San Francisco (Days 3-6)

It has been a busy few weeks!  I just got back from visiting my family in Boise, Idaho, and shooting a wedding while I was up there! I had such a good time hanging out with the fam and the puppies =)  As I was trying to figure out what to do this afternoon while Andrew was writing, I figured I should probably finish my San Francisco posts before I forget what I did... so....


Monday morning, Andrew started his Six Sigma training (the reason he was up in SF, and I tagged along). I grabbed a quick breakfast at Starbucks, and pulled out a map and thought about where I wanted to go that day.  The problem was that I didn't have a car, and was not familiar with the city nor the forms of public transportation.  I stared perplexedly at the map, trying to figure out which buses stopped where and where the muni train went.  I decided to "google" bus routes and ended up stumbling upon a website called 511.org.  Folks... this is one of the coolest websites ever.  If you are in an unfamiliar city and need to get somewhere, simply type in where you are, and where you want to get to, hit enter, and 511 plans your trip for you.  It gives you several transportation option (ie. whether you want to walk, take the bus, then the train, or whether you want to walk a little farther and take a different bus all the way etc.)... as well as how much all the different fares would be.  It's fantastic!  With that in had on my trusty iPhone (I don't know what I would do without that ensnaring little piece of technology), I decided to go visit Golden Gate Park.  I followed my 511 directions to the train station where I purchased a muni ticket (the muni is like a bus/train by the way... it starts like a train underground and then makes bus-like stops outside houses once above ground) and headed down to wait for my train.  The train ride took about 20 minutes, and the walk to the park about another 15.
Golden Gate park is HUGE and houses several attractions such as a flower conservatory, a Japanese Garden, a Science center, an outdoor theater, a museum, and a botanic garden.  The botanic garden was one of the first attractions I walked by, so I decided to look around.
The garden wasn't too crowded that morning, so I pulled out my camera and took several pictures while I looked around.  It really was very beautiful.

After I walked through the entire garden, I went to explore more of the park.  I passed the Japanese Garden, which was what I'd originally come to the park to see, but it was another $7.00, rather small, and very crowded.  So I headed over to the Flower Conservatory.  The Conservatory is closed on Mondays, but the outside is beautifully landscaped, so I meandered the area for a while.

After leaving the Conservatory I walked about 2 miles across the park and over to Haight Street.  This area is pretty famous for being grungy and artistic... but I only know of it from an Anberlin song called... Haight Street! =)  I wanted a picture of the street sign:

and I had the song running through my head for the rest of the day!  There was an Amoeba Records right on the corner of the street so I browsed the store for a while...

...before catching a bus all the way back to the hotel.  Needless to say, I was pretty tired by the time I got back, as it had been several hours of walking.  Andrew finished his training shortly after I arrived, so we grabbed dinner at Chipotle and watched "The Hulk" that evening.

The next morning I got up and ready and grabbed my 511 directions to another bus that took me to Washington Square.  I'd been reading a Cuisine Magazine article that talked about several restaurants around the city that were a must for visitors.  One in particular caught my attention: Mama's on Washington Square.  Mama's is a famous breakfast place, and as I think breakfast is the best meal of the day and the picture showed pancakes piled with berries and syrup, I decided Cuisine Magazine was right... I had to go.  

When I arrived at the Square, I looked across the street to where the restaurant was, and my jaw dropped.  Nobody had warned me about this!  There was a line coming out the front door of Mama's and went down the block.  Talk about famous.  I walked over and got in line, then checked my watch.  It was about 9:00... and boy was I hungry and in serious need of coffee.  I was asking myself if waiting in line to eat by myself in a crowded restaurant was worth it, when through the window I saw it.  A plate with the most delicious looking French Toast piled with strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries.  The plate made the decision for me.  Other places might feed me faster, but they wouldn't serve me THAT.  Plus... who knows when I'd make it back to San Francisco again?  I didn't want to miss out on this opportunity.  So I waited.  It took me almost an hour and a half to get inside, but I'm so glad I waited.  The food was AMAZING!!! It was one of the best breakfasts I'd ever had!  The French Toast I picked (there are like 7 different kinds to choose from) was a cinnamon toast with all the berries, and I added a spicy sausage, fresh squeezed orange juice, and coffee. Yum.  

Mmm my mouth is watering just looking at this picture...

Anyway, after eating as much of this as I could... I headed outside to get a picture of the front of the restaurant

See the line that goes up the block? It was longer when I first got there!

I then decided to hike up to Coit Tower, the tallest point of the city.

