Reconnecting with Friends Over Dinner is Therapy

Jason and I met up with our good friends Hector and Bronwyn this evening for dinner at one of our favorite restaurants here in the city… Puerto Alegre on Valencia in the Mission. Nothing fancy, just an incredible and casual dinner with friends we hadn’t seen in nearly two years. Just being in the presence of people we love, especially those we haven’t seen in a long time, is incredibly therapeutic.

We talked and reminisced. We shared stories about our lives. We made each other feel better with the assurance that, no, we aren’t the only ones dealing with issues in our lives—health, work, family, and politics spare no one. There’s a lot of common ground, camaraderie, and belonging in those shared struggles. Despite everything, and all things considered, they are doing well, and we are doing well. That is something to be incredibly mindful of and thankful for.

They have a 23-year-old daughter living with them, and it was fun to hear their stories and perspectives on a Gen Z young woman coming of age in the city. In many ways, Gen Z seems totally unprepared for the realities of the world they are inheriting, and in others, they seem so much better equipped than many of us Gen X/Millennials could ever hope to be. I wish them all a lot of luck. Probably a topic for another article. :-)

And the place… Puerto Alegre. What an incredible gem of a restaurant, truly legacy status. This place has been open for decades, but the food and ambiance are the same as ever. Maybe a little more expensive, but just as delicious. Being there with Hector and Bronwyn, and of course Jason, felt like home.

Jason and I walked the 1.75 miles home, burned 200 calories, and are better for it. We have a great life here in SF!