Going broke in San Francisco and naked in Seattle

My friend Willy from Portland once told me about a book called “Die Broke.” He recommended it as a good read and a good way to live: Hold back nothing, live 'til you die and may your last check bounce.

We had not planned on living that way, although friends and family members have raised the question of whether we are determined to spend all our nest egg in the first year of retirement. We hope not.

But for anyone on the “Die Broke” plan, I highly recommend San Francisco as a place to quicken your progress toward that goal.

We headed for the west side of California the day after the bike ride around Lake Tahoe. Great visit with the Sebastopol/Forestville family, and Kathy checked off an item high on her To Do List for the Next 30 Years (TDLN30Y) when we all went to Chez Panisse in Berkeley. It’s something you would expect on the list of a retired food writer and editor. Glad I was along. Great meal, great company. Our only regret was that son Jake (at work in Seattle) wasn’t with us, too.

Then we took in two operas at the San Francisco Opera House. First up on Friday night: “The Trojans” by Hector Berlioz. I was not aware of this five-hour opera until we saw it on the SF Opera website, but I love the story of Aeneas and Dido. Ever since struggling through the "Aeneid," I have had this image in my head of Aeneas sailing out of Carthage without knowing that the smoke pluming above the city is from his cast-off lover’s funeral pyre. He goes on to meet his glorious fate in Italy, but to me, after Carthage you can quit reading. Sorry if I spoiled the ending for anyone.

Two days later we were back at the opera house (what a building!) for the “Marriage of Figaro” with three opera newbies. Not sure if all three will become opera buffs, but no one walked out of the performance. Followed that up with another scrumptious dinner at Jardiniere, which is right behind the opera house.

Then we went to the bank and took out a line of credit against our house to buy gas to get home to Seattle. 

One day short of owning the new truck for two months and it turned 10,000 miles on the way back north. Listened to another 224 songs, starting with where we left off with the Four Tops and ending the trip on "Low Rider" by War.

Heard Mahler’s Third Symphony at Benaroya Hall with the Seattle Symphony on Thursday night and then the Fremont Solstice Parade on Saturday. There’s a contrast in things Seattle. Stirring music and pedaling nudists.

Great to be home. 

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