My most recent trip to the West Coast was both book business and pleasure. We started in San Francisco. We stayed downtown, a block and 1/2 away from Union Square, at the Prescott Hotel. The sights, the sounds, the food, the people, the art galleries. Just so much to see and experience.
Bill board in Union Square
Union Square – the plaza
Entrance to Chinatown
Loved being able to eat outside – I did it every chance I could – no humidity, no bugs
Although, the city has pigeons – this one tried to sit and eat lunch with me.
Underground Jazz Club visit, within walking distance of our hotel, after a lovely dinner out with my childhood friend Dottie, and her husband Matt, visiting from Seattle.
Before taking off for a few days of skiing with an old college buddy, Brian wanted to take the Alcatraz Tour. I know it sounds very touristy but it was really interesting – I am so glad we did the tour. If you ever get the chance and haven’t done it – give it a try.
This sign was one of the first things that caught my eye as we pulled up to the dock. Kept trying to imagine what it would have been like for a prisoner pulling up for the first time.
Alcatraz was originally built as a military installation – I never knew that.
This is the view from the front entrance to the prison – really beautiful. You can see the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco. Imagine being confined, knowing you are surrounded by such beauty, and never being able to see anything.
This was the only window high security prisoners could look through to see out. Their cells faced a brick wall. If they behaved, the guard would allow them, one at a time to look through this tiny window for a few minutes.
One of the great benefits to traveling around the country with my book is that we are getting to meet up with friends we haven’t seen in years. I mean, a lot of years. My husband met up with some guys he grew up with on the New Jersey shore. One is a therapist in San Francisco, another friend is a landscape designer who lives about an hour outside the city. We drove out one day and had lunch in Berkely and met up with Julian and his lovely wife, Adoria. Had a great lunch and it was so much fun to hear Brian and Julian try and get caught up with the last 25 plus years of each other’s lives. After lunch, we followed them to Gary’s house. Brian and Gary had not seen each other since they were both 14. What a treat. I had always heard of Gary and Julian stories, but finally being able to meet these guys in the flesh was really special. Gary and his wife Laurie live in a beautiful house with great views of Northern California.
Gary, Brian and Julian. Grammar school buddies.
Another great treat for me was to meet up with one of my old college friends from Lafayette College in PA. I went to what used to be a 2 year girl’s school before transferring to Boulder. Centenary College for Women in beautiful downtown Hackettstown, NJ. On week-ends, we jammed as many girls as possible into a car and headed off to near-by Lafayette or Lehigh, for some male hijinks?!! Pat Johnson is a fraternity brother of an old boyfriend. Once I knew I would be visiting San Francisco I called him and made plans to meet. He also very graciously, set me up with a women’s book club night in Walnut Creek, which I was thrilled to be a part of. Now, I haven’t seen Pat in almost 30 years. He played tackle for Lafayette and Rugby – he was not a small guy by any stretch. It was so great to see him again and meet his lovely wife Mari. His sense of humor and the twinkle in his eyes have not changed a bit. He has been battling a serious illness over the last couple of years, and is handling it with such courage and humor and strength. He picked me up at the subway station in Walnut Creek, and off we went to the book club night.
Book Club discussion – great questions and comments.
This group of women were vibrant, smart, accomplished. Lawyers, Professors, Finance, very diverse. They take turns meeting at each other’s homes, bring food and drinks and have a great time together. Some of the women had read my book, some had read just parts. We had some great discussions about sexual addiction, forgiveness, and the impact pornography is having on our lives.
Pat and our host for the evening, Pat Morris. Thanks again Pat for having me in your beautiful home!
When the evening was over, Pat and Mari dropped me off at the subway station for my trip back to the city. We kissed and hugged good-bye. I plan to visit them again next spring, Pat promised to take me to Napa!
Went back to the city and packed up and got ready to make my way to LA.