Maya Hits the Town

We crossed a major threshold with Maya last night - her first evening out in a restaurant. A very hip, impressive restaurant, no less. The Slanted Door in the Ferry Building on the shore of the Bay downtown. We cleaned her up, nustled her into her car seat, and hit the Town. We were joined by some delightful friends of Phyl and El (Yanek and Mary) who didn't seem to mind the prospect of a four-week old ruining their evening if things were to go awry. Which they most certainly did not. The front bar area of the restaurant was full of young, artsy-fartsy, single-types. The sight of a newborn baby turned more heads than a cellophane miniskirt. But they all seemed mildly surprised or at worst unwilling to be bothered by thoughts beyond their prospects of hooking up on that particular evening. We made our way to the table, Sarah surreptitiously breastfed Maya to knock her out quicker than a limbless boxer, and we all enjoyed a kick-ass run through their amazing fusion menu. Before dessert Maya began to stir a bit so Sarah and I took the time for a pleasant, slow-motion good-bye. By the time we'd driven home, Maya made it apparent that a feeding was what she desired for a nightcap. We watched part of one of our new favorite silly shows together ("Cheap Seats" on ESPN Classic), and headed to bed none the worse for the late-ish hour or stimulating journey through the Night on the Town. Rest assured, we look forward to trying this sort of thing again very soon.

Looks like the bliss that was to be democracy in Iraq has shown itself to be a bit more complicated. If the National Assembly can't pick a leader soon, how does anyone really expect they'll do with writing a Constitution? Anytime Ahmad Chalabi's involved, we're screwed...

And I imagine that on some level all Californians today are lamenting the revelation that The Guvernator ain't exactly in top form these days. But all of us might be somewhat aghast if our topless photos were circulated. Except for me. I look the same now as I did on the set of "Red Sonja."