Loving Ritual

Ever since Ritual Coffee Roasters Cafe opened on Valencia Street (#1026!), I have loved it here. It feels like the center of the creative Mission. I founded Streetline here with Tod (I worked here so much in the early days that we all referred to it as my "office"). And now that I am a student again, I have joyfully returned to share a table (I love the custom of sharing tables here, everyone does it) and drink my beautiful latte with the milky aspen leaf pattern on top.

Tonight was particularly sweet. I sat down with a man who was knitting a large garment out of diaphanous pale green yarn. He was tall and very skinny with a crazy blonde Afro. He knitted and answered his cell phone, making plans for the opening of his art show in Oakland. When he left he put the flyer on my notebook and invited me to come. It looks amazing, here is the info:

"Tents is an encampment of inhabitable structures created for the space at Rock Paper Scissors in which three grown-ups have sought to construct interpretations of childhood forts." Kurt Fausset, Marcie Farwell, Holly Samuelsen. Opening Reception Friday October 5th, 6-9 pm. On display October 6th-26th at Rock Paper Scissors Collective, 2278 Telegraph Ave., Oakland CA 94612, 510-238-9171.

Kurt said I could bring Jonah—even though the forts are "precious" they are meant to be played in. Good.

After Kurt left, Nick sat down. A handsome young (part Japanese?) man with a whole, small watercolor set-up: tiny paints, brush, water, wipe cloth, and a small, beautiful notebook of watercolor paper, about as big as a cigarette pack. He had a huge catalog from the Toronto Film Festival and he was painting stills of each of the films he had gone to when he attended a few weeks ago. He asked me right away what I was reading, and kindly listened, then told me about his painting project. I asked if he was an artist by day and it turns out he works at Pixar and worked on Ratatouille!  He also had a small pink plaid handkerchief in his back pocket. Obviously a True Gentleman.

I love the way everyone is an artist of some kind here, and dressed so strangely and beautifully. But lately I am really struck by the friendliness and gentle kindness of some men. The other day when my long pant leg got stuck in my bicycle chain another young man on the street helped me out by gently turning the pedals backwards to release the fabric (I was being dim and could not figure it out). I often do not expect men to be kind, or even to notice me. It is lovely to be treated like a great person by other great people.