Tried to bust a move today, moving quick in tennies, getting going along and try to make it a real power walk workout. Thing is, there are lights, and interminable ones. I had to take off the coat, it was just too warm (52 deg.). Despite that, of course, a couple of women had their Burbery (sp?) scarves tightly knotted. Tried to wear this pretty indigo pashmina knockoff yesterday home, in the rain (w/ umbrella) but the dang thing kept falling off my shoulder. I guess I’m supposed to wear a pin?

The flashing blue tinkly “warning, car!” light- if it was a person would be an old lady desperately saying, “honey, watch out for exiting cars dearest” – was completely obscured by scaffolding today. Scaffolding for work that never happens, which was always my thought walking through this neighborhood. “Could *everyone* be working on a new paint job?” Luckily Vesuvius’ paint job is done so no more scaffolding there. That spot is famous for an almost accidnet that occurred in Jan. Had a scary run in with an Asian guy in a truck ripping out of Baudelaire alley. I sat in Vesuvius one day when I had a visitor and we saw a bunch of these small Toyota trucks whipping down the alley from Chinatown, full of fish. No lining, nothing, just a truck, and fish in the back. The guy, when he realized he had almost run me over, apologized nicely.

Usual cast of characters hiking through north beach, a diminuitive man stopped me asking for “Coit Tower?” in a loud, staccato Asian accent and I pointed to the it on the hill. Now, if you wanted to go to a landmark so unique, a fire spigot pointing up at the sky in stone, and you were in a park, and you were lost, think you might look around? Funny moment this weekend when I told my Mom, as we were heading out for a few hours hike, that I always get asked for directions and to take a couples’ photo, each time I set out of the house. That of course happened not a half hour into the walk. Near Fort Mason two Japanese (perhaps?) guys asked if we could take their photo. And then at the base of the stairs a jocky couple wanted us to take their photo, I took it with my mom telling me how to frame it the entire time. I bet WE made a funny couple haha.

Anyways, usual cast of characters except for a TV camera outside Cafe Roma (best coffee!) and a policeman, who told a well dressed guy – probably the anchor – “I’ll go in and get the girls.” What could that possibly be about, I have no idea.

Chinatown is gearing up for the parade tomorrow. In really odd places I’ve run into the metal crowd control gates. I remember one year trying to cross Grant and it was impossible because they setup bleachers along the store fronts. Every store is selling the red envelopes and you hear firecrackers pretty much all day. Good article on NPR Pacific Time on what an “america town” would be like.