visiting

This past weekend was a working vacation treat. I flew into San Francisco International Friday afternoon just in time for lunch with Cookie and Anne, who picked me up at the airport and whisked me off to Curry Up Now in San Mateo. Yum. Cookie and I had eaten there at the last (first?) Knitting Lab. This year, she wasn't teaching there (I was) but she was in town with Anne.

Then we all headed over to A Verb for Keeping Warm in Oakland where Cookie and Cleo contemplated one another.

Cookie had brought Cleo a little gift.

I lined up with Anne, Kristine and Cookie while drooling in front of the yarn wall at Verb. I was still wearing my travel vest stuffed with everything I could possibly get into its pockets. I love my travel vest. :)

This was while my hair was still straight, but a few hours later, it had gone native in the humidity! We were all having a great time.

We even had a visit from the pampered Verb Bunny!

We all sat around knitting and then headed over to Kristine and Aday's place. Anne (who taught at Verb this past weekend) and Cookie were staying, but I took BART to SFO and caught a cab back to San Mateo. I was super excited to take BART to the airport! I had waited and waited for that extension, but moved from San Francisco before it went through.

I got in late and slept late, and it was wonderfully decadent. Next morning, I went down to the Knitting Lab Market and wandered the hall with my friend Anne from Sonoma County. She came down to visit and have lunch! We saw Sincere Sheep:

Knitted Wit:

Kira K:

and Morgaine.

One of Heatherly's lovely daughters was in the Intwined booth:

and Sheila Ernst was looking radiant in an Orenburg shawl.

I caught Anne Berk in a Bohus:

and Nancy Marchant in one of her lovely Brioche creations.

Then it was off to Nine Rubies in San Mateo for Local Designers Night (they had signed me up before I moved and became a not very local designer). Caroline, Terry and Nellie met up with me there.

Carrie and Hilary were there too and we got a little silly.

Hilary and I took cool pictures of one another.

And much fun was had.

We headed out to dinner at Kingfish, a Creole fusion place a few blocks away from the store. It's in an old Art Deco banking palace. Just look at that light. I took more pics, but it was dark and they came out rather murky.

I ordered the salmon over coconut infused rice and it was perfectly done with mango, sweet potato, clams and mussels. Delicious!

Next day was Lace Surgery in the morning and Shapely Shawls/Maia in the afternoon. We had some laughs

and then seriousness set in.

Eep!

After class, I got to see Krista's lovely Pulelehua.

And Nellie gave me some Madelaines. They were incredible!

I had to check out of my room at lunch; I brought back all of my luggage - and everything that didn't fit in my luggage. After classes, I packed before I went down to the meet and greet. I had to lie across my suitcase, but somehow I got everything into two bags except the jigsaw puzzle from my goody bag. On the way down, I passed a group of Emirates Airlines cabin crew members and pilots. I asked them if I could take a picture. They all had beautiful smiles. :)

Off to the meet and greet I went. It was very relaxed; people were super tired after so many classes! But I got to spend some time getting to know Eunny Jang of Interweave a little better. What a sweetie! I really enjoyed our chat.

After a lovely dinner with Nancy Marchant (who I had never met before this past weekend, and is fantastic) and JC Briar (we discussed the finer points of charting; too fun), it was off to the airport. Whew. What a fantastic whirlwind!