Cycle of Life

Dearest Family and Friends

57 Cumberland Street, San Francisco CA 94110
Phone Number: +1 415 738 2112
Nadine 415 595 0023
Colman 415 871 9920

We are very well and starting to get excited about the arrival of Baby (we aren’t finding out the sex, it will be a Surprise) in just a few short months time. Both of us are doing our research, keeping very well, and enjoying this time together.

Highlights

Grannie

Pat and Niamh

Big Sur

Grannie
Very very sadly my feisty, incomparable and inspirational Grannie died on the 16th May. She was 93 and had suffered a sudden stroke on the 17th April from which she never recovered.

I flew to England the following week for the funeral. My parents collected me at Heathrow (managed 2 hours doze on the plane - better than last time) and drove up north to Cumbria. Grannie had been visiting my Aunt, Judith, who lives outside Carlisle, when she had fallen ill out of the blue, having been in remarkable health for so long. So along with my sister, Louise, Peter and their two kids, Lizzie and Thomas, plus my cousin Jessica and her partner Alex and son Archie we stayed at Snittlegarth Farm in the North Lakes where my cousin, Ros, and her husband, Roddy, live. (granddaughters L-R me, Ros, Jessica, Lucy, Louise) A riotous bout of trampolining in the garden involving dogs stealing shoes included me until I saw a little symbol of a figure with baby figure inside and a cross through... Oops. We all had a very jolly dinner in the Sun Inn in Bassenthwaite – mammoth portions and much discussion of childbirth as wonderfully, both Jessica and I are pregnant and due 3 days apart. That night I slept well in the Coach House, after shooing away the swallows in my bedroom.

The funeral the next day was attended by family only: the party from Snittlegarth being joined by Judith and Michael and their daughter, Lucy, my other aunt Gillian, and Anne, Peter and Toni – our Irish cousins. Hugely moving to see the coffin; lovely music including Crimond’s The Lord’s My Shepherd, Mozart’s Requiem Lacrimosa, and Stanford’s Nunc Dimittis. Readings from Gillian and Judith; my mother, Carol, gave the eulogy on behalf of the three daughters (L-R Judith, Gillian, Carol); Jessica on behalf of the five granddaughters and six great-grandchildren with reference to the two on the way. We finished with the Irish blessing in homage to the country she made her home for 45 years.

I didn’t know before the service that Grannie had played bridge for Ireland, nor that she had hoped Jessica and I would both have girls (better for older parents), nor just how much I am going to miss her. Both my mother and Jessica emphasised Grannie’s enormous zest for life, her energy (social engagements were reduced to one a day once she reached 90), her generosity to her family (while ensuring not a penny was wasted on taxi drivers or groceries), her plain-speaking (we were often taken to task with brutal honesty), her strength of character (that enabled her to totally reinvent her life at 67), her interest in the world around, her humour, prodigious memory and stoicism. Truly her spirit lives on in us all and there is no greater tribute to her than our vivid awareness of her influence and presence within our wonderful family. She said at her 90th: ‘To quote Clark Gable, “I’ve been lucky, and I know it.”’ And that is how we shall remember her.

The memory of lunch afterwards at Judith and Michael’s lovely house I’ve holidayed at all my life is a treasure – children romping around in the garden (L-R Lizzie, Thomas, Jemima, Archie, Wyndham, Tara). My family is hugely important to me and we have real friendships with our relations. It was really special that I was able to go to the funeral as it is unlikely that all the family will be together again for some time: my sister is moving to Pakistan for 2 years for Peter’s work with the Department of Overseas Aid; Jessica is moving to Manchester at the end of July; we are here in San Francisco. It will always be a matter of regret that Grannie didn’t meet my child or Jessica’s, but some comfort that she knew we were both expecting and how happy we are.

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Pregnancy Update
Pregnancy is a full time occupation it seems – weekly Pilates, twice/thrice weekly yoga, massage, careful diet (careful to eat lots that is), reading books, booking up courses, making lists of things to buy, meeting fellow mothers to be at yoga, and still pronouncing myself to be just fine in all yoga classes. We were encouraged to share what our legacy from our mothers, family and friends is about their experience of childbirth at one class a week or so ago. This took up half an hour of the 90 minutes of which my contribution was as brief as possible… The bump is, sadly from my POV (literally as I can’t see my toes when standing upright now), overtaking the boobs – definitely a case of bump not plump now.

Visitors of the Month
Colman’s parents, Pat and Niamh, came to visit us for three weeks, which was a great success. Adept and resourceful in visiting sights of San Francisco we had yet to discover, they seemed to enjoyed the city hugely and were extremely generous to us.

One of the highlights was attending the San Francisco Symphony conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas with a superb programme of Copeland’s Short Symphony, Mahler Songs and Also Sprach Zarathustra by Strauss. We also went to saw Kathleen Turner in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf; visited Golden Gate Park to see the bison, the lake, and the paragliders and sand yachts; and saw a charming documentary at the Film Festival called The Monastery about an eccentric Dane who gave his mini-stately home to a group of Russian Orthodox nuns.

