Yep. Me and the ol' ball-and-chain () are going to SLO for lunch today for her birthday to, what she thinks, is going to be the local sushi place. But...

Nope. We're going here. Fancy-schmancy Italian food. Fancy schmancy interior.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SUPRISE!

(I sure hope I can pay for it...)

Anyway, last time I was in SLO Town I saw 3 Nuovo record bikes, scratched up, locked up, and rusting. Anyway, I'm debating bring a camera and taking pictures of any of the cool bike I'm bound to see there this time.

But would that ruin the sanctity of a date?

Ack!

Just figured I'd post a thread about this. Why? Well...


Woohoo!

-Nick

Have fun. Hope you have a good server.

The reviews said something similar. Knowing you once lived around here, is this a voice of experience talking?



-Nick

Careful Nick! I have to warn you, if she thinks she's going to some local sushi place and you spring that Italian restaurant on her she might throw a fit! This is because she may feel under dressed for the occasion, ladies hate nothing more than showing up somewhere like that and feeling they are being judged by everyone around. Granted she may not care, just throwing it out there!

I have never been to SLO. I always felt too poor.

It depends.....is she jealous of the time you spend with bikes...then probably no....this is her time (unless you can do it in a very subtle way)

I she get's excited about a nice lugged frame ..... then snap away.

Is that SLO as in San Luis Obispo for those of us who may never have lived or traveled in Kah-lee-forn-ya?

No. Besides, you can use a camera to take photos of the food, etc. .

I like the blurb for the place:

Giuseppe's Pismo Beach was founded in 1988 by Giuseppe Difronzo as a senior project for graduation from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. Giuseppe's dedication to this ristorante, its authenticity and your enjoyment is only rivaled by his dedication to the region of Italy his family comes from.

As for being dressed correctly, as long as she's not in a skimpy top and cutoff jean shorts, I would imagine she will be fine. It's not quite like the difference between going to McDonald's versus Gramercy Tavern.

East Hill

Well, let me start by saying I told you so.

There was a reason I posted this thread! Today was a fantastic day!

So, first, I drop by an LBS en route, because my toe strap broke. (A very old script-writing lapize, I believe)

He digs up two cool, albeit mismatched, leather straps. $1. One is blue and says "RECORD" in big letters, the other, a black Lapize. Snazzy.

While digging: "Oh, here's a pink matching set... A black orphaned one, and- oh, some old campagnolo clips, a lapiz-"

Me: "Did you say 'Campagnolo?"

He brings over three boxes of Campagnolo toe clips, NIB.

"How much do you want for 'em?"

"They're $10."

Of course, I buy the Small ones, they fit me and if anyone wants some NIB campy, PM me and we could work out a trade for the bigger pair.





So I'm feeling pretty good already.

We take a bus to SLO, and go to the snazzy restaraunt. Mmm... Tasty. Lots of fancy food. Carpeggio, pizza, short-rib tortellini... all handmade and delicious!



Of course, a cool C&V candy store. Lots of old candies that are hard to find now... And expensive! Yikes!



Then we went and saw "Up," Pixar's new movie, in 3-D. It was excellent, the best Pixar movie I've seen to date. Fun and whimsical, but also serious with some slightly more serious themes than other Pixar movies.

After that, the lady goes into a store, but I stay outside to look at some bicycles when I spot a pretty one:



The owner walks out as I'm admiring it, and we begin talking about this Frejus.

Apparently he was touring in Nova Scotia, and found it in a barn as he toured. He paid $35 for it, brought it home, and loves it. He owns three others also, and has good musical tastes, as we discussed old music. (Skip James, anyone?)

A pic of the fellow and his bike:



After seeing this fellow, we proceeded down the street, and I heard "Sally's Got Mud Between Her Toes" playing, a traditional musical piece, and ran around the corner to see one of my favorite rambling bands, the Peach Colored Jug Smugglers. They're a traveling band of friends who play old-time music together, living a blurred line between Woody Guthrie hoboes and constantly moving musicians. Very fun, good to see them again, I haven't talked to them in a long time:

Common legend 'round here says they live in a cabin in the hills they built themselves and "eat roadkill and stuff."



Then, Alexandra and I went to Boo Boo's Record store, which had a bunch of cycling advocacy stuff sitting around, which I thought was SUPER COOL! I bought rotharpunc a present, because I owe him for taking so long to mail him some $$...

Then of course, it was back to Palazzio Guiseppe's for dessert, and then a bus ride home.

For the movie, the toe clips, dinner, dessert, tip, a stop in a coffee store, some assorted trinkets, a tip and CD from the Peach Colored Jug Smugglers... I wound up spending more than I meant to.

But, it was her birthday.

And she loved the suprise trip to the Italian restaraunt.

It was a slpendid day.

If you read this far... Thank you!

-nick

Great story and pictures Nick. I am glad your GF did not kill you, I might not have been daring enough to try.

Thank you! She was definitely happy with it, it's a snazzy place.
I reccomend you try sometime. Be like, "We're going to Burger King." Then go somewhere ritzy.

If it doesn't work, you went somewhere ritzy. Can't complain there.

If it works, you're a superstar.

But yeah. It was a cool adventure, a cool bike, cool clips, cool music, cool food.

A good day, all in all. Have a good one, I'm off to bed,

-Nick

Those Campagnolo toe clips are beautiful,

California is awesome.

I'm thinking you either had Carpaccio (Prosciutto and Parmesan cheese), or Carpazzio (sliced raw Filet Minon and Reggiano cheese).

Either way, good stuff. Sounds like a great trip!!

Yup, sounds like an awesome day! I can't wait til I get a bloody day off so I can do something relaxing as what you and your girl did.

Looks like a great day. Congrats. And of course Happy Birthday to Alexandra

The candy store looks like a Powell's...... very cool, expensive....big treat for my son and his friends to bike to the one close to home. I think they are a franchise type operation if any one is interested. There are 2 in my area.... Willow Glen and Los Gatos (yep califorinia again)

I like the horn on the frejus...Obviously there to scare off roadkill.

Squirtdad! You're like my next door neighbor! I'm right next to SJSU and bike to Bill's Cafe on Willow for breakfast (and free tequila) religiously.

Hard Time Killing Floor Blues is the hands-down in-the-entire-universe best song title ever.

If you ever see another Frejus - just about that size, possibly a little larger...

Good to hear the day turned out the way it did.

Sounds like you had a great day and got a present for yourself in the bargain! Thanks for the story.

Uhh... darn. It was sliced raw swordfish... with some odd greenery or another.

Yes, indeed! I wanted to buy the CD of the old 78's, but... Didn't have $17. But next time I will. (I like buying local because the people in Boo Boo's are super cool, I'm sure it's cheaper elsewhere.)

I know, I know... I'll pick it up, take all that Crapy stuff off, get rid of all that junk, rattlecan it jet black, and mail you a sweet fixie! Don't worry, it'll be on me. Pay it forward...

Thank you!

-Nick