No More Spider Time

Well here they are loading her up and shipping her out.

It's been amazing fun driving around in it and it is actually really sad to see the car go. Oh well, time for another chapter in our adventure now I think.

Had to leave work at a reasonable time today. Peter, one of our neighbours came over for drinks and a chat. It was really good fun.

The Call

Today is the start of what I already know will be a very intense week at work. I'm at the office quite late today.

It's 8:00 PM when I get the call.
"Good evening sir. Our driver will be in San Francisco tomorrow so we would like to arrange to collect your Vehicle for shipping".

Spidey's Last Day Out

Early up to go to the Gym. Had a great work-out before going home for a quick lunch and driving Antonella up to Tiburon. It was the last day that we would be driving out in the Spider here in the States before shipping it back to the UK.

We crossed the Golden Gate Bridge to spend a glorious day of relaxation in some very beautiful surroundings. On the way back home we drove through Sausalito before arriving back at our apartment.

I checked the car over, emptied all our efects from it and checked that the tape on the damaged parts of the soft-top were nice and watertight.

Dancin' In The City

Rested for most of the day before heading off to a club named The End Up!

Getting a Taxi there from home taught us another bit of San Francisco insider information. When you order a Taxi, wait for it outside!!! You have about a 3 second window to actually get to the car and claim your ride before the driver counts you as a "no-show" and then drives off. Still, with the magic that is the mobile phone we managed to get sorted and on our way.

We met up with one of our friends here and his wife and had a fun night of swaying to that hypnotic beat of the Caribbean called Reggae Music. There was quite a bonus when Freddy McGregor aka The Cool Ruler turned up and did a live MC set. Irie!

Perpetual Motions in Life

I learned today that another of my friends has died in London. He was doing some work and fell off a ladder sustaining fatal injuries...

We added a life to our apartment today. We bought a new plant for home, I'll always remember Freddy as I watch it grow and live.

We had Brunch or was it a late lunch?, in Cole Street before going for a walk down the Haight. Ended up doing a little shopping. It was sort of Test Driving for my new American Credit Card. Yes! I finally have a credit card that works properly here without foreign exchange and billing address issues!!!

No more having to withdraw gallons of cash from the cashpoint either just to go about daily life.

Walking back from the Haight

Recharge

I slept today, slept some more and then went to bed.

Bowling and rollin'

The theme continues and it's another busy day in the office. After work though, there is the opportunity to spend th evening bowling. Oh yes, and watching people drinking and bowling!!!

Spencer is a new hire to the office but should maybe have followed a professional bowling career! Rodney on the other hand should probably stick to IA back at the office.

Afterwards I went to get something to eat with one of our copywriters over by the aquatic centre on the bay followed by some very delicious Irish Coffees at an Irish bar over that way,

Just another Wednesday

Went to work, worked. Went home, ate.

All up in my flow

Lots of posturing in the office today but I'm determined to maintain my identity. In some ways it makes me laugh but it's all going to be fine.

had a magnificent personal training session at the gym this morning so was feeling "fine" all day.

Hi Ho, Hi Ho...

San Francisco Civic Centre Dome

Called Eddie at the Alfa Romeo garage in London to check that he can do the work we'll need to restore our car to it's former glory and he is happy to take on the work.

Called Carlton too to warn him that there will be a car delivered to him in the following weeks. Just need to tie things up with the local shipping agent now and we'll be sorted. Usual fun and games at work but feeling good.

I managed to get a gym session in this morning and was quite pleased with my workout. Well it's time for a bit of ironing now before I go off to bed. The California life eh???

Top Banana

We wanted to drive down to Carmel today and set off with the ocean on one side and the Saint Bruno mountains on the other side of the road. The coast was really cloudy but we could see that inland there was a lot of blue sky showing. After about 50 miles along the coast, we decided to turn of and head across the mountains toward the blue sky along the Pescadero Creek Road. Just imagine. Driving a nicely set-up 2 seater, manual, Italian convertible sports car around one of the twistiest roads ever. Up and through the mountains, sun shining, wind in your hair. MAGIC!!

