DAY ONE

Let’s get it started

We woke up bright and early on Monday morning in SF, ready to (finally) hit the road.

But first we had some sh** to take care of.

Once we got up, I reported immediately to the parking garage to retrieve our car (which we had foolishly left in a weekend only access garage.)

We took her down to San Jose, returned our moving van, grabbed more stuff out of the storage unit, then started our trek to the Madonna Inn!

The weather seemed to be as mixed as our emotional state:

Partly cloudy, then rainy, then sunny, then somehow both?

We were exhausted from the long few days of heavy lifting moving entails.

It’s not that we weren’t optimistic, we were just haggard.

From going away parties to packing to saying goodbyes:

Endings are Intense.

We drove, laughing and complaining, smiling and staring blankly at times, passing by so many landmarks that held such deep meaning for both of us.

We were (finally) on our way

PT TWO:

THE MADONNA INN

As we pulled into the hotel, we were met with the inn’s flamboyant aesthetic almost immediately.

Not only was every aspect of the design of the inn carefully thought through:

It was both bizarre and somehow fitting.

The hotel staff was kind, as if they were being paid actual living wages.

The interior was filled with the aura of stained glass, garden gnomes and maroon carpet. All the guests, including us, were peculiar in some way or another (either garb or demeanor).

All we wanted to do was sleep when we entered our room.

But we bucked up, slapped some lights together, I put on a fit and we got to shooting!

Although fun, the shoot felt rushed as we needed to catch our dinner at the Madonna’s steakhouse.

PART THREE: THE STEAKHOUSE

After our shoot we quickly pulled together some looks and headed to the dining hall.

When we entered the restaurant, we were immediately greeted by crowd of people dancing.

It took us a second to realized what was happening.

We had somehow entered through the back of the restaurant and were next to the dance floor.

Apparently the Madonna Inn has a swing dancing event every Monday that is very well attended by people of many age groups.

The restaurant walls and floors were a deep hue of pink.

Carpeted, adorned with fake flowers, intricately carved wooden figures and furniture, and an air of nostalgia and decadence that felt both dated and timeless at the same time.

PART FOUR: THE MEAL

(STOP READING IF YOU DON’T CARE ABT FOOD)

We started our meal with a generic appetizer that everyone receives:

Pickled vegetables, olives, celery, cold cuts of salami and slivers of cheese served on a small oval silver plate. Danny did not partake (but my inner grandmother pallet was overjoyed)

We ordered Shirley Temples (because it seemed correct for our environment)

Next we received roll as we waited for our entrees and when I say this is some of the best bread I have ever had

Literally

So so bomb.

I ordered a Guinness and onion soup pre meal that f**ked my whole world up it was so good.

The steak I received was perfect.

No notes.

We may or may not have said it was our anniversary and received a complimentary slice of cake.

It was so good I can’t even begin to describe it. It was a simple yellow cake with pink frosting.

But the Madonna Inn is known for its bakery. The cake was moist, dense but not too think, had a fluffiness to it that I’m not versed enough to explain.

Anyways, cheers to day one!