We took Pat sailing with Rob and Jenn, venturing around Angel Island on another glorious sunny day. Spinnakers out in force on the racing yachts. Flights of cormorants purposefully venturing out to sea. Terns fishing overhead. Breezy, we keeled over to manageable levels only, and anchored for a long lunch. A delightful way to see San Francisco from another angle.

Patrick, brother No1, came over from Pittsburgh while Pat and Niamh were here, and we all had a grand day out in Marin County over the Bridge. We stopped to admire the wonderful quintessential view over the city, drove around Marin Heads with its fossilised army fortifications and splendid horizons, spotting cliff swallows and pigeon guillemots for the first time.

We strolled along Muir Beach, discovering starfish and mussels, while grebes and loons bobbed in flocks offshore, and all loved a longer walk in revered Muir Woods where you walk through giant trees, the light shafting down through the redwood canopy. Despite many visitors, the quiet majesty of the trees soaring above us was supreme. None can visit this magical spot on the planet without feeling awestruck and peaceful.

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Expedition of the Month
With Pat and Niamh to famed beautiful Big Sur, 2 hours south of San Francisco: coastline of the rolling breakers, extensive marine park, cliffs and stacks, arches and landslides, car-ad famous corniche-style contour hugging road, and pristine wilderness. Blessed with glorious weather, the whole weekend was warm, sunny and near cloudless. One glorious moment was stopping to admire the view in one of the many turn outs, when I spotted a pair of sea otters below us, lying on their backs contentedly nibbling at the forests of kelp that appear as dark streaks in the pristine seas.

Our first stop was the gateway to Big Sur: Point Lobos State Reserve, a spur of land just south of Carmel, which has dramatic rugged cliffs and offshore rocky islands contrasting with white waved turquoise seas. It was very windy but nothing daunted we ambled around the northernmost promontory of South Point and Pinnacle Cove, which features a grove of relict Tolkienesque cypress trees, left over from pre-Ice Age times, bent over and gnarled, covered in bushy lichen and orange algae. A friendly white-crowned sparrow and I had a singing competition. Sea lions rolled, played and howled in the breakers. Pat and Niamh mastered our binoculars.

Heading south along Highway One, as the land rises steeply from the ocean, buildings are few and spectacular feats of bridge building engineering appear around every corner. Eloquently and uniquely described by Jack Kerouac in his opus Big Sur, which I happened to be reading at the time (thanks John), the landscape is indeed truly awesome inspiring both delight and terror at its raw visceral primeval quality. Switchbacks around headlands revealed a new vista at every turn, lighthouses and stacks; the sea shimmered and danced beneath us, in hues of cobalt, inky blue, celadon and azure, while shifting light shimmered silver and gold across the water.

Our first night demonstrated that it is possible to get lost on a single road with no turn-offs, with badly illuminated signage and no village/town centre to speak of. I was desperate for food by the time we finally found a restaurant to take us – Niamh and I had a delicious duck concoction which kept the wolf from the door. This was also the venue where for the first time a stranger patted my stomach saying how cute – not the words I’d have chosen but endearing nonetheless.

The next day we split, doing separate walks from the Big Sur Lodge where we were staying – taking in waterfalls, the astonishing quiet one finds in dense woods, busy undergrowth, carpets of spring flowers, mossy banks, and in our case, increasingly barren slopes as we ventured climbed, hot and high, above the tree line, to be rewarded with glimpses of the sea over the ridge to the north and not a soul on the path.

That afternoon we visited McWay Falls, California’s only coastal waterfall, which drops 80 ft onto a white powder beach in this impossibly perfect horseshoe cove. Probably the most beautiful beach I’ve ever seen, all the more so as humans are not able to climb down to it and must remain content with walking around the top for outstanding views, waves roll rhythmically in, seals cavorting in the surf offshore, gulls drinking from the fresh water stream. McWay Falls also has aromatic eucalyptus trees, a hidden campsite at the southern end, and bold Stellar’s Jays. And feels like Paradise Cove in an unspoiled Eden.

Grandiose Folly of the Month
Our Big Sur Grand Finale was Hearst Castle, a Moorish Spanish meets Greco-Romanesque villa-cum-fairy castle, built by William Randolph Hearst of Citizen Kane fame, from the 1920s pretty much until his death. A fabulously wealthy newspaper tycoon, Hearst indulged his passions for collecting European treasures, some of which are centuries old, running a ranch like no other (in its heyday it had a zoo in the grounds), and partying as only a man rich as Croesus can, in fine style. 165 rooms in four houses including a lavish private chapel, blood red silk walled private cinema, medieval refectory, Baroque living room and 41 fireplaces.

