I picked up some cheese at 2001 on my way home. St. Andre and, with the help of a fey, elaborately bored clerk, some wonderful goat cheese, (“Is it as good as Humboldt Fog?” “Nothing is as good as Humboldt Fog.”) a hard, nutty-tasting cheddar, Spanish anchovies, some bread and crackers. Then I walked cross the street to the Jug Shop and got an expensive Italian wine. Went home with my arms full. We had a nice, quiet evening. The cheese and wine were deliicious and I read two books.

This was a continuation of my birthday celebration, which stretched over the weekend. 2001, the high end cheese shop on Polk was named after its address — 2001 Polk. I remember it as a white, sterile looking space consisting almost entirely of refrigerators stocked with high-end cheeses. The guy behind the counter watched me as I browsed. I watched him back. If I reached for something he didn’t like, he’d shake his head, and I’d go on to the next cheese. He never steered me wrong. 2001 Polk is still an excellent cheese shop, but it now sells wine and lots of other good things along with cheese. It’s owned by Ray Bair now and called Cheese Plus.

The Jug Shop, a 60-year-old business, is gone, renovated away to another location, which had much less foot traffic. It closed last month.

Reading two books involved, still involves, alternating between chapters. Typically it’s something light and something heavy. Like combining cheese and wine.