West coast trip was splendid

We're back from a week long most splendid San Francisco Bay Area trip.

We stayed as we usually do at the Park 55 hotel almost at Powell and Market and had meals with various friends and did touristy things. We took the Cable Car to Fisherman's Wharf and wandered around checking out things from the submarine to the Sea Lions and had dinner at Alioto's - one of the first restaurants at Fisherman's Wharf. I had Nonna Rose’s Famous Crab Cioppino which was delicious although lots of work getting the contents of the crab legs out - involved lots of finger licking the delicious sauce. We went to the Botanical Garden in Golden Gate Park which was great and a lot larger than I expected. We took a trip to Alcatraz and didn't have to escape and swim back. Alcatraz was pretty interesting - the audio tour was good and there were lots of flowers and birds. We also went to SFMoma to see among other things the fascinating wine exhibit (closing on the 17th) already described.

We had lunches and dinners with bunches of people, as a part of a soc.motss dinner saw vasilatos's new condo - still to be finished and furnished before moving in. Got to meet several motsseurs from before I joined over 20 years ago.

Then it was Queer Dance Camp at Monte Toyon amidst the redwoods. Close to 80 of us danced (Contras, ECD, and some international) and generally had lots of fun. This was their fourth such camp - and in a mere 2 1/2 weeks we'll have our LCFD Dance Camp. While chatting with the Contra Dance caller, Susan Petrick, I learned that many years ago she lived in a house I can see from mine - small world - I was living here at the time.

Then we had dinner with low_fat_muffin and Dave (and Miss Kate) ending with some delicious frozen yogurt at the Palo Alto Red Mango - I see there is one in Boston.