Oakland (Day 6)

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Expansive kitchen, amazing space. Espresso machine, but no coffee pot or French press. No cutting board. No dish soap. Ate chicken legs and salad outside as the pool boy worked. Then, downtown Napa for decaf and handfuls of almonds and raisins. Delight.

Drove south out of the valley to San Pablo Bay, and stopped in the wildlife refuge. I sat in the car and ate chocolate and raisins while Susan explored the path. The tide was low and the path overgrown. She turned back and we went further south.

Saw the city emerging behind shipping cranes. Dirty rental in Oakland. One extreme to the other. We are the tendrils of gentrification.

The Oakland Bay Bridge, manic - a suspension bridge, a causeway - and slow. Warm in Oakland but cold in San Francisco after returning the rental. BART to Mission.

Burma Love. Talking Susan out of lotus root and into basil chicken. A wind that demanded coffee. Afterwards, we searched for an onion and razor blades. Found both. Also, found red wine and sparkles in a burning, shotgun restaurant.

Never made it back to BART. Instead, poetic justice on the cab ride back to Oakland. Yellow plantain snack. Searching for character development before bed.

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