Monday, January 30, 2006

Weekend Update

Cosmopolitan Friday:

Roopali and I headed into the city to attend a "corporate appreciation" night at the SFMOMA. Membership has its privileges, but apparently they don't include food! The lobby had been turned into a party space, with conversation areas, a few bars, and standing-height tables. Once we realized the whole museum was open, we skipped that scene and took to the stairs. Imagine wandering around, checking out the art, occasionally running into coworkers ... all with a dance club beat soundtrack. It was amazing, and a little surreal.

The art I saw was by turns thought-provoking, beautiful, disturbing, and magical. I walked inside a giant kaleidoscope, saw some Frida Kahlo's wedding painting, and pondered a tryptich of giant white canvases.

Harem Saturday:

This was the weekend of Roop, apparently. We headed into the city for dinner to meet up with Roopali's friend, the Cowboy, and some of his friends at Medjool. All together, we were a table of 5 chiquitas and one very secure guy. The decor was nouveau-Maghreb. As everyone promised, the food was a-mah-zing! We shared all kinds of Middle Eastern/Southern-European tapas. There is such an intimacy in sharing food. The conversation was free-wheeling, and needless to say - the Cowboy was the envy of quite a few other diners. Towards the end of our late dinner, Medjool was becoming more club than restaurant (read: the music was very fun, but VERY loud), so we adjourned to Levende Lounge. (I had my birthday party here last week - that post coming soon, promise.)

I've been to Levende three times and had a very different experience every time. This time, the bar was practically empty - as a misanthrope, that was just fine with me. When even the pina colada makes you close one eye, you know that the bartender is a heavy pour. I will say - that is one thing that I have found every time I've been there.

Left at Albquerque Sunday:

In celebration of Chinese New Year, back into the city went I. After many, many wrong turns, I finally found the Muslim parking garage and rendez-voused with SJM. We headed to the Inner Richmond for some dim sum and window shopping. We were in and out of a lot of tiny Chinese "everything" shops. I think I could be obsessed with plates - there were just so many, and in such a variety of colors and designs. I managed to resist by chanting "but I don't really need them." Okay, that didn't work. I ended up promising myself that I'd get them next time. A capacity for self-delusion is a beautiful thing.

I headed home happy, if tired. Kung hei fat choi, y'all

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I was going to say, "Muslim parking garage? No one ever tells me anything!" Then I checked out the link: "Islamic fever dream of a building"? hahahaha I love it!

p.s. Your Medjool link points to sfmoma.org. Is that the place in Mission? I ate at a Senegalese place called Bissap Baobab on 19th & Mission last summer, and the food there was rocking. I remember passing Medjool on the way and mentally bookmarking it for future reference. Now that you've praised the food, I'll definitely have to go.

Anonymous said...

My favorite line of the Muslim parking garage blurb was:
"He also designed lavish, but less crazed, homes..."

Is "Left at Albuquerque" a Looney Tunes reference?

maisnon said...

yasmine: Yeah, Blogger and I had a tiff this morning - hence the zany links, etc. Thanks for the heads-up. I saw Bissap Baobob when I was walking around - I think I've been there for the danceclub portion of the evening but I haven't eaten there...yet.

ads: Ah, ads, you truly understand me. If you click on the 'Left at Albuquerque' link, you should see a Looney Tunes cell (at least, that's what I asked Blogger to do.)

oodles said...

Medjool sounds very cool. How is it that I've been living here for almost 4 years and still don't know all the hip places you visit? (No need to answer...) :)

Anonymous said...

oodles, Medjool opened up about 6 months ago, so you're given a pass.

*Sigh*... b*tches went without me. (I keed- I'm just glad you went, because I thought you would lurve the inside of that place!)

maisnon said...

oodles and brimful: I see a Girls' Night at Medjool in our future, si?

oodles said...

Si, si, but I did mention my unhip status, right?

Anonymous said...

hahaha, the cowboy. and what a large...buckle...he had...