Jason turned another year older this month. We were meant to be in San Francisco for a long weekend of fun and (perhaps) frolicking.

However, he came down with something nasty that kept him in bed most of the time. We were house-sitting for the weekend, but we ended up just staying in: Jason in bed while I watched the Food Network. Joy.

The birthday dinner was planned for Zinc Bistro Zuni Cafe [Sorry, wrong city. --Ed.] with a couple of longtime SF friends. Jason wasn't feeling up to it, so I left him and went alone. Dinner was superb, as usual, with lots of wine and glasses of Stella.

After dessert and Calvados, we adjourned to the Clift Hotel for a few drinks in the Redwood Room. The Redwood Room is stunning, all wood and dark club chairs and DJ music. Scattered on the walls are flat-panel televisions hung like picture frames. They show these strange, melancholy portraits that move just slightly while you aren't watching. The eyes blink, or the hands move, or a man turns to the left. It's all rather surreal.