August in America, day seventeen

Today began bright and early with a delicious breakfast at Zazie. Every other time I’ve been to that place, I’ve had to wait in line for ages because on the weekends, it’s a ridiculously popular spot in Cole Valley. Today, being a Monday, there was no wait at all.

But most of today revolved around a later meal. Cindy and Matt reserved a table at Quince, a swanky restaurant that I knew would be good from seeing Larry’s pictures. The problem was I needed a suitably swanky outfit.

Now, I began this American trip with a decent enough ensemble; my Hiut jeans and a matching typically-flowery shirt. But over the course of my travels, those jeans developed a split, then a hole, then a rip. So I picked up a pair of black trousers when I was in San Diego. That’s all well and good, but my flowery shirt is dark blue …dark blue and black really don’t match. So I needed to find a nice shirt, one that would work with a pair of black trousers, and I needed to find them as soon as possible.

That’s why Jessica and I spent most of the afternoon going up and down Haight Street, popping into every vintage or thrift store we came across. In one of those stores, I found a Ben Sherman shirt. Amazingly, it fit me. Even more amazingly, it was just twelve dollars. Bargain!

I feel like there should be alternative fashion shows, where the models sashay down the catwalk and—upon reaching the end—stop and say, “See this shirt? Twelve bucks! Bargain!”

With my shirt mission fulfilled, I shined my shoes, scrubbed up and headed out with Jessica to rendezvous with Cindy and Matt for an unforgettable evening of excellent food and wine.

Have you published a response to this? :

Previously on this day

16 years ago I wrote An Event Apart, Day Two

Speaking and listening in San Francisco.

17 years ago I wrote Pick’n’choose

What looks good on the menu for South By Southwest 2008?

17 years ago I wrote Hot topics transcribed

For your reading and/or listening pleasure.

20 years ago I wrote Don't worry, browse happy

The Web Standards Project has launched a new promotional website to encourage people to switch from Internet Explorer. It’s called Browse Happy.

21 years ago I wrote Apple splurge

I’m at an Apple store in Phoenix where my mother-in-law is about to become the proud owner of a brand new iBook along with some other goodies like an airport card, a (free) printer and an iSight.

22 years ago I wrote Pitching Blogs

Oh, dear. The Public Relations Society of America (that’s marketers to you and I) just don’t get it.

22 years ago I wrote Space sounds

Listen to the sounds of space - black holes, pulsars, the magnetospheres of Jupiter and Ganymede, even Sputnik’s beep - they’re all here.