Since no one but me reads this blog anyway, I get to do a completely boring play-by-play of my trip. No readers FTW! I’m a Type B by nature, but on vacation, I turn into a Type A iteniary monster. Blogs are the new slideshows when it comes to trips, so feel free to skip the post. Will add in pictures tomorrow, when I’m not so tired.
I stayed the first night at the Sir Francis Drake in Union Square, which for a little more then a $100 was a steal. I’d like to tell you I spent the first night doing something high-brow, but I did not. I spent the first night at H&M buying cheap sundresses, and window shopping all of Union Square. It was heavenly.
I woke up and took a cable car ride to the Wharf and then I bought I fanny pack. Well…ok, not so much the third item but that should be the general sequence. Instead I did eat a sourdough bread bowl full of egg scramble from Boudin Bakery, and it was delicious. All food I eat moving forward should be served in a bread bowl.
Up next…the de Young. I’ve wanted to visit it my last two times, but had a hard time convincing anyone to go with me. I really loved it. I loved how it was this mix of steel and then bam…lush greenery. The art isn’t full of “names,” but I found the pieces to be really interesting. Like this miniature steel cathedral that was made up of guns and bullets when you got close up. Or this fireplace from Thurlow Lodge. They also have an observatory tower that had the most stunning 360 view of San Francisco. It took my breath away, and gave me one of those “I could live here” moments. I went to the next door California Academy of Science. It was meh to me. $24.95 for some really over crowded exhibits and screaming children I wanted to dropkick. And I like children.
As a kid, one of my favorite memories of San Francisco was renting paddle boats and bikes in Golden Gate Park, so I rented a bike at the Pavillion in Stow Lake. Mistake #1 was renting a cruiser, as half of the paths were dirt. I almost bit it in front of some the ultimate frisbeers. Mistake #2 was not allowing enough time to really enjoy it. I wish I had given myself several hours instead of one. Golden Gate Park is stunning, and around every turn there was some breathtaking vista or waterfall or park. I’d really like to start at the top and then bike to the beach…and then have someone pick me up in a car to take me back up.
Then I went back to Union Square…and wait for it…wait for it…went shopping. Again. After fueling the economy, I met up my best friend from high school who lives with her husband in Berkeley. Getting together always involves ethnic food binges. We learned to cook together in college. First on the stop was Mint Leaf, a really great Indian restaurant with cocktails and appetizers that rocked. Then we went to Venus, where they don’t even have a freezer, everything is that fresh.
Saturday was spent exploring Berkeley, which I loved. Lunch was at this great Mediterannean restaurant. But best yet was the ice cream at Ici with a line down the block. No wonder with flavors like Ginger with candied ginger, chipotle almond, brown sugar oatmeal raisin and a large display of baked goods. Definitely want a repeat visit here. We walked all around downtown, Telegraph Hill and campus. I always associate Berkeley with the Cohens (two points if you understand that reference).
In Berkeley, they have these hidden staircases everywhere that take you up one street to the next, so you don’t have to walk all the way around. Loved this quirky feature. By Christina and Peter’s house, there is this park with a long cement slide coming down the hill. You take pieces of cardboard and ride it. Words can’t describe the wonder. And the wonder I didn’t end up in the ER.
Last day I caught up with college friends for breakfast at Zazie in the Haight Ashbury. Ridiculously good breakfast (ginger bread with pear pancakes with lemon curd) and even better company. I got to wander around Haight street for awhile for some vintage shopping and picked up some praline chocolate caramels with salt from Coco luxe. If you’re sad you didn’t get to pick some up too, don’t be. You can order them from Foodzie (plug!).
Spent my final hours playing Bocce ball and trying to fly a kite in the Presidio right by the bridge. Quinessential way to end a trip.
