Today's adventure was a day-trip into the City. First thing was an
interview on Union Square to join a singles' social dinner club, where
I was very charming; more on what this gets me into in days and weeks
to come. On the way back to the parking garage I came across a store
called "Globe Trotter USA" which traffics mainly in Tin
Tin material (plus a bit of Asterix, Little Prince, and Wallace &
Gromit gear). Now I know where to go to should I ever want my own Bianca
Castafiore action figure. Next door was an amazing gem of art deco, at
450 Sutter Street - the lobby was dazzling (very intricate ceiling and
light fixtures), and the golden façade was nice too. Then I drove around
to locate a couple of record stores I've been meaning to inspect.
First came "Cosmic Disc", essentially just a hole in the wall at Polk &
Washington, which didn't send me. But curiously, it turned out to be right next
to a place called the Rendezvous Cafe which I'd noticed while driving around
during my 1995 San Francisco trip, and its design had so intrigued me I
took a picture. Naturally, since it was lunchtime, I had to check it
out. Inside there were 15 TV monitors (twelve in a 3 x 4 grid) all tuned to
some tennis match - therefore I took a table outside, digging on this little
neighborhood's street scene while I read my book (A Fez Of The Heart
by Jeremy Seal <1>) and
enjoyed my coffee & club sandwich). Afterwards I walked across the street
to the "Tibet Store", which sold curios and clothing from Tibet & Nepal. A
cartoon on the wall depicted a wild-eyed fanatic carrying a sign which
read "Jesus Is Coming". Behind him, a smaller, smiling figure with slanted
eyes carrying his own sign which stated "Buddha Already Here". I bought one of
those "Free Tibet" bumper stickers - never saw one for sale before.
Then off to Haight-Asbury to visit the new "Amoeba". Also in 1995, I popped
in to their huge Berkeley operation; this new in-city branch is just as
tasty - will definitely be back. Unlike everywhere else I've been, they
had the William Orbit CD I want ("Best Of Strange Cargo"), which still hasn't
shown up from my on-line order - so much for Internet Commerce. The old hippy
district was grubby & interesting, as ever - spotted another place I'll
return to, to photograph sometime, called "Positively Haight Street" (at
Masonic) - wild design with lots of that cobalt-blue tile I like.
Now I'm writing this instead of doing my taxes.