San Francisco So Far
I can say that I am having a fantastic time.
On the way here, I manage to snag a 2nd row seat at the front of the plane because it is the isle row with a young mother and her 3 year old son. No one wants to take that seat. So I figure, hell, at least I'll get off the plane earlier. I have an interesting conversation with the woman while her son sleeps the whole way shortly even before take-off. We talk about her desires to move to San Francisco from small town Iowa, and her love of gardening and clamming. Overall not a bad flight, even though we were a half an hour late.
I catch the shuttle bus to the subway, which will be my second time riding. I start a conversation with the sweetest black man who having put up airs of defense had a wonderful smile, and gave me advice on which train to take. There was a woman on the subway who had white galoshes with koi fish on them, which though I wanted to tell her I like her shoes, ended up asking and getting advice on which way to find my hostel.
The hostel was better than expected. The first I've stayed in. Though, having the top bunk isn't great, I am sharing the room with a good friend instead of three other strangers. I will definitely stay here again. This hostel, the Elements Hostel, is a hotel, restaurant, and club. Luckily, though I've brought ear plugs for the occasion, I seem to be getting back after the club's closed and so haven't had to worry about the noise.
So after arrival, I hurry and change to head out to the leather bars. My roommate didn't go on Friday because she'd spent all day in an intensive branding class. Of which I'll be able to experience tomorrow. :) She'll be doing a cautery branding on my back, with equipment supplied by her instructor. I spent both evenings at the leather bars, watching hot gay men cruise and make-out with each other. To finish the night of today with a hug from a gay man whom decided I was a demi-hero of his after getting flogged in the back of Chaps, drawing a small crowd of whomever was left at almost two in the morning. The first night, I had men buying me drinks to gain favor with the two men I was with, and subsequently was so drunk I experienced the most intense piss play on the way home riding the buss, where the driver didn't know any median pressure between all gas or all breaks.
I have pictures of a hot leather punk that said he was a pig, though never clarified as to what he was a pig in. Though we may be able to get a discount at Mr. S with his connection. I also have a cute picture of myself petting a bear's mustache at the Powerhouse. I am a friendly drunk, and I kept asking the bald gay men if I could pet their heads, and this bear his mustache. No one refused, and all were in good humor.
On my way to Stompers my friend and I stopped in The Hole in the Wall bar. It wasn't what I was expecting for a gay motorcycle leather bar, with the lighting that reminds me of a UFO cafe from x-files, and fantasy/sci-fi figurines glued above the liquor, but it was great to be surrounded by images of history.
By happenstance, another friend who moved to San Diego was in San Francisco this weekend and I got to visit with him over lunch at Wicked Grounds, a new a kinky coffee shop. It was good to see him. I think it had been almost a year since we'd visited. I was also able to spend time with my extended leather family, break bread, and have one of the most healthy meals I've had in months. Fresh baked bread, mixed green salad with clementines and almond slivers in balsamic vinaigrette dressing, rice with rosemary, stir fried potatoes, bell peppers, and onions, as well as baked salmon with rosemary, garlic and lemon. Then to finish off with a piece of apple cranberry pie from Mission Pie. I love the crust on their pies. I'd like to learn how to make mine taste as good as theirs. I think I'll stop by there tomorrow for a piece of walnut pie. Even better than pecan, and I love pecan.
So, when I get up today, I'll be heading back down to Folsom street to peruse the leather shops more, hopefully get some donations for the gift basket auction for next month, and head to China Town for some good food.
I love to visit this city. Though I don't know if I'd want to live here, mainly because it is dirty and it has quite a bit of graffiti. Though I suppose that is a natural development with so many people in a 5 mile city. There is so much culture walking around the Mission and SoMa districts than I see in Salt Lake. So much diversity, and I noticed that I wasn't an oddity as a woman with a mohawk and purple hair. No one stared or whispered. They'd seen it all before. The city is awake and busy even in the earliest hours. With 24 hour cafes which still have at least fifteen to twenty people inside, to people catching cabs to their final destinations.
