Kenyon Friends and a Rogue Owl

My day started with circling, circling, circling a few city blocks looking for a place to park. Fortunately I had planned on this scenario so I had plenty of time to spare. I eventually found a prime spot and walked a few blocks to my first appointment at San Francisco University School. I appreciate the time that Jon Reider is willing to spend with me, and I am thankful that he's willing to spend time with someone relatively new to the admissions world (I have visited his school for four years, but he's always been generous with his time). He was kind enough to give me a copy of the new second edition of a book he's edited along with a few others (and he signed it!). It is called "Admission Matters: What Students and Parents Need to Know About Getting Into College". I look forward to reading it and sharing it with visitors to the Norton Room at Ransom Hall. It would have been smart of me to ask him to pose with the book for a picture but it didn't occur to me, so here's a shot of the entryway to the building that houses the counseling department.

My second stop was at Drew School, just a few blocks away. But since I was in a two hour spot I had to move which meant more and more circling and searching. Drew is a fun visit because I get to touch base with Densil Porteous, Kenyon alumnus and former director of multicultural admissions in our office. It's always a treat seeing a face familiar to Middle Path while on the road! I also ran into Mary Schmidt, also a Kenyon grad, who was following my visit to Drew with one of her own--though I can't remember for whom she works.

Densil was a sport and posed in his sweet office. Note the fine Kenyon pennant behind him.

I then headed out to The San Francisco Waldorf School. I'm ever so grateful they have a parking lot of their own, so I look forward to my visits there all the more!!!

My understanding is that the school's building formerly housed a calling center. The property was purchased and remodeled by the school's founders--it is a beautiful spot to study.

After several interviews back in the lobby of my hotel, I headed out to meet up with a good friend from my class at Kenyon. I suppose we've initiated a new tradition in that for the second year in a row we meet at Mum's Restaurant to dine Shabu-Shabu style. I was looking forward to tonight for a week! It's a fun way to dine and allows for good conversation as you have to wait for the food to cook in front of you.


You are served as many fresh, raw vegetables and beautifully sliced raw beef, and it is your choice as to how to season and mix them, along with two types of noodles, peanut sauce and a rice wine/soy sauce combination. It's fun, and a great price... I highly recommend it.

My shot of the day is of this owl that kept following me around the city. Clearly it is graffiti, or could be considered as such, but he appealed to me. And appeared to me on several different streets.


From San Francisco before I head to the peninsula, all the best.
-Noble