amazing food and 'the checklist'

Down in Palo Alto visiting David for the weekend. Miss Kate and Mr. G are really bonding. She was SO excited to see him. We pulled into the traffic pull out in front of his building and she almost leapt out the window at him. David is so sweet to her - and they went for a walk while I parked and unloaded the car. I brought David a bouquet of 40 tulips in various colours (thank you Trader Joes) and we unloaded my stuff in his house - then off to dinner.

I have to thank Brett (septimuswarren) for this reccomendation. He said when he lived here (he did his masters and teaching credentials at San Jose State) he loved a small italian restuarant in Palo Alto called 'Osteria'. WOW! Both David and I agree it is probably some of the best italian food either of us has ever had. We share dinner - started with a fried polenta with mushroooms - then followed that with a delightfully anchovyish caesar - then split a DEVINE clam and tomato olive oil linquini. O + M + G - - it truly was a capital F for FLAVORGASM! It was very friendly - and the service was top notch. They also bravely - had some very avantgarde modern art up on the walls that you simply wouldn't expect at a old fashioned italian place. Wow. Simply astounding food.

We walked back slowly through the lovely streets and smooched and held hands.

This morning Palo alto is presenting the "childrens parade" - and it runs a block from the apartment and we're hearing now our 3rd marching band. Miss Kate growls when things get too unruly. (giggle) I walked her over to University St. and got bagels and a Pete's mocha. We're about to shower up then we're headed to Filoli Garden this afternoon (yay flowers!) then off to to see Iron Man in Redwood City with Phil (dendren) and Bob.

I'll take pictures in the garden - and talk with ya'll later.

oh yes? the checklist you ask.... well- David is a fan of itineraries and "whats the plan, Robert?" and has (gasp!) accused me of being "somewhat unable to focus on the task at hand" and "we'd be more organized if you could stick to the plan." LOL! - so yesterday before heading down to Palo Alto - I sent him "the handy weekend checklist". It's a PDF checklist making sure we didn't miss ANYTHING all weekend. It's somewhat NSFW - but - as he's already admitted to me? He's created a monster. (cackle)

wpps - we're behind schedule - gotta go. (wink)

Fi-Lo-Li

David took his friend Warren and I to The Filoli Center today in Redwood City - tucked in the hills south of the Crystal Springs reservoir - it was a magical magical place.

But I get ahead of myself - - - first - we woke this morning to see that his tulips had opened and were just gorgeous...

...then we took Miss Kate on a lovely sunny walk which included stopping at the HP garage where Hewlett and Packard started Silicon Valley....

Me, plotting my next sinister plan
while doing my best wooferstl impression

Then - we drove out to Filoli. The designer of the garden named it Filoli - the first two letters from the key words of his credo: “Fight for a just cause; Love your fellow man; Live a good life.”

Anything that starts off that lovely and esoteric is right up my alley.

Here are some photo highlights:

David, myself and Warren lounging in the swimming pool gazebo


Looking back across the "sunken garden" at the guest quarters


David and I in the hidden garden


a very cool tree along the "tennis courts"

the full set here

If you've never been to Filoli? GO! It will be on the top five list of places to take folks visiting San Francisco from now on. Can you imagine the tourist points of doing Filoli in the morning - then winding up the pie at Alice's Restaurant - continuing out to Half Moon Bay and slowly driving back up the coast to the city? woof. yep - you'll see me there again!

From the gardens of Filoli - into Redwood City to meet Bob and Phil dendren to meet for the 420pm showing of Iron Man. I LOVED IT! I love summer movie season - shit blowing up everywhere - the good guy winning - none of that melodramatic nobody wins depressing bloody Oscar worthy crap. (wink) This was a good old fashioned comic book hero story. I loved all of it. The casting was perfect - and the pace was really quite wonderful. And - as a plus - it was one of those big cushy theaters with stadium seating - and I could put the armrest up and snuggle with David through the movie. (after I finished indulging in a "junior" sized popcorn)

The four of us went to sushi afterwards - and we learned how Bob and Phil met (at gay roller skating in San jose 16 years ago May 12th) - and well, it was really swell. and they are just delightful.....

We came home and ran out Miss Kate and are now relaxing for the evening.

all in all - a fine day all the way around.