Subj : The Presidio
To   : All
From : poindexter FORTRAN
Date : Sat Feb 25 2023 21:19:01


I just watched The Presidio (Free, on YouTube). 

Great chase scene down San Francisco's Chinatown, and a so-so plot. Starring Mark Harmon, Sean Connery, Meg Ryan.

It was worth it for me to see a city that I experienced in the late '80s and early '90s - especially the scenes at the Presidio, back then, an active army base built in 1776. Now it's a park and public trust, but back then it was a city within a city.

Bonus points for a gratuitious Sam Wo shot. Sam Wo is a chinese restaurant that was open until 2:00am most nights. Dark, a little dirty, you'd walk through the kitchen to go up to one of two floors up a narrow spiral staircase. Food came up on a dumb waiter. No liquor license, but bottles in bags is OK. Once they knew you the total never added up to anything near what you ordered. If they didn't like you, it was probably double.

Drunken fratboys, college students in the middle of al-nighters, night people, workers getting off the night shift, and people trying to blend in seemed to be the clientele most nights. And early mornings.

The restaurant moved a couple of years ago to a more legitimate location, and the old restaurant is now a Shiseido makeup store, all chrome, white tile and fluorescent lights.

The city I knew, like the restaurant, isn't there any more - and that's OK. The one that replaced it has its own personality. It's nice to go back and visit my city, though.
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