PICTURES OF THE WEEK
I walked into The Scarlet Sage looking for a notebook, but got this calendar instead. I’m writing something every day for each of the days. I may learn something about astrology along the way!
Monsoodle! - sprinklers, cops, coyotes
or why Noodle Years Eve felt like the perfect start to 2018.
On New Years Eve, I did my art piece: Lost Horizon Noodles. I set up my intimate, 12 seat full service Noodle Restaurant in the middle of the park. While I typically do it in a truck, I've been using tents lately. This time, we did it in the West Bluff Picnic Area of the Presidio, with views of downtown, the fireworks, the Golden Gate Bridge and all the way across the bay: a really gorgeous spot.
I'd done some scouting, and all seemed to be going to plan. We parked around 5, and mostly had the place to ourselves by 6. We were ready to serve around 8, and had a full group around the tables. The conversation was really going, and everyone was enchanted by the inside/outside nature of things.
And then, something happened that changed the rest of the night: the sprinklers turned on! In all my recon, I had never seen these! And it was less "sprinkles" and more "deep cleaning fire hose blasts". At first, we ignored it, because it seemed like it was happening “over there” and we were safe. We were wrong. The sprinklers in our area turned on, and we were hit by a “monsoon”. People got a good splash from the water running in from the roof. And for an instant, we were all frozen. In a moment of clarity, Noona said: Someone should cover the sprinklers with a bucket! And out the door I went. And for the next 45 minutes or so, we played sprinkler whack-a-mole. At one point, Colin pointed out the I was double over and red faced from laughing so hard: it was the perfect unexpected realistic touch of a torrential rainstorm for the noodle tent.
Later that night, a park police officer came by. After a VERY civil conversation, where I learned having a structure up like I did was against park rules. But because we didn’t have booze, and weren’t being loud and it being New Years Eve, we were going to be allowed to continue. I expressed my gratitude, and it was great to see him smile: he was taking a risk on us, and we were grateful for the trust. He said he would be passing by, and if we had any trouble, just to flag him down. I feel like we made his night by letting him let good happen in the world. For me, it was so nice to go from lying low from the cops to being under their bemused watch! Thanks again, officer.
During a break from serving, I was out looking at the skyline, when a shape, invisible against the grass, suddenly came into stark relief against the water of the bay: a coyote was going on its rounds. Thanks for the visit wild, hungry, respectful, terrifying, beautiful and unexpected creature. I never really expected to see you in a city!
The whole night: the hard work of prep and breakdown, the unexpected setbacks, the novel solutions, the civil responses, the experiencing the beauty and untamed and being surrounded by friends and laughing the whole way through - if that is what 2018 is all about, then I am REALLY looking forward to this year! And I wish you, dear reader, all the best!
Thanks to Paul, Noona, Tess, Colin & everyone else for a memorable night!
Some foodporn shot of prep for Noodles Year Eve!
The Rare Birds got invited to an event, and I came along to do lighting. Luckily I had a costume on theme, and they got this great shot!
