Alex & Ale in San Sebastian

"I wanted you to know me utterly...no one else."
-as heard in the film
"Daniel Deronda"

San Sebastian is a lovely beach resort city. It is known officially as 'Donostia-San Sebastian' in the north of the Basque Country.

I was lucky to know two current residents of San Sebastian (Alex Klein & Alejandra Paz). I've known them in a 'cyber' sort of way through one of my photographic sharing/learning websites. They are both fantastic photographers. Alejandra Paz is originally from Rosario, Argentina.

PHOTO: Ale (Alejandra) Paz

Alex is from Dublin, Ireland. Alejandra met Alex in Argentina and they left for Spain as young adventurers in love. Alex's father is from the Ranedo Family in the Rioja region of Spain and his mother is from Germany. His parents met in Ireland and decided to stay there. I like how Alex is so bold about uprooting himself and exploring. Alex and Ale (Alejandra) will soon move to Barcelona in September 2009. After that...time will tell.

PHOTO: Alex Klein

Alan and I met Alex and Ale (Alejandra) the first night we arrived in San Sebastian. We walked into the Old Town and enjoyed wine and dinner together. It was fun to laugh and get a feel for the area from their 'local' eyes. I took a few portrait photos of each of them.

Donostia-San Sebastian is renowned for its Basque cuisine. San Sebastian and its surrounding area is home to a high concentration of restaurants boasting Michelin stars, namely Arzak (San Sebastian), Berasategi (Lasarte), Akelarre (district Igeldo). In addition to these restaurants, the city features tasty snacks similar to tapas called pintxos, which may be found at the bars of the Old Town.

The Old Town is the traditional core area of the city, surrounded by walls built from 1863, when they were demolished so as to occupy the stretch of sand and land that connected the town to the mainland. The Old Town is divided in two parishes relating to the Santa Maria and San Vicente churches.

I would love to re-visit the area during the International Film Festival which is held every September. In 2008, the film GENOVA, directed by Michael Winterbottom won BEST FILM/DIRECTOR while the two 'Donostia Lifetime Achievement Awards' went to Meryl Streep and Antonio Banderas.
http://www.sansebastianfestival.com/in/index.php

Twenty-five years ago today:

Friday
June 29, 1984

I slept soundly last night. I had such a good time at Baxter’s. It was funny because Johnny (a guy visiting from Washington DC on business from Zintel Corporation) was looking for cocaine and junk. Then he treated me to a “kamikaze” cocktail. He kept winking at me and stuff. This was a straight club. Didn’t he notice that? It kind of ‘got to me’ though. He was being a little to ‘touchy feely’ too.
“Yeah, I used to work on the side as a male stripper,” Johnny said in a showing off kind of way.
“Really, did you like that?” I asked.
“I made the money, shoot,” he blurted.
I should consider that for some extra cash (maybe?). Ha-ha. I’d strip for females only, of course (?).
No way. It’s not for me any which way.
“I’ll save it for Katie,” I thought to myself (if the day should ever come).
Katie is definitely marriage material. What a beautiful Alamo, California dame.

There are only four more business days left at the Downtown Oakland Residential Account Service Center. Hoorah!

I ate lunch alone in the cafeteria. I bought ‘take out’ from the Pot Belli Deli.

I telephoned Frank Vasconcellos. Frank and I will definitely be attending the same Traffic School class from 10AM to 5PM tomorrow. He’s cool. It should be fun.

After work I drove Steve Gaster home and I told him about Katie (the girl I met at Baxter’s). I hopped onto my bicycle and had a good ride for about an hour. It was kind of freaky. A dog ran into my bike! The dog barked a little and seemed a tad shaken up. It was okay.

I went home to nap and decided to go out again tonight. I showered and the gas station attendant (a Latin fellow) was very nice to me. He is the one who fixed Chris Cordellos’ flat tire (his car).
PHOTO: Prime-time TV soap opera,
"Falcon Crest"

I drove into The City and decided to check out HENRY’s, a place advertised on KITS radio. I did not like the appearance of the place, so I just drove back over the Bay Bridge and went home. I hate those ‘dud’ kinds of nights that are mostly spent driving. I enjoyed coffee ice-cream, showered, watched a bit of FALCON CREST and crashed for the night.

Before dreamland Chris was on my mind most of the time. Then it was Danny. Now I have Katie on my mind and I am hoping she will call me on Sunday. It’s not that I am tired of Chris but his fickle attitude at his new, ripe age of twenty-one is nerve racking. He has that ‘go out and experience’ attitude that gets to me. It is to the point of “get over it guy” or later days! We will still remain buddies though. I know.

