Errands...

One of the reasons I love living in the city, is that you can just step right outside your door and complete all of your daily errands, without getting into a car, stepping onto a bus or hailing a cab. Everything one needs is right around the corner. Sure, there are some neighborhoods that are much more residential than mine, like the outer Richmond or the Dogpatch, but really, within the 7 X 7 miles of this fetching little city, popping out for some ice cream or toilet paper usually requires nothing more than throwing on your Uggs, jacket and a beanie. Then you are more than ready to run the neccessary 2 blocks to the corner market.

Today, I hiked from my house to Trader Joe's, which is located on Bay Street, right down from Fisherman's Wharf, where I bought about $60 worth of frozen food and cheese. I hiked back up Bay, which I must say is quite a workout when you have $60 worth of frozen food and cheese in your backpack. I then dumped off my frozen food and cheese and proceeded up another hill to Polk Street where I bought neccessary items at the Walgreens, then went next store to Real Foods, which is kind of a red-headed step kid to the Whole Foods, and bought my produce and eggs. I then went back down the hill to chez mois, dumped off my produce and headed out for a stroll along Union Street where I bought a nice hot vanilla coffee and checked out the boutiques. Nice. I just love it here. It reminds me of when I lived in Montreal, sans car, and was fit, happy and ready to take on the world!

Also today, sadly, I learned a tragic story. Last night, a girl who worked at Park Chow, this is another one of the Chows, was celebrating her 21st birthday with a bunch of people from Park Chow and after many cocktails...fell off the roof and to a tragic end. Ugh. Shock, sadness...more shock. I didn't even know the poor darling, and I only write this because I realized that it could happen to anyone. I have a roof and have shared a cocktail or two up there, so the new steadfast rule is NO MORE DRINKING ON THE ROOF! I have pretty much given up the hooch anyway, but this poor dear had her whole life ahead of her and just because of one mis-step she is gone. My heart goes out to her family, and all the crew at Park Chow...I didn't know you Rebecca, but I am sure you will be terribly missed. I am going to go over there tomorrow and bring them some flowers...I don't really know what else to do.

Tomorrow I am also going to go and buy a new pen and journal. I have been so remiss in recording my thoughts...but if I don't get them out of my head I am going to go mental. I guess I have to confess I have been a little bit lonely out here in the city, it's hard to meet people and I am getting really tired of meeting people at the bar. That is to say, since I have spent the better part of my life working in bars and restaurants, this always seems to be my comfort zone. It's easy to sit and talk to the bartender because I am one. And frankly, I wouldn't have met Howie or gotten my job at Ottimista unless I did go the the bar, but, I have decided to try my best to get out and maybe join a club, or some group or something. I am going to try to adopt some good habits and chuck some of my crappy ones. Otherwise, one day, after one of my little adventures, I'm going to wake up in Seattle with a bumper sticker on my forhead. While it would probably be a funny and interesting tale, it's time I try to focus and tell the tales I already have experienced. So, yes, get them out of my head, on to paper and out into the universe. Believe me, I have enough for a series of articles, if not a trio of books. So, tomorrow, it's off to buy a journal, then to Park Chow to try and show some support. Once, in the CHOW family, always in the CHOW family.