Here’s a superb view from the 24th floor of The Fairmont hotel which I got to soak up at a works Christmas party on Friday night.

I’ve been over here since around Wednesday. I’ve been on a pretty intense journey of learning and contributing to an ‘Off Site’. The three disciplines of Product, Engineering and UX got together for some searching and fascinating discussions about how we might improve the ways we go about our business. It’s the first time I’ve worked inside a company so big (by some measures, it’s the biggest) and we do face some unique problems and opportunities. It’s great that we can get together to see how other ‘markets’ go about things.

Yesterday, I caught up with some old friends – Ben and Claire – who moved out here a couple of years or so ago. It’s great knowing locals. We went to a superb restaurant called Hogs & Rocks, ate oysters and multi yummy stuffs, drank Bloody Mary’s then hit a few bars before pizza at their house in The Castro.

Today? Who know! I’m going walking and shopping – which I’m just about to research some ideas. I’ve got the day to myself (a ridiculously rare treat in my life!) then dinner with another old friend Dave C, who’s in town.