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Carnal Pleasure

Trust your aversions the same as you do your cravings.
-Ira Levin,
Rosemary's Baby

There are some places you just never forget. This time it is a restaurant in Buenos Aires, Argentina called "Te Matare Ramirez".
Translated it literally means "I'm going to kill you, Ramirez!" It comes from playful arguments the owner would have with a friend who was a sort of Casanova, and this was a threat the friend often heard from the husbands whose wives he was carrying on affairs with.

When Alan and I dined here alone one evening in February 2008 we were quite taken by the red velvet darkness and sensual aura of the establishment. I was so in awe of the menu that the 'sweet talking' with the hostess paid off. She allowed me to take a menu home as a souvenir. I found the menu yesterday after some careful desk reorganization.

I will focus my next few blogs on the words within the menu by Isabel Allende, Franz Von Bayros, Pablo Picasso, Utagawa Kuniyasu, Salome. I will also share the delightful descriptions of their salads, starters, main courses and desserts. It's worthwhile reading.

If you should ever find yourself in Buenos Aires this is the place you must NOT miss.
http://www.frommers.com/destinations/buenosaires/D55886.html

First page of the menu at "Te Matare Ramirez":

The most intense carnal pleasure,
slowly revealed in a messy clandestine bed,
a perfect mixture of caresses,
laughter and mind games, has the taste of a baguette, of prosciutto,
of French cheese and wine of the Rhine.
I cannot dissociate food from eroticism and I see no reason to do it.
Far from it, I do intend to keep on enjoying them for as long as I have enough joy and energy to do so.
-Isabel Allende

Twenty-five years ago today:

Tuesday, March 27, 1984

I accompanied Helen to her new apartment on 7th Avenue in Oakland. She needed to accept her keys. It is an okay pad. The area is safe near the Grand Lake Theater.

I did my usual bike ride after work. I had to drop by Dad's house because I locked myself out of the house (not remembering to tie my house key to my shoelace). Mom and Dad held the spare keys at their house.

I took a drive into San Leandro later that evening. I stopped at Nadine's but she wasn't at home (again).

I did it. I went to the skating rink. Some lesbian named Maureen treated me to a beer. That's a 'first'. I saw Ned (Frank Vasconcellos' friend).
"Where have you been?" Ned asked.
"Around," I replied.
I browsed the foolish skaters as they went round and round. I recognized Jim, Don, Toni and George Jones' cousin (his name escapes me), Kevin (the one who recognized me in Alameda last Sunday), and Eddie. They all said 'hi' or 'greeted' me in some way. I consider a nod as a greeting, too.

George Jones (who I also noticed) avoided me like the plague. He ignored me. I chose to let it pass, realizing it is his loss. I am kind of glad he did not talk to me. It would be an awkward moment.

PHOTO: 1983-George Jones on the hood of my car

While at the skating rink on this night I met someone new. His name is Michael Thoennes. He was accompanied by a black girlfriend. The black girlfriend is the one who approached me.
"He thinks you are gorgeous," the black girlfriend said to me as I sipped my beer.
I smiled at Michael Thoennes, thinking he resembled George Jones in a slight way. This wasn't exactly a good thing. We started to exchange introductory words. He is a Gemini like myself, born on May 23. He is 23 years old.
"I thought for sure you were about nineteen," Thoennes said in disbelief.
I had to prove my age with my drivers license. I was twenty-four and soon-to-be a quarter of a century on May 26, 1984.

Thoennes treated me to another beer. I knocked him on his smoking habit. He agreed that it was bad, leading me to believe he might quit one day. I handed him my card. I persisted negatively about his smoking habit. I sensed that he felt disapproval of me for continuing to knock his inhaling of the poisonous smoke.
"I just hate it," I continued in reference to the smell of the smoke.

Subjects changed. Michael Thoennes suggested we visit a nude beach that he knew further south of Santa Cruz sometime in the near future.
"Sounds interesting." I said with a bit of hidden fear and curiosity over the idea.
"Maybe I can go around April 7th after my Arcata excursion," I thought silently to myself. How naughty am I?

Thoennes handed my business card back to me after I made one additional snide remark to his smoking habit. He couldn't take one more degrading remark about the disgusting smoke. I accepted my card back and shrugged nonchalantly. Before Michael Thoennes left for the evening he approached me again.
"I want that card back," he said with an apologetic shyness.
I gave it back to him hesitantly.

"I'll give you Michael Thoennes' telephone number before the night is over," Don had said earlier. I left before he gave it to me. I figured Thoennes had more than enough chances to give me his telephone number. I did not intend to stand around the rink (alone), waiting for him to come around.

I went to bed on this night wondering what turn of events will occur in my near future.

Paloma Sanchez-Guerra has not called me.

