Well I’m back! Jenn, Robin, Aaron, myself, with special cameo appearances by Nishita had an amazing time in California. And now I have a crapload of pictures to share with you all! Click on the smaller ones for larger versions.
Firstly, here is what got me through the 6 hour flight:
Here’s our hotel room. We stayed at the Doubletree in Berkeley. It was right on the marina and gorgeous.
One of my first priorities was to drink an Anchor Steam beer, which is made in San Francisco.
After dinner we went to the top of Indian Rock. It had amazing views of the surrounding area and we stayed until sunset, which was gorgeous.
Then the next day we walked and walked and walked all over San Francisco. The hills were just as ridiculous as they look on television. I’m pretty sure I don’t have love handles anymore.
And then we went to tourist central, otherwise known as Fisherman’s Wharf, and we saw, heard, and smelt the sea lions on Pier 39.
The next morning me and Robin went for a walk around the marina back at our hotel. The squirrels in Berkeley are way more friendly than the skittish ones we have here in New York.
That afternoon we met up with Robin’s cousin who got us tickets to the ballet in San Franciso, which was awesome. Afterwards (apparently that’s not a word, but I’m keeping it) Robin and Jenn went to dinner with Robin’s family while me and Aaron wandered San Francisco some more.
We climbed Coit Tower, which gave us an awesome view of the entire city:
And then we had dinner at a place called The Sausage Factory.
Which could only mean one thing: We were on Castro Street! It was such a great area, with a fun vibe and loads of good restaurants and bars.
That night we went to QBar, which had these television screens all around the walls that you could text message and have your messages appear. It’s supposed to be a way to flirt (gays are so passive sometimes) but it allowed me and Aaron to have some fun:
We were the ones sitting in the corner, but we were also the ones who sent that message. Guess which one I sent next:
Did I mention Aaron was wearing a “Tour de Queens” shirt at the time?
And then I sent this one:
But then it got responses so I got scared and we stopped. Please note that only in a gay bar would a flirting television screen include a shout out to someone’s gucci bag.
And then this one popped up, but no one knew Aaron’s name, other than the German guy (with the most ridiculous hair I’ve ever seen in my life) we were talking to at the time, so they must have been talking about someone else, but it was still funny.
The next day we went to Muir Woods and walked amongst the redwoods. It was all very Lord of the Rings. Aaron may or may not have sang Into the West for a portion of the hike.
Apparently I have the wingspan of a bald eagle:
Then we went to Stinson Beach, which required driving down these ridiculously windy roads around the Pacific coast:
Last but certainly not least we went to the Golden Gate Bridge, which was incredible. Growing up around New York City, and constantly using the bridges in the area, I was still shocked at how enormous and beautiful this was.
We asked this lady to take a picture of the four of us, and unfortunately her stupid friend ended up in the picture with us. Oh, and a bit of her finger too. Geez, way to go lady.
But with a bit of cropping, they’re both gone, and it’s a really nice picture.
Fshew! As you can see, we fit a lot into those few days. It was such a blast and truly felt like a once in a lifetime opportunity. I have the best friends any guy could ever ask for!
Mark: I say Aaron Of The Nice Tits looks good damn near anywhere.
HUGS…
Tam: this is directly off the Rubios website: “…crispy beer-battered fish, shredded cabbage, mild salsa and our tangy white sauce. Served on your choice of soft corn or thick flour tortilla, garnished with a slice of lime.”
I kid you not; tangy. white. sauce.
Nico: “tangy white sauce” *retch* *gag* *gasp* ICK!!! Can I get it without the tangy white sauce? Until I got there it was sounding really tasty. Why must Mexican food put that white crap on everything? I think on a flour tortilla for me, but I’m flexible, but NO SAUCE! Thanks for the enlightenment.
Welcome back. I am glad that you and your friends had a good time.
Nice photos. I was momentarily distracted by Aaron’s cute butt in the photo of him walking up the rock stairs.
I was slightly surprised to see you all so bundled up for CA. My knowledge of CA is minimal, I just assumed it was always hot. Apparently not.
Ryan: I’m not a fan of marines. I’ve always had a taste for seamen.
Boy, you are on top of your game today Craig. That vacation did you good.
Chris D.: The currents off the coast of California come from the arctic rather than the tropics like on the East Coast. This keeps things cooler and drier than an equivalent latitude in the east. Occasionally, warm desert winds will heat things up in the southern part of the state.
California is also a relatively big state. San Francisco is an eight hour drive north of the southern, warmer end.
Craig: Hence your love of tacos that have white, tangy sauce?
Craig FTW!
Mark: They had dinner at a place called the Sausage Factory, as if that isn’t entendre enough. Oh and “”I’m sure I helped to write that joke. Sometime after I killed the dragon.”
Cupcake, I think your geek is showing….
Nico: Ew! That’s nasty!
Tam: Forget deep frying. Forget “white sauce”.
Fillets of white fish with firm flesh (halibut, or talapia, say). Grill it.
For a “sauce”, either use a good fresh salsa, or make one: chopped tomatoes (tomatillos if available), some onion, cilantro, jalapeno for starters.
Wrap it all in a freshly made corn or flour tortilla (drop me a line for recipes for those — fresh homemade tortillas are a totally different food from supermarket tortillas).
You can gussy this up with other fillings (shredded lettuce or cabbage is common in the US), but the above will do. The biggest mistake northerners make with tacos is overfilling. In a good Mexican taco, the tortilla flavors are on par with the fillings.
john: My geek got me an office with an ocean view. So there.
TwoPi: Now THAT sounds good. I hate store bought corn tortillas (unless they are in Dorito form). They are too dry and ick. Never had “real” ones but as I said, we can barely support 2 Taco Bells in a city of a million. We do have Lone Star which makes amazing fresh flour tortillas (too bad the rest of their menu sucks). Guess I need to expand my Mexican food experience. I get a bit tired of tacos from a box.
Heather has my e-mail, send me the recipe.
john – what is up with your avatar? I can’t seeeeee it – it’s too dark. By the way, that particular order suits me just fine. And that’s my motto, too.
Cuppers: I was wearing my “I heart my geek” t shirt yesterday (I married one). Geeks are awesome.
I am not a gay fish.
Cupcake: Oh dude, that *so* wasn’t meant as an insult. Card carrying geek here. I may not know much about the weather in California, but get me talking about bees or octopuses and I’m smack dab in the middle of geekgasm.
Michelle M.: It is close up picture of our male rabbit resting his chin on the couch while sleeping. I’ll have to switch it to a better picture.
Fish tacos for dinner and octopie for dessert. Yum : P.
I just watched Into the Woods on DVD. The Big Bad Wolf’s costume had furry genitalia.
Now you have to see Alfred Hitchcock’s “Vertigo,” which is the definitive San Francisco movie.
Also ranked among the 10 best films of all time.
Actually, this is interesting. 145 critics picked the 10 best films of all time. http://www.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/topten/poll/critics.html