I'm writing this not only for any potentially interested readers but mosty so that I can have a written description to look back on and enjoy after i've killed my next bushel of brain cells. Forgive my diary-esque prose style but that's basically all a blog really is isn't it?.
*Ahem* After a grueling 3 hour delay on the tarmac at JFK and a 6 hour flight to SFO I was greeted at 2:30 am by Benjamini monster, my hero. He was in town from LA and couch surfing himself for the week. He swifted me away to the homie Evan's place over by lake merritt. On the way there I could just feel the joy of home washing back over me.
The first morning Evan, Hippy, Brian and I hit up the Triple rock brewery for some 11 am drinks and to watch some soccer game that was actually kind of exciting. Soon after I met up with Some of my special ladies; Parisa, Ali, Mariza, Valentina, Vicki for the Berkeley international food fest. They had closed off some side streets around San pablo and University. It was there that I had some delicious indian ice cream, bought a new pair of hologram money shoes from fashion 4 less and last but not least met Mariza's new friend Sara who was super awesome...
There was a strange feeling like I had simultaneously never left and had been gone for 10 years straight. I felt right back at home but like everything had changed ridiculously.
I visited some of the favorite old spots those first days...the Mallard, where the bartender Robin frantically raced around pouring drinks for people like her life depended on it. Gordo's, sweet gordo's where I was reminded why it's always the first place I have to eat when I get back to the bay. And a couple trips to T-rex for happy hour and delicious ass BBQ.
There's just something so pleasant about a gang of good friends, food and booze. It's just so amazingly relaxing when we're all together and laughing, talking and reminiscing and creating new memories. I can say without a hint of sarcasm that i'm really blessed (in a non-religious way) to have these peeps in my life.
After Evan and a handful of friends bounced up to lake Tahoe to celebrate Evan's birthday up there I was offered a place to stay with a couple of ex-coworkers and roomates of mine, Richard and Andrea. Things have always been cool with me and Rich ever since he was a degenerate little kid hanging out drunk at 7-11 and I was popping acid like tic-tacs. But things were not so peachy with me and Drea once they started dating after meeting at work. Living with them was kind of a huge disaster a few years ago so i've been a little butt-hurt with her ever since.
But to Drea's credit she tried hard to make nice with me offering me a place to stay as long as I needed, making me early morning ramen and just being fun in general. We all went golfing along with Jehan, Ben and Brendan out by the Oakland airport.
I say "we" but mostly Rich, Drea and I were just drunk driving the golf carts, smashing into each other and peeing in the tall grass. So much fun! For some reason golfing has become a new thing for Jehan and Ben. Their trying to bring upper class pleasures like golf and paella back the the proletariat.
Went to a Giants vs. Cubs game that I actually enjoyed also. We got tickets from a scalper and had a few $9 beers. By the middle of week one my spending was already getting out of hand!
When the 4th of July rolled around I was thoroughly blissed out. A little dissapointed that some friends had left town or were so busy with work, but that's sort of what I expected. On the day of the 4th I went to a BBQ at an old coworkers from Trader Joe's place. It was pretty great to see some of the old TJ's freaks. Wacky drunkards like Velvet and Sebastian that seem like their characters straight out of Fear & loathing in las vegas.
That night we kept it fairly chill and a gang of us went up to another old friend, Shabnams house. I saw my old beer drinking partner Emi there for the first time so that was exciting. And Billy was able to kick it too thanks to the 3 day weekend.
We got drunk, made food, played apples to apples, argued, laughed, watched fireworks from all over the bay from her amazing house in the El Cerrito hills.
And at the end of the night when we were all passing out on the floor we were convinced by Brendan to venture out to the old local park to light off all the illegal 'works that Billy had been hoarding for hella years.
It was really spectacular actually and when we ran through the park and blazed off into the night afterwards I felt that old thrill that only comes from the fear of getting pulled over and arrested. Ahhh...that's what home is all about!
Well...that just about covers the first 6 days... excitement abounded. I'll be back with more tales as soon as I can put down my new PSP. I welcome any comments filling me in on any things my drunk ass forgot. (This was like a month ago already!)
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