San Francisco is known for its hills... and this was a big one! But being even halfway up the hill gave me a great view of the city, and there were some pretty cool buildings along the way.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't panting a little by the time I got to the top of the hill, then climbed the stairs to the tower.  

Coit Tower was built in 1933, and was paid for by San Francisco socialite, Lillie Hitchcock Coit... who was known for being "one of the boys." She smoked cigars, wore mens clothing, and was an avid gambler!  She was also an honorary firefighter and "mascot" for the Knickerbocker Engine Co. 5, which started when she was a schoolgirl and witnessed a firefighter response to a fire on Telegraph Hill (where Coit Tower now sits).  The firefighters were shorthanded, and Lillie was said to have thrown down her schoolbooks and called out to passersby to help the firefighting team while she herself pitched in to help. What a character!

The inside of Coit Tower is also famous for its murals that cover the walls, which depict San Francisco city life.  You can also take an elevator to the top and see a grand view of the city, which I did not do... they have started to charge $14.00 to go up, and I was content to take pictures out front. 

After seeing the sights, I hopped a bus back to the hotel where I put a new battery in my camera, then found another bus to a different part of the city.  I got off near Alamo Square Park, which is right across the street from the "Painted Ladies."  The "ladies" are a row of Victorian houses that are all brightly colored.  Though there are many brightly painted buildings all over the city, this particular row is the most famous. 

The house on the far left had some pretty flowers out front :)

I spent about 45 minutes in the area, then boarded yet another bus back to the hotel.  I accidentally got off a stop early, but I ended up walking by a Dick Blick's Art Supplies store... which had SO much paint! I know there is one in LA... I'm going to have to check it out someday.  

Andrew and I went to Mason Cafe for dinner that night, which was decidedly not as good as their breakfast.  We rented Life As We Know It for evening entertainment, and headed to bed.

The next morning, it was my birthday!  Andrew brought me a Starbucks, and I stayed in bed with my latte and watched The Regis and Kelly Show... which I haven't done for years!  It's totally a guilty pleasure show :D  I also went to Mason Cafe for a second round of eggs benedict, and spent the morning/afternoon lounging and reading.  When Andrew was done with training around 3, we headed over to the San Francisco Ferry Building to take a boat over to Sausalito.  

The Ferry Building itself is pretty cool.  It used to house a lot of offices, but has been turning into a haven for "foodies."  There are so many different restaurants and coffee shops, as well as a farmer's market during weekday mornings.  Andrew and I were planning on eating in Sausalito, so we grabbed two lattes and went out to the dock to wait for our ferry.

On the ferry!

Sausalito is such a cute little place!  When you get off the ferry, you are right in the center of this little shopping area, right next to a yacht club.  It is so quiet compared to the hustle and bustle of downtown, and the harbor is quite beautiful.  Andrew and I walked the boardwalk taking in the scenery before heading to dinner at an Italian restaurant called Poggio's.  

Poggio's was not the sort of Italian food I'm used to... it was fancy food!  But still very good.  I had spinach pasta with rabbit, and Andrew had rigatoni with lamb sausage.  We shared a creme brulee for dessert, which I'd never had before, and it was sooo good!

After we finished eating we took a bus all the way back to our hotel (the ferry stops running at 7) and crashed.  It was a great birthday!

Thursday was our last day in San Francisco, and I got to spend some time with my friend Carrie, who I went to college with.  We realized we hadn't seen each other for 6 years!  Crazy how fast time goes by.  Carrie now has two little girls, who were adorable... and we just got to catch up on life.

I spent the rest of the day wandering the downtown area near our hotel and visiting several art galleries.  I stopped at a Boudin for lunch and had this amazing ham and brie sandwich.  Shortly after lunch, Andrew got out of training and we packed up our things and took a train down to the SF airport.   We were pretty tired once we got all the way home, but it was such a fun trip!  I'm so glad I was able to go with him, we had a blast =)

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San Francisco {Days 1 & 2}

A few weeks ago Andrew went up to San Francisco for the first week of his Six Sigma training.  He kept telling me “you would love this place!” and talked about how fun the city was and how I would have so much fun taking pictures of the buildings and streets.  As it turns out, the next week of training took place over my birthday, so I asked for a plane ticket for my present! We decided to come up a day early so we could go exploring before Andrew started training on Monday.  Saturday morning we got to the airport at the crack of dawn and boarded a plane to The City by the Bay.  We caught a cab from the airport to our home for the week, The King George Hotel in Union Square. 

