I moved to San Francisco exactly 1 month ago — which astonishes me.  It feels like 2 weeks at most.
In this time I’ve taught a dozen classes at the Laughing Lotus, set up three book signings, written a children’s book, established myself as a regular at all my favorite new bistros, and began an informal campaign for Belle and myself to become co-mayors of Telegraph Hill. [I’m omitting that I’ve been working on book promotion night and day.]
The only disappointment/perpetual frustration has been — as my faithful Visual Diary readers know — that I have been unable to buy an ice coffee in the morning that doesn’t involve a 20 minute minute walk down and up the hill.  Acre — the great boutique where I will be having my first UPWARD DOG signing on October 29th — has had their super-deluxe Blue Bottle coffee situation in place but because the Blue Bottle process is so specific (coffee must be steeped for a full day and then drained “New Orleans” style) for various high-minded/perfectionist coffee-process reasons, I have been thwarted in my quest since they opened.
Yesterday, however, when I asked again, I was told that the ice coffee batch was ready but it was a two person job to drain the coffee sludge and the lovely sales lady was alone until the afternoon.
I, of course, leapt behind the counter and helped her drain the vat of coffee sludge, only to find … the coffee is insanely too strong for me! Tragically undrinkable.
Maybe this first batch was somehow off in its magical recipe (Blue Bottle doesn’t even “allow” people to use ice as it will dilute their vision and requires two hours of barista training to learn how to make a cup) but after all this dreaming, when the iced coffee arrived in my hands I found I couldn’t drink it.  It’s like some kind of O’Henry short story, although fortunately everything else in my life is going along quite swimmingly.
Got GENIUS comments from my illustrator about the children’s book, but after having had such a Full Moon Moody Wednesday, I prioritized Alignment.
A five minute headstand and one minute handstand to get things reversed energetically.
A spectacular beach walk with Belle and Susan.
Kabuki so I could soak, sweat, and salt scrub away any remaining mental dross.
And then taught a 4:30 class at the Lotus (which was a delight given that it was so small it was pretty much “all requests” from the music to the poses).
The grand finale of the evening was Amy Ahler’s book event in Alameda for BIG FAT LIES WOMEN TELL THEMSELVES.

Amy is so incredibly sweet and energetic and extroverted and I know her book is going to be a major success.  They sold out of all copies (of course) and had to rush and get more from her author’s stash at home.  Apparently the biggest crowd the bookstore has ever had for ANYTHING.
Susan’s appearance at the signing was a massive surprise for Amy — Amy thought she was in Colorado teaching — and thus her unexpected arrival caused an incredible, Oprah-level outburst of delight.
Basically, Amy is just good news and I LOVE her book and have been reading it to Belle every night (who tells no lies but is quite sympathetic for humans dealing with their inner critics.)
To re-purpose Rachel Zoe:  “I’m not gonna lie:  You should run out and buy a copy of BIG FAT LIES today!”

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