2014 Roadtrip: Visiting with Friends and Family in the Bay Area

We got to our rental house in the Rockridge neighborhood of Oakland on Sunday and on Monday night, we had our first dinner party! Audre's friend Andy Blasky and his wife, Betsy, who live in the Noe Valley area of San Francisco, came over to our house after an appointment in a neighboring town. How cool is that? We served appetizers in the living room and then grilled fish and served it in the dining room.

Betsy and Andy with Dimitri at our Rockridge Oakland house for dinner

Audre knew Andy from the 6th grade at Alta Vista Elementary School in Bethesda, Maryland. We hadn't seen them since 2005 in New York City! What a treat.

On the Tuesday night after we arrived, we were invited to our friend's house for dinner in Haight Ashbury in San Francisco. Marvin picked us up at the Civic Center BART station and whisked us back to their Victorian mansion. Dru and Audre have known each other since 7th grade at North Bethesda Junior High School.

Marvin, Dru, Audre and Dimitri clearly having a blast together at their house in Haight Ashbury

It is such a fabulous experience to feel the warmth and camaraderie of life-long friends. And their dinner was great too!

Our next get together was with Ken Levy, a cousin of Audre's by the marriage of his mother to Audre's first cousin. We had Ken and Ken's partner, Norman to our Rockridge Oakland house for dinner.

Norman and Cousin Ken with Audre at dinner at our Rockridge Oakland house