My birthday today. We had breakfast this morning at Mel’s Diner on Geary, where Kevin and Oscar both got sick. (A bit of advice: next time you’re in San Fran and hungry for pancakes and bacon, ignore Frommer’s and skip the very cute Mel’s for a smaller, less stylish, but much better little diner at 21st and Geary, with a sign out front that reads COFFEE SHOP.)

Off to Monte Rio on the Russian River tonight for a single night of serious R&R…about 60 miles and 50 years from San Francisco.

The exercise:
Write about a get-away.