San Francisco A2K Gathering - April 9-12, 2004

Hey I'm really envious of your get-togethers, though for the price of some of your venues you could get to Asia AND have a superb meal! Sounds such fun!!

I think we still need to think about Sunday night. I am the type that brings some cheese and crackers and a bottle/wine/or booze or water to my room.

I think it could be just a place...coffee shop like, not apt to kick us out.

Or, of course, my room? I don't know anything about my room, might be a postage stamp.

Clink, could we rent a room? bring snacks, etc.? Adagio or KGeorge?? How much is a room, after all? If we groceried ourselves. (farmer's market, Sat a.m.)

Still, my room could be fine. There is after all a seemingly fine restaurant and bar downstairs and a presumptive lobby.

I have been toying in m'mind re asking for a view (south, higher floors) but that is hard as I am paying $60 a night in a seemingly higher place. Still, what the hell.

Clary, you are right, and here with us too...

Jjorge, there are a lot of places in the mission and richmond, etc... and I didn't link them on the original post referencing the Sf chronicle on page 3 of this thread, because of transportation questions.

When I posted those links, back then, I never, or almost never picked higher than two $$ out of four, and I also eliminated the noisy ones.

Would everybody please re-look at my post on page three?

There are a number of restaurants in the tenderloin, for example, iffy, I gather for a midnight walk, but taxiable, and it is close as our hotels are tenderloin adjacent if not closer.

Osso and I have a friend, Susan,aka semiotterly on abuzz, who was going to join us for dinner Friday night, but now has to cancel. She will be able to join us on Sunday, early afternoon. I told her we might be at the Tea Garden in GG Park. As soon as we decide where we will be eating lunch, I'll let her know.

Osso, I love the idea of a sort of pot luck in one of our rooms or in a room provided by one of the hotels. A big saving on expenses with privacy and no background noise. Perfect for us.

Yeh, and I am now quite pooped. Many many hours of link getting. You all decide, I'll be there (including in my room or another room, perhaps in the adagio, or we find another.) I have an art opening this weekend and (I hope) a big new job on Tuesday morning, and stuff to catch up with in between, and a rush job to next thursday.

It would be better if more than pdid and I worked this out anyway. Go for it, Diane.

PDiddie et al,

I'm really sorry that I've inconvenienced you all.

I don't need (or wish) to choose the venue though. I would go just about anywhere that's not expensive.

jjorge

PS
It's a little after 1a.m. Saturday here in Rogue Island and I'm about to hit the sheets. I've got a lot to do when I get up (like PACK for instance!) and I have to be at the airport for 1pm so I may not have a chance to log on tomorrow.

Gosh, this time tomorrow I'll be in *San Diego!

































Hmmm...I wonder if they've built a shrine there yet to the **greatest hitter who ever lived?



































Whaddaya mean 'who?' --Ted Williams of course!!

Goodness! Excitement growing??????

This is a fine idea (although Sunday is when jjorge mentioned he wanted to take his brother and spouse to dinner).

Since there are so many of us at the KG they ought to be accomodating (as in, "we're taking over the lobby for the weekend. Could we please have some water and silverware? And keep the noise down!" :wink:).



It is absolutely no inconvenience, jjorge. I don't have an ego investment in people taking my recommendations. I (and osso; we're kindred spirits in this respect) think the planning is as much fun as the trip itself. Sunday's reservation was easier to secure than Saturday's; even this late I still ought to be able to find some place good for our group.



I'll post another venue for Sunday later today, something that will be comfortable for all. And for dining a little earlier, since 8 is pretty late to eat on Sunday.

Do you or family have any likes /dislikes when it comes to cuisine? (this is a sly way of asking if you like Asian food :wink: ).

Hmmmm.

Inexpensive restaurants open on Sunday with low noise levels still offer some good choices. Here are some options:

In the Tenderloin:



This one's close to the KG and delightfully inexpensive:



And Indigo has two dollar signs and one noise bell:



Would everybody reading please pick one so I can make the reservation this evening...

I like all of them but Fine Estampa, which got a more neg review on the food.

Absinthe looks fantastic, I guess that's my favorite, followed by Kites and then Indigo. Plus, in the review on PDiddie's link, it has roasted fresh whole crab....

Here's another review -
* Absinthe
398 Hayes St. at Gough
415/551-1590
Overview: Dinner Tues. - Sun.; FB, W/A, LD, R, $ - $$

When I am at Absinthe, I expect that Toulouse Lautrec will walk into the dining room at any moment. There are murals of Parisian scenes on the walls; the furniture is plush. The menu is simple bistro food with prices that are low for a restaurant of this elegance in this neighborhood. I have liked Absinthe since my first meal here when it had been open less than a week.

The menu changes to incorporate seasonal specialties. A signature Winter dish is Cassis Braised Short Ribs. In June, Soft Shell Crab was featured with a tasty risotto. Pastas have included a creative Fusilli with fried cauliflower, anchovies and capers and a Risotto with greens and soppressa. The Vegetable Platter one evening consisted of perfectly-prepared fingerling potatoes, spinach, onions and thick slices of portobello mushroom, garnished with shaved Parmesan Cheese, and served with lemon wedges. The Arugula Salad is garnished with fried chickpeas and garlic croutons. French onion soup is a favorite year 'round. The popular Cold Seafood Platter, meant to be shared ($18 per person), is generous enough to be a light meal. The walnut bread from Acme in Berkeley is addictive. The dessert menu, almost as long as the dinner menu, includes a good balance of fruit desserts as well as Lavender CrËme Brs<caron>lÈe, and an indulgent
SharfenBerger Chocolate Brownie Sundae. Many wines are priced around $20 for a bottle and between $4 to $5 a glass.
To assure that performance goers get prompt service, dinner seatings are staggered at 15-minute intervals around the popular 6 p.m. time. Service is impeccable, with attention to all details including replacing flatware with each course, serving shared dishes on individual plates, and endless refills on coffee.

