I started off my adventure a year ago. The red hat society anounced that they would be having their big convention in San Francisco. I hummed nd hawed. Well yes I want to go. But the cost. That is going to be a little much for me. Newell finally I took the plung nd registered my self. There was a few times I had thought well why am I doing this. It is going to be so big and I am such a quiet person who never says much and just sits oin the background and listens, comments once in while. I want to get involved but how do I do that if I don't get out much. Well instead of worrying about it I thought well take me as I am or lump it. I am who I am and I have been for many years. Sometimes I get into the spirit but other times well it depends on my mood.
I vowed if I was going to do this it was going to be an expense. I don't think I could have a room mate to travel with unless I was comfortable with them. I mean really comfortable. I am too set in my ways. To be with someone else makes me feel like I am not going to do my own thing. It is like I am with my hubby and well what are we doing tomorrow. Plan everything out. Got to get to this place or it doesn't work out. Or you are looking for something can not find it and then the other person is upset that they did not get to see it. I have found out I do not like to travel with him. There is sometimes that I have to though. I like this freedom of just going off and out the door of the hotel. Have a direction and just follow it. If it take you to were you wnt to go that is great. If you get off someplace you were not suppose to be that is just as good as you will find something else to occupy you outing and still see something.
My red hatting let's me do this. No set schedules except for were to be for lunch or supper when they are doing the convention part. The things in between for tours you have the choice you can go on the tour or you can go on your own tour.
I usually get to the convention a couple of days early. So I can get to know a little bit about the place were the convention is taking place. I go on a walking tour around the hotel to get a feeling of the neighbourhood. If I start to feel uncomfortable the hotel is always close by. I have a city map with me so I can check often if I get off track somewhere. With San Fran I found two of the places we were to be meeting for a couple of smaller dinners I was signed up for as extras things to do. So I knew were I was going for that.
I then came back to the hotel up to the room and put on some good walking shoes and a bottle of water. I checked the map. And said okay I wnt this street and then this street and that should take me down by the wharf. Looks simple enough. And if I am having any difficulty walking anymore I am on this trolley route so I can hop on at any stop.
Now I started making this walk and all of a sudden it started on an up hill angle. Oh gosh what was I thinking. I just started going up and up and up. Now I know why there is a trolley here. You know though I just kept on truckin. I kept going up and up. Finally when I thought my legs were not going to take much more it levelled out and then started going down the other side. I was starting to think what the heck did I get myself into.
Down down down I went. The waterfront wa in front of me. I kept going and you know I made it. To bad I did not have a pedometer I could have had lot of steps on that sucker. I found pier 39. Shops shop and more shop. Well allot more resteraunts then shops. Smelled so good. I just kept drinking my water and didn't even think about food while I was down there. I say I walked allot down on the pier. Took lots of picture to say yeah I was there. You can see most of them over on Facebook.
Well it was time to head back over to the hotel. I had picked another road to head back on. So headed over that way and found another resteraunt that we were having the pirate meal at. So now I know were that is as well. I am getting my berings good here.
I come to the street I wanted to walk back over to the hotel with. When I saw it I started talking to myself. What. Silly arse you are. That street goes straight up. Well it is either walk it or find not her way up. You know I started the climb. Stopped a few times to give my legs a break but you know I made it to the top. Then I noticed I was t the top of Lombard street. You know the street that has so many turns on it as it goe down hill. Wel I saw. Landmark of San Fran. I watched the cars going down. Very slowly. It was interesting to watch for a little while.so while I was up there. I checked my map to see how fr from the hotel. Just. Little more and would be about half way back. Well time to start my trek again. At least it was down hill. Until I got to a street I wanted to turn at. Up I was going again. Just because I wanted to see and cathedral on that street. So up I went. I think I had found nob hill. Yeap sure enough I was walking through nob hill. My gosh are those mansions just the view to see. All the archetachture that goes into them. Huge but on smal lots. They say they are five or six million dollar homes. Just breathtaking to see. I was interested in all the archetachture from one street to another. You could see Chinese, Italian, Russian and the English influence on the building. So much to see just walking.
So on that wlk I saw china town, little Italy, pier 39 and the waterfront, Russian hill and nob hill. Plus a couple of different cathdrals. It was an enjoyable day of walking but my legs were sure telling me about it.