The only thing to beat it would have been to be on a sports motorbike. So it ended up being a driving day but lots of fun.

It was definitely top banana!

Phones, Thugs and Harmony

My mobile phone is out of juice and the charger is still at work! I know, I'll just slip the sim card into my Vodafone from the UK. You guessed it, no joy! Called Soraya to arrange a date for picking up our new car and then called Marlon to meet up. "I was expecting to see you around 11" he says. "Well what time is it now then?" "11:30".

After a few minutes of whizz, whizz, whizz, Antonella and I are in the car driving to SOMA.
Everyone is hungry so we walk up the road to get some brunch. Or is that lunch?
Food was great. The car wasn't so great when we got back to his place. The roof had been cut in two places to allow someone to break in and take the radio. Apart from the roof damage ther is also some damage to the electrics but at least it all still drives fine. Which is very important as I had promised Marlon he could drive it before we ship it back to the UK at the end of the month.
Although he had threatend to "Ghost Ride" the car, the earlier events led to a more restrained driving experience. Still the sun was out and the top was down so a little easy cruisin' was just the job.

Marlon prepares to Ghost Ride!

Made it to the weekend

Exactly!!!!

Jurassic Walk

Managed another gym session this morning and arranged to start some new Personal training sessions next week at the gym.

One of our writers took the old dinosaur on a tour of Creative.

Day after Tuesday

I've been standing on my tippie-toes today so I can actually just see the weekend coming. I was hoping to leave work earlier today but it didn't happen. Still, I can try again tomorrow. I will need another early start though as my desk is a mess with lots to do.

Felt quite energized though as I managed to get a gym session in before I started work this morning and also managed a late afternoon break.

The weather was glorious today.

Antonella got her British Passport today so that was another big thing to tick off the list.

Just Rollin'

No pictures today but an amazing meal at the San Francisco Asia De Cuba with Antonella. It was one of our favourite London restaurants and doesn't disappoint here in San Francisco either. Located in a nice quirky Philip Starck designed Hotel named the Clift, the selection of adventurous fusion dishes did not disappoint.

Just to keep the high roller theme going we got a limo to take us back home from the hotel.

Monday, Monday

I left early to get a gym session in before work today. I was still at work before nine even though I arrived at the gym later than originally planned. Got to work to discover that Russell had his baby yesterday! OK so his wife had it but if you knew Russell he'd convince you that he actually did all the work.

At Lunchtime I managed to zip out and pick up some bits and pieces that I wanted for home and just to keeo my tan topped up.

Work is still really busy and it looks like becoming more so as the week goes on. My plan? Stay positive, focus and run to the light - aka, the weekend!

Back On The Blog

It's been a virtual whirlwind of work, play and adjustments since the last entry. Work is going well. I've been working in the San Francisco office for 3 months now! Doesn't time fly?

Restaurants worth knowing and adding to the list are;
The Slanted Door - I've been there before but we went again with Debs. Debs has been staying with us as our house guest from the UK and Antonella has been Official Tour Guide until Debs flew back home last Thursday. As the time we went before, the food was fabulous. Particularly, the live scallops with caviar served in a vinaigarette sauce.
EO's - Is one of our local eateries in Cole Street. Lots of people have raved about how good it is so we booked a table and strolled down there one night last week. All those of you who said it was brilliant - were you right? - Hell yes!
Sauce - I was taken there with a colleague from work on Thursday night. I have now learned to respect doughnuts and to lust after them! At least the ones they serve here with strawberries and a a "to die for dipping sauce." By the way the rest of the food was great too but you HAVE TO HAVE THE DOUGHNUTS!!!!!!

We have finally been up the Coit Tower now. That's the good thing about having guests, it turns you back into a tourist again so you get to see all the things we meant to see when we came out here.

Well, we're still arranging to ship our Alfa Romeo back to the UK. Realizing we'll need some transport here when it's gone, we went out and bought a BMW 328i Convertible today! We test drove it and paid the deposit and it should get delivered to us next weekend.

The office at home is finished now so we have fully functional phones and computers and lots of wireless zipping about the apartment!