After your bus ride up from the visitor centre, you first come across the Neptune Pool, which features Roman antiquities carved up to fit into the portico. Ascend to the Italianate formal gardens replete with fountains, statues and sarcophagi. Beloved of Hollywood excess in the 1930s, the formal rooms, bed chambers (featuring antique beds, tapestries, medieval painted ceilings, antique treasures beyond compare) and wonderful views to the ocean, are well worth being shunted through in organised tour groups with friendly guides whose eye is ever on the clock. All tours end at the indoor swimming pool with gold leaf mosaic floors. Amazing.

Seasonal Event of the Month
We set off for Big Sur on the 5th May – Cinco de Mayo – which commemorates a Mexican victory over the French in 1862, and although not that big a deal across Mexico itself, has now become an excuse to celebrate the culture of those of Mexican ancestry in the US in areas of large populations of Latinos – such as California and particularly the Mission District of SF. So Mission Dolores Park was setting up for a big fiesta day as we drove south, us remarking it was a shame to miss the celebrations.

But in Salinas, where we stopped for lunch and visited the informative and well-presented John Steinbeck Museum, (Steinbeck grew up in Salinas) we came across a school display at the museum entrance. An excellent mariachi band (violins, trumpets, guitars, fine-voiced mournful serenading singer) dressed in traditional silver studded outfits with big hats, played as a troupe of children (the girls lacquered to within an inch of their lives) performed traditional folklórico dances with great timing and flourishes, to wild applause from the assembled museum visitors and proud parents.

Restaurant of the Month
On our last night in Big Sur we dined at Cielo, which has a fabulous patio overlooking the coastline and as the sun went down, the light subtly shifted, bringing richness to the colours of the hillside and water. Presentation and service were top-notch. The pea soup exquisite in flavour; the champagne and watermelon amuse bouche delicately fresh. Mains of flavourful chicken, intense duck and artistically arranged sunfish were just lovely, washed down with an Oregon pinot noir.

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Sporting Moment of the Month
To Rob and Jecca’s for a sumptuous Sunday BBQ with Bettina and Martin whose daughter, Ella, is mad on double dutch skipping (skipping with two ropes). All the adults had a go – Colman and Jecca trying out the Double Dutch version as well – and it is startling to see how much energy is required to jump up and down for even half a minute. I held onto my breasts and managed 20 jumps only before needing a rest cure; Martin succeeded in doing double dutch for an unfeasibly long time so gets the laurels.

Walk of the Month
After the funeral, Mum and Dad and I stayed overnight in Ambleside at the top of Lake Windermere. On our last day in the Lake District, my parents and I went for a 5 mile walk on a perfect sunny-with-clouds day starting from Elterwater. Instead of climbing steeply to conquer mountains, we did a balcony walk, climbing up to low fells, with a view of the Langdale Pikes and Scafell Pike itself in the distance, doing a loop that brought us to Skelwith Bridge. We passed a large tarn, sheep and lambs, spring flowers in full bloom, hedgerows bursting with life, followed the river, crossed an ancient packhorse bridge, saw lush meadows, lichen bewigged ancient forest, tiny hamlets and old farms, carpets of bluebells. A charming and wonderful walk – California is stunning but England can do beauty too. I thoroughly deserved those Cumberland sausages for lunch afterwards… Our final act: to take the car ferry across Lake Windermere before heading for the motorway and London.



San Francisco Moment of the Month
Before setting off to Big Sur proper, we took Pat and Niamh to Twin Peaks to view the city all before us in its glorious grid and hilly array. A stunning day, with not a cloud in the sky, we were treated to a territorial display from a Red-tailed Hawk and a Raven, who flew past us so close you could see their eyes. The view stretches from the Pacific Ocean to Golden Gate Bridge and Marin, all through the city, with the East Bay – Berkeley and Oakland – and South Bay (Silicon Valley) in the distance.

Wine Tasting of the Month by Mission Boy
Five drinkers, six pinot noirs. Each disguised. Patrick, our neighbour and some of his mates came around to see which wines we liked when we couldn’t see the label.

Yes the French examples were clearly different to the American. (Though I confidently stated that one was not Pinot at all, only to be proved wrong).

Bird of the Month
Big Sur provided some memorable birding moments. Colman and I were entranced by the gleaming hot rufous and emerald green Allen’s hummingbird, newly arrived from a winter down south, as we walked back from McWay Falls. But the most spectacular encounter was at Point Lobos State Reserve, which features the promisingly named Bird Island – a shelf of land that had fallen from the mainland some time hence, although separated only by a narrow chasm. So we were able to stand beside it, marvelling at the thousands of Brandt Cormorant Phalacrocorax pencillatus which had flown in 2 weeks prior to breed. Beakfuls of kelp and white feathery head plumes along with a vivid blue display throat all assist in the courtship ritual; the colony of cormorants were all fascinatingly active as they flew in and out, presenting kelp, quarrelling with neighbours, building up nests, croaking in disharmony.

Also atop the rock we witnessed the ubiquitous Western Gulls divebombing a family of Canada geese – the father taking on the gulls while the mother tried to shepherd the four fluffy goslings to safety. And below the cacophony, on a little rocky ledge, nested a pair of Black-crowned Night Heron, seemingly oblivious to the hubbub around them.

