Porridge

It was back on the tourist trail today. I've been resisting Alcatraz due to its status as a San Francisco cliche, but I have to do everything my sister tells me so we were soon on a ferry sailing across the Bay.

What can I say? It turned out to be one of the best things that SF has to offer! Alcatraz is owned by the National Park Service which means that rangers in Canadian Mounty hats patrol the place. As if that wasn't enough, all seem to be world experts on the island. As soon as we arrived we spent over an hour on a tour with Ranger Al who described the life and times of the more famous inmates including the "Birdman" Robert Stroud, Al Capone and George "Machine Gun" Kelly.

We then wandered the prison, much smaller than I imagined with an average of only 260 prisoners at any time. The place retains a scary atmosphere, and standing in "the hole", a solitary confinement cell kept in total darkness, was pretty disturbing. Yet guards lived on the island with their families, and a lady who grew up there described going to sleep listening to the prisoners shouting ("they're just letting off steam" her mother told her).

When the prison was decommissioned the island was occupied by Native Americans and the publicity generated was central to the founding of the reserves and a Presidential apology (from Nixon, for what it was worth...) And most recently, of course, it was the backdrop to one of the greatest films of the modern day. Welcome to The Rock!



You can't sight see on an empty stomach.



So cute! But actually a deadly killer.



So cute! But actually a deadly killer.



Obligatory bird(man) of Alcatraz photo.



One-way ticket.



Looking back from the boat.



Ranger John gives us a quick orientation.



There we go.



Ranger Al talks below a guard tower.



The accommodation...



...5 star.



Well, getting out obviously can't have been that difficult.



Emily in solitary confinement. If we'd had one of these at home, my childhood would have been much more straightforward.



The library.



The view from the island.



This inhabitant had no problem getting around.



From the control room. The guards had a nicer time than the prisoners.



20 years inside and this is my first visitor.



The kitchen. Alcatraz had a reputation as one of the best places for prison food. Hmmm...

Legal alien

My sister arrived today. It's hard to find high quality men with genuine prospects in the UK (especially now I've left), so when I told her about all the eligible young entrepreneurs studying with Hannah she booked a ticket immediately. Lock up your venture capitalists, Emily's in town!



Straight off the plane and into the nearest Coldstone Creamery.



Emergency British supply parcel.



In other news: Moran is leaving for Israel tomorrow for three weeks! Luckily she baked everyone in the village some cookies before she left, and we've all promised to keep an eye on Sagy while she's away.

Visiting rights

At 2.03am this morning the population of America went up by one, and today we went to see the girl responsible.

Unfortunately the hospital shares its name with an old people's home ("if anyone in here has given birth, it's a miracle," we were told by the attendant) but we eventually got to the right place.

American hospitals are suspiciously identical to English ones, which is interesting given how much they pay here. You do get crushed ice, and the television's free, so there are some benefits to the market running wild with your health care.

Little Claire is soooooo cute. She's also unbelievably placid, eating fine, sleeping well and grumbling rather than crying when things don't go her way (this will hopefully continue through her teenage years). Daddy Vince showed off all the mad skills he learned at parenting classes, and Mummy Christine enjoyed sushi for the first time in nine months. They're all doing really well. Hannah and I doted, cooed and made silly noises, but were accosted by hospital security as we tried to escape with her.



It's a girl!



Of course Daddy will let you have a Harley...



Proud family portrait.



Hannah looks a bit too comfortable for my liking.



I'm fine as long as she doesn't cry, poo, be sick or need food.



Mother and child.



My reward for all that hard work: an Oreo shake with peanut butter topping. Deeeeelicious! I cannot wait to introduce Claire to fast food.

Baby's first blog

Vince and Christine finally had a baby this morning (it took them nine months!) Claire Camille was born at 2.03am weighing 6lb 14ozs. Do children born while their parents are studying at Haas automatically receive MBAs? Yet to be confirmed...



She's so tiny!

All work and no play

It's finals next week and so the students have instantly become boring. But even in the worst academic crises you still have to eat, and tonight we were all entertained by Pete and Fini. The theme was Argentinean Hallowe'en - lots of fine food and wine, pumpkins and several spiders. After a few drinks we were once again putting the world to rights. I don't know why the United Nations bothers. A few weeks of Berkeley students and partners in charge and the world would have no more problems...



Two supermodels.



"That's the Middle East solved, now what about all this financial turmoil business...?"



Would you like a wafer with that?



Check this bad boy out. That's coconut, M&Ms and chocolate sauce. It's great being a grown up.

Stupid game

There's only one type of bowling. Unfortunately the Americans don't appreciate this, and insist that throwing a heavy ball at a bunch of sticks can be classed as a sport.

Hannah and her friends went out this evening for their inaugural girls' film night, and the estranged husbands were left to make their own entertainment. The all-American pastime of bowling was chosen as a robust response to this unnatural lurch for emancipation, and so several of us found ourselves at the Albany Bowl (an establishment of questionable repute...when the black-and-white photos on the wall look better than the facilities today, you know you have a problem).

Vince decided this was the time to unveil the Yorktown Cup, a trophy of his own devising contested between Britain and America over whatever "sport" takes his fancy. Tonight it was bowling. Yorktown is apparently a place where the British fought the British during the so-called American War of Independence. The British who won decided to call themselves Americans, and by all accounts have been regretting it ever since.

Anyway, the evening was mildly entertaining. Maybe I lost the first game to two Americans. Maybe I lost the second game to an American and two Israelis. Who's counting? Either way ten pin bowling is a rubbish way to spend an evening, and during the next ladies' night in November we'll be playing cricket.



Vince displays the issue at stake.



Logan is introduced to the wonders of the bowling alley.



Vince plays with a six pound ball.



Look at that technique! How come all ten don't fall down every time??



Action shot



Elad flies the Israeli flag. Yes, he scored more than me.



Vince does his victory dance. He's very at home in San Francisco.



Enjoy it while it lasts, my friend.



We retire to the Hotsy Totsy and discuss Middle East politics. Much more straighforward than this bowling rubbish.



We even took top spot on the movie trivia quiz machine! Result!!



Elad was sure he spotted something in the bottom of the pitcher...



Would you believe that the Hotsy Totsy was showing Pretty Woman? Perhaps the girls' night out should relocate to here next time.

Scary monsters

Today was a momentous day - Evie was four years old! We were invited along to her Hallowe'en themed party, and threw ourselves into the task of dressing up. When we arrived it turned out we were the only adults to make the effort (including her parents!), but we did manage to supply Amir and Dana with costumes and so didn't feel completely stupid.

The party was the perfect mix of scary movies, frightening books and delicious cupcakes. Evie was the consummate hostess, handing out popcorn and candy bracelets on arrival and making sure that everyone had the right coloured party bag on leaving (blue for boys, pink...you get the idea). Then present opening happened. How many miniature princesses can a girl own? Never enough, it seems.



The birthday girl! Four-year-old Evie.



There's something different about Hannah. Can you spot it?



The power of television.



Story time!



The big kids arrive - Dana and Amir.



Queue for cupcakes.



A witch and her familiar.



Um...



Perfectly matched!



Someone in this picture is an MBA student.



Dana and Amir have a baby, and she's blonde!



Present time. What are birthdays for?