A bar menu of lighter fare is perfect for a quick meal before or a late dinner after a performance.


Indigo is an attractive restaurant that takes its name to heart. Its storefront entry is painted a vivid indigo (a shade of blue that can't be missed!). Inside, indigo accents and plush fabrics complement wood, creating a relaxing and romantic setting.

Executive chef John Gilbert creates a different "New American" menu each day, based on what is fresh in the market. Although all main dishes are garnished with vegetables, several of the more popular side dishes, including Napa Cabbage Cole Slaw and Honey-Butter Biscuits, can be ordered separately (they are included with Barbecued Chicken, when it is offered). Some seasonal dishes have included Warm Spinach Salad with Bing Cherry Zinfandel Vinaigrette; Seared Atlantic Salmon with Ratatouille-Phyllo Tartlette, Tomato Fondue & Basil Pesto; and Strawberry Orange Soup. Each evening there is a three-course fixed-price menu ($22.95), perfect for a pre-performance dinner.

Indigo serves the kind of food I love to eat, but its location in "restaurant Siberia" keeps me from dining here prior to a performance; it's just a bit too far and in a neighborhood where I am uncomfortable walking after dark.

And Kites (La Jiao) looks to be closed on Sunday night.
La Jiao
536 Golden Gate Ave.
415/771-1997
Overview: Lunch Weekdays, Dinner Mon. - Sat.; FB, W/A, LD, R, $ - $$

Damn, you're right about Kites, osso.

Leave that one off your picks, everyone.

I'll edit it now from my post.

I didn't realize we were so close to the Tenderloin, which has some of the best choices. I just can't wait to get there and start eating. :wink:

Just in case Absinthe and Indigo don't have room for us, I double checked Solea, which is also fairly close..

I looked at the full menu on the second link and think one could also just feast on appetizers..
Solea 1
Solea 2
I remember the chronicle review gave it either one or two noise bells, but that was an old review..

I am far more interested in camraderie than sights (did that come close of correct spelling?) everyone on the slate I would love to talk to person to person. When I went to Albaturkey last year for a gathering I met such wonderful people as I had not anticipated and now feel I have life-long friends in Roger-BumbleBee-Asherman-Lola-Blatham-Pancho- it's the humanity that matters, not the politics.

BBB
I agree with Dys. It was the time we spent just lounging around Asherman's house and garden sipping and eating and chattering away until we were too sleepy to keep our eyes open. The star of the gathering was the meeting and talking, not the sight seeing or restaurant visiting.

BBB

Absinthe sounds heavenly, but it has three bells for noise level. It also is expensive, which we need to keep in mind for those with a limited budget. One or two expensive dinners are fine, but three might be a little over the edge.

Solea looks very good in every way--price and sound level. Since jjorge will be bringing family along, maybe we should pay more attention to cost.

Our experience in Albuquerque was that we missed a couple of events because we lost track of time visiting with each other. It was amazing how easily and quickly the comaraderie took hold. The time flew and we never felt any disappointment for missing a side trip. The talk was all that really mattered.

Diane
Diane, I can't stop thinking about the most important question I forgot to ask during the Albuquerque gathering last year: When, how and why did the "Nun gone bad" happen? What is the real story?

BBB :wink:

Indigo had three bells, but it is - I gather - primarily for before and after theater crowds, and we would be inbetween those. (As in Pierre au Tunnel in NYC, Diane, we all had such a good talk there, Diane and I went back a second time, where we were then treated as special guests.. ah, besides, I had to get my correct change back...) Anyway, in the beginning, when we met Roberta, the restaurant was mobbed and loud. We were seated. A few minutes later the room emptied out.... like the tide.

I thought Absinthe and Solea were about the same pricewise, with Indigo somewhat less.

On not centering on food or sightseeing, we have to pay some attention to food.. we don't have someone's house here. But yes, we all have this in common, the getting together to talk is the thing. I wish we were all there one more day together.. to just lobby sit, or whatever. Remember, we have the adagio lobby too. I think I am going to call the adagio and ask for a room with a southern view, fairly high up. This will be ballsy of me as I am getting a total deal at $60.00 a night (with plane ticket). If the room turns out ok, glad to have people meet there too.

Maybe next SF meet we can do the point reyes/inverness/tomales thing.. There is nothing to do there but drink in beauty. (Although.... when I left Inverness after my friend's wedding and drove through Tomales, I did become part of the Labor Day parade. Too funny, people lined up waving at me...)

I am starting to collect photos to take.... am looking forward to seeing jjorge's new house photos.

Shoes, always the question. I hate sneakers. Sneakers are comfortable. I hate sneakers. Sneakers are comfortable. I hate sneakers. Sneakers are comfortable. And so on.

Dlowan and BBB and Mac and Clary and Joanne and Margo and Raggie and Cav... cav wanted to come before he got sick, but now he is getting better, and mikey (I think headed to ireland) maybe you can come to the next one...

In looking at my packed closet, I realize that:

I DON'T HAVE A THING TO WEAR!!!