Getting the Band Back Together
After spending an afternoon in San Francisco, it was time to rendezvous with my friends. I walked from the Castro to the Mission on 18th street to get to my final destination of 16th and Mission to take the BART.
I’ve walked up and down 18th Street many times. When Denise lived on Harrison and I would visit her, we’d usually end up walking between the Mission and the Castro via that road. So it was all very familiar – comfortable.
I saw the J-Church line as I crossed Church Street (of course) and immediately in front of my eyes, I saw a huge group of people and volunteers with simple stop signs stopping traffic. It was the Mission High School standing on the steps of the school to take class pictures. I just found it very touching. I had big smile on my face from that moment on.
Traveling does that to me. It makes me giddy, excited and very happy. I love to explore, even if it’s some place that I’ve been before. Until yesterday, I didn’t know that there were any barbers in the Castro, nor did I ever notice the taquería where I got a chorizo breakfast burrito. (I’m still waiting until Sunday or Monday to get my El Farilito’s burrito!)
Back in the Mission and walking from 18th to 16th, I spied the thrift store where Denise and I shopped to find Halloween costumes. (It’s a must to do Halloween in the Castro, if you love Halloween.) It was a more real version of a city – more a mix of Latin cultures. Mexicans, Guatemalans, Puetroriqueños, etc. are the pulse of this area of town.
I hopped on the BART to the airport to meet the others. We were all excited to see each other. It’s been just a high.
We squished into Brigid’s Jetta and took off down the 101 to the San Mateo Bridge since the traffic was horrible. After circumventing the 80 parking lot, we were on our way to Napa Valley.
The ride was a fit of laughter after I unleashed a punch buggy monster, named Hilary. I saw a VW Beetle painted like a cow and the gauntlet was dropped.
It’s a nice juxtaposition: all of us traveling to Napa to eat at French Laundry and three of us, playing punch buggy on and off. Brigid, of course, didn’t play.
I’ve walked up and down 18th Street many times. When Denise lived on Harrison and I would visit her, we’d usually end up walking between the Mission and the Castro via that road. So it was all very familiar – comfortable.
I saw the J-Church line as I crossed Church Street (of course) and immediately in front of my eyes, I saw a huge group of people and volunteers with simple stop signs stopping traffic. It was the Mission High School standing on the steps of the school to take class pictures. I just found it very touching. I had big smile on my face from that moment on.
Traveling does that to me. It makes me giddy, excited and very happy. I love to explore, even if it’s some place that I’ve been before. Until yesterday, I didn’t know that there were any barbers in the Castro, nor did I ever notice the taquería where I got a chorizo breakfast burrito. (I’m still waiting until Sunday or Monday to get my El Farilito’s burrito!)
Back in the Mission and walking from 18th to 16th, I spied the thrift store where Denise and I shopped to find Halloween costumes. (It’s a must to do Halloween in the Castro, if you love Halloween.) It was a more real version of a city – more a mix of Latin cultures. Mexicans, Guatemalans, Puetroriqueños, etc. are the pulse of this area of town.
I hopped on the BART to the airport to meet the others. We were all excited to see each other. It’s been just a high.
We squished into Brigid’s Jetta and took off down the 101 to the San Mateo Bridge since the traffic was horrible. After circumventing the 80 parking lot, we were on our way to Napa Valley.
The ride was a fit of laughter after I unleashed a punch buggy monster, named Hilary. I saw a VW Beetle painted like a cow and the gauntlet was dropped.
It’s a nice juxtaposition: all of us traveling to Napa to eat at French Laundry and three of us, playing punch buggy on and off. Brigid, of course, didn’t play.
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