Bumper Sticker of the Month
Barack Obama 08 campaign sticker – and also sighted was a lapel button for him sported by a frail old biddy in the legendary Rainbow Grocery supermarket. Yes it’s all underway and although we’re shielded from it to some extent, by not ever turning on the TV, it will definitely be bigger than Ben Hur and all consuming. Discussions about the election, most usually centred around who the Democrat candidate will be, are now commonplace at parties; our downstairs neighbour last week was sporting a T-shirt with 01-20-09 on it – the date of the next presidential inauguration. There is a palpable sense of desperation for regime change – certainly amongst the San Franciscans.

Stencil of the Month








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Come and visit!

Love and hugs Nadine and Colman xxx

BIRDS AND THE BEES

Dearest Family and Friends

57 Cumberland Street, San Francisco CA 94110
Phone Number: +1 415 738 2112
Nadine 415 595 0023
Colman 415 871 9920

As the more perspicacious among you may have guessed already, from the photographic evidence and references to swelling breasts, Colman and I are expecting a baby mid-September. All is fine and well – see attached for proof it has a foot – and I have stopped eating enough to feed an army before breakfast.

We are starting to come to terms with the life sentence this will impose on us and are even anticipating there may be fun and joy coming our way. I’m starting to show now, felt the first proper kick on the 1st May, and have the most ENORMOUS knockers – biggest in every pregnancy yoga class I go to and most other mothers-to-be are many weeks ahead of me. Luckily Colman is a breast man…! Pre-natal care here has been very good – I have had regular check ups every four weeks and seen lots of scans (so much detail – heart, kidneys, brain, spine, limbs) and heard the heart beat strongly.

Culturally we've patronised the 50th San Francisco Film Festival (the oldest in the US) now underway and seen two programmes of ballet at the Opera House, with new friends, documentary film makers Dan and Dayna. I also went to the Kaiser Chiefs last week with some of the DLG - suitably raucous yet tuneful. Colman took me as a surprise to Singalonga West Side Story at the glorious Castro Theatre which was great - especially the live organ intro, the high camp of the filming which took on an extra resonance at the Castro, and the metal clickers mimicking the finger-clickin' gangs which sounded like a host of crickets when all deployed at once; the dress up contest was one by two Anitas - one male and one female - in matching purple dresses.

Visitor of the Month
John Green, a friend from London, came over for 2 nights at Easter having driven from New York via Washington, Tennessee, Memphis, Colorado, the Rockies, Palm Springs, Santa Barbara to SF – now that’s what I call a road trip. We went art buying together – finally Colman’s Christmas present has been purchased – and out to dinner at Andalu – tapas with a twist – a close contender for restaurant of the month.

Pregnancy Moment of the Month
In yoga classes each pregnant lady says their name, how many weeks and what aches and ailments are besieging them: a bit of a hypochondriac’s charter. I always say I’m fine and was once caught rolling my eyes at the American impulse to share every intimate detail of one's life with total strangers. The classes are good and I’m practicing away at home (sometimes) and also going for pre-natal massages – yummo. But the best was when we got the amniocentesis results and I was told over the phone that they had “fanTASTic news” (to which my instant reaction was, what, quads?), that my results were “pheNOMenal”, that “everything is gorgeous” and I “have beaYOODiful chromosomes”!

Colman came to his first yoga class when we did a partner’s pregnancy workshop which was good fun and very useful. There were some Californian moments such as encouraging everybody to moan and groan in unison, make fierce faces, and exhortations to think juicily about our erogenous zones – “cause that’s what got ya here!”

Seasonal Event of the Month
Despite the GodSquad tendencies prevalent in the US, they don’t celebrate Easter by taking any time off so we worked both the Friday and the Monday. On a hazily warm and sunny Easter Sunday I suggested we have a picnic in Mission Dolores Park. At lunchtime the sounds of shrieks and whoops of excitement plus tannoy announcements drifted over. We strolled over to find the San Franciscan institution that is the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence – an order of transvestite nuns who promote community activism, diversity and irreverent wit (http://thesisters.org/) - conducting their 28th birthday celebrations, this year dubbed Night of the Living Easter. Tragically we had missed the Easter Bonnet competition but many such bedecked and grandiose lids still adorned several characters lounging around the grassy swards.

We enjoyed our picnic marvelling at the various costumes, lengths of eyelashes, depth of make up, prevalence of small pampered groomed dogs, cabaret acts and community spirit constituting the event. As we left, the Hunky Jesus contest got underway to much mirth in the assembled throng. The range of Jesus’ on parade encompassed all tribes (Tattooed Jesus), religions (Jewish Jesus), creeds (Greek Orthodox Jesus), cults (Jesus Christ Superstar with his two ‘bitches’ waving branches), traditions (Pope Jesus), costumes (Thrift Store Jesus), loin cloths (Miracle Jesus who made his tackle disappear and reappear), colour (Easy Rider Jesus instantly dubbed Sleazy Rider), hobbies (Carpenter Jesus), gender (at least 4 women gave it a go), lifestyles (curly blond Surfer Jesus was a particular hit with the Sisters) and proclivities (S&M Jesus arrived in chains). But the winner, fittingly, was Old School Jesus who lugged a large wooden cross around town and scored the $100 prize money.

