friends meet at the Inner Mission Beer Parlor. Everyone met up there, it was a fun little get together, drank some beers. Got to see Jonathan! Guy from college who lived across the hall from us senior year. It was cool to catch up with him and meet some of Sher's friends. We closed down the place at midnight, walked home to Sher and Beth's place. Crashed there.
Monday: Woke up, yay Sher's birthday, MLK Day! We walked to Savour, a breakfast place and had a nice brunch, mmmm crepes. Afterwards went and did a little grocery shopping. Got back, I took a nap cause I was exhausted, while Beth and Sher got ready for the BBQ they were having up on their roof. Woke about 30 minutes later to find some people on the roof. We had a great little BBQ with random friends of Sher's coming and going. The weather was absolutely PERFECT for a little rooftop BBQ. Good food and merriment were had. People left around 5. Sher, Beth and I did dishes and then lazed around listening to music, talking. They somehow were hungry around 8, apparently they don't skip meals, I on the other hand would have been more than happy to just spend the rest of the night chilling. We went out around 8pm to a wine bar called Parea on Valencia Street (the street Sher lives off of). Great atmosphere. We got some food and wine and chilled out for a couple of hours. Just hanging out, drinking and having a nice meal. Walked back and Beth gave me a massage (she's a massage therapist). It was nice. We went to bed.
Tuesday: Got up at the butt crack of down, 6ish, got dressed, hugged Beth and Sher goodbye, took the BART, made it to SFO in time and hopped on a plane back to cold ass Philadelphia.
The trip to San Francisco was amazing. I can't believe all the stuff I saw and did. It was a fabulous journey my only regret was that it wasn't longer. I really like San Francisco. If I could live there I totally would. We'll just see what happens once I get my Masters this summer, maybe there will be a job opportunity available! Anyway glad I got this all down. I might attach pictures to the end of this post just for fun but for right now that's all =)