La Vie En Rose for 2005 October 9

Yesterday was a fabulous day. First off, Leonard & Sumana were here to visit and we said goodbye to them in the morning, then I went to work for the Russo's at the Business Conference. For those of you who don't know, the Bakersfield Business Conference is a huge gathering of those who don't have anything better to spent money on than a trip to Bakersfield to hear people like Sean Hannity, Donald Rumsfield, and William Bennett (needless to say, there were protesters) speak. I didn't trouble myself with listening to the speakers but kept myself busy selling books during the rushes before book signings and during the boring bits, and walking around eating the free goodies. I take comfort in the fact that this is the last business conference, perhaps there is hope for society after all.

After MLI a crew of us went to Chalet Basque. Mmmm Basque food. For those of you who have never had Basque food, I suggest you come to Bakersfield and try it. For some reason, central CA has an abnormally high Basque immigrant/descendant population. It took me a while to realise that not every mid-sized town had 4-5 Basque restaurants. But mmmmm.... so good. I even tried the pickled tongue this time, it is not bad. And the company was just as good as the food.

I arrived home in a food semi-coma and was thinking about early bed when I checked ESPN just on the off-chance the UCLA managed to make an amazing comeback in the fourth quarter after the few minutes of the game I glimpsed on the TV at the restaurant while waiting for a table, and they did! UCLA beat CAL, YAY! This gave me a second wind, and I agreed to go over to Chris’ to hang out with him & Rob so I could more easily gloat. We ended up playing rummy, which they taught me, it is a very fun game, until like 2 in the morning, so so much for an early bed. But it was worth it.

Now I am rather content in my PJs. I am trying to pry details of Christina’s adventures in London to live vicariously through her and need to type up a list of suggestions so that she doesn’t make any more tragic mistakes such as go to Greenwich and not have pie.