A little bit of Paradise

I've been back in the San Francisco Bay Area for ten days now. Traffic has reminded me why I left. But medical appointments will keep me here for another week before I can escape to warmer weather and (hopefully) less craziness.

Today was the second visit to my wonderfully geeky doctor of physical therapy. And, yes, DPTs earn that title. He told me once that he had chronic pain issues that had not been resolved by traditional medicine, or at least no by the practitioners he had at the time. We all know how that can go--when a "healthcare" professional either doesn't seem to listen, care, or believe you. So he ended up studying physical therapy and getting his DPT. It's actually something I had been interested in for a while, so I looked up programs after I heard his story. Do not scoff when they put that "Dr." on their businsess card.

My body was in a bit more pain today than when I frist saw him on this trip, I guess, because he was surprised when I gave him a 10 on the pain scale. I appreciate that he doesn't feel the need to repeat himself on previous information. Much. So instead he suggested we go right for the thing that gave me immediate pain relief last time. We spent the majority of my half hour appointment prodding my hip flexors and digging deep into the abdominal muscles to try and release tension. He opened up a little bit more today than on previous visits. I'm pretty sure I even got a genuine laugh out of him. I can't quite figure him out--he's reserved, but I can't figure out if it's a personality quirk or professional distancing--he seems young, but he's got quite a bit of grey in his beard! Regardless, he's good at his job, and I'm happy to have been referred. Wasn't able to schedule a "last minute" appointment for next week with him, so that was my last time seeing him for now. I'm glad it was a good session.

Since I had a few hours before my NEXT appointment, I decided to get coffee and lunch. I couldn't think of anything specific, so I just sort of headed down a main drag looking for old favorite spots that survived the shutdowns during the early days of the pandemic. There were a lot of obnoxious new tall and modern all-in-one apartment buildings. It took me miles to find something worthwhile and recognizable--and even then? It was definitely a new name on the building: Paradise Park Cafe.

Happy for a familiar space, though, I parked the car and hobbled back to the coffee shop. The interior seemed much the same as it was before, the staff and patrons fit the setting. Hungry and not wanting to stand there too long with my jaw open, I simply asked the barista if breakfast was still available and what her favorite dish was. She gave me two. Both sounded amazing, so I pressed her a little bit more for her absolute fave. Totequiles it is!

TATER TOTS TOSSED IN CHILAQUILES SAUCE, BLACK BEANS, COTIJA, GUACAMOLE, SOUR CREAM, EGGS, CILANTRO

I did ask for goat cheese instead of cotija and no sour cream. Cow dairy super hates me, but goat's milk doesn't seem to affect me as much. The brainy people say goat's milk has shorter fat molecules, which makes them a little easier to digest. I didn't notice the sour cream till I was already half way through the meal. I suffer...but it was worth it. Downed a delicoius espresso made with cafe roasted beans, and I was off to more poking and prodding by a doctor. But that's a different story for a different day.