When I was back at the hotel I had myself a bite to eat and then found some other ladies to talk to for a couple of hours. Thee ladies I did not know who they were except for seeing them on Facebook. They gathered me in and we had a gret talk. Well for as much as I talk.
I headed off to bed a little while later up first had to get my pictures up for the day on my page. Can not forget to do that.n tell everyone at home what they are missing. Well I don't think they would have missed that walk I just did, but they could have done something else in San Fran. I then headed for bed at 1 in the morning and slept till the sun came up.
The next morning I was up around 6:39. Must be this air I never get up this early. Or just worried I might miss something so get the heck out of bed and get going. Headed down to Starbucks were they were having the star sip. Just a get to gether to get to know your fellow ladies you talk to on Facebook. Well I staggered in a little late and the lineup was long. Found out they were moving the getogether over to the resteraunt. Well I got there just as they were ending it. They had given out a cup exchange and such and talked a little. Getting there late just kinda sat for awhile eating my cresaunt and drinking my smoothie. Just about the same as I do at home. Waited a little while and then headed over to Mel's drive in to have a bite to eat with the dinner belles. I am a member of that group too on Facebook. Talked and had a breakfast meal. More food. Glad I took that walk yesterday so I could put back on the weight I might have lost in calories yesterday. Sat and talked for awhile. Got a couple of gifties. Yes another couple of pins for my hat. It is starting to load down. I may have to add some ribbon to it to put some of the button pins on that and leave the blingy ones on the hat. Will make a little more room. I like my blingy pins. This is my souvenir hat. But yes it is getting heavy. Oh yeah I also got a pin from Aussie Annie as well. So now a place I want to go Australia I now have a pin for.
After the breakfast headed back to the hotel. You know you walk around the streets and ladies stop you and say are you Brenda. I sure is. Well I am such and such. From Facebook. Oh so great to meet you. I have met Marcy Laselle, dixie aiazzi, Brenda Marshall and a few others. Sorry the names will roll off me later but for now it is allot of ladies coming up to me and I just wondered were I had met them before. This is my first experience of the overwhelming ness. How many ladies know you and you have a clue but not a big one.
I waited around in the foyer waiting to get tickets for Motown that night. Thought it might be early registration but they were just giving out the tickets for the show that night. By this time now it was getting close to time to get changed to look pretty for Motown. So headed up stairs changed me clothes and then went down stairs grabbed a bite to eat and then wondered were everyone was. They had been picking up taxis all along and I had no one to ride with. I guess I was late again. I better stop making a habit of this or I will end up not getting were I want to be sometime. I went over to the desk and asked were the Orpheus was. She said just a few blocks down but it isn't too great for walking. It might get a little seedy. Well it could not be that bad and headed off to the theatre. Well it was a little bit strange. Lots of homeless people on the street but none were bothering me. That was good. They were more interested in finding a place to bed down for the night.
I made it down to the Orpheus with. O trouble except that she told me it was on this side of the road and not the other side. I am glad I saw allot of red hats outside or I would not have know were it was.
The show was great. Went along with the history of the fellow who brought Motown to us. From his beginnings to his later years. The music was great and some of the actors sounded so much like the original singers.
When the show was over I decided that I would follow some other ladies. If they were getting in a cab I was going to see if I could tag along with them. Then I saw some others who were going to walk back so I scooted in with them and we made our way back to the hotel. I was glad for the company. Made it back there in no time flat. No scary moments as we were in a group.
I didn't get much to eat that day. Just my breakfast and a snack in the afternoon. I better learn to start eating something I think. But just busy busy busy.
Off to my room I went. Filled in my day on the computer and then went to bed. Another good night of sleep and up early again. Why is it I am up early but always seemed to be late for things. I was down and had another Starbucks smoothies and then waited to register.. Got all my goodies headed to my room with them. Yeah yeah was in my room allot. But did not want to carry around these things. Sorted out what I needed, got my badge together with all my tickets inside and then went to hat district, might find some more goodies down there. I looked around and thought oh that would be nice or this would be nice. Hmm way too much. Shucks!!! I looked at the hats and found out yes those are way too much too. I need a hat box maybe that. Yes she has some I will be back later. When I came back later she was all sold out. Go figure. She was at the Sacramento convention the week before and they did not last long. Hmm have to find one some place else.
