Dad's Dinner Soiree

San Francisco Revisited

My Dad visited me last week in San Francisco. Of course I love my Dad, but he's also one of my favorite people to spend time with; I have such deep respect for his kindness, compassion and intelligence ... and we laugh a lot together.

Many giggles were had going through old photographs -- the more things change, the more they stay the same!

It was great to share San Francisco with him and to hear more of his stories from when he and my mother lived in SF in the mid-sixties. My Dad clerked for Judge James Browning of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Judge Browning is from Belt, Montana and both he and my dad received their undergraduate degrees from Montana State University and their law degrees from University of Montana -- though 20 years apart.

Dad and mom's SF Flat at Bay and Van Ness -- it's still there!

As part of Dad's visit I threw a dinner party in his honor -- with lots of help from Mz. Eliza! I made lasagna and Momma Barrios made pork adobo that she sent with Eliza from San Diego (thank you Leonicia!). Unfortunately, I forgot to pull the camera out until later in the evening after a number of folks had left.

Eliza and I celebrating my new rice cooker (thank you EBX!!!)

Galleon Traders very psyched about the abobo

Ly (looking beautiful and with baby bump) and I happy to see each other after months

Kevin and Jim

Me and Maryann

Traders!!!

Dad and Barb

Dad and Maryann

Stephanie and Mike

Ayano and me (the trees are finally blooming!!)

Roomies reunited! (we all shared a room in Manila during Galleon Trade)

Christine: hmmmm ... should I have more adobo or lasagna?

Ayano and Dad

Kevin and Michael

Sama-sama!

Dad and I (thank you Christine!)

Sharing stories with Dad from Galleon Trade ...

And the stories continue ...

The morning after the party ... Dad loved everyone he met and made the comment that "you can tell the character of a person by the friends they have." Subtext: both he and I have great characters!

It's hard to see, but Dad has a rosary on his knee that Momma Barrios made for him. She actually made three! But Dad had already packed the other two (and this is one that I actually hijacked). Thank you Momma Barrios, this meant so much to my dad!!! (Thank you EBX for the photos!)