Monterey and other Mischief...

Nomad party wandering for two weekends:

So yeah, been doing a lot of booty shaking and exploring the nightlife of a few surrounding cities. Last weekend crazy fun Samantha and I enjoyed a light Indian dinner at a pleasant Monterey downtown restaurant where we met the super-friendly owners who treated us to traditional tea and warm conversation. Followed by hours at Club Octane, four clubs in one (Techno and House/Hip hop/live rock/ and an old school 80's room) where we lost track of time, drank purple hooters and danced our socks off.

This weekend, the family suffered a sad loss as the father took the family back east to bury his mama. On the upside, big house left to me and an ornery grandpa Karl who was nice enough to allow me a gathering of friends: about 8 of us splashing in the pool, working salsa and belly dance moves and munching on sushi I had rolled for the group until the wee hours.

Helped Anat move into a new place nearer to Frisco, we no sooner got her clothes unloaded when we were on the 101 headed for the Mission District to jump around to funky eclectic beats at El Rio which featured anything from hindi, salsa, reggae, to techno based grooves... we garnered quite the following of enamoured young men, and invited a particularly enjoyable Peruvian fellow to join us for 3am ceviche at a hole-in-the-wall. Still I swear that dating now would not be in my best interests and I extend the long arm of friendship to hunky eye-candies.

Kids start to school in two days and topless tanning time returns! Felt neat to do their school shopping and get them little backpacks, calculators and such... missing school a bit myself and with as adjusted as I'm becoming to the bay area am considering school here next year.. yet another angle to look into...

Otherwise time in Santa Cruz, watching hippies and skateboarders do their thing while barking at sea lions (a usual activity when on the wharf) and eating zabaglione gelato..mmmm....

Bay Sailing Woman:

Weekend spent in and out of San Francisco:

So having met some fun and dance happy new friends I was invited to an intimate house party gathering that centered primarily around salsa dancing on carpet and curry sandwiches. Did a quick change into a funky corner club, adjacent to Golden Gate park, that doubles as a daytime internet cafe and gallery to dance hot spot at night. Chinese food over horoscope convo and a laugh envoking pic of what looked to be a rubber chicken on a plate.... I did not order the chicken.

Sunday started with a bit of Mexican Taqueria chow leading into a crew of four boarding new Chinese friend Li's sailboat and exploring the bay, cruising under the bay bridge and taking in the best view of San Fran. Docked for a BBQ dinner at a tiki patio club while dancing to a killer Caribbean group on steel drums. Spent a portion of the trip back on the bow of the boat feeling the wind in my face and singing old classics until to my surprise the group asked me to come back and share my muse with them. Life feels good with friends nearby.

Tales of the Naughty Nanny:

San Martin, CA.....at home on the ranch with the boys:

Well, the adventure is full swing into it's third month here and I've managed to get a handle on things and well as develop a lovely gringa tan. Playing big sis to three young guys twins Ryan and Russel, 13 and little freckled wonder 8 yr old Jesse. My days generally consist of mornings began with cartoons and sugary cereal, followed by a short sleepy kid arguement amongst themselves..so they get to clean up their rooms and start the day... usually I get in pool and sunbathe time, and then try to drag the kids to some event or park. I drop them off at football or another sport practice in the evening and spend my nights as I will.

Parents are great, especially the warm and upbeat mama Regan... She played my partner in crime last weekend as we found our way into an upscale shopping district and Blowfish, a sushi bar where I sipped Peach Nymphos shaken with saki and followed up with a movie night.

The family keeps a 50 foot yacht in an area dubbed the Delta (a man-made water channeling system designed to keep happy the thirsty residents of the bay area) Been up a few weekends with them and am working on a fab 360 on a wakeboard, have to finally get up on it though. Fourth of July weekend was a major party, and as is the norm other yachting groups tie onto us for daytime water fun and evening cocktail parties that go late into the night and on one evening resulted in a five woman skinny dip with howling at a full moon (instigated by yours truly no doubt).

There were a few rough spots, was expected though as it is emotional making a major life change relocating. Still find it humorous that I'm a nanny, a woman who still plans not to have children of her own and as of this time last year didn't even like the lil buggers (that's changed..think that they're interesting now)

Was taken along for a weekend in Vegas, given my own suite at Mandalay Bay, VIP access to the roof top club the Foundation Room... flirted madly and ventured into Rum Jungle with a handsome Italian fellow after having joined the family for cocktails and a B-52s concert waist deep in the wave pool outside.

Discovered Monterey/ Carmel a few weekends back.. saw fuzzy fun sea lions and swam out for a better look and a photo opp with a Swedish blondie who met me on the wharf having a pic taken with a little circus monkey.... really dig it over there, even more so than San Francisco honestly and the pubs are authentic and many....

Have had a few friends stay while travelling through with a bit of night life in Santa Cruz, and the local big event was a morning spent wandering about the infamous Gilroy Garlic Festival in a conjoining town. Went rather well for a celebration of 100,000 plus people with horrendous breath! Tried a few new taste ticklers such as garlic jelly beans and garlic ice cream, which isn't as bad as it sounds. My little town of San Martin is more or less a large housing development of little ranches... really enjoy it here but wonder where the wind will blow me at the end of my nanny contract next May...

So all in all...no complaints... I'm comfortable, well fed and my primary worry lies in what my weekend plans hold.... so for now I'll continue being perky and taking my midnight skinny dips after everyone is in bed when I can chill out under a blanket of stars....

Salsa Mahem, San Jose Style...

Downtown,San Jose, CA......last Saturday:

Crazy city jazz celebration featuring 7 stages of jazz and various street activities. If searching for me you would have found a very happy girl spinning and jiving in the streets in front of a stage dedicated to salsa rythms. Boldly introduced myself to others which led to new friends, Mexican food at Victoria's Taqueria, sore feet, dancing at the trendy Temple bar later in the evening requesting more salsa of a live band in a red-lighted corner... Worked on my cha cha with Li, Chinese fellow with fun moves, one in a nice line of gentleman dance partners.. and chatted it up with the lovely and exciting Anat from Israel who shares a passion for the music and Spanish language.

Nice end to a week of personal Birthday celebration... which coincidently will continue into a Wednesday night of grooving at the tri-level club Agenda downtown and into this weekend at a great party held at new Indian friend Amit's place in Santa Clara followed by, yes you've guessed it, more salsa dancing at a fantastic (or so I'm told) live-music club in San Francisco. Here's to hoping that the feet hold out.