The rest of my day was out on a tour. We went to solcilito and walked around that little town for awhile. Beautiful place and some really. Ice shops. Just a little bit warmer then San Fran.. From there we hoped back on the bus and drove over to Muir park. There we saw the huge cider trees. That was all with the tour. So qipuiet walking top hose trails. You were one with heaven there. After an hour of walking those trails. We got back on the bus and fraught traffic back to San Fran. Rush hour. to the greatest thing in the world.. I rushed into hotel and stayed in clothes I was in all day. Did not have time to dress for beach blanket Babylon. Down stairs again and right onto a bust to this play. It was about Snow White trying to find true love. The costumes through the story got more elaborate as it went on. I liked the show. That was my day
I got down to the continental breakfast for the red hats a little late but not as late as what I was starting to get. I am getting better. I found the table I was to be at and sat down to eat. Meeting my table mates for the weekend. A great bunch of ladies. And Carla Rae who I had met before as our table hostess. There was a get together for international ladies after the brunch breakfast. So headed over there. There were ladies from Australia, England, New Zealand and Canada Had a little talk about promoting internationally and a picture was taken of all of us.
After the get together I was on another bus to go to Golden Gate Bridge. First we stopped a pier 39 and walked around there a little. Hey I was already there. Saw the aquarium and such. But this time just walked and saw what I was too tired to see before.. After and hour we were back on the bus and heading to golden gate. They dropped us off on the other side and we walked the golden gate. It was noisy with the traffic but a great walk. Two miles worth.. They said we had to be back on bus by certain time for would be finding another way back to hotel. The bling bash romp was on tonight.
We made it back with an hour to spare. So up stairs I headed to try and get on that costume I had brought along. No trouble with the skirts but to put on that corset. That was a chore. My gosh I have not had those puppies so high in ages. I said this at the table and got a laugh out of it. There was allot of different costumes that night. Anything to do with gold. It was a sit down dinner with food on the table. Just pick what you want. Had entertainment that night of Dana Carvey. Boy just about laughed myself silly listening to him. A lass the night was soon over. Clear out of room by nine so they could clean up. There was other parties going on but I was not sure were they were. Too tired from a day of walking to keep my eyes opened anyway. Off to bed I went
Next day was the victorian breakfast. Sit down meal in our victorian dresses. Well the ones that did dress up. Other were more casual. Depending on how you wanted to dress. Greg E was our entertainment. He did the happy dance for us plus a few other favourites... Okay free time for the afternoon. I wondered a little checked out hat district again. Bought a nice ring but that was about it. Not too much blingy struck my fancy. Then went up to room and you know I conked out for two hours. Woke up just in time to get myself into that fancy dress and go down for the chocolate bash. A great plated meal. Allot of ladies dressed to the hilt and Gladys knight preformed for us. Well at least with a nap I felt allot better.
Room cleared out at nine again. A few parties going on but me just had to crash. Yeah party pooper I am.
Was woken at three thirty in morning. The bed is shaking. Oh oh what the heck is going on. Well it stopped after a couple of minutes. I looked outside but no one seemed to be running all over the place so could not be something too bad. Went to washroom and then crashed again. Woke up in morning put on the tv for noise and you know that shaking was an earthquake.well it wasn't that bad. Yes a '6.0. Really? Well not here it was in napa valley which is not too far from here. Okay I thought maybe the red hatters were just partying so much last night they shook the hotel.
The party goes on. We had our social butterfly in the morning at Jillian's. I realized I did not check my tickets for raffles. Then I did a little shopping around the mall that was near by. Nothing there ipeither. Bummer.! I went back to hotel. Put on my pirate garb and caught a trolley down to the wharf. Walked there for a little while then went over to resteraunt for the pirate wenches gone wild meal. You know you walk around San Fran in an outfit and no one bats an eye. Hmmmm!!! The meal was great and I was getting to know some of the ladies. I scooted out of there a little early to catch the trolley back before it got too dark. Well it was dark by the time I got back. Wanted to go up to the view and see the view. On 39 floor. Well too dark. Only saw the lights of the city. Back to room finish packing and off to be
So here I is sitting in the airport. Writing up my adventure. The shuttle was there waiting for me to go to airport. Was a great trip. Met lots of ladies. Still my quiet self. But am trying.
So until next time. See ya around
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