Rain in San Francisco

Now don't get me wrong.  Just because I love old stuff, doesn't mean I resist change.  In fact, I love change!  A fresh coat of paint, turning over a new leaf, clean socks. When real improvements are made anywhere, I shout hooray!

But bad change - the pointless kind, where something good (or at least something with potential) loses out to something that is decidedly not better... well, that's not so good. 

You may have heard the news that the Tonga Room Restaurant at the historic Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco may soon be lost forever as the hotel is converted into - I can hardly bring myself to say it - condominiums!

I could see clouds gathering on the horizon a few years ago when the Tonga's Hurricane Bar introduced the plasma screen assault of basketball; the true sign of desperation for any themed bar.

The Tonga Room dates back to 1945 when Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's art director Mel Melvin transformed the Fairmont's indoor swimming pool into a magical nautical bar, complete with a thunder and lightning rainstorm that occurs every 20 minutes.  If you haven't seen it, there's just nothing like it.  Peering down at the rocks, sand and giant clam shells on the dark watery bottom of the lagoon's deep end while a mist of cool chlorinated rain falls from the ceiling above still makes the back of my head tingle.

I urge you to plan a visit to the Fairmont tout suite, request a water-side table, order a drink, and soak up the atmosphere while you may.  I'll be there for happy hour tonight!