San Fran-fucking-cisco

I was away last weekend--visiting the glorious state of CA--specifically San Francisco.

To say I had a good time would be an understatement. The excitement began when I landed and ended after take-off. Li was working so he directed me to BART it to Embarcadero (DT SF) which was a short 30mins away. Once I gathered that you had to insert the money before selecting the destination and a ticket printing itself I was golden. Yay BART.

We went to two very different happy hours and one of the best Thai dinners I've ever had. All the while I'm rolling my little black carry-on and donning a suit jacket I'd feared packing for wrinkling disasters. The first post work drinkery was actually an upscale steakhouse right on the water with a suited 35+ crowd. The second was a much younger crowd of recession special seeking, jean-clad Asians and the Caucasians who love them. Li's high school gal pal--Rei--joined us for the second happy hour and dinner. Yay Rei! Her lovely Lexus SUV took us home at the end of the night.

I had planned to venture out into SF solo for a day of visitor fun but instead I just tootled around Li's neighborhood--Inner Sunset. Which was actually incredibly adorably with a Citibank, Starbucks, Jamba Juice, two liquor stores, four shops with clothes, and three curry joints within 4 blocks. AMAZING. I don't even live that close to so much useful, Sweet-lovin' stuff. It was misty and I knew that the house party in honor of Li's 29 years on this Earth would require all the energy I could muster later that night. I'm glad I saved up the reserves and rested myself for one of the best nights of my life.

The party was a BLAST. It started with Special K arriving promptly at 6:30pm to marvel at my New Yorky attire--I'll post pics of my brightly colored/peacock reminiscent garb--

Shortly thereafter Li's foreign colleagues Tuffy (the Aussie) and Win (the Kiwi) appeared. They happily buckled to my one-woman peer pressure to shoot Jack, even K relented after the second or third shot. Slowly but steadily people streamed in over the course of the evening. I'd been unsure whether Rahul would show since his parents were visiting from India during my brief sojourn. He did. He showed with a six pack of Heffeweizen--the only beer I actually enjoy--no way he could have known since I didn't even start drinking beer till a year after graduation and I haven't seen him since graduation.

His first words to me, "So, catch me up on the last seven years." Yeah. Tall order. We stood next to the stove and talked. We talked and talked and talked. Talked like there were no other people pressing against our space in that crowded kitchen. He's the same guy and when I'm around him I'm the same girl...but we're as different as we've always been. He's looking two steps ahead at the future and I'm rooted in the present with occassional backward glances.

His college gf turned recent ex (8 years later) showed up with a gal pal of hers--backup, Li called it--and I instinctively made myself scarce. I don't know how or why but I just did. It was interesting to experience instinct outweigh inebriation.

My peace offering didn't go wasted. Shortly after I bowed out, an enormous Asian entered my life. He's 6'5", half-white, a nuclear engineer and adorable. Those gangly limbs sticking out of a loose t-shirt over ratty jeans will get me every time. I'm a sucker for the boy-man. And boy oh boy was he a boy-man.

We ended up talking and flirting and hugging and kissing....

The next morning as I panicked about my interview at Berkeley he made light of it. "They accepted me you know, so you're in great shape," he murmured as he filled a large plastic cup with what was left of the bottle of red wine. "You're taking a roadie on your bike, really?" I questioned. He was. A roadie in the rain in the city of hills of a large white bicycle.

He stood on the stoop with his helmet firmly secured, red cup against red windbreaker and laid a gentle parting kiss on my suited Sweet lips. I swooned.

With that kind of confidence boost, I walked proud into The Wright Insitute. Li was kind enough to drag his puking carcass out of bed for the trek. I think it went well. Dr. S-- and I talked for an hour about me and my goals. I asked two coherent questions as the pounding in my head became indomitable.

Racing back to the car to shed my clown costume, Li laughed at my eagerness to shed all vestiges of adulthood at lightening speed. We drove to the local Chaat House and scarfed down sustenance. Bad idea for me because the drive back to SF was uncomfortable till I finally yakked on the tree in front of his apartment. Relief.

We wiled the day away in napping. He woke up to clean his pad. I was not so useful. We hit up our fave restaurant--Burma Superstar--for his b'day dinner. Four ladies and Li. Yay. While we waited the hour to get seated we imbibed $4.50 Long Islands at Pizza Orgasmica down the street. We were too tired by midnight when dinner ended, so we home to rest up for Sonoma the next day.

My Happa texted me to check on the status of my Berkeley interview. Right after I texted back my phone died. Sad. So I missed the few texts that followed which may have led to a reunion. Just as well. The last thing I need is to start liking a kid out West...

Sunday was spent in Sonoma with K, Li, and a lovely British fellow Li met in Belize whilst traveling. The Brit and I took barbs at one another but all in good fun. Jolly good fun, t'was. We even stopped at the general store to pick up some meat, cheese, and a large baguette. We feasted as we sipped some recently purchased Rose in an idyllic garden at the last winery of the day. It was just lovely.

Wine drunk and winding down, I grabbed my bag from Li's and hopped in K's car for my final night on her couch. I fell asleep almost immediately upon arrival at 10pm. We rose at 5am the next day and she delivered me to the airport...she was catching a flight to San Diego for a site visit so it was all too convenient. Yay K.

As I boarded the plane to Chicago, I looked down over the misty/foggy bay and knew that this weekend had sealed the deal. I'd be back. Back to stay...