The Go Go Years! We are baaaack!
I guess it’s time to finally get back to this blog. I didn’t have a lot to say and I was not in the mood to write about the same stuff everyone else was doing at home. Well, I am back and I have a lot to catch up on! I feel like all of a sudden life has sped up again, after that long pandemic break, aka ‘global hibernation”. I didn’t mind it. Unlike many, I did not feel at all like I was missing out. I enjoyed the time at home with my family and teenage and adult kids. I liked the slow pace of homemade meals, zoom calls with friends, Netflix at night (and sometimes during the day) and a lot of pajama time. My nest was full and I didn’t mind it. I did miss dressing up though!
All of a sudden, the long hibernation is over. Except for a new pandemic puppy, my nest is empty again. I miss the kids but I am so glad they are out there living their lives once again. So, with the kids at boarding school and college, there is no reason not to get up and go! Recently a friend told me of a philosophy on life she had just heard about that divides this time (post-kids) into three eras: The Go Go Years, The Slow Go Years and the No Go Years. (A quick google search and I learned that this idea is mainly used by financial planners to help you plan for retirement!) In a nutshell, here is the short and sweet:
Go Go Years - hopefully the longest period, perhaps a few decades - this is the time when you are empty nesters, you are still healthy and energetic, and you have enough income to spend on travel and activities, exploring exotic lands or signing up for Tough Mudders.
Slow Go Years - the time when your kids start having their own children and you have grandma duties or maybe you are slowed down by injuries or illness (bum knees etc) that prevent you from traveling too far, or climbing mountains and running marathons.
The No Go Years - hopefully the shortest period where you stay home due to health issues, and you basically are not leaving your building or home until you “leave” your building or home in a box.
(By the way, in terms of financial planning you want the most income generation in the Go Go Years, and you want to make sure you have a plan for in home care in the No Go Years.)
In short, my theory right now is GO GO GO! So if you ask me to meet you somewhere, or try something. My answer will almost always be yes!
An Excursion to San Francisco:
Club Fugazi is not to be missed
I have to be honest. Watching the performance of Dear San Francisco at Club Fugazi is what got me back to writing this blog! I am so enamored with this exciting new show that I have an uncontrollable urge to tell everyone I meet about it (I feel the same about Ted Lasso - I need to ask everyone I meet if they have watched it. Have you? If you have not, just go watch it already!)
If you are a San Francisco native, you may remember Club Fugazi, in North Beach, as the theater that was home to Beach Blanket Babylon. You may not have great associations with that show - it was fun, but it was campy and I think most will agree that it was time for something new. When they announced their final season, most people were not too torn up about it - even if it did mean an iconic era of San Francisco was coming to a close. The NEW and newly renovated Club Fugazi is now back and open for business, and we decided to take a chance and see the new show during previews. It could have gone either way, we had no idea what to expect. Luckily it was a fabulous night. First of all the theater itself is fully renovated. It has expanded ceilings heights, new stage lighting and sound systems, and it feels less crowded.
Dear San Francisco is a cirque/cabaret, but with a lot of soul, edginess and emotion. It is a beautiful love letter to San Francisco, past and present. Ninety minutes, with no intermission, flies by! What truly sets this experience apart from say, Cirque du Soleil, is the intimacy of the theater, and the connection the audience makes with the incredible cast - who are young, sexy, strong, and beautiful. Their passion for their art and their love for each other is palpable. It succeeds in making you feel like it is a show made for this city, and it makes the audience proud of San Francisco, which we really need right now. We were on the edges of our seats watching these beautiful and strong bodies fly through the air, flipping, swinging and embracing life again. It is joyful and soulful all at once. I highly recommend this show for the whole family. Kids under 12 might not get all of it, but if they can sit still for 90 minutes they will likely enjoy it. I wouldn’t bring younger kids under 12. I already bought tickets to take our grown up kids for the holidays! We love to do a family San Francisco day around Christmas and this is the perfect activity.
Here are a few things to know:
Due to covid, and also because they don’t have their license yet, there is no food or drink during the entire 90 minutes. I actually liked that - less distraction and no urgent need for the bathroom!
The theater is small so there is no bad seat, but I really liked the mezzanine seats on the side towards the front of the stage because you get a view from above. The seats on the stage are interesting because you are close and personal, but most of the show is oriented towards the audience. Get them quickly because the word will get out very soon! https://www.clubfugazisf.com
Vaccine cards were thoroughly thoroughly checked and the audience remained masked the entire time! Yay!
The theater is in the heart of North Beach, so dinner before and gelato after is definitely a good idea!
Pre-Theater Dinner: Original Joe’s of North Beach
Dear San Francisco curtain is 7:30 and doors opened at 7:00, but with no food or drink served, we decided to cut it close, aiming to arrive by 7:15. Original Joe’s, a North Beach classic for more than eighty years, is only a five minute walk to the theater, and for our group of 8 it was the perfect place to begin the night. The current location was secured by the children of the founders, after a fire destroyed the original location in 2007. The new iteration has maintained the old school feel, but doesn’t feel tired and dingy, like many of the long standing North Beach restaurants. They have cozy booths for groups of 8 or even 10. Service was efficient and the menu is classic American Italian with large portions, great for family style sharing. I ordered a Negroni, and it was the BEST Negroni I have ever had. Not sure what they do to their Negronis, but it was perfect. I also was thrilled with the pineapple upside-down cake. It is not a widely know fact, but I have a thing for pineapple upside down cakes.
Ending on a sweet note, this wraps up my first post pandemic blog post! (Before you say anything, I know the pandemic is still on, but we are living in a new world and we have to get used to it!)