DLG Moment of the Month
We hosted last week and had a usual night of mayhem and entertainment. Tracy Cummings is also with child and we had great fun in coming up with names for her baby girl – Jesus The Second Cummings seems to be the front-runner so far. The evening culminated in Amy and myself engaging in a breast-weighing contest! I have to confess that Amy won but as mine are still in the ascendant we shall have to have a rematch nearer the time of my maximum engorgement! One thing’s for sure though, I definitely need new bras.

Expedition of the Month
Determining to keep up the tradition of an adventure every month, I booked a campsite in Bodega Bay, as a surprise for Colman. Its 1.5 hours N of SF, and where Hitchcock filmed The Birds. I was hoping for some birding action. On the Wednesday before Colman casually mentioned that it was likely to rain this weekend – of course the first time in months. Despite clear starry skies Friday night, as we left SF on the Saturday morning, loaded up with tent paraphernalia, clouds loomed above us and just ½ hour short of our destination the rain started. It continued. We got the tent up under beautiful big old pines whose needles provided a comfy lining to the pretty hollow in sand dunes which was our camping berth, and who had provided such shelter the ground was in fact dry.

So we set off for a fish lunch, followed by attempted birding in the pouring rain. This involved driving the car along Sonoma State Beach – a 17 mile series of bluffs, coves, headlands, stacks, arches and sandy beaches. This clifftop drive is renowned as one of the most beautiful in the world. For us it was somewhat marred by the driving rain and low dense cloud. Nothing daunted I peered through the gloom at the available birdlife, and seals (including a lone elephant seal), from the shelter of the car through rainsmeared windows and fogging binoculars.

Some dos and don’ts of camping: if you’ve taken the trouble to find a campsite with hot showers, don’t forget the towels (me); if you wear contact lenses, do remember your glasses (Colman); if you know its going to rain, do remember to bring your waterproof jacket (Colman); and if it’s pouring with rain for hours on end, do not camp in a hollow with high ground on 3 sides. Luckily we decided to go back to the campsite before dinner and I realised we had pitched inadvisedly. We discovered a black murky lake lapping at the tent. We hastily moved the tent up the hill; Colman retired to the car muttering “all your fault” as I tried making drainage channels in the pools of water.

Restaurant of the Month
We set off for dinner at the Seaweed Café in Bodega Bay – a fine Slow Food establishment, a small joint with only a few tables – priding itself on organic Marin County vegetables and sustainable fish presented in a Euro-Cal menu. We slowly savoured every course – from the rillettes and black olive tapenade amuse bouche, to ocean fresh sardines and pyramid shaped wasabi-infused fish carpaccio topped with roe, to the duck breast, figs and lentils, the duck sausage, clam and baked butter bean cassoulet, to the Coastal cheese plate, washed down with a bottle of Russian River Pinot Noir – all the while watching and listening to the lashing rain and blustering wind. The last diners in the restaurant by some distance, we had a fascinating conversation with the patron – statuesque Jackie Martine from Brittany – plying her with questions about everything and anything, staying so long we scored free sherry on the house, probably convincing them we were at the very least renowned gourmands and possibly even restaurant critics, while all the time we were dreading returning to the campsite…

In the event we got into bed relatively easily - the lake had advanced to within a foot of the tent – and we snuggled up together on a slope, listening to the rain beating down on the tent, hammering on the metal car roof, the foghorn in the distance, and the river flowing at ear level outside. We woke to find a glorious scrubbed day – blue skies and bright sunshine, the lake had vanished completely, steam arising from the trees. We hiked through sand dunes and strolled along the beach, saw more birds, had scallops Florentine for lunch and headed home.

Sporting Moments of the Month
To the baseball park to see the San Francisco Giants vs the Arizona Diamondbacks as guests of Bettina and Martin. We had good seats close to the front between the batter’s position and first base (technical terms escape me here). The game is low scoring (no half-rounders allowed) despite 9 innings for each side – which don’t take as long as all you need are 3 men out for the innings to end. The good natured crowd were quite family focussed with little of the witty (or offensive banter depending on your pov) you get at football matches. The Giants won 4:2 and we all got free baseball caps and pigged out on garlic fries.

Entertainment is provided every time an innings ended in place of the TV ad break. We had the Smile Contest sponsored by Delta Dental (health care plan) where if the camera caught you smiling you won $100; if you held up your visa card you could win $100 from Visa; baseball and car racing video games being played by audience members on the big screen happened 3 times; they played Strangers in the Night and if the camera caught you, mass snogging of the person next to you was required – Bettina and I were disappointed we didn’t get a chance to oblige; and of course there was the 7th innings stretch where we all got up and sang Take Me Out to the Ball Game – splendid stuff!

