01 OCT 2005 : SATURDAY
We were going to have a tourist extravaganza with Erika, but she was still very tired. She and Amanda did go to yoga (sponsored by our apartment), and then Erika took a long nap. Meanwhile, Amanda and I ran some errands: getting random toiletries, getting bulbs to plant, yadda yadda yadda. We eventually made it back home and then went out to dinner at Lark (as the day goes by fast when you don’t do much and wake up late).
Dinner was good. Erika said that we “don’t hold back” when it comes to eating out.
02 OCT 2005 : SUNDAY
Erika plane left at around noon, so we took her to the airport and made our farewells. I hope she had a good time out here; Amanda and I spent a lot of time working. But she seemed really tired, so perhaps getting away from work was good.
Amanda had made arrangements to have brunch with Emilty, OB/GYN R2, so we headed out to Fremont from the airport to pick her up. We decided to head to a place hearby, Silence-Heart-Nest, a vegetarian restaurant run by devotees of Sri Chimoy. The food itself was really quite good (if slightly pricey), and there was no preaching to be found. I had heard of him before, and looked him up on the net when I got back home. He seems as innocuous/threatening as any spritual figure, although as might be expected he does have a “cult” label, but one must remember that the only reason mainstream religions are not “cults” or “sects” is that they are simply more popularly acccepted. On the other hand, it did make me muse on what parameters I should use to *not* patronize a place. Something that I still must consider.
Anyways, an interesting note about the food is that use they use Morningstar Farm products should you desire some fake meat.
Amanda and Emily said I would make a striking charismatic guru if I felt like it. Perhaps that I what I should do in the future.
I had also made arrangements to see a play with an old coworker, Larry, and his family (spouse and two teenage sons). They all live out in Bellevue. We met up with them at the Seattle Center in the evening. We wandered about looking for a place to eat. The sons wanted pizza, so we just dropped by a local pizza joint. The sons were not too impressed with the food; I thought it OK, but maybe my expectations were a lot lower. We then idly walked about the Seattle Center grounds to digest before settling in to see the play.
The play was at the Seattle Repertory Theatre, which is one the Seattle Center’s grounds. I felt slighty underdressed, but not too much so. I thought it funny that there was some graffitti in the bathrooms. I later figured out that the last play I saw was in Banff a couple of years ago in the downtown park… Taming of the Shrew. The one I saw before that was the Cherry Orchard in 1993 at Cornell. Although, now that I think about it, it might have been the Importance of Being Earnest… I them both of them around the same time.
The play at hand was called Cathy: Three Tales of China. I think the producer was a friend of Larry’s sister. The play itself was a hgh tech puppet show; I had seem the like before (less slickly presented), but I do not remember where. It was really quite visually entertaining and interesting, but the story was a bit thin I thought. It was basically three simple stories throughout China’s history that were ever so loosely connected with emphasis on how China has changed and who knows what the future holds etc. etc. Perhaps the apparent lack of depth was due to limitations of using puppets.
Regardless, it still was an enjoyable show, and I felt cultured up afterwards. Larry and I were joking about how people move to cities for cultural opportunities, but then never take advantage of them. I guess we cannot be accused of that now.
03 OCTOBER : MONDAY
Work.
04 OCTOBER : TUESDAY
Work.
05 OCTOBER : WEDNESDAY
Work.
We went out to eat at Blue C Sushi because it is quick and fun and cheap. It was quick and fun and cheap (for sushi that is). Although we did decided that it is better to go early when they have all kinds of things on the conveyor belt; later they do have less things on the belt, but you can order everything, but what is the fun in that?
I passed out after dinner because I have not been getting much sleep.
06 OCTOBER : THURSDAY
Work.
It was my birthday. Woot. After work we went out to eat at Tango. Amanda said is was unacceptable to eat at home. It was fun. Eating out is one of my many vices… what can I say. We had an adventure trying to park the car. Normally we walk most places because parking is a pain in the ass (we live in a city after all). We did not have time, although after parking we might as well have walked.
I got a glass of cognac after dinner, because, hell, it was my birthday. Vishal, my old coworker/roommate, had it right… cognac is the bomb. We used to sit around at home sipping cognac and shooting the shit back in Ithaca. Amanda was not impressed and made lots of sour piglet faces after tasting it. Clearly she prefered her El Diablo. Too bad their was not enough light for a good picture of her face.
There was a party in the private room next to our table (it had windows, so it was not all that private), and it was someone else’s birthday, too. He looked younger than I, though.
Amanda said how did it feel now that half my life was over. Harsh! She was feeling old herself; must be all the eighteen year olds popping out babies that she sees.
She is asleep now. I should do some work as I did not get much done today.