Back from San Francisco

[eurydicebound]

The trip was really, really great. I feel a lot better now. Getting to stay somewhere away from where everything is going on and get a shot at an objective viewpoint is an invaluable experience. In addition, there are plans afoot to upgrade the wardrobe sufficiently for any events in August or so that might merit it. :) I'm quite pleased.

Less pleasing was going over finances when I got back, though it was highly necessary. David's moving has been put off until the 1st of July, though he's going to go ahead and pick a place and get the paperwork moving. A lot of bills I'd been trying to get caught up on decided to pick June to say "pay me! NOW!" and so payment is getting made. This comes to more than I make, though, so I have to have money from David this month that he'd otherwise need to move out... and so we shoot for July instead. I think I can handle that. Should be able to.

I got to go on the San Francisco Vampire Tour (which I highly recommend) last Saturday evening... a really fun meld of actual history of the Nob Hill area combined with an amusing vampire twist. Only takes about two hours and isn't too terribly taxing, and the buildings are gorgeous. I only regret that we didn't get to go inside more of them, but you take what you can get. Included are Grace Cathedral, the Nob Hill Cafe, Huntington Park, the James Flood home, the Fairmont Hotel, and the Mark Hopkins hotel.

In addition, we took Sunday and drove down to San Jose to do a bit of urban spelunking and tour the Winchester Mansion (aka the "Winchester Mystery House"). It was absolutely fascinating, and I am now staving off a deep desire to do a lot of research into occult symbology at the turn of the 20th century -- at least until I finish my current project. I would pay a goodly chunk of money to read a book by princeofcairo on Sarah L Winchester and the house she built. I think underneath the "Wierd!" factor there's a greatly misunderstood lady who had some very specific beliefs... I'm just wanting to dig until I find them. On that line of thought, none of the furniture in the house is original... all the furnishings were removed and sent to her niece (and then mostly sold) following her death. I could only wish that I could see some of that furniture... she designed everything else in the house, I find it difficult to believe that wouldn't have been included.

In other news, fanboys are beyond comprehension, Eddie Izzard is amazing, and water is wet. News at 11.

Comments

[littlestkobold.livejournal.com]

If you don't mind me asking, what's 'urban spelunking'?

[anaka.livejournal.com]

Well, spelunking is to go delving into caverns, and walking through the various corridors and winding staircases and ups and downs of the Winchester House was very much like that, hence the "urban" part.

[littlestkobold.livejournal.com]

Ah ha! I thought it might have something to do with sewers and drains ... :-)

[anaka.livejournal.com]

Hee! No. Though, I'm awfully tempted to find out if there's a tour of the tunnels under San Francisco... I'd also love to get into the behind-the-scenes areas of Alcatraz. Neither are especially likely to happen, though. I think most of the tunnels were closed off or collapsed after various earthquakes.

[adamjury.livejournal.com]

You're supposed to go into the tunnels and stuff without a tour guide, dear. It's not really spelunking if you have to be plunking down money before entering. ;-)

[anaka.livejournal.com]

Yeah, well. My adventureousness knows definite bounds. :)

[thatcash.livejournal.com]

In addition, we took Sunday and drove down to San Jose to do a bit of urban spelunking and tour the Winchester Mansion (aka the "Winchester Mystery House").

When Deev and Veed came to visit, I took them to WMH. It was fun watching them constantly ducking to avoid whacking their heads on various things. :)

[winterhawk.livejournal.com]

Wish I'd known you were going to be in San Jose--I could have said 'hi' or something. :)

The WMH is very cool--we've been there a few times, including one Halloween flashlight tour that was a lot of fun. The place is trippy enough in the daylight, but really eerie after dark.

I often wonder whether it still exists in Shadowrun times, and if so what's become of it.

[anaka.livejournal.com]

Darn. This is true. I will have to make a note next time I'll be in the San Francisco area.

[thebitterguy]

Snra did the WMH tour when she went to Con Jose. It only mildly piqued my interest at the time, but when I started learning more about it I realized it is truly teh neet.

And there ain't a gamer alive who doesn't love the story of it.

[metallian.livejournal.com]

That sounds like a lot of fun! I am fascinated by big, confusing buildings and they are the most common recurring theme in my dreams. I don't think I've ever been there, though I heard about it as a kid.

(Then again...maybe we went on that big cross-country trip when I was 10?)

We should go next time we go out to see mrsmetallian's parents.

[anaka.livejournal.com]

You should. And spring for the Behind the Scenes tour. It's worth the money.