2003-08-08 - 8:12 a.m. I want to be a full-time Lady Who Lunches I'd be ever so good at it. I got all dolled up in my favorite black/red/cream dress for my luncheon. We were both deemed cute enough to score a fabulous table in the larger of the two downstairs dining rooms, by the windows. Go us! I'm such a loser, but almost every time I lunch at Zuni, I get a burger, so I can have an excuse for ordering the amazing shoestring potatoes. Besides, you can add blue cheese or Brie to your burger, *and* heirloom tomatoes. My luncheon companion had the amazing pork chop with spicy chickpeas and some tiny french green beans...it was all very tasty. I chose my green salad based entirely on the mention that it was a base of "County line butter lettuce". You see, my amazing duck at Woodward's Garden this past weekend feature "County line radishes" and was so tasty. Thus, I had to pick this salad. I was not dissapointed. At Get Lost (the amazing travel bookstore), I picked up my planned-on travel books, and Patricia Unterman's brand new "Food Lovers Guide to San Francisco". I sat for a while in a cafe reading the food guide, then motiviated to get back on the bus and check out Union Street. I peeked in the dark windows of Night Monkey, but couldn't really see anything. There were no outward signs of it being evil and trendy though, so I was pleased. I strolled along Union, ducking into a few shops, but only making a serious visit to Ambiance, the only store around that consistently carries my beloved sexy Tessuto dresses (such as the one I was wearing.) I tried on a huge stack of girlie dresses and skirts, and came home with one cool pink and black oversized paisley dress and a celery green fuzzy, form-fitting sweater. It was interesting, to me, that the store was PACKED full of ladies shopping. There was even a waiting list for the dressing rooms. How do they afford their shopping habits without having to work, and how can I hop on that track? I made a quick trip home to drop off my purchases, then headed back to Union Street for dinner at Night Monkey. Turns out it's a tiny little jewel box of a place inside. One chef and one waiter kept 3 tables of 4 and 6 or 7 tables for 2 humming along all night. We had a few pitchers of adequate red sangria (yes, I am a sangria snob. My sangria kicks ass, BTW), and started with some grilled asparagus that had a fabulous, smokey taste from the grill. I could've eaten that entirely by myself, but, in the spirit of friendship, shared it w/my dining companions. Everyone ordered different entrees, thus allowing me to eat my venison (3 HUGE slabs of venison, accompanied with green beans and mashed potatoes) and sample the mac and cheese made with brie, the pork chop, and the ostrich with the chipotle sauce. All were very good. After clearing away our dishes, the waiter came back with a tower of chocolate ice cream sandwiched between two layers of dense, moist chocolate cake with more ice cream and a generous dollop of homemade whipped cream on top, accompanied by a cute tea light. Luckily, the pace is so small, and the waiter o busy, I received a sweet "happy birthday", and no singing. One of my friends dropped me off on her way home, then I crawled into bed. And THAT was my birthday. Pretty darn nice. And not too many ghosts of birthdays past hanging around either. Today will entail more aimless wandering, with an emphasis on Sacramento street, Jackson Square, SOMA, and Hayes Valley. Must go compile my "must stop at" list, then hit the road. P.S. THANK YOU to all of you who left me happy birthday wishes!! any comments? (1 so far) previous - next recently on almostgoldsf... in defense of an email box I came to do battle with SPAM - 2008-05-17 hello 2006 - 2005-12-31 Happy Thanksgiving - 2005-11-14 bon voyage - 2005-11-05 October already? - 2005-10-09