327 Market

Flip Flop Consumerism.

Walked downtown this afternoon because the house was gross and empty. I meandered down May Avenue. Paid my respects to all the familiar cars and buildings. I love returning to this town after being away. Things are so lovingly worn and shabby. I went by urban outfitters, and only one of the sweaters that were screaming my dad's name was left. And then I found a matching hat and scarf. I had to buy them, I really did. I don't want the pater to be left out of any fashion trends. Then I stopped by Pacific Trading Co (I never buy anything there, but I do enjoy picking up the free Diesel promo stuff. I think its brilliant). The shop girl practically jumped me. I wasn't sure if she thought I was a potential shopper or a shoplifter. I confessed why I was there. She said they might have some from last season in the back. I poked around for a while (found a nice sweater that was screaming my name, but alas, the proverbial wad was blown). The girl return not with the promised postcards, but with a stack of vinyl. Those creative marketers at Diesel created goofy records for each one of their jeans lines. The covers were spoofs of bad 70's albums. She also gave me a clock that was broken. The picture on the front was a spoof of a hideous 80's playboy pinups... an airbrushed, blonde, topless model astride a large motorcycle. Its pretty ridiculous (intentionally, I am sure). I am thinking about selling it on eBay. Does any one else collect Dieselania?

I dragged the loot to Cafe Campesino, where I paid my debt and ordered a taco. Yup, you can still buy things on the old-fashioned, word-of-mouth credit down here. Dinah ceremoniously tore the paper plate that had what I owed on it. And the mole taco was superb. A huge, handmade tortilla, slathered in her special sauce and heaped with rice, queso fresco, potatoes and chicken. As I ate it, the tuneless singing lady (not to be confused with the tuneless banjo lady) sang her songs on the one side of the street and the hippy harpist serenaded the other side. All while the sun set painted the sky pink and orange.