August 3: last full day in SF

Another memorable day today!  We slept in late, as we had gotten to bed past midnight the night before.  Had a breakfast of turkey sausage, English muffins, coffee and juice, and spent a glorious morning reading and catching up with our emails and correspondence.  Maureen ordered a Swedish princess cake at Schubert Bakery for my upcoming birthday in September, featuring white cake layers with raspberry and kirsch custard filling, whipped cream and marzipan icing, with "Happy birthday, Sylvia" in red script on a yellow marzipan top layer.  Tiny flowers graced the cake, and the 8-inch confection for up to 8 people.  Maureen also made a reservation at the German restaurant Suppenküche for 7 people this evening--herself, Randy, Shu, Isabelle, Isaac, Irai, and myself.  

This afternoon, Maureen and I went to the old Deco Balboa Theater to see the film "Mr. Holmes," with Ian McKellen, about the elderly Sherlock Holmes.  Tour de force performance by Mr. McKellen.  Afterwards we had enough time to visit the Holy Virgin Orthodox Cathedral, a San Francisco landmark and the Russian Orthodox spiritual center of America's West Coast.  

It was completed during the earthly life of  St. John, the Wonderworker of Shanghai & San Francisco and frescoed by the renowned iconographer, Archimandrite Kiprian of Jordanville.  The Cathedral of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow”, has a vibrant liturgical life, three choirs, a full-time Orthodox Academy and a Russian High School. Many important church events have taken place at the Holy Virgin Cathedral, including the glorifications of St. Herman of Alaska and St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco.  It was open, so Maureen and I went inside.  Usually, any Russian or Greek Orthodox cathedrals I have seen have been too dark to photograph, but this church, in spite of dozens of wall paintings and icons, was much lighter than most, and photography without flash was allowed, so I believe I was able to capture the glorious, sumptuous interior very well.  

From there we went to Schubert's to pick up my cake.  Schubert's has been around since 1911, and is owned by Germans.  The variety of their offerings was staggering, and my cake looked like a million!  From there we went to Suppenküche, where we met Randy, Shu, and the three Is.  All of us ordered different German dishes: Randy and Maureen ordered Sauerbraten (marinated and braised beef) with lingonberries, served with red cabbage and Spätzle.  Shu and Isaac shared a chicken cutlet with Spätzle.  isabelle had the grilled pork sausage with sauerkraut and mashed potatoes.  Irei had potato pancakes with homemade apple sauce.  I had Maultaschen (a type of German ravioli filled with pork and vegetables) served with mushroom sauce.  Maureen also ordered pretzels with a kind of cheese dip, and great German bread and butter graced the table as well.  And for dessert, the waitress brought in my lit cake, and all of us had a piece.  Maureen knows me well--I would have loved to create an app reminding me perpetually of the incredible taste of this cake, which I adored.  I am having some for breakfast tomorrow morning, and will not neglect a piece tomorrow afternoonbefore I leave SF.  The conversation at the table flowed well, and I mainly talked to Randy about their recently completed one-month trip to Italy.  Truly a fine get-together, and I am so happy they remembered my BD in advance!  

After a group photo in front of the restaurant, Randy & Co. left and Maureen and I walked that section of town, then got in the car and explored the Castro and Mission districts of SF.  We just got home, and I am enjoying the breezes wafting into the windows as I write.  

Tomorrow I leave on AA at 5:00 p.m., arriving in Dallas at about 10:33 p.m. Vacation time is quickly coming to an end, but we will perhaps have time to fit in one more site tomorrow morning and early afternoon.  If not, c'est la vie!  Life is good!  One more blog tomorrow!