San Francisco: The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in ...

It's been 2 years since I last loitered with intent on this coast, so I'm taking a few extra days to catch up with people. Brrr I wish I'd brought long pants and not merely capris! 

First, I attended a wedding between Bike Friday customer Grant and fellow yoga teacher Karyn, who I introduced to each other via Facebook. As you can see, so far, so good:

The pro photographer Chris Schmauch of GoodEyePhotography.com made even the oldies scrub up pretty nice:

Coincidentally, my birthday fell on the day before the wedding. A fatal loiter into the Los Gatos Banana Republic led to this 50% OFF YOUR ENTIRE PURCHASE coupon. Oh dear, Santa Cruz will have to wait til tomorrow...

We did eventually get to Santa Cruz. To the horror of my pal David I had successfully negotiated a hitch with a friendly surfie looking couple, who turned their hippie van around and rearranged bikes so we could get in. But he'd already rented a car for $40. So we sped down using carbon power to Capitola, hooking up with world cycle tourer and Bike Friday owner Betsy Schwartz:

I'm a fan of all things Mexico except the food (rice, salsa, re-fried beans and cheese in different arrangements on the plate gets old), with one exception: a killer fish taco, as executed by Steamers, Los Gatos:

Andy, Bree Holoka, our hosts, helped celebrate my birthday in local style:

Maybe I should have brought my folding bike after all. I was kindly offered loaners by Steve, Autumne and Catherine but they were in Los Gatos area. Instead of having to capitulate to a sidewalk sale like this ...

... Bike Friday owner John Chamberlain loaned me his 16lb  Super Dahon. I took it for a nite spin with my host and old school pal circa 35 years ago, Paul Skilbeck (www.o2sm.com)

I visited the fabulous de Young museum, lots of cool perforations and indentations all over (designed by Herzog + de Muron):

Here's the tower:

And across the road, the Institute of Natural Sciences with its living domed roofs:

Speaking of Museums, my host Chase took me to SF Moma, but since the $18 entry fee was a little steep, we did the next best thing - hang out in the gift shop!

I also saw  the Thom Maine designed Fed building with its great lunch spot in the sky:

Here's another look at this "sustainable" building - air conditioned only up to the fifth floor, the rest by sensored louvres et al.  Pity the cafeteria and coffee bars were selling the same old government building high fructose corn syrup transfat  crap - no one appears to want to sustain human beings ...

And look at the typically ugly, uninspired kid's playground out the back. There's just no excuse for this. Where's the starchitect now? Don't get me started:

Hung out with Bike Friday owner Audrey Medina in Chinatown for a fairly mediocre dim sum place called Golden Mountain (note to self: never take food recommendations from walking tour books. They're all about walking, not eating):

Rode the $2 cablecar F line, a series of quirky, restored cars from all over the world (thanks Audrey for the shot!)"

 

An attention-seeking jelly fish held our attention at the science park aquarium ...

Gave my stairwell speech (because you get fitter taking the stairs) to Sunny Teo, Exec Creative Director of Asian Ad Agency, DAE. Thanks to that 50% off Banana Republic coupon, you may now see me occasionally in sober, corporate gray ...

Joan saw my Traffic Cone Bag advertised in RoadBikeRider.com. She came over to collect it from me, and we went gallery hopping including the stunning Asian Art Gallery.

Then we have to eat! Below,  from left: Paul Skilbeck, Bike Friday owner Mike Nachtwey and stoker Julia, Joan, Bike Friday owner Dan Kaljian and me.

The tandem was the Porsche for Mike and Julia. "About an hour's pedal from Oakland".

Oh yes ... Joan and I ran into a young archeology student Callan McDonald from Sydney who gave us a full treatise on Burning Man ...

After Moroccan/Tunisian food came the dessert at the Thai place next door - Mitchell's ice cream - yum!

Zzzzzzz ... now getting ready for a Bahn Mi sandwich in Berkeley, dinner with Robert van de Plas of cyclepublishing.com fame,  and a ride over the GG bridge tomorrow. Oh yes, the 18 Swedish pancakes with Lingonberry jam at Sears Fine Foods in Powell Street really are that good ...

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