I wore no flowers in my hair

Nor did I see Haight-Ashbury or City Lights bookstore*, Pacific Heights or the Painted Ladies. But we had a blast in the Bay Area and covered a lot of ground while we were there, with lots of sights left on our checklist next time we visit. We stayed with Ann & Curt, who live in a super-cute area of Oakland called Rockridge. Had several meals and drinks in that area, including at the Conga Lounge tiki bar. Michael and I sampled the "Elixir of Love," similar to a White Russian.

Michael and I spent a day in San Francisco while Ann & Curt were at work. The weather was dreary during most of our trip, and while walking down Lombard Street, we got caught in a rainstorm. It was the first heavy rain for my new "raincoat," which I discovered isn't one at all, so I spent the next few hours trying to dry off and warm up. During our visit to the city, I had shrimp cocktail at Fisherman's Wharf, and we had Chinese lunch in Chinatown and chocolate from Ghirardelli Square. I think my favorite part of the city was the cable cars. They are charming and efficient, and it's amazing they can make it up and down all those hills.

We also caught up with Michael's crew of SF friends (sans our friend and wedding officiant, John, who's studying in Ireland) before heading to the gorgeous Art Deco Paramount Theatre in Oakland. Based on our past experience, Michael and I were excited to see opening act Neko Case but not so much main attraction Merle Haggard. Neko shone, as usual, and she always manages to hit every note (I'm betting the national anthem would be a piece of cake for her); Merle, not so much. And Merle's wife-backup singer, not at all. Ouch. (In Merle's defense, he had a cold, but it's the second time we've seen him, and both times he's just gone through the motions. And as Michael said, "I don't really like saxophone solos in my country music." I'm sure he put on a fantastic show back in the day.)

Ann & Curt took us to Sausalito before we flew out, and we got outstanding views of the Golden Gate Bridge. Also loaded up on saltwater taffy, which I love but my teeth don't.

The best of the rest:








Michael got his fortune from this mechanical lady at Musee Mecanique, a cool old-time arcade at the wharf. I would include the link, but as soon I went to the Web site, I got scary laughter and ventriloquist-doll-looking beings, so I steered away immediately. You can look it up yourself. Funny, it wasn't so creepy in person.


Musical monkeys at the Musee Mecanique. Some of the displays were macabre -- a man hanging from a guillotine and guys freaking out on visions in an opium den.


I had to see Lombard Street. I always associate it with the Barbra "I'm married to Dr. Kiley" Streisand and Ryan "I'm a mean dad" O'Neal flick "What's Up Doc?" but honestly don't remember if they even drove down it. I do know their zany antics in a stolen ice-cream cart take them down steep streets, through a Chinatown parade and through a truckload of chicken crates. Anyway, to me, Lombard Street has always been the quintessential San Francisco site.


A view from the Bay. I liked this little tugboat.


I took this photo for my mother-in-law, Becky, and because it struck me as funny. Akin to Ping's Home Cooking.


Cool sign on the BART (Bay Area Riders Together) train.


An adorable Chihuahua, Prada, at an upscale pet store in Ghirardelli Square. She was full grown, but I'd bet anything this is what Angus looked like as a puppy.

***

*While we got no dose of the Beats in their native habitat, Michael and I did see part of benzedrine-amped Jack Kerouac's typed scroll of "On the Road" at the Denver library recently. Cool to see, even though I'm not a fan of the book. No photos allowed, though I did get this shot of Flat Stanley hanging with Gregory Corso, Kerouac, David Amram and others. The photo was among those accompanying the OTR scroll (Kerouac spent a lot time in Denver, apparently). As for Flat Stanley, he's wrapping up his whirlwind tour of Denver and ready to return to my goddaughter Claire in Indiana.