Supergrass!

Rachelle and I went into Seattle last night to see one of my favorite bands, Supergrass, from the UK. They are one of those bands (like the Beatles) that I never grow tired of listening to. We have attempted to see Supergrass in the past, twice in San Francisco, but they were always sold out the day the tickets went on sale. This time, we got lucky and found tickets at the Showbox!

Pre-show, we enjoyed a meat-fest at a Brazilian restaurant on first avenue. The format was simple. They bring giant skewers of various meats to your table and you can either take a piece or pass until the next selection. I think I got my fill of meat for a while!

We were surprised by the opening act, a little known band from Texas called Pilot Drift. Their music was really interesting, with influences ranging anywhere from Queen, to Radiohead, the Jellyfish, and even Supergrass. Maybe that's why they were chosen to tour with the band?

They were very talented musicians, and I'm glad we got their early enough to see their set. It was worth it, and we bought their CD, which I do not normally do. Pilot Drift also has a killer Web site.

Supergrass put on a fantastic show, although it did start out a little slow/mellow. Nevertheless, they rocked, and I was thoroughly impressed with Gaz's ability to sing as well live as he does on record. I am always pleased when a band can pull off a live show that rivals or even exceeds the intensity of their studio recordings. I would gladly pay to see them again.

As you can see, we also had some fun in the photo booth they have at the Showbox.

The only downer of the night was having to wait forever for the ferry at 12:45 (we got there at midnight). But hey, that's what we get for living on an island!

The Demise of the Spike

So, as I was riding high on the news of my friend "The Chin" returning home safely, I ran across some disturbing news. One of my favorite family style, dive, Italian restaurant/bars in San Francisco had closed, only days after I had strolled by it thinking,"I should really stop in for some good down home Italian grub!".

I mean, this wasn't just *any* Italian restaurant; this place had existed in the same location for 86 years!! On top of that, it had red checkered table cloths, and the most basic Italian fare you could find in San Francisco (IMO anyway). When Rachelle and I lived in SF (especially when we lived in Russian Hill), I would drag her there more often than she liked.

There was one night that Rachelle, Greg and I went to the Spike (by my request of course). We got there a bit late, just before closing, and although they decided to seat us, they had run out of garlic bread. Rachelle and Greg were both shocked that an Italian joint could be out of garlic bread! I, on the other hand, attributed it to the fact that it was just the Spike, and that sometimes things didn't work out like those "fancy" restaurants we usually ate at.

The food wasn't great, but the atmosphere was unique; only in places such as the Gold Spike could you find that "been here forever, never going away" feel.

Well, I am sad to say that the Spike was laid to rest as of Monday February 20, 2006. I walked by the place just a little over a week prior, and I had no clue that a place like the Spike would vanish over a "landlord dispute".

Farewell Gold Spike! I hope your former space isn't turned into a yuppie bar, or a chain restaurant.

Return of the Chin!

I was pleased to hear that my good friend (we'll call him "The Chin") has returned safely from a third deployment into dangerous territory. The Chin and I go WAAAAAY back, like 20+ years.

Although I haven't seen The Chin in a couple of years, we have always managed to stay in close contact over email, and instant messenger, regardless of our individual locations on the globe. This is a testament to true friendship, or as an old Algebra teacher once called it "friendsheeeeep".

It's good to know the Chin is now home with his family, where any good Chin belongs.

Welcome home, Chin!

Buggin and Chillin!

Work piled up on me during my conference/hanging out in in San Francisco over the weekend (which btw, was really nice). This last week, I spent 99% of my days dealing with software bugs. Bugs suck.

By the way, it has been hella cold in Seattle this week; sunny, but brrrrrr cold! This weekend should be nice though, despite the chill. I guess I will literally be chillin' at home.

Oh, and after a nice conversation with a fellow islander on the ferry about the positive aspects of island life, I don't want to move back to San Francisco today! Living here is really nice, and I sometimes forget why. I think it has something to do with crummy winters.

Home For the Weekend

After a week in SJ working and socializing with my colleagues who I usually interface with over instant messenger, I end the week with a trip to the city Shell and I love and miss. Don't get me wrong, I really love Bainbridge Island, but San Francisco is home. Not home, like home town home, but home in a different sense.

Anyway, it's been a while since I've visited, so it's nice to be back even for a short three day stretch.

We got a room at the W Hotel, with a great view (see attached photo), and have a nice dinner planned at one of our favorite North Beach restaurants.

Well, Shell has just arrived and the city beckons, so I'm outta here for now...

Sun and the Silicon Rally

After suffering through a wind and rain storm last Saturday, which resulted in no power all day, I spent Sunday preparing for my trip to San Jose to meet with my fellow engineering colleagues at my company's annual technology rally.

The weather on Bainbridge went from grey, cold, windy (60 mph gusts), and down-right nasty to mild, and sunny. Sunny enough that I was able to mow my lawn for the first time in 6 months, and also wash the car. Washing a car in the PNW usually means you expect good weather for at least 2 consecutive days! I think this entire week is predicted to be a nice one in the Seattle area, but...

Now I am in SJ, missing Rachelle (naturally), and trying to wind down from the first of several days of tech talk. The weather here is fine, so that's good.

After my week long nerd-fest, it's off to SF for a couple of days of fun. Lucky for me, Rachelle is meeting me there!!

One Step Closer...

Just before we checked out of our hotel in Palm Springs, we got an email from the adoption agency stating that our group (June 2005) has cleared the documentation review process in China. This means that the next step is being matched with a child. Based on this news, we expect to have our referral (documentaiton, pictures, etc.) in either April or May. Once we have the referral, it's only a matter of ~ 4-8 weeks until we travel to China to meet our daughter.

We are one step closer to her...