The Golden Gate, Muir Beach and Good Food

San Francisco not only flies gay flags for Pride Day, it decorates the twin peaks of the chest of the reclining Indian maiden who is supposed to be asleep on Twin Peaks.  A big pink triangle fills the cleavage.   And the rest of the city goes wild.  Today was merely the Dykes on Bikes event but it closed down access along Market St for most of the day.  We had a drive around all that, first, out to Land's End past the Golden Gate Bridge, and then off north across it.

Let's face it, getting out to Marin County for our adventure in the redwoods was difficult.  But, once there the roads through the coastal range are gorgeous. Amidst a gulley near Muir Beach is a farm run by the San Francisco Zen Center, called Green Gulch.  The place is a center of reflection with a peace garden and a fabulous gong and tea house.  Very restful. We're told that the fruits and vegetable grown there are used in a restaurant in San Francisco called Green.

A bit further toward the coast is the Pelican Inn, a 17th century British pub moved and rebuilt on the edge of Muir Woods. Good cider by the half mug, a ploughman's lunch of cheese, bread, chutney and greens for John and real fish and chips for Ben.  Bangers and mash for Ruth.  Thence to a the beach for a quick look around.  Because it was still cold and cloudy, we decided to continue on the road over the mountains through gorgeous redwood forests stoping in Larkspur for Ben's cappuccino at Emporio Rulli.  It was one of the best he's had so far this trip.  

Not John's meat loaf, and not bad!

Dinner last night at the Blue Plate in the Mission.  Just down the street at the local lesbian bar the lines were almost around the block in celebration of Pride.  The Blue Plate flew its rainbow while we enjoyed meat loaf, ravioli, ling cod, and two half bottles--one of pouilly fuissé and another Chehalem pinot noir from the Willamette Valley.


What made the evening was spending time with John's godson, John, the son of his college room-mate.  Great fun to see him.