Nadine DeShera hasn't contacted me about this Saturdays' BBQ that we had tentatively planned.

Chris Cordellos is in Arcata, CA, stuck in the US Coast Guard for who knows how long.

And now Michael Thoennes of Milpitas, CA has entered the picture.
"That damn smoking," I thought.
I slept with intentions of riding my bike to work the next day. I was so "beered out" that I doubted I could wake up easily in the morning.

I still yearn to fly out of SFO Airport this Friday night. It will be fun to get away out in this unknown Northern California country setting until next Wednesday. Five days and four nights of escape and pleasures are ahead of me.

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Do Your Surname Search!

"The world is in perpetual motion, and we must invent the things of tomorrow."
-Tilar J Mazzeo,
The Widow Clicquot

Leave it to my 'DNA' cousin, John E Spencer to introduce me to another magnificent website that is available. It's called the 'World Names Profiler'. Simply go to this website link and type in your surname in the SEARCH box.
http://www.publicprofiler.org/worldnames/

I entered ARMIJO and learned the 'Frequency Per Million' of people with my surname in our world. I wasn't surprised that SPAIN was my 'power' country (which is why I will be there for my '5 decades' birthday this year). Look at where my other ARMIJO descendants are scattered.

SPAIN.............20.53
USA...............10.28
ARGENTINA......... 3.58
NEW ZEALAND....... 1.06
SWITZERLAND....... .64
NORWAY............ .57
FRANCE............ .44
CANADA............ .23
GERMANY........... .11
ITALY............. .06

This helps in my personal travel plans. I have yet to visit New Zealand, Norway, and Canada. I shall add them to my list. Smiles.

I did a search under my mom's maiden name (LUCERO) and my paternal grandmothers' maiden name (GARCIA) and my maternal grandmothers' maiden name (LEYBA) and learned that SPAIN, ARGENTINA and the USA are currently my most populated places of ancestral heritage. Where do you stand? I would love to know your family roots!

LUCERO:
ARGENTINA....1641.99
USA.......... 49.43
SPAIN........ 31.64
NORWAY....... 4.24
AUSTRIA...... 1.59

LEYBA (a Spanish Jewish surname):
ARGENTINA.... 14.13
USA.......... 5.98
SPAIN........ 1.05
GERMANY...... .18

GARCIA:
SPAIN........36639.41
ARGENTINA.... 7535.77
FRANCE....... 1130.15
USA.......... 1045.54
SWITZERLAND.. 544.98

Twenty-five years ago today:

Monday, March 26, 1984

It was another 'okay' work day. Salima has a temporary promotion beginning next week in the El Cerrito 'Final Accounts Collection Center'. I will miss her. I already miss Juanita Lane who is on promotional assignment somewhere in Hayward, CA. My promotion will come one of these days. I'm in no real rush.

Helen and I ate at the 'Pot Belli Deli'. I think Helen has one hell of a humongous crush on my brother, Tony. Whatever!

I rode my bike repeatedly along the South Shore beach. It was a cool, breezy day. The tunes were good as I rode swiftly in my new Campagnolo T-shirt and gloves. I felt as if I was promoting the Italian 'Tour De France' cyclists.

After my ride I went to eat with Dad. He started to yell at me because I was late for dinner. I left quickly thereafter. Shit. I don't have to eat there (and didn't). I split.

Sherri called me and we talked about the bird (Madison) that John bought. She taught me how to feed it since John was away on his ski trip. He is due back on Wednesday.

I drove my car to NATIONS Burgers on Webster Street for a burger, fries and shake (and a slice of cheesecake). There goes any calories I may have lost during the strenuous bicycle ride.

I had felt sleepy when I awoke this morning, so I felt like turning in early tonight. I watched 'Automan', a new TV series starring Desi Arnaz Jr. about a computerized man-made Automatic man. It was so-so.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOYRbfSG55o
"Only When I Laugh" is on TV but I am not in the mood for a flick.

There are only four more days and I shall be on that flight from San Francisco. I look forward to escaping for a while.

Nadine never called me. I am sure she received my card/note that I left on her front door by now. Oh well...it's her loss.

I have been considering a visit to the skating rink in San Leandro this coming Tuesday for 'gay' night. I am not sure whether I should go or not. Sometimes I hate the "vibes". Maybe I will go.

I don't feel like attending that drab class at the California College of Arts & Crafts anymore. I intend to ride my bike every day after work this week. This is for sure!

I like the way my mom straightened up the townhouse. She is too sweet.

Dad called me back with his own way of apologizing. He made me laugh. There's a SAFEWAY Bingo game going on.
"I'll let you win eighty-percent of the SAFEWAY Bingo winnings if you get the winning number to clinch it," Dad said.
He is so 'cool' sometimes. It's too bad he spends his vacation at home. He deserves to get away. I think he is missing out because he always talks about going to Mora Valley or Taos in New Mexico.

