Julia Morgan House
Found myself in a friends of friend house, pure Julia Morgan (link is not to the specific place I visited, which is not on the list). She did the Hearst Castle, Asilomar, MacArthur Park restaurant in Palo Alto (former barracks for US Army), UC Berkeley. Other neo-classical structures, but mostly an Arts and Crafts maven. The details were beautiful, and I was constantly reminded of the Gamble House down in Pasadena. Really amazing architecture, right on Russian Hill near my house. A low-income apartment building in her time, but now of course premiere real estate, with a beautiful view of Bernal Heights!

Black Cat
I’m catsitting another architectural gem, the P,G&E workers bungalows up on Russian Hill. But, the other day when sifting through kitty litter and replenishing water, the outgoing cat ran out the door. I followed him through a weird gate “chat gentil!” sign on the gate, to one of the most amazing views of the city, and a tree full of super noisy green parrots. The cat, outgoing in the house, was elusive in the blackberry bushes and roses. I sat there for a while rattling a plastic container of is food, then I noticed another cat, and realized I left the door open to the house. Grrr. I couldn’t remember what color the elusive black cat was (had written in notes that she was black). So I tried to tempt this smoky/grey one. Finally returned to house and there was the outgoing cat waiting for me. We went inside and I convinced myself the elusive one was cowering somewhere. OK long story short, about 7 hours later returning from Nob Hill dinner, I saw a smokey cat dart across the sidewalk. I realize, with fear, that I’m a few yards from catsit residence. Is that the elusive one? Hungry and cold and neglected? About to be driven over by a cable car? I convince my friend that I had dinner with to go up to the house and check. The smoky cat is following us all the way there, making me think that it is the elusive one. I open the door to the cat sit, and voila, there is the black one. Sigh. Total relief. The smoky cat was the “chat gentil” !