San Francisco – Day 4

Our last day in San Francisco dawned bright and fresh. Notice the difference in our view from the condo porch.

View on Thursday:

View on Sunday:

We were lazy on Sunday. We slept in, ate our Tacoliscious leftovers, drank coffee, sat around reading books for a few hours.  It was well after 1 PM before we set out for the day. Hah! Can you imagine the pure luxury, I never just sit and read for three hours straight anymore, ever. (I had nearly forgotten what it was like to get that lost in a story.  I was reading a really really good book called Eternal on the Water by Joseph Monniger. It was the perfect vacation read, I highly recommend it!)

Anyway we looked online and figured out what the Gay Parade route was going to be and then looked to see what we could go do that would be away from the crowds and craziness. (Not a social commentary or anything – I just do not at all like crowds like that. I can deal with crowds at places like a concert where there are seats or blankets and you kind of have your own space, but the kind of crowds where people are pressing up right on me gives me trouble, I feel like I can’t breathe. )

So we went down to the wharf and explored Ghirardelli Square and all the boats around the piers and had lunch.  We discovered two wine tasting rooms.

You know I should explain – we really are NOT huge heavy drinkers, really. We do like wine though (all things in moderation!) and I should also say that on this trip we bought two cases (24 bottles) more or less and that will probably last us something like 7 YEARS.

And also, to explain how a wine tasting works – you usually try about 5 wines from a menu and each pour is typically about 2 ounces (and often Will and I split those, so it ends up being about 1 ounce).  So in this post and in previous ones when I talk about going to all these vineyards and tasting rooms, we are talking about SIPS of wine, not huge goblets or anything.  So I hope that puts anyone’s mind at ease about all this wine drinking that went on!

First we tried and purchased some wines -

 

Then we went to a 50’s style diner and sat on the patio looking out over the bay:

(The camera was set on Sepia, I don’t really know why!)

 

 

Our view as we ate lunch:

 

Next we explored the old historic boats on Hyde St. Pier. I was honestly prepared for this to be um…boring. But the displays were fascinating and you can get right on and explore every part of the different ships. It was really neat and I could help thinking how much the kids would have loved it.

 

First we went on an old steam ship.

  

We both took a turn at the wheel.

It was HUGE inside. As in there are even real model t’s and old tractors and things inside. And one room where we met two men busy building model ships. We visited with them for a while, learning all about the process. He showed us a tiny perfect model he was working on, then he told us he had been working on it since NOVEMBER. It was crazy to see the itty bitty tiny lathes and other tools.

   

It was a really fun place to explore, in fact they ended closing so there were 2 of the boats we didn’t get to go on.

Our flight on Monday morning was really early, so I was up at sunrise to take one last picture of a view I could never tire of -

So that about wraps up our vacation in California, I do have a little bit of video I took that I’ll post up once I get it all compiled.  I had such a wonderful, romantic, fun time but I was also more than ready to get back home to my regular life and sleep in my own bed again. I missed my kitchen and my dog and of course my little ones. I missed the space we have here – space to park and live and a back yard after the hustle and bustle of the city. I guess I am just a Texas girl at heart. 

San Francisco – Day 3

Our third day in the city was a Saturday. We did not know that the weekend we would be there was the 40th annual Gay Pride Parade. On the news they said that over 100,000 people came into the city for the weekend events.  We were really able to explore the city without being too impacted by crowds and being just two of us we didn’t notice longer waits at restaurants or anything like that. (Although I did see a dog wearing a sweater that said “I have two daddies”. LOL)

We took the bus over to City Lights Bookstore.

City Lights is an American literary landmark, it was founded in 1953 and is a truly independent bookstore. 

Is that a beatnik over there by that shelf? Oh wait, it’s just me.

(And in case anyone clicks to enlarge this photo, no, I had zero intention of posing next to a copy of “God is Dead”, which is, however a book about the atrocities that have taken place in Sudan and how against the backdrop of unchecked mass murder and genocide belief in a benevolent God becomes near impossible…)

Then we checked out the murals on street behind it which were a social commentary about guerilla warfare in Chiapas, Mexico.

(The writing below reads: solders, drugs and whores – no! corn, beans and peace – yes! A sentiment I’m sure most of us share – eh?)

Next we wandered around China town. The weather was finally beautiful, the breeze was still very cool, but the fog lifted and the day was sunny and crisp. 

After lunch at a sidewalk French bistro (Will doesn’t do Chinese) we walked and walked until we arrived at the the Haas-Lilienthal house. 

