Quiet in San Jose

In case you were wondering, all is well here in San Jose. I just haven't had any big events or photos to share with you.

After carpentering all last weekend at the "fixer-upper" house Alex and Sigrid bought in the Willow Glen neighborhood, and attending a street festival there that was a quieter (OK, a bit boring) version of Adams Morgan Day in my DC neighborhood, I've been on my own here with three cats; this is Alex and Sigrid's last week of work before our two-week carpentry-a-thon. Highlights of my week are quiet and probably boring as well:

• The dentist, to check the molar that broke in Missoula if I remember right. I walked out with a temporary crown and the job will be complete in a couple of weeks. Would you believe I canceled COBRA coverage for my nice dental plan at NAF at the end of May because of its cost? Sigh.
• The Toyota dealer, for Penny's 50,000-mile service.
• The acres of outlet stores in Gilroy south of here, where I replaced my running shoes, one of which had developed a very bad incurable odor after our muddy hike last week in Seattle's Discovery Park.
• Fry's, a regional chain of large electronics stores, for additional memory for my laptop. I'll have to go back because one of the two memory cards I bought isn't working.
• Exploring downtown San Jose yesterday. I visited the San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art again, and its neighbor MACLA/Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana, where I bought a print honoring one of my favorites, Mercedes Sosa's performance of Violeta Parra's "Gracias a la vida" (lyrics and audio). I ended up at the Tech Museum, new to me. Admission was $10 and its many hands-on exhibits were packed with school groups, so I came away with the impression that it's an expensive place that's good for kids. Alex says it can be good for adults too.

We have also enjoyed some nice restaurants in the evenings, most notably Tandoor Indian Restaurant (no website; this is the one on Blossom Hill Rd., to distinguish it from other similarly-named San Jose restaurants). Their versions of familiar dishes have a distinctive look and flavor. We ordered the spicy versions of everything and they came out what I'd call medium-spicy, large, and delicious. I brought half of my chicken biryani and its accompanying bean salad home; it was even better reheated the next day.