Last Saturday we were introduced to a new sport – Golf Frisbee – which comprises a custom-made course with par ratings for each ‘basket’, tees to throw from, obstacles such as trees to negotiate and special smaller Frisbees that are weighted according to the required use – eg if its windy, curves to take etc – just like golf. We played in Golden Gate Park on a new 18 hole course through beautiful eucalyptus trees, a red-tailed hawk overhead. Our poor playing ability proved (although our parents may disagree) that we hadn't had a misspent idle youth…

We found some idle youth misspending an afternoon on our way out – a crowd of drunkards around the remnants of a BBQ and picnic who besieged the boys of our party to try the beer keg. This ritual involved being held upside down over a beer keg nozzle and drinking beer. Colman was prevailed upon to uphold the honour of the Irish, so took a long draught, and not to be outdone (those Aussies are so competitive) Adam went for two slugs.

San Francisco Moment of the Month
On Easter Saturday, on my way to a Maternity Wear Sale (such heady excitement), I passed Retro Fit Vintage, famed for its fabulously dressed beehived mannequins in the window whose outfits match perfectly with the seasons. Today, however, all eyes were out front for the flamboyance of transvestites tottering onto a charabanc. I asked one of the Ladies’ paramours what was going on. ‘It’s the Annual Easter Trannyshack Outing to Reno’, I was informed. Apparently the cabaret girls stop on the way at a large McDonalds to perform to the customers and have fashion shows on the bus – my what a lot of luggage was being loaded – before finishing up in Reno, Nevada (the low rent version of Vegas), where various performances are scheduled. It was clearly going to be a humdinger of a weekend…

Wine of the Month by Mission Boy
Warre’s Vintage Port 1985
Around the time this wine was harvested I was getting detention for smart remarks made in Latin. (Latin class that is; the remarks were made in the rude vernacular).
The ‘Vintage’ style of port is made in approximately 3 years out of every 10: when conditions have been perfect. Its one of the longest living of wines for two reasons: firstly its made of ultra beefy tannic grapes in hot years in the roasting Duoro valley; secondly its had a dose of brandy added.
Over in Europe its rarely drunk before its 21st birthday. Here in the US they tend to take it on at an earlier stage.
Warre’s is the oldest of the port houses, founded in 1670. Like all port lodges, sales took off during the Napoleonic wars when trade with Bordeaux was banned.
Port is perhaps the most quintessentially English of drinks. So I popped this one a couple of hours before dinner with some ex-pats (Bettina, Martin, Rob, Jecca). Had I planned ahead a little longer I would have stood it upright 24 hours in advance to clear more the considerable sediment and cloudiness.
So the wine was cloudy with a Garnet hue. It was the colour of Burgundy (ie fairly pale) with only a hint of its 22 years at its rim.
First sniffs revealed a deal of Volatile Acidity. (VA is what you are sensing when you nose tingles in its upper reaches. Think of the effect of smelling an actual bottle of vinegar). As usual the VA blew off after a few minutes in the decanter, presenting a fairly oaky vanilla scent.
In the mouth (after 3-4 in the decanter) this wine was beautifully smooth and round. A little nutty. Absolutely no edges, not even the sharp alcohol finish you expect from fortified wines. Just easy texture belying real power. And a lingering finish. Perfect.

Bird of the Month
Despite the poor visibility of our weekend in Bodega Bay, we ended up with a 32 bird count – not bad at all. Contenders for this month’s accolade included the sapphire-coloured Western Bluebirds fluttering from bush to scrub to sand in search of insects in the dunes of Bodega Bay; the first sight of summer in the shape of dashing Barn Swallows swooping on insects above flooded meadows; the Red-winged Blackbird that allowed us to creep oh so near his singing perch. But the winner was the solitary and majestic Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus an uncommon wader, on his way to Alaska for the summer, that Colman spotted on the beach beside our campsite, his long down curved beak stabbing the sand for invertebrates, ignoring the scurrying Sanderlings at knee high around. Whimbrels are found in six continents, cover great distances on migration, and have been known to fly 4000km non-stop.

Mural of the Month


Bumper Sticker of the Month
Death to All Fanatics

Love and hugs Nadine and Colman xxx

JOYS OF SPRING

Dearest Family and Friends

57 Cumberland Street, San Francisco CA 94110
Phone Number: +1 415 738 2112
Nadine 415 595 0023
Colman 415 871 9920
Skype: nadinemellor

Ah, the joys of spring – longer days, balmy weather, a proliferation of spring flowers and tattoos emerging from winter hibernation. We were actually apart for three weeks as I ventured to the UK for work thanks to www.i-escape.com so Colman flew the flag here. It was the longest time we had been apart since we met and it is lovely to be back home now with Colman, who got up to all sorts of mischief in my absence…

Visitor of the Month
Colman and I knew that Felicity would be the First Friend to come to stay given her love of America and the proximity of Tartine bakery to our home. She gave our apartment, the location, the vibe, the parties (somehow she got to go to a dotcom millionaire’s pool party on a Saturday night in his four-storied designer pad complete with ceiling high picture windows looking out over the city), the sofabed and our company high marks. And of course the weather was warm and sunny while she was here. Here she is in Mission Dolores park.

