San Francisco, Everyone's Favorite Weiner, Kilt X 3

San Francisco opened its pearly gates in more ways than one.  Lynn and I flew up to the Bay Area because both of the kids happened to be performing last weekend.  Liz performed in a modern dance show at Z Space while Justin backed old Birdmonster pal Peter Arcuni, aka, Sonny Pete at Cafe du Nord.

We spent Friday night in The City at Hotel Adagio, one of the many Joie de Vivre properties in the Bay Area.  The company was founded by Chip Conley, who remains active as Chief Culture Officer, and it remains the largest boutique hotel group in California, second nationally.  When we opened the door to our upgraded room we discovered a pleasant surprise.

In order to make guest stays even more memorable, this from a hotel group whose philosophy is that your visit should give you an "identity refresh", the associates can create Dreammakers.  Our Dreammaker was a basket stuffed with Scottish treasures: Irn Bru, Smarties, Maltesers, shortbread and oatbread cookies...er...biscuits...and a wee nottle of Famous Grouse.  The perfect gift, made more so because Ron Ryan and his staff has done their homework.  They knew that this "platinum rule" type gift would be appreciated.

We used material from Chip's book Peak: How Great Companies Get Their Mojo From Maslow for a Renaissance Executive Forum's Strategies for Success program.  I knew about, lectured about, and gave examples of Dreammakers.  Until you experience it firsthand, however, you have no idea of the power of that gesture.

This is why I am a raving fan not only of Joie de Vivre Hospitality, but in those markets where they don't have a property, boutique hotels in general.

The Weiner
Everyone has a new favorite Weiner, Representative Anthony Weiner, who clearly has made a gigantic ass of himself.  First, major and repeated lapses in judgment by Tweeting photos of his bulging Y-fronts to young women in their twenties.  Second, lying about it and casting about for some nefarious hacker.
Third, standing up and shrilly claiming that what he did was not illegal.  Maybe not, Weiner, but it was really, profoundly, deeply, freakin' stupid.

Fortunately he didn't trot out his wife to stand beside him while he made his apologia, as the U.S. Senator who proclaimed "I have a wide stance" did.  These tragic women look like they've chewed a handful of valium to muster up the stomach to stand by their reprehensible men.

Weiner is also guilty of arrogance. 

He vows that he will not resign.

Do us all a favor.  Resign.

Kilt
When I purchased my kilt last summer in Glasgow, the immediate concern was "where will I wear this?"  A pointless question, as it turns out.  In the past two weeks I have three occasions to don the Black Watch kilt.  Two weeks ago I attened a Cigar and Beer Pairing Evening at Stone Brewing.  Then Lynn and I went to the La Jolla Playhouse to watch a delightful comedy set on a fictitious Hebridean island, A Dram of Drummhichit.  Last evening, 6 Degrees, an extraordinary networking organization run by Matt Greene, sponsored another cigar evening, featuring not only the fine cigars handmade by Payne-Mason, but frequent and generous pours of The Macallan.

And not just the 12-year, but 15-year, 17-year and cask strength.  Brilliant!