Saw The Decemberists last night at Great American Music Hall. They rocked! Although they didn’t play the Myla Goldberg song.
Archive for February, 2004
February 28, 2004
Going to the Apple Store grand opening was so fun today. By the time I parked (in the Howard & Steuart Street garage, which by the way, is the cheapest garage downtown on the weekend) and flew down to Stockton and Market, there were masses of people on the sidewalks along with TV crews, photographers and of course, a couple of white-buttoned-down-shirted-Mormon missionaries. There was a line of people waiting to get into the store, which snaked around five and a half blocks. Steve Jobs was at the store, of course, to welcome the first few customers (who, might I mention, slept on the sidewalk in front of the store overnight). Whilst waiting for the store to officially open, I chatted with a pilot from Holland who was amused to see such a huge turn-out of people for something as banal as a store opening. I tried to explain to him the whole Mac community thing. About Apples, how they just work. I think he got it, although he mentioned that Apples were way more expensive in Europe and thus have a smaller user base. He later left to watch a movie at the Metreon and I fell in line.
My three-hour wait started on Market where we turned the corner and proceeded across O’Farrell, up Powell, east on Geary, then down Stockton to the Apple Store. Standing all that time, I tried reading a bit o’ Thomas Merton and must’ve read all of four pages the whole time I was in line. I think I was distracted by all the people-watching (I love this aspect of the city) and also by the fact that practically every other car that drove by inquired what we were standing in line for. It was definitely worth the wait, tho. What an amazing store! I shot a roll of film, B&W of course, because there were tons of geometrical forms to be captured and they always stand out better in that medium. I was esp. taken with the wide glass stairway leading to the second floor. If you’ve ever been to an Apple Store, you know what I mean.
I was pretty famished after my whole Apple experience, so I traipsed a few blocks down to the infamous Vietnamese restaurant Tu Lan on Sixth Street just below Market. Tu Lan is a paragon of fast food. It’s how fast food should be: fresh ingredients cooked up quickly and efficiently. I squeezed onto a seat at the kitchen counter and in no time, I was served up a sizeable bowl of crunchy imperial rolls and rice noodles with a smattering of mint leaves (nice touch) and sweet and sour sauce to die for. If there’s anything my palate savors, it’s a good tamarind-based sauce. Maybe it’s my Filipino heritage. I love sitting at the kitchen counter when I go to restaurants; there’s so much to watch and note: knives flying, sky-high flame-age on the stove, banging iron skillets, heaps of sliced green onions, stacked nests of dry egg noodles. Then there are the white-clad cooks: the stars of the show.
There was one drink on the menu that sounded intriguing and shady at the same time: soda milk and egg yolk. One wonders what that might entail.
Oh yeah, something to watch out for when walking in the city: low-flying pigeons.
February 24, 2004
How Many Grad Students Does It Take To Install An Airport Card, Part II
Surprise of the day: Melissa bought a G4 iBook! Twelve cute inches of Appleness. This brings the count of Apple computers in this household to 4! We’re a regular Apple family.
Right now Melissa and I are IMing each other on iChat–I’m in my bedroom and she’s in the kitchen. Now we’re chatting over our mikes. Uh hello?
February 24, 2004
A sign language book that I ordered from a used bookstore in Oregon just came in the mail today. It’s a little scuffed and has “Multnomah County Library” stamped on the edge of its pages. Love it. I love all things Oregonian…Powell’s, tiny coffehouses with worn wooden tables and threadbare Oriental rugs, sprawling green forest and beautiful coastline littered with driftwood. I’ve not been to Oregon yet, but have been in love with it for years now. One day, God willing, I’ll go. At least to explore and pick blueberries in the magical Oregonian forests. Maybe to live for a little while? Who knows.
February 24, 2004
The arrival of San Francisco’s very own Apple Store is upon us.
Saturday, February 28th
Corner of Stockton and Market
10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Be there or be square.
February 23, 2004
Some days just flow.
Streaming:
Birds of My Neighborhood
The Innocence Mission
Track: Follow Me
February 23, 2004
I basically have three months left of grad school. [Insert cliche here.] I can’t believe how fast this spring semester has gone, this year for that matter. How can I leave SF? But on the other hand, how can I stay? These thoughts alternately run through my head. I’m a little more at peace with the idea of moving back to LA and a little less resolute about staying in SF.
I do have three months left, however. A lot can happen in three months.
averyandaugustine 