In Oakland

Our plan was to get up early this morning for another hike on the cliff's edge but the marine layer made the hike less than doable. We ate breakfast in the restaurant, watching the cliffs below us appear and disappear in the fog.

I rolled down the car windows for the drive south along the 1. At one point we came upon a group of cows on the road. I could live along this road.

I had bid on the Claremont Hotel in Berkeley on Priceline. We arrived in the early afternoon and checked into our room. (I am not a big fan of hotels where it takes two bellhops -- and two tips to get to your room.) The rooms are not outstanding but the historic hotel is lovely. The art gallery in the lobby with African masks caught our attention. I am not sure if I can get Bryan home without one.

We headed for Oakland and met Brett at a restaurant for appetizers. Then on to Brett and Brendon's apartment where we got a tour of their vegetable garden and Brett demonstrated the fine art of peeling a blood orange. He fed us tidbits from his refrigerator and we made friends with the cats.

Matt commutes to Sacramento for work. He managed to make it back to Berkeley by 8 pm so we met for dinner.