i like free.

Another Sunday, another blog post. I’m starting to look forward to Sunday evenings to be able to recount the week – I hope you’re enjoying reading.

My parents stayed until this past Tuesday and I took them to a Giants game Monday night to make up for not attending my dad's sixtieth birthday party. Too bad the Giants took themselves out of the pennant race the game before; another World Series I won’t watch. Anyway, it was great to watch baseball with my dad – definitely brings back good memories.

I have a bed now, which is a big win. This whole week it’s felt like I’ve been sleeping on a cloud. Tomorrow the movers will bring the stuff that my grandma and aunt are generously donating to the “Maddy and Dana are poor and can’t afford furniture fund”. They swear that they wanted to get new things so I’m not going to complain. I can’t wait to have all of my boxes and feel like a whole person again.

This week held a few great adventures. I went to a few new bars (I think if I go to a couple a week for two years, I’ll hit about 13% of them in SF). On Saturday Maddy and I went out to Brentwood to see the stuff my grandma and aunt are giving to us. As much as I rag on Brentwood, it is so peaceful at my grandma’s house. She has such a beautiful place and it’s quiet. I can’t wait to escape there when I’ve had too much of the city.

Today was an ideal Sunday. Maddy and I got up early and went for a run starting at the Marina. Unfortunately there were a couple thousand other people down there also because of a 12K race, but we just waltzed right on the course and ran alongside. It was a beautiful day and we had amazing views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz. I can definitely get used to this. I’m likely going to join a running group and the ones I've researched start their runs down there – it’s nice and flat, but it’s easy to find hills too.

After our run, we quickly showered and headed out to Golden Gate park for Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, a three day free music festival. We got there in the early afternoon and it was swarmed with people. The first two days included great acts: M. Ward (who I saw this summer at the Newport Folk Fest), Bright Eyes, The Felice Brothers, Hugh Laurie. Today was the only day we could go, but I think it was probably the best day. We parked ourselves at one (there were five total) stage and started off listening to Bela Flek and then The Blind Boys of Alabama. Trekking out there was totally worth it just to the latter - they are all over 80 (I think) and still rocking, and they are really blind. The writer of the music from O Brother Where Art Thou (Ralph Stranger) followed and then Emmy Lou Harris. To beat the crowds we left early from Emmy’s set, but caught a bit of Gomez on our way out.

I’m still in shock this festival is free. Massive stages, tons of space, well organized, just great. Every walk of life was there – I think I was high off of second hand smoke and people, just regular people were selling beers out of coolers, treats were being sold out of backpacks and baskets. We also met a really nice couple that let us sit right in front of them – people are so nice here.

Such a great week/weekend. Here are the standard bullets:

• Paragon - bar near AT&T park that we discovered on our walk to the game. It sounds like it's usually packed before games but because the season was basically over, we were able to get a table outside and enjoy a beer. I had a New Belgium 1554 - definitely a new favorite.
• 620 Jones - really cool outdoor bar/restaurant. Tons of tables and there were heat lamps - so genius.
• Bourbon and Branch - a speakeasy style bar with amazing drinks. It requires a password to get in and you have to ask to go to the library. The wall that opens is a book case and you're led to a back room - it was a million degrees, probably just to be authentic. Definitely going back.
• Hardly Strictly Bluegrass - I will go to this every year I live here. It was amazing. I hope that next year I'll be able to attend at least two days and just spend the whole time basking in the sun.

Tonight is a new episode of The Good Wife - I miss watching it with the old roomie, Candice. I miss you Candice! I'm so glad that Maddy is addicted now though!

Caio!