A Girl...

Birthd8

So we were pretty bummed when we heard that the weekend of Simon's birthday was going to be rainy and cold, but hey, guess what, it was sunny and warmish and absobloominloutely perfect, so ha!

Because it was his special day, I got up early and with minimal complaining, and by 1 p.m. we were in the City with our little bikes and our little hats and our little cell phones with little earpieces so we could gossip handsfree about people we saw in passing.

We started at the Crissy Field rec area, went north along the coast to the base of the Golden Gate Bridge at Fort Point, then passed back through Crissy Field again, along the Marina and the Yacht Harbor, around the Palace of Fine Arts, and all the way to Aquatic Park and Fisherman's Wharf, where we stopped in at one of Simon's favorite music stores and had a bite to eat. (Hello, awkward! (My idea, not his.)) It was a long ride: five hours including lunch and lots of lollygagging. (Dirty.) Here's a map.

I'd never explored most of this area on footpaths, so it was pretty awesome to see the City from so many new angles. Incredible views, no?

Our original plan included a stop at the Exploratorium, but we decided we wouldn't have enough time before it closed, so we just bummed around the Palace of Fine Arts for a bit instead. It's hard to get good lighting for pictures there, but these few turned out okay, I think.

So, good company: check. Beautiful weather: check. Spectacular views: check. Last but not least was the unparalleled people-watching. (There are better pictures of rock-balancing guy here.)

It was a full day and by the end we were exhausted. But not too exhausted to go window shopping at a sporting goods store. And then out to sushi. And then home to drink champagne and shatter glasses. And then into the disco shower. And then watching a movie. Good golly, he's wearing me out! Not bad for 31, eh? Not bad at all.

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Behind the scenes:

Earlier in the week I was getting all stressed out about what to do for his birthday because I wanted it to be special and a surprise but also something he would enjoy and not just put up with because I'd made the effort. By the time Sunday rolled around, I'd worked myself into a paralysis and didn't have any plan whatsoever--hardly ideal.

What I should have remembered is that trying to plan a great day for Simon is like trying to plan a great meal for a glutton: practically anything and everything will do, and I couldn't go wrong if I'd tried. Add to that the fact that we live in one of the coolest places on earth, and it was a no-fail situation.

As you see, everything turned out just dandy. The weather cooperated, the music store was open, our Hooters waitress was totally cute and totally hands-off, the sushi was finger-licking delectable, and Simon finally got to smash the champagne flutes that he got for free several years ago in hopes that he might one day have a fireplace in which to hurl them.

Happy birthday, baby. It was my pleasure to share the day with you.

Posted by Leah at January 24, 2006 01:15 PM