Earthquake

Monday 17th August.  Awoken today by an earthquake. A 4.1 magnitude at around 3.3 miles deep, centered around Piermont, not far from here in Berkeley. Very short, about 3 seconds, just like a freight train going past. It's all over the news, as if nothing else happens on Earth. There is no damage, but all sorts of crap about waking the dog all over social media. Another 'tick' off the bucket list I guess!  We do a bit of packing for the road trip tomorrow, with all the cold weather gear rolled up at the bottom of the suitcase and fresh summer clothes on top. It's great to have a mid sized car so everything doesn't have to go in a bag and you can just grab an overnight pack for Monterey and Pismo Beach stopovers on the way to LA. Lady P heads off to SF again for the last gasp of shopping and sightseeing while Flashy contemplates a walk to the local wine cellar for an educational flight or two; a beer at Schmidt's Pub and a recce for tonight's dinner reservation. True to form, Flashman does indeed walk up the hill to Solano Ave and have a beer in the pub, a glass of red with a little pasta at Cuginis Italian, then to  Solano Cellars for a tasting of the "Special Monday's poured till there finished, half price" wines. Sitting at the bar with two retired professors, one of whom has taught at Macquarie Uni in the 70's and a much tattooed 30's something gal who claims to be an Adjunct Professor at a dodgy State College, Flashy feels at ease. There are five reds on the tasting menu and you can get then by the glass or half glass and for half price.  Flashy has five half glasses, tasting the whole menu on offer and taking notes; decides on a good one and has a full glass of that one, all the while discussing the Democratic nominations. I guess there was only one Republican at the bar eh? So to the wines on offer.  '14 Chidaine Touraine FR, '13 Castellare Chianti Classico ITY, '14 Dom du Seminaire Cotes du Rhone FR, '12 Hoopla "The Mutt" CS/PS Napa and a '13 Dom du Pelican 3 Crepages Pinot Noir FR. The Napa Valley won hands down at 18.5 on the old 20 point score. So Flashy had a full glass of it just to be sure. Home at 6 pm and still in the high 80's with the sun streaming in through the windows, as Lady P walks through the door.
Swapping notes it appears Lady P has had an equally enjoyable day, firstly traversing the BART system to the city and then a trolley bus to the Golden Gate Park. At 1pm she met up with another of the SF walking guides, a delightful lady called Christine, and a large gathering of like minded people to do a walking tour of the Japanese Tea Garden. 

This five acre feature is but a drop in the ocean of the total park area of 845 acres but it was a fascinating walk through the oldest Japanese tea garden in the USA. Christine, a retired 7th grade teacher, was passionate about the Japanese philosophy of 'enlightenment' et al, especially given that her 32 year old daughter had recently converted to Buddhism, giving up her 'family name - Rebecca' for her new name of Vera. It was another wonderful free San Francisco experience and a fitting way to end my last day in this effervescent city. The Park of which I had only a taste, had so much more to offer so it's on the 'to do' list for next time.
Home on the BART - busy at peak hour which was to be expected but sanity was restored when I exited the El Cerito Plaza station and the saxophonist was pumping out some restorative tunes to aid the 20 min walk home. Yes, you guessed it, Lady P has absolutely no issue with the public transport system - on a daily basis it would be somewhat of a chore but on holiday its just part of the fun. Putting aside our differences with public transport, we walk up to our little neighbourhood restaurants and decide to start a sampling/grazing dinner at Fonda Restaurant, which we observed was absolutely pumping on Sunday night when we were across the road at the Laundromart and is similarly frantic tonight. So much so we are seated at a bar directly opposite the open kitchen, so get to watch the two chefs making the dinner for a very busy and almost full restaurant. So, settled in with a Pisco Sour and a Sangria, plus the live entertainment, we watch our dinner of fish and duck tacos prepared and delivered. We are enjoying the theatre of the kitchen so much, we decide not to leave and order some calamari and a wonderful dish of fried plantain with mole and black beans. Then home for an early, last night in Berkeley.