Expedition of the Month
It was with trepidation that I steeled myself for the onslaught of dismal weather, high prices, and surly service in my beloved London - but at least I wouldn't be expected to talk to strangers in lifts. But the weather was encouragingly springlike most of the time (daffodils out everywhere) with glorious light over the sweeping views from my parents’ apartment, with only 2 nights of rain plus a sudden Arctic cold snap, which lasted briefly but brought snowflakes for 24 hours. People seemed pretty friendly – well as much as you’d dare to hope from a busy stressed overcrowded city – and staying with my folks cosseted me from eye-watering prices in the main. Good oh!

As is my wont I had timetabled an ambitious and hectic schedule, out every night and often for lunch too – and there were still heaps of people I didn’t see and would have loved to. And having led the laid back California lifestyle, I was rather out of practice for this social whirl but soon got into the swing of working in my parents’ living room while they, the TV, radio and 2nd TV, and grandchildren were sometimes all vying for attention, jaunting around on buses and tubes (distances are great in London and noone can afford to live centrally so long expeditions were in order), driving my little red car around once more, getting home at midnight, sleeping badly, working during the day, and doing it all again the next day. Thanks Mum for spoiling me, taking me to the theatre (John Gabriel Borkman by Ibsen at the Donmar starring Ian McDiarmid and Penelope Wilton) and waiting on me hand and foot…

Family are with you all your life, whether you like it or not - and I managed to catch up with a satisfactory percentage of them, just in time before a goodly portion migrate out of London to exotic destinations like Pakistan and Manchester.

It was very good seeing me old mates, catching up with news, hanging out and (alas) eating vast quantities at every port of call – to say I’m swelling in every direction is somewhat of an understatement. Thank you very much for your excellent hospitality everybody…

A highlight was my last weekend when I went to Wales, chauffeured by Matthew at supersonic speed there and back, to the West Courtyard Wing of a Grade I listed stately pile, Penpont dating from 1666 Nikki had found in the Brecon Beacons, where all 10 of us ate fit to beat the band and giggled and relaxed. We wandered along the Usk River during the day and explored the ground, which included a maze, a Victorian walled garden, barns from every century galore and acres of parkland, while the boys went fishing in the Usk, to no avail but at least they got to wear their fetching complementary waders.

There is something very lovely and life affirming seeing your family and friends’ children arrive and grow up; changes in 5 months away are most obvious in the under 10s – it was delightful seeing my gorgeous godson, Harry, handsome Cain, bilingual Quentin and Arthur, and meeting brand new Finn. Excursions included to Bristol - for meetings and marvelling at Poppy’s eyes. To Oxford where we all (7 adult children and 6 less adult ones) walked along the tow path beside the Thames trying to minimise the mud fest, with limited results, particularly when Charlie and Calum were involved. Embarrassingly I had assumed I was coming to stay but had omitted to ask Tom & Carrie, Megan and Elsie, my hosts, who were very gracious about it!

A very special day was also had at my goddaughter, Rose’s, first birthday celebrations in Highgate Woods where I made a speech. Rose was impeccably behaved all day and lapped up the attention.

And best of all was playing with my charming niece, Lizzie, and mischievous nephew, Thomas, who I got to see quite a lot of as they spend every Thursday with Mum. I’ll always remember Lizzie’s excitable rendition of The Big Bad Wolf and her jutting jaw as she danced to her own tune in her ballet class.

Sporting Moments of the Month
My visit to London seemed to coincide with Arsenal’s sudden loss in form, and also no home matches apart from a Champions League 2nd Leg match against PSV Eindhoven, which I trooped off to with only a small excitement. As I said to my neighbour, we’re bound to not get through as I’ve just flown 1000s of miles to be here. Sure enough, true to this season’s form Arsenal had all the play, peppered the box with shots but only led 1-0 75% into the game thanks to an Eindhoven own goal. Then of course a sudden uncharacteristic surge from PSV saw them score which meant Arsenal lost on away goals… and our season was effectively over…. I’ve always found the association of sport lovers and smoking to be a strange one, and it was disconcerting to be so wreathed in cigarette smoke from my parents’ apartment to the stadium and back that night; passing an open pub door I staggered back at the reek of stale beer and fags that emanated from within. More passive smoking in a few minutes than in 5 months in California! Bring on the ban!

