August 9, San Francisco

This morning we were able to sleep late, as we were going to a new movie at 2:00 p.m.  We sat around in our pajamas, and I was particularly engrossed in a new book I am reading about Oona O'Neill Chaplin, the daughter of Eugene O'Neill, whose house we had visited yesterday.  The title is "Oona: Living in the Shadows" by Jane Scovell.  At about 12 we galvanized into action, had lunch at home (gazpacho soup, crackers and cheese) and then took off for the Japan Center to see the new movie "The Hundred Foot Journey" with Helen Mirren, playing at the Sundance Kabuki Theatre in the Japan Center.  It is a wonderful movie about an Indian family that comes to France and establishes a restaurant in a small town, right across from a one-star Michelin-rated French restaurant tyranically run by Helen Mirren, who does not appreciate the competition.  More than that I will not divulge.  Both Maureen and I loved the movie and talked about it on and off for a long time.  The movie also made us hungry for Indian food, which we indulged in later.  But first we made a swing through the Japan Center.  The Peace Pagoda, a gift of the Japanese people, stands in the central plaza.  Music, dance, tea ceremonies, and martial arts demonstrations are often given during the summer.  Within the complex are restaurants, art galleries, movie theaters, gardens, Japanese baths and shops.  After walking through these for a while, we got back in the car and went to The Amber Dhara restaurant for Indian food.  We had a hard time finding a parking place, and when we finally did, the restaurant was closed and I noticed that the strap to my left sandal was broken.  Maureen kindly ordered Indian food for takeout from an Udupi Palace restaurant, and it was ready in about 15 minutes.  We took it home and made a feast of it all: Vegetable bryani for me, which consisted of rice mixed with various vegetables and  seasoned to perfection, especially with turmeric, and Vegetable Korma for Maureen, which consisted of fresh vegetables cooked with cream and mild spices. We both had gulab jamun for dessert, a type of fried sweet ball in sugar cardamom syrup.  Wonderful meal!  Now we are sitting in the living room as the darkness descends, reading and / or reminiscing about the day!  A calmer day than the last few, but totally delightful.