I love being part of the 'jet set'. My flight to Arcata-Eureka this Friday night will be fun. I know it!

I am really flattered that Patty Paisal does want to go out with me. She is super nice. I was kind of tempted to ask Nici Kapellas out when I saw her at Elisa's party. I didn't. I keep flashing back to our short 8th grade romance. Haha.

David Vigil yelled out to me across the entire office about partying out by Fisherman's Wharf tonight. I cannot see going to San Francisco every night. Once to twice a month is more than satisfactory.

My recent bike ride in The City was fun despite the whistles, head turns and car honks by other men in the wild, crazy City.

Sherri is moving into this townhouse on April 1st. I am going to mom's. What a drag! It's like going back in time by a major step. At least I can save some extra money.

Helen found a new apartment near the Merritt Building by Lake Merritt on 7th Avenue. I guess that's a triumph for her. We will be closer for dinners after work. Nighty night.

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Valentine, The Friend of Lovers

"It's like Oscar Wilde says. We regret only those things we didn't do."
-Christopher Bram
in his novel,
Surprising Myself

It was about one year ago that I was vacationing in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Alan and I were dining at a restaurant on Valentine's Day 2008 called 'Patagonia Sur' with great friends (John & Pamela).
http://www.concierge.com/travelguide/buenosaires/restaurants/15365
While I was there a story was written, attached to the menu (which I kept). I thought it was suitable to share during this Valentine's week:

The legend says that in the city of Rome, in the years around 270AD there lived an Emperor named Claudius. He is known in history as Claudius the Cruel.

Near his palace was a beautiful temple where the priest Valentine served. The Romans loved him dearly and assembled in the temple to hear his words. War broke out in the Roman Empire. Claudius summoned the citizens forth to battle and year after year the fighting continued. Many of the Romans were unwilling to go. The married men did not want to leave their families. The younger men did not wish to leave their sweethearts. The Emperor was angry when soldiers were too few. He ordered that no marriages should be celebrated and that all engagements must be broken off immediately.

Now the good priest Valentine heard of the Emperor's command and was very sad. When a young couple came to the temple, he secretly united them in marriage in front of the sacred altar. Another pair sought his aid and in secret he wedded them. Others came and quietly were married. Valentine was the friend of lovers in every district of Rome.

But, such secrets could not be kept for long in Rome. At last word of Valentine's acts reached the palace and Claudius the Cruel was angry, exceedingly angry. He summoned his soldiers.
"Go! Take that priest in the temple! Cast him into a dungeon! No man in Rome, priest or not, shall disobey my commands!"

Valentine was dragged from the temple, away from the altar where a young maiden and a Roman youth stood, ready to be married, and the soldiers took him off to prison.

Many asked Claudius to release Valentine but Claudius refused to do so, and in a dungeon Valentine languished and died. His devoted friends buried him in the church of St. Praxedes. When you to got Rome you can see the very place.

It was the year 270AD, on the 14th of February.

Twenty-five years ago today:

February 11, 1984, Saturday

I worked from 9 to 5. It seemed like a waste of a Saturday with the reviewing of so many accounts--as far as I was concerned. I still made it 'fun'. I was thankful that the company supplied lunch for the worker-bees. The meal came from "Merrit's Chicken". The food kept me productive.

After the grueling work day I cruised on home and called Suzy. She wasn't home. I tried calling her mom's house.
"Oh Suzy went to Tahoe with the church group," Mrs. Miller said.
And so, I spoke to Michael Miller (Suzy's brother) and we decided to go to the UC Theater ourselves to see the 'Fanny & Alexander' film. It was a good show.

Michael Miller is amusing. He's very fun and makes me laugh with his impromptu statements. I think we both learned from 'Fanny & Alexander'. Childhood memories are precious; yet, some people can be 'rotten' (keeping in mind the cruelty of Alexander's step-father).

Michael Miller and I went to Barney's after the show. It was funny because we had intended to eat there but it was closed, so we just used the restroom. We began to talk to the lonely janitor on duty. The janitor treated us with two free slices of the cheesecake. We left for Nation's Giant Hamburgers on Webster Street in Alameda and enjoyed our milkshakes.

While in the 'burger joint' I noticed a stoner lookin' chick with her sleazy mother. Sometimes I wonder about people's lives. They looked particularly strange to me. It made my mind drift.

I dropped Michael home on Alameda Avenue. Driving home I thought how I would have to 'work off' the cheesecake and milkshake. I was soon in my cozy bed and fell fast asleep.

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