Underlined when meeting a bunch of friends in a traditional Brixton pub on St Patrick’s Day evening. Probably the smokiest environment I’d been in for years, the pub redeemed itself by having big screens showing the Pakistan vs Ireland world cup cricket match. Earlier that day the Irish had, by a whisker, failed to win the Six Nations (rugby) Championship, that honour going to France, and as a novice cricketing nation, were not expected to do well. To everybody’s astonishment, the Pakistani team played abysmally badly, and Ireland kept their nerve and beat them - on Paddy’s Day. Wild scenes of jubilation in the pub ensued - us incomers dancing for joy with the local Caribbean regulars. It was incredible that Pakistan, one of the more fancied teams a couple of months before the tournament, should have crashed out so spectacularly, and the unbelievable news that Bob Woolmer, the Pakistani coach, was murdered as a consequence dominated the news for the rest of my stay.

Walk of the Month
Colman’s best man, Rory, came to stay while I was in London and by all accounts an action-packed weekend was had with dinners and parties and wanderings around San Francisco. The highlight seems to have been a 6 mile walk with the boys in Tennessee Valley in Marin through rain and thick fog, which was apparently good character building stuff and the genesis of many a catchphrase.

Nightclub Moment of the Month
Back to the adventures in SF and a warm welcome, especially from the DLG - a very newsworthy and giggly evening with much to catch up on. A few days after my return to the warm spring sunshine of San Francisco (apparently it had rained while I’d been away) we were invited as guests of Gerardo and Sophia to Mezzanine for an evening featuring those well-known LA-based movers, DJ AM, Travis Barker and Mickey Avalon. As Gerardo’s new company, Attendio (www.attendio.com), an event discovery and social networking service, were sponsoring the event, we all got in for free and had tables in the VIP area – thank you! A fun and social evening, we were snapped by the paparazzi and gossiped, mostly looking at the wares on display around us. The club was absolutely packed and the girls in the crowd were characterised by their tans, 80s hair, long legs, high heels and dresses the sizes of pocket handkerchiefs. Many breasts would fail the pencil test and several even outshone mine, which is saying something these days…

The mash-up warm up DJ did pretty well but was eclipsed by the main acts, who from our angle up on the balcony, generated a writhing mass of ecstatic hipsters on the dance floor. My evening was made by meeting Jerry Harrison, ex-Talking Heads now successful music producer, who knows Gerardo, and with whom I had a long conversation ranging from Middle East politics to the cultural implications of the i-pod. Now that’s really cool.

San Francisco Moment of the Month
Rob had just taken an intensive yachting course and we were his first guinea pigs on the last Saturday of the month. He chartered a 31’ yacht called Final Answer, and the four of us sailed around the Bay – on of course another splendid day. I fulfilled the role of Lady Muck quite admirably and lolled around the cockpit while Colman and Adam heaved on ropes, furling and unfurling sails, cracking pirate jokes. We sailed from Sausalito in Marin up to the Golden Gate bridge where the winds were quite strong coming in from the Pacific, then followed the shore beside downtown San Francisco, sailed close to Alcatraz, and anchored for a very leisurely and lazy lunch in the lee of Angel Island.

Thereafter the wind died down quite a lot so we had to part motor back home. I was therefore entrusted with the tiller and nearly effected a collision, which Rob, with all due gallantry took most of the blame for as the skipper. The other great excitement was Colman losing his cap overboard, which allowed Rob to practice his ‘man overboard’ drill and with great skill navigated us back to the sinking hat. On the second attempt I fished it out of the water – the most exercise I got all day! The birding was great – see below – and the angles of light on the water changed its colours constantly – an absolutely terrific tip top day out and big thanks to Rob for bringing us out and about and safely home.

Restaurant of the Month
LuLu in SOMA was Felicity’s choice and did not disappoint. Its USP is a wood-fired oven, rotisserie and grill and is housed in a large warehouse now converted into a destination dining room and must-be-seen-at bar. The cuisine is mouth watering European-influenced– starters, antipasti, pizza and pasta, wood grills, rotisserie, dish of the day, and oak fired oven categories all featured on the extensive menu. I went for the signature skillet roasted mussels with drawn butter, which arrived sizzling centre table, yum. Colman’s main was confit of lamb with lentils – really delicious. Good food well cooked and inventively but simply put together.

Wine of the Month by Mission Boy

Bird of the Month
Sailing around the harbour I saw old familiars like the double-crested cormorant, the common loon (yes really) and the ubiquitous western gull. But three new species were also sighted including the powerful Caspian Tern Sterna caspia. The Caspian Tern is quite uncommon in Europe but their numbers are increasing in North America; they are easily distinguished by their massive red bill. This is the largest tern you can get – terns are a more elegant version of gulls sometimes dubbed ‘sea swallows’ – and it was great to see them hovering expertly before diving gracefully and purposefully into the water to catch a fish. The gulls instantly gave chase but in most cases the terns swallowed the fish whole very smartly. It was a gorgeous sight to watch them dancing through the air and swooping down on their prey in wonderful sunshine against sparkling waters.

Mural of the Month
This is opposite my yoga studio. The murals are really one of the nice things about living in the Mission.

Bumper Sticker of the Month
Don’t Pray in My School and I Won’t Think in Your Church

Love and hugs Nadine and Colman xxx