 

This home was built in 1855 and is the only such Victorian home that still stands and is open to the public.  We love historic home tours and this one was especially neat because the same family lived in it all the way up until the 1970’s.             

After catching the bus and a nap, we went back out to the Upper Haight district where we wandered around and found the famous intersection of Haight-Ashbury -birthplace of American counterculture in the 1960’s. 

 

By this time it was nearly 10 PM and we were really looking for a great place to have a late date night supper.  Close to our condo in the Marina district, we were delighted to find Tacoliscious which is part taqueria and (at 10 PM on a Saturday night) part lively bar. The atmosphere was urban and hip and the food was incredible and we sat at the counter and so we got to watch them make it.

Very cute Mexican boys worked the kitchen – one making bowl after bowl of fresh guacamole, one worked the grill, one cooking up dish after mouth watering dish of carnitas, beef, chicken so tender it fell apart with one prod of the fork. One guy frying fresh corn tortillas into chips… it was a thing of beauty.

The best were the fillet mignon tacos with caramelized onions. And queso. And yes, there were a few leftovers which we were happy to have the next morning for breakfast.

San Francisco – Day 2

Our second day, which was our first full day in San Francisco we thought we would do any tourist-y things that would be crowded on the weekend. But before we could go have fun, we needed some groceries; namely COFFEE and also breakfast things. (Because I always kind of feel like paying to eat breakfast out is a waste of money, you know?)

Real estate is so precious in this city that nothing is freestanding – it is strange to enter a building that looks like an office building but inside there was a Safeway!

After we got squared away on groceries it was time to head out for the day’s activities.

There is nothing significant about this building – I just liked it.

First stop – Fort Point.  This military fort served to guard the bay from enemy attack.  My understanding is that nothing ever really happened there per se but it is a neat place to tour and an ideal location to see the San Francisco bridge because the bridge arches right up over Fort Point. Inside the former mess halls they now have an exhibit about the building of the bridge. It is all very interesting. It was so freezing cold up on the top though!

  

Next we drove across the bridge into Sausalito, then on up into the windy hills to Muir Woods. We have been before but I just love it so much we had to go again.  Notice how sunny it was once we crossed the bay away from the city. The weather got progressively nicer during our stay.

  

Walking among the ancient redwoods, it is so quiet and so peaceful. One thing I learned is that the very first United Nations summit was held in Muir Woods. 

 

The road coming down from Muir woods is so twisty and just one lane in either direction; there is a wall of rock on one side and a drop off on the other – in some places the drop off is only a few feet from the road with no guardrails or anything.  I especially noticed it on the way back as we were on the drop off side of the road and I was in the passenger seat. Here are views from the road as we were going back down.

 

That evening we went to our favorite restaurant in San Francisco, a little Italian place called La Trattoria Contadina.  We discovered it on our honeymoon so many years ago and were glad it was still there and  still fabulous.

San Francisco – Day 1

After our lunch at In & Out Burger and our spa pedicures we headed into the city of San Francisco (a little under an hour from Napa).  Napa was a warm, sunny, sleepy, small-town.  As we crossed the bay we were in for a totally different experience – the city was load, busy, bustling, urban, covered in a thick misty fog and about 25 degrees cooler.

We got situated in our 1 bedroom condo, which was very luxurious especially by San Francisco standards (penthouse views, washer/dryer, full size kitchen and bath) and most importantly – a parking space (UNHEARD OF!)

We were up on the 6th floor – and no there was no elevator!

 

Will figures out where we should explore next

  

Views on Thursday from our balcony – looking out down the street.

You can just barely make out the bridge over the bay.

Once we got settled we decided to go out on a sunset cruise of the bay. It was beautiful out on the water but also very windy and cold.

Our boat – the Red and White fleet

 

Will looking dapper in his new hat.

What you are seeing in the picture below are insane people – these folks were actually kite surfing in the bay, they kept cutting across in front of the boat, they would cut it so close, man, some people are so much braver than me!

    

View of the city from the boat – see the crazy thick fog? I promise you the sun was fully shining just on the other side of the bay.

Alcatraz. We didn’t tour it this time around, we’ve both been and it is cool but frankly also a bit creepy. Not romantic!

About to cross under the bridge, you couldn’t see the top of the bridge the fog was so thick.

After the cruise we explored the wharf area, it is very touristy with shop after shop of souvenirs and restaurants, and street musicians.  The sun set while we enjoyed dinner at a little pub. 

I like how the twinkle lights on the pub looked in black and white.