I came to San Francisco for the AOA Unified annual convention. Every three years, I have to particiapte in a group CME activity. Some lectures were hum drum. Some were really insightful and provocative. Exercise as Medicine was inspiring. I needed to disconnect from the daily practice of medicine to get my focus and clarity back. I return feeling rested. I am thrilled to have reconnected with people I have not seen in years, to meet their spouses and see their homes. I am especially excited to have renewed some connections from long ago. These are some of the excursions or adventures of the last week.
- The Slanted Door. We let the waiter order for us. He helped us select things without gluten. We had a great bottle of wine. I ate dishes with shashimi yellow tail, cellophane noodles, and gingko nuts (althought not together). I would eat the raw fish again. I would avoid the gingko nuts. I would have written down the name of the wine.
- Fang. A off shoot Chinese restaurant owned by the man who started the Nanking. The Sizzling rice soup was really good but made me think of Rice-a-roni….crunchy rice.
- Rose Pistola near Washington Square was wonderful. Butternut squash chips. Ravioli with yams and gorgonzola in one dish and ravioli with butternut squash and pecorino cheese (hold the brussels sprouts). The chocolate budino whish was chocolate bread pudding dressed up like couture.
- TCHO chocolates on the Embarcadero just opened with really yummy chocolates. They will eventually do tours.
- Heath ceramics in Sausalito was the bomb! They have a room of second and dings i rummaged through and found tiles that inspire me and my become my future shower tile.
- FISH in Sausalito. All organic, local caught and sustainable seafood. Plus they had great showstring fries and drinks served in Mason jars.
- Morton’s Steakhouse…a ridiculously expensive reunion dinner with Dr. John McDonald and his wife and his practice partner. Too much food and too much fun! They did not check my carnivore membership at the door. Definitely not the place for a minimalist beef eater like me but I loved the company.
- Cellar 360 had some amazing vinegars made with Late Harvest Reisling, Pomegrante and Satsuma oranges.
- La Mediterranee in the Fillmore district had a great lunch of hummus and harisa.
- Tartine Bakery & Cafe this morning for breakfast had a line out the door and completely worth the wait.
- Golden Gate Park meant I got to walk across the bridge and do something on my Mighty List
- de Young Museum offered an unexpected opportunity to see Cezanne, Renoir, Van Gogh and Serrat. Post Impressionist and Pointilism.
- Japanese Tea Gardens and a lovely little gift shop. All the minature trees were fascinating.
- Ferry Building has simply too many things to convey. Go to their website and check it out. If I lived here, the Cow Girl Creamery and Blue Bottle Coffee would make it a regular destination, not to mention the Saturday farmer’s market which I did not get a chance to see.
- Fisherman’s Wharf & Ghiradelli Square offered a sweet little cupcake shop and that Cellar 360 place.
- Coit Tower gave me a heart attack. Climbing the streets from St. Peter & Paul Cathedral was nearly impossible. I did my best impersonation of the Knight from Monty Python and the Holy Grail sans coconuts in my life. It was the only way down the hill other than rolling like a boulder.
- Green Apple Books….by far the BEST BEST BEST indie book store. Chock full-o used books along side the new books.
- City Lights Bookstore and the hallowed home of the Beat Poets. The history of dissention made for palpable energy. If only the walls could talk….
- Book Passages @ Ferry Building was a rare and spectacular encounter with an itinerate traveler on his way to catch the ferry home. He came in looking to buy Gladwell’s book Tipping Point and I pointed him to the book as if I were an employee and then we talked (or I talked) about Outliers. He bought both.
- Muir Woods and the majestic giants. The crooked road winding down the mountain side with sheer drops made me a little queasy but The Silent Woods were great company.
- AOA Unified Annual Convention and a chance to be a student again. I love learning.
I love being an explorer, an adventurer. I love new things. I love finding and rediscovering old thing I thought long lost.