Well, I should be getting to mine, my bed on the top bunk, which I must say is horrendous attempting to climb drunk. Not that I would've known from experience last night. *laugh*
On the way here, I manage to snag a 2nd row seat at the front of the plane because it is the isle row with a young mother and her 3 year old son. No one wants to take that seat. So I figure, hell, at least I'll get off the plane earlier. I have an interesting conversation with the woman while her son sleeps the whole way shortly even before take-off. We talk about her desires to move to San Francisco from small town Iowa, and her love of gardening and clamming. Overall not a bad flight, even though we were a half an hour late.
I catch the shuttle bus to the subway, which will be my second time riding. I start a conversation with the sweetest black man who having put up airs of defense had a wonderful smile, and gave me advice on which train to take. There was a woman on the subway who had white galoshes with koi fish on them, which though I wanted to tell her I like her shoes, ended up asking and getting advice on which way to find my hostel.
The hostel was better than expected. The first I've stayed in. Though, having the top bunk isn't great, I am sharing the room with a good friend instead of three other strangers. I will definitely stay here again. This hostel, the Elements Hostel, is a hotel, restaurant, and club. Luckily, though I've brought ear plugs for the occasion, I seem to be getting back after the club's closed and so haven't had to worry about the noise.
So after arrival, I hurry and change to head out to the leather bars. My roommate didn't go on Friday because she'd spent all day in an intensive branding class. Of which I'll be able to experience tomorrow. :) She'll be doing a cautery branding on my back, with equipment supplied by her instructor. I spent both evenings at the leather bars, watching hot gay men cruise and make-out with each other. To finish the night of today with a hug from a gay man whom decided I was a demi-hero of his after getting flogged in the back of Chaps, drawing a small crowd of whomever was left at almost two in the morning. The first night, I had men buying me drinks to gain favor with the two men I was with, and subsequently was so drunk I experienced the most intense piss play on the way home riding the buss, where the driver didn't know any median pressure between all gas or all breaks.
I have pictures of a hot leather punk that said he was a pig, though never clarified as to what he was a pig in. Though we may be able to get a discount at Mr. S with his connection. I also have a cute picture of myself petting a bear's mustache at the Powerhouse. I am a friendly drunk, and I kept asking the bald gay men if I could pet their heads, and this bear his mustache. No one refused, and all were in good humor.
On my way to Stompers my friend and I stopped in The Hole in the Wall bar. It wasn't what I was expecting for a gay motorcycle leather bar, with the lighting that reminds me of a UFO cafe from x-files, and fantasy/sci-fi figurines glued above the liquor, but it was great to be surrounded by images of history.
By happenstance, another friend who moved to San Diego was in San Francisco this weekend and I got to visit with him over lunch at Wicked Grounds, a new a kinky coffee shop. It was good to see him. I think it had been almost a year since we'd visited. I was also able to spend time with my extended leather family, break bread, and have one of the most healthy meals I've had in months. Fresh baked bread, mixed green salad with clementines and almond slivers in balsamic vinaigrette dressing, rice with rosemary, stir fried potatoes, bell peppers, and onions, as well as baked salmon with rosemary, garlic and lemon. Then to finish off with a piece of apple cranberry pie from Mission Pie. I love the crust on their pies. I'd like to learn how to make mine taste as good as theirs. I think I'll stop by there tomorrow for a piece of walnut pie. Even better than pecan, and I love pecan.
So, when I get up today, I'll be heading back down to Folsom street to peruse the leather shops more, hopefully get some donations for the gift basket auction for next month, and head to China Town for some good food.
I love to visit this city. Though I don't know if I'd want to live here, mainly because it is dirty and it has quite a bit of graffiti. Though I suppose that is a natural development with so many people in a 5 mile city. There is so much culture walking around the Mission and SoMa districts than I see in Salt Lake. So much diversity, and I noticed that I wasn't an oddity as a woman with a mohawk and purple hair. No one stared or whispered. They'd seen it all before. The city is awake and busy even in the earliest hours. With 24 hour cafes which still have at least fifteen to twenty people inside, to people catching cabs to their final destinations.
Well, I should be getting to mine, my bed on the top bunk, which I must say is horrendous attempting to climb drunk. Not that I would've known from experience last night. *laugh*