The King George Hotel was built in 1914, just in time for the great World’s Fair (The Panama- Pacific Exposition, 1915), which was an effort to rebuild and the city after the devastating earthquake of 1906.  The hotel remains a beautiful building, even after almost 100 years!  Though I can’t claim to be an extensive traveler, I have stayed in my share of hotels over the years… and I have found The King George to be a completely different experience.  I just love how unique the place is.  The rooms are smaller than contemporary establishments, but so much cozier.  The décor is warm and inviting, and the lounge and tea room have plush couches and chairs and the walls are adorned with portraits of the British monarchy and other pieces of art that take you back in time. 

Another interesting aspect of our hotel is that it is in the heart of downtown San Francisco.  While the brightly painted and elaborate architecture of the old buildings give the city color, the throngs of people from a variety of nations give the city life. In any given moment out on the streets, you will hear languages from all over Europe, China, Japan and accents from Australia, England, and the southern States.   An old woman will ask you for a quarter so she can buy a burger, while the coiffured fashionistas make their way to Saks Fifth Avenue.  People-watching is far from dull.   And the best way to experience all these different sorts of folk at once?  Ride one of the historic streetcars.  You will not be disappointed.  

After we got to the hotel on Saturday morning, Andrew and I wanted to do some exploring.  We looked over a map of the city and decided that a visit to the Fisherman’s Wharf would be fun.  We walked down to Market Street, where you can find many options for public transportation.  One of the brightly colored streetcars caught my attention.  Andrew mentioned that he had ridden one the last time he was in the city, and that it only costs $1.50.  I’m all about getting places cheaply, so we jumped on board.  In hindsight, I’m very thankful that we were at the end of the line to board the car, because the poor family in front of us caught the attention of this old man sitting in the back.  Sure, the streetcar was full of people, and it was loud as it screeched along the tracks, but this man talked at a decibel that far exceeded what was necessary.  He was the kind of guy who talked and talked and talked and talked and… well, you get the idea.  He cornered said family in front of us and hollered about tractors and Minnesota and baseball games and who knows what else for the entirety of the ride.  I glanced at Cornered Dad at one point, and just grinned because he had his iPhone recording this man and was laughing to himself the whole time.  The old man never noticed. 

A few rows back from Loud Guy was my favorite character on the streetcar: Sweaty Fat Guy with Harmonica.  He was sitting next to the window and had these big black headphones over his ears.  His eyes were half closed and his cheeks were bright red with heat from the crowded car, and every so often he would wipe his shaggy hair off his forehead.  Every couple of minutes he would come out of his half-closed eyes head-bobbing reverie and would raise the harmonica to his lips and proceed to blow on that thing like the notes of music were the last he would ever play.  Then he would stop abruptly, shout out a “woohoo” or “yeah,” take a look around the car, and wipe the sweat from his brow. 

A few stops down from where Andrew and I boarded the streetcar, a family of four came on, along with about 20 other people.  The mom found the last empty seat next to me and sat down with her son on her lap, and her wide-eyed daughter standing in front of her.  The dad stood by them holding the overhead railing.  As Sweaty Fat Guy with Harmonica went through another cycle of blasting his harmonica, the mom looked over in surprise.  She turned her head to me, and saw me smirking in amusement, and simply said “entertainment?” and smiled.  As Sweaty Fat Guy with Harmonica ended his concerto, the mom looked at him again, and happened to catch his eye.  He pulled one headphone from his ear and shouted, “Where are you all from?”

The mom answered, “South Carolina.”

Sweaty Fat Guy with Harmonica hollered, “Where?”

She answered again, “South Carolina.”

A third time he yelled, “WHERE?”

“South Carolina.”

“Rhoad Island???”

All the nearby passengers were now laughing at this exchange as South Carolina Mom told him for the last time.

“Ah yeah man, South Carolina, I love that place!” he shouted.  “My pastor is from there, he’s like my best friend.  God I miss that guy.” 

Without waiting for a response he stuck the harmonica to his lips and played once again.  South Carolina Dad looked at his wife and said in a Carolina drawl “we certainly ain’t big city folk.”

By this time the streetcar was so crowded I doubted another soul would fit.  From the back of the car I hear Andrew calling me (we had gotten separated by the crowd) and we decided to exit a stop early. 

We got off near Pier 27 and walked down towards Pier 39.  Since we didn’t have any plans set, we meandered the area and I took some pictures here and there.

Pier 39 often has a bunch of sea lions basking in the sun.  This guy looked like he was posing for the camera!

