What San Diego's all about

It's hard and pointless to try and nail down a town in one fell swoop. Basically, it just shows you don't know what the hell you're doing when you try to put it all in one sentence or picture. Since I don't know what the hell I'm doing, here's San diego in one picture.
Oh yeah, by the way, I went round two with the Pacific. Results were inconclusive, Pacific-san is confused by my Atlantic styles, but I keep coming back with the spirit of the big brother. We'll have to settle this in the morning when I return, or possibly come back with my long board. Conveniently for me, there are no pictures of me surfing, although Brad has threatened.

Delicious food at Yumeya

Once again, Brad is trying to embarrass me with bad pictures, but the food was too good for me to worry about it.

Sake Tasting at Yumeya (House of Dreams)

Eric took us to his favorite place for Izakaya (Japanese Tapas) and Sake. Yuka-san took extra good care of us, she's good friends with Eric's Fiance. Eric is also studying Japanese and does a good job speaking it (although really, how the hell would I know?)

Tea ceremonies, beer ceremonies and Hair bands

All in an evening in San Diego. We get around.

neat little natural altar in the cliff

We went down to Brad's favorite break, Grandview, today. The ocean just smacked me around, but I'll be back at it tomorrow. Cut into the rock is a natural little cavern that creates the most beautiful natural altar. I climbed in and tried to balance some rocks.

Beer Pong

Wednesday night, as everyone knows, is Beer Pong night. These guys are pros. We've got a couple shots of Brad triumphant and ecstatic, but my favorite two are the huge dent in the sheet rock from a valiant effort at a stray shot, and the unbelievable mound of empties from past Wednesday nights.

Yoganada retreat center

At the Self Realization Center, a place up on the cliffs above the surf break known as Swami's, there's a beautiful meditation garden that once housed a mansion on the cliff. The house is now gone from erosion, leaving only an opening and beautiful view of where the house once stood. How Zen!

"Barn burned down. Now I can see the moon."

Unbelievably beautiful Japanese Gardens

Eric, our amazing host here in San Diego, is versed not only in beer pong, but also the finer sides of dining and other various aesthetic pursuits. Here, for lunch, he took us to this great complex within the tech center where he works. This, really and truly rivaled the Japanese Gardens at the Botanical Garden in Brooklyn. You can even see the beautiful koi swimming in the first picture.

Paragliding up above Blacks

Blacks is a famous break out here, and there's an interesting phenomenon on the cliffs up above it where a concurrance of strong winds and thermal updrafts creates a perfect situ for paragliding and hangliding.

Home brewed

Here's Dave making the first steps of his home-brewed beer. Pretty good stuff.

Wolf! (nope, coyote)

On our way back last night, Brad my intrepid navigator (really, this guy gets us lost with a GPS in his lap) brought us up into one of the Canyons where there was a wolf (coyote) just calmly crossing the street.

Picture war w Brad

This is Brad at my favorite fast food joint in the world In N Out Burger. He started a picture war by posting goofy pictures of me.. Here's his comeuppance....

My friends don't live here anymore

Two of the monks I used to hang with up at ZMC have left. Alex is in France eating cheese and smoking gulloise. Ducharme is in Denver up to no good. I have very vivid memories of coming up the steep trail to Alex's Cabin to find him drinking beers and playing his trumpet during hosan.

Maezumi Memorial site

Up a little ways on the monastery grounds, up from the zendo, is Maezumi Roshi's Memorial site, a little further up Apple Canyon is a small altar at the source of the water coming down into the Zen Center. It's a beautiful little walk in the otherwise very dry canyon, with the temperature dropping at least ten degrees. I stopped to fill up a little water offering and make a quick bow.

Spooky Mine

Out by the Monastery, up in the mountains, is this spooky old mine. Armed with only the flash from my camera I ventured about fifteen feet inside... and then ran out screaming like a little girl