sf wrote:
> On Sat, 01 May 2010 08:01:53 -0700, Christine Dabney wrote:
>
>> Hmm.. Looks like a trip over to the bay area is in order. I should
>> have my schedule in about a week, and maybe we can all set a time to
>> go meet up with JL...
>
> Great! I'll be back on the 6th, so let's make plans for after that.
>

I have an event i have been invited to thats going to take me out of
town for a couple of days but at this point i am only aware that it will
happen in May and then i think around mid to late May.

I would enjoy showing off the local Asian shopping area i so often brag
about here. It is a real market area and unlike the San Francisco
Chinatown is not a tourist destination, it can even be seen as a bit
"gritty" and is a very working class area, but its just across the
street from the more posh "House Wives Market" area, which is called
Oakland Old Town, not far from "Preservation Park" an area that an
effort was made to preserve and then gentrify, an old, pre 1906 San
Francisco earthquake era, 19th century neighborhood.

While it would be fun to walk around the area with other people, and
that as just a fun, interesting thing to do, a pleasant way to spend a
day, we could even purchase a snack and take it to one of several nice
parks or dine at any number of good restaurants.

However! and i would like to just really stress, for a moment, the idea
that any one who cares to consider this walk, to consider it a real
"shopping trip" to come prepared to take advantage of the low prices on
various foods, and the availability, inexpensively priced, of exotics,
both of food and other things. There a couple of interesting
collections of wines, brandies, liquors but also one "Bar" that sells
imported Belgian beers.

Come prepared to make bulk purchases and carry them around while
shopping for others. I would recommend brining some sort of small
wheeled cart or other carrying device, the capons alone can run to 6 -
10 pounds, You might be amazed at how quickly a few jars of condiments
adds up to a significant poundage.

And thats just food, the area has lots of shops selling lots of other
products, years ago i got a meat cleaver there for 5 dollars and this
wonderful pine cutting board, just a slice of a pine tree, cut and
sanded, still had the bark around the rim. And don't even get me
started on plastic Buddhas (although i will talk about the jade and
other assorted Asian knick - a -knack's, i once almost bought a lovely
silk banner till i was told it was a funeral or memorial device to honor
the dead. Beautiful thing though. Theres all sorts of tempting little
oddities there, need a magnetic cup?

Ill try to drop in to chat more often and see if we can get from the
epistolary to the epistemological
--
JL