So excited to be in San Francisco!

Andrew has his game face on.

We stopped at an Italian restaurant and had some pizza and bruschetta.  It was soooo good!  Our table was right near an open window that looked out onto the street and allowed a nice breeze in.  

It was a lovely lunch and it was nice to sit and relax. 

Next we walked to Ghirardelli Square, a must-see if you visit San Francisco and have any inclination to like chocolate.  Andrew and I shared an espresso hot fudge sundae and officially filled our sweet quota for the week.  I don’t know how someone could eat a whole one alone; they are so rich!  

Inside the shop they have employees making all the fudge sauce and waffle cones by hand, and several machines, including these two, which take the chocolate from coco bean to rich delicious dessert.

Right across the street there were two art galleries that I wanted to visit.  The first was a gallery by an artist named Margaret Keane, who is famous for her “big eye” paintings.  I found her work to be very intriguing.  Here are some examples:

There is an interesting story surrounding Keane and her work.  In the 1960's Margaret's work was sold under the name of her husband, Walter Keane (no one really knows why)... but eventually Walter started taking credit for all of her paintings, saying the he was the artist.  The couple divorced, and still Walter claimed to have painted all the works.  The case went all the way to Federal Court, where it was stated that each person would have to paint something so the rights could be proven.  Walter showed up to court with his arm in a sling saying he'd hurt it the day before.  Margaret then sat and painted one of her "waifs" for the court to see, and the jury pronounced the work and all rights to be hers.  Margaret now lives in the Southbay area, and even though she is 84 years old, she is still painting!

The second gallery we visited was called Vitkovsky Fine Art, which featured the works of Russion artist Vladimir Vitkovsky.  His work is soooo cool!  He has a bunch of paintings with clocks and clock towers, but I couldn't find any online, but here is an example of his style:

After we finished browsing that gallery we hailed a cab and went back to the hotel where we spent the rest of the day napping, saw a movie, and visiting the diner next door at one o’clock in the morning.

Since we were up so late the night before, Sunday morning warranted a good long sleep, so we didn’t head to breakfast until about eleven.  There is a restaurant right next to King George called Café Mason.  Anytime I’m traveling, I like to try eggs benedict at different places (something I started doing on our family trip to Hawaii when I was 12)… and Mason’s were pretty good.  Not as good as the Spices restaurant next to our Maui hotel when Andrew and I were on our honeymoon… I literally had those every day they were so delicious.  But I liked Mason’s anyway.  After breakfast we headed out to the pier again and booked tickets on a “Bridge to Bridge” boat ride.  We had some time before the boat left, so we went back to Pier 39  to the famous Boudin Sourdough shop and bought some Asiago Cheese Sourdough bread and wandered the docks for a while before heading back to where our boat left port.

There are lots of street entertainers around the Wharf

An old WWI submarine they had near one of the historic piers

The “Bridge to Bridge” included the Golden Gate and Bay bridges as well as a loop around Alcatraz.  It was so cool to be able to see the famous landmarks in person! Naturally, I took a score of pictures:

Isn't he so handsome? =)

The Bay Bridge and the San Francisco skyline. 

On the boat, our guide mentioned a church called St. Peter & St. Paul (one saint wasn’t enough I guess) and a bookstore called City Lights that was started by a beat generation poet named Lawrence Ferlinghetti.  We found a route back to the hotel that went by both sites, so we decided to check them out.

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I thought this bookshelf built into the wall was so cool!

City Lights was a weird little place… I’m sorry did I say weird?  I meant “cultured” or “a literary landmark for independent readers.”  The books on the shelves were the sort you’d see in the hands of a pot smoking free thinkers who hate government and think showering is beneath them.  But in any regard, it was an interesting store.

Once we moved past the bookstore we encountered some really cool architecture, then we entered Chinatown, which encompasses several blocks of San Francisco’s downtown area.  I felt right at home among the tiny shops and restaurants with the ducks hanging in the window and scent of incense that lingered in the air.  

Ah, home.  I miss Singapore.  I think smelling all the food really got me craving Asian food, so for dinner we went to this little Indian place called Naan N’ Curry where we had… naan and curry :D  It was wonderful!  The chicken curry reminded me of Wednesdays at SAS when they’d have the rolls and curry for $1.50 Sing during the midmorning break. Yum.  I loved it!


By the time we got back to our hotel that evening we were both pretty tired so we spent the rest of the evening watching The Hulk on my computer.  It was a great day!

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