After a fun breakfast with people from Holland who had retired to Spain, we had a phone call from Nicholas.  He recommended that we go to the Contemporary Jewish Museum, because it was featuring an exhibit on Stanley Kubrick that he thought we would enjoy. He also invited us to join him at his office for lunch.

We called the Contemporary Jewish Museum, but as it was Yom Kippur, it was closed. Instead we did a  self-guided walking tour that was in our AAA Tour Book. We began at Union Square. We explored Nordstrom’s and  founds its sales staff to be very friendly and helpful, but we were not there to shop. We walked through the Financial District, followed by the Civic Center.  There was supposed to be a photography exhibit at City Hall, but we never found it. Instead we were captivated by the weddings that were taking place.

I have been to the New York City Marriage Bureau, where it’s very crowded, there are long lines, and those getting married have to wait for their turn in a small space. Not so in San Francisco! The actual ceremonies took place atop a long staircase, and then the newlywed couples and their wedding party, all formally dressed, posed for photos on the staircase. Nick really enjoyed photographing  the couples on the staircase. We left after a bridesmaid who knew that  Nick was not the photographer her family had hired, began asking  us questions. Fortunately, it was time for lunch.

We arrived at the Twitter Building and got our guest passes. Nicholas joined us and showed us  the rooftop garden adjacent to the cafeteria. We would have eaten there had it been warmer, but eating indoors was  fine.

Twitter employees can eat three meals a day for free if they  so choose. However, Nicholas would have to stay an hour after quitting time in order to get dinner there, and I’m sure he’d have to arrive  significantly early for breakfast. Lunch works out well for Twitter, because employees tend to go right  back to work after their meal. Some items are available daily, such as sandwiches  and salads of all types. There are also hot entrees with  a variety of side dishes that change daily, as well as a variety of beverages. I don’t remember seeing junk food. The room was airy and soothingly decorated,  and was very different from what typically comes to mind when I hear the word “cafeteria,” and the food was good.

Nicholas asked if we would like to join him at one of his favorite Japanese restaurants for dinner. Of course we would! We decided to spend the afternoon at the Asian Museum of Art, which was near the Twitter Building and the Civic Center. From the AAA Tour Book: “From Japanese painted scrolls and bamboo baskets to Korean lacquerware and textiles to Thai paintings and rare Tibetan scrolls, the museum showcases the incredibly rich and varied spectrum of Asian art.” We marveled at the beauty the art, again considering the significance of art to humankind for thousands of years.

The Japanese restaurant was crowded with locals, always a good sign. Nicholas ordered a variety of appetizers and lots of different  kinds of sushi for us to share.  I hoped  ginger ice cream would be on the menu, without luck. We settled for green tea ice cream.

We were leaving the following morning, so it was time to say good-bye to Nicholas. Saying good-bye is always  hard, but the week  we had with our son couldn’t have been better, and he’ll be home for Christmas.