Dinner at Ten22, a nice little place in Old Sacramento, which deserves a proper right up, but I'm spent, and off to bed.
Also, bowling is always way more fun than you think it will be!
---
EDIT:
Okay, I've learned something today: once you start writing, regularly, your brain won't let you sleep until you do it properly, so I'm here to tell you the story, which, simply by the virtue of following this blog, you so richly deserve.
I picked up J after work, and she navigated us to Old Sacramento, where we joined R, E, W, J9, JudoMike, and SacB for dinner. Ten22 is a little bistro in the middle of Old Sac, and it's worth a moment to describe what this is like.
It's very much like going to South of the Border, and finding Gervais & Vine.
There will be those who read this who don't understand that particular analogy, so I'll briefly explain. Old Sacramento is, at it's dirty little heart, a tourist trap that would make my Grandfather throw up his arms in disgust. I vividly remember that when he took us to St. Augustine, he steadfastly avoided the "historic" district, as it was a place that was designed only to sell plastic pirate swords to tourists. Instead, he took us into the old fort, and, of course, to the Largest Alligator Farm In The World, which I still love to visit. I have a soft place in my heart for tourist traps, but, owing to Grandfather's guidance at a young age, I clearly recognize what they are, and what they are not.
What they are is a way to get money from tourists.
What they are NOT is an accurate look into the past. They are the Hollywood version of history, and they give us what we expect, rather than what actually was.
I love them and hate them, and I avoid them like the plague and am drawn to them like a moth to the flame. I haven't properly explored Old Sacramento yet, but I know that I will.
In the middle of this false historical district, there is a truly wonderful bistro, like a shining diamond that has somehow found its way into your Play-Doh.
It features a genuinely knowledgeable staff who have a real passion for both food and drink, and a really interesting menu. I had the BLT tart, which was exactly as wonderful as it sounds. LOVE.
After dinner, we made our way to "PITO BOWL"; it's apparently supposed to be "CAPITOL BOWL", but quite a few of the letters are burned out. Having painted a picture of the worst bowling alley ever, let me immediately correct that by mentioning that they have recently renovated the bar/food area, and it is just wonderful, and easily the classiest bowling alley I have ever visited.
The best (read: funniest) of these blog entries are the ones where I'm having a hard time, so I'm afraid there is a paucity of funny here, because I had a WONDERFUL time.
Beautiful, charming, intelligent women, and fascinating, charming, intelligent men included me as a member of the group, and I haven't felt so warm or welcome in a long time.
We bowled, some of us badly, some of us magnificently (due props to E), but all of us with a sense of nothing more or less than having a blast. We laughed, loud and long, and we cheered every single ball, and we high-fived and fist-bumped. We sang, and we danced. The best moment of the night was R literally dancing up to the line, with E dancing up to the line next to him... and R rolled an EFFORTLESS strike! We all went nuts!
I managed to roll two strikes followed by a spare, which was the best three frames I'd bowled in a long time. JudoMike switched to his left-hand (no, for realz!) for the last game, and bowled his best game of the night. J9 dominated. J had some really amazing strikes, given that she was bowling with an 8 pound ball. W knocked down 9 of 10 pins so often that it started to seem like he was allergic to that last one. SacB soundly thrashed all of us, despite not really wanting to join in in the first place. R and E did the best on the night, with E just edging R for the highest total score, with J9 right there with them.
I want to tell you about a million little moments, but, honestly, I'm just high on the sheer amount of love that our group shared. They are, all of them, old friends I've just met.
And I could not be more grateful.
G'night, gentle reader, and remember that tomorrow, as always, holds ADVENTURE!! :)
Also, bowling is always way more fun than you think it will be!
---
EDIT:
Okay, I've learned something today: once you start writing, regularly, your brain won't let you sleep until you do it properly, so I'm here to tell you the story, which, simply by the virtue of following this blog, you so richly deserve.
I picked up J after work, and she navigated us to Old Sacramento, where we joined R, E, W, J9, JudoMike, and SacB for dinner. Ten22 is a little bistro in the middle of Old Sac, and it's worth a moment to describe what this is like.
It's very much like going to South of the Border, and finding Gervais & Vine.
There will be those who read this who don't understand that particular analogy, so I'll briefly explain. Old Sacramento is, at it's dirty little heart, a tourist trap that would make my Grandfather throw up his arms in disgust. I vividly remember that when he took us to St. Augustine, he steadfastly avoided the "historic" district, as it was a place that was designed only to sell plastic pirate swords to tourists. Instead, he took us into the old fort, and, of course, to the Largest Alligator Farm In The World, which I still love to visit. I have a soft place in my heart for tourist traps, but, owing to Grandfather's guidance at a young age, I clearly recognize what they are, and what they are not.
What they are is a way to get money from tourists.
What they are NOT is an accurate look into the past. They are the Hollywood version of history, and they give us what we expect, rather than what actually was.
I love them and hate them, and I avoid them like the plague and am drawn to them like a moth to the flame. I haven't properly explored Old Sacramento yet, but I know that I will.
In the middle of this false historical district, there is a truly wonderful bistro, like a shining diamond that has somehow found its way into your Play-Doh.
It features a genuinely knowledgeable staff who have a real passion for both food and drink, and a really interesting menu. I had the BLT tart, which was exactly as wonderful as it sounds. LOVE.
After dinner, we made our way to "PITO BOWL"; it's apparently supposed to be "CAPITOL BOWL", but quite a few of the letters are burned out. Having painted a picture of the worst bowling alley ever, let me immediately correct that by mentioning that they have recently renovated the bar/food area, and it is just wonderful, and easily the classiest bowling alley I have ever visited.
The best (read: funniest) of these blog entries are the ones where I'm having a hard time, so I'm afraid there is a paucity of funny here, because I had a WONDERFUL time.
Beautiful, charming, intelligent women, and fascinating, charming, intelligent men included me as a member of the group, and I haven't felt so warm or welcome in a long time.
We bowled, some of us badly, some of us magnificently (due props to E), but all of us with a sense of nothing more or less than having a blast. We laughed, loud and long, and we cheered every single ball, and we high-fived and fist-bumped. We sang, and we danced. The best moment of the night was R literally dancing up to the line, with E dancing up to the line next to him... and R rolled an EFFORTLESS strike! We all went nuts!
I managed to roll two strikes followed by a spare, which was the best three frames I'd bowled in a long time. JudoMike switched to his left-hand (no, for realz!) for the last game, and bowled his best game of the night. J9 dominated. J had some really amazing strikes, given that she was bowling with an 8 pound ball. W knocked down 9 of 10 pins so often that it started to seem like he was allergic to that last one. SacB soundly thrashed all of us, despite not really wanting to join in in the first place. R and E did the best on the night, with E just edging R for the highest total score, with J9 right there with them.
I want to tell you about a million little moments, but, honestly, I'm just high on the sheer amount of love that our group shared. They are, all of them, old friends I've just met.
And I could not be more grateful.
G'night, gentle reader, and remember that tomorrow, as always, holds ADVENTURE!! :)
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