This past weekend I went to San Francisco to attend the wedding of some of my college friends as well as the birthday party for my cousin. I haven't been to San Francisco in well over eight years so returning to the city was a real treat for me. After returning from to Columbus from Shanghai going to San Francisco was an opportunity to stay in a proper, American city.
Emerging from the BART tunnels into the Financial District was a bit surreal. I was back in a crowded, dirty, sunny city but now I could read the signs and I knew what was going on. I relished this moment as I walked by groups of teenaged Europeans. Something I've missed about a city is the food culture. While Columbus has a vibrant food culture it pales in comparison to San Francisco. My cousin and I had lunch at a restaurant on the wharf called Boulette's Larder. While the main course of pulled pork was only quite good, the cheese cake was exceptional. The cheesecake had the texture of a fluffy, white cheese and a richer, creamier cheesecake flavor. It was rich without being heavy or decadent. My cousin's chocolate mousse however, was all of those things, but rightly so. Later on in the trip I had some Pho at a Vietnamese restaurant called Turtle Tower. Places like this are why I love the West Coast. While Columbus does have a growing Asian community and Asian food restaurants, the pho in San Francisco tasted fresher and more natural, lacking the heavy spices that places in Columbus use to make their pho delicious.
One of the highlights of the trip was Uncle Gee. I went to China Town with my cousin on a whim to find some tea since my supply of Oolong tea from China is dwindling. We found a shop where an old but vivacious Chinese man was yelling, "Come in and have some tea. It makes you young and sexy like me!" My cousin and I went in our curiosity aroused by this boisterous man. We spent an hour tasting teas and listening to jokes by Uncle Gee. Uncle told us all about the history of tea and why you have to wash the tea before serving it (remove chemicals and feces).
Uncle is a wild card. Uncle asked if my cousin and I were in a relationship, to which I replied that we were cousins. His reply, "Is she single?" He also told another group not to touch his daughter (anyone who frequents his shop becomes part of his family) or he would sick his very hungry Pit Bulls on them. He told my cousin, "Girl you don't need coffee. It dries you up like a prune. Drink tea like me. Makes you sexy!" *he strikes a pose* We found out that Uncle is 82....and he looks better than some 40 and 50 year olds I've seen in the US. He retired from Civil Engineering twenty years ago and apparently decided to sell tea. He also showed us his special collection of aged teas that cost anywhere from $12,000 to $100,000. When we left he demanded great, big, gruff hugs from both of us. I definitely plan to return to his shop and/or order tea from him via the phone.
Most important was the wedding. I had been one of the last people to see my friends leave Seattle (I helped them pack up) so it was only fitting to see them wed. The ceremony itself was a short, Catholic ordeal at a neighborhood church. The reception was a blast however. In between drinks I bantered with one of the grandfathers about flirting and relationships. When the Best Man and the bridesmaids gave their speeches I was very touched. I felt privileged to be sharing this memory with people who had known Pat and Cat far longer than I had. But we all saw the same qualities in the two and got to share our stories about them. Seeing the way Pat and Cat interacted throughout the wedding and the reception touched me on a deep level. I haven't seen such obvious and poignant love in two people in some time.
As this was my first adult wedding I applied myself too liberally to the drinks and crashed at 9 pm. Thankfully I was none the worse for wear in the morning. I spent some time wandering the area around the hotel while everyone else slept on. My flight was not until 11pm so I spent time with my family at my cousin's birthday party and around town before finally catching the red eye back to Columbus.
Emerging from the BART tunnels into the Financial District was a bit surreal. I was back in a crowded, dirty, sunny city but now I could read the signs and I knew what was going on. I relished this moment as I walked by groups of teenaged Europeans. Something I've missed about a city is the food culture. While Columbus has a vibrant food culture it pales in comparison to San Francisco. My cousin and I had lunch at a restaurant on the wharf called Boulette's Larder. While the main course of pulled pork was only quite good, the cheese cake was exceptional. The cheesecake had the texture of a fluffy, white cheese and a richer, creamier cheesecake flavor. It was rich without being heavy or decadent. My cousin's chocolate mousse however, was all of those things, but rightly so. Later on in the trip I had some Pho at a Vietnamese restaurant called Turtle Tower. Places like this are why I love the West Coast. While Columbus does have a growing Asian community and Asian food restaurants, the pho in San Francisco tasted fresher and more natural, lacking the heavy spices that places in Columbus use to make their pho delicious.
One of the highlights of the trip was Uncle Gee. I went to China Town with my cousin on a whim to find some tea since my supply of Oolong tea from China is dwindling. We found a shop where an old but vivacious Chinese man was yelling, "Come in and have some tea. It makes you young and sexy like me!" My cousin and I went in our curiosity aroused by this boisterous man. We spent an hour tasting teas and listening to jokes by Uncle Gee. Uncle told us all about the history of tea and why you have to wash the tea before serving it (remove chemicals and feces).
Uncle is a wild card. Uncle asked if my cousin and I were in a relationship, to which I replied that we were cousins. His reply, "Is she single?" He also told another group not to touch his daughter (anyone who frequents his shop becomes part of his family) or he would sick his very hungry Pit Bulls on them. He told my cousin, "Girl you don't need coffee. It dries you up like a prune. Drink tea like me. Makes you sexy!" *he strikes a pose* We found out that Uncle is 82....and he looks better than some 40 and 50 year olds I've seen in the US. He retired from Civil Engineering twenty years ago and apparently decided to sell tea. He also showed us his special collection of aged teas that cost anywhere from $12,000 to $100,000. When we left he demanded great, big, gruff hugs from both of us. I definitely plan to return to his shop and/or order tea from him via the phone.
Most important was the wedding. I had been one of the last people to see my friends leave Seattle (I helped them pack up) so it was only fitting to see them wed. The ceremony itself was a short, Catholic ordeal at a neighborhood church. The reception was a blast however. In between drinks I bantered with one of the grandfathers about flirting and relationships. When the Best Man and the bridesmaids gave their speeches I was very touched. I felt privileged to be sharing this memory with people who had known Pat and Cat far longer than I had. But we all saw the same qualities in the two and got to share our stories about them. Seeing the way Pat and Cat interacted throughout the wedding and the reception touched me on a deep level. I haven't seen such obvious and poignant love in two people in some time.
As this was my first adult wedding I applied myself too liberally to the drinks and crashed at 9 pm. Thankfully I was none the worse for wear in the morning. I spent some time wandering the area around the hotel while everyone else slept on. My flight was not until 11pm so I spent time with my family at my cousin's birthday party and around town before finally catching the red eye back to Columbus.
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