Tonga

Good evening, and Mahalo!  Just returned from a ridiculously festive dinner with my friend Will, who is visiting from NY.  He was eager for the full SF experience, including the famed Tonga Room, in the Fairmont Hotel, so being the supportive friend and excellent tour guide that I am, I obliged and joined him as his date for an evening of Polynesian delicacies, Mai Tais served in fake coconuts, and "feel good" music played by a 3-piece band floating on a pool surrounded by fake rain.  If that doesn't scream San Francisco, I don't know what does.

After several courses of "exotic" fare (and one flaming volcano-shaped dessert), and trying to outdance retirees to MJ's "Rock With You" (stiff competition, I'll say), we took a stroll through the ground floors of the Fairmont and admired the museum-caliber collection of artifacts and photos from the famed hotel's history.  Among old brochures and advertisements were many photos from the era that begat kitsch: royalty wining and dining at the Fairmont, bathing beauties, pre-war extravagance.  There was also an entire hall of photos chronicling the citywide destruction from the fire at the turn of the century.

It's amazing that so much history (and so much South Pacific style fabulousness) is right here in our little city.  Just walking through the opulent lobby with its gold mouldings and velvet settees makes one feel decadent.

Well, despite my coconut-cream Tongaccino, I'm feeling a little drowsy...

Over and out,

gillian