San Fransisco: Hotel Diva

Originally the plan was to stay in San Fransisco with one of Raym's friends, he has several in the area and we were on a strict budget. Jonathan, bless his heart, told Raym that he had been living in a shack for ten months in Iraq and he would prefer not to spend the weekend slumber party style on someones floor. I guess it's a sign that the kids are not kids anymore, but real grown ups. I could have traveled back and forth from Oakland and had the good cabana living, but I was open to sleeping a few hours on someones floor for one night in order to hang out with the kids. I wanted to be with Raym as much as I was able.

Saturday while Dash was in Sausalito visiting with his father, Jonathan and Raym set about the city in search of a hotel. Raym talked Jonathan out of the $500 a night suite he wanted to book and they settled on a nice two room suite with two bedrooms and a bathroom in between at Hotel Diva. I was planning on heading over to the city Friday evening after the kids went to bed and I had a minute to hang out with Michael. I was going to park my truck at BART and head over to Union Square to meet Raym after he had dinner with Madison, his friend from Boston. Dash called and told me he would pick me up and we could drive into the city together. It was not exactly on his way, but he insisted, so I agreed. I was grateful to have an extra hour to hang out with Michael while I waited for him to trek across the Richmond Bridge.We had a nice easy drive across the Bay Bridge reaching Hotel Diva around ten thirty.





This lounge was a floor below us, but there was a window on our level looking down at the room, I thought this lamp made out of a dress was pretty cool in this particular decor. Of course, I would never have something like that in my own house.


The rooms were very chic, they had quotes from well known Divas all over the place. It was clean and I was just happy to be with Raym. It felt like I had not seen him in a really long time and I got one of the best hugs ever upon my arrival. I cracked up when I looked out the window the next morning and saw the view.

Saturday morning while we were deciding what to do that day, Dash noticed some girl in the building next door getting dressed, Jonathan and Raym quickly leaned over to get a peek, I just made fun of them while they were looking at her.

Friday night, or really early Saturday morning when we got home from the bar, Raym was trying to turn on the lamp next to the bed so he could read his book. The lamp was very delicate and had an unusual on/off switch. It was a straight piece of metal that you just had to push to turn on the light. Raym was trying to pull it and in the process knocked off the lamp shade grumbling about how it was such a stupid lamp. I had not touched it at this point, but as Raym moved the lamp closer to the bed, he pushed the metal piece by accident and realized the error of his ways, then we both fell into a laughing fit for some time. I know you had to be there to appreciate the moment, but I tell the tale here, because he and I will remember how hard we laughed. Then the next morning, Jonathan was sitting in the chair next to the lamp and did the same thing, pulled on the metal piece, knocked the lamp shade off, grumbling about the lamp and declaring, "I'm not paying for that." Raym and I started laughing so hard we could not even talk with tears falling down our cheeks. It was a classic moment, I will never forget and I had to take a picture of it to remind me.

Not long after the girl watching, Dash knocked his head but good on the corner of the TV. I got him some ice right away and I think he was saved from a big knot and a nasty bruise.

This was my last view of Raym before I headed to BART Sunday morning to go back to Chez Long. And no matter how old they get, there is nothing like watching your baby sleep peacefully.