My wife and I took advantage of the recent President’s Day holiday weekend and spent it in San Francisco.
Weekend sailors on the Bay. Photo by coreanscribe.
It’s been a long time since I visited the city; I was last there when Pearl Jam’s “Vitalogy” was ruling the radio airwaves in the mid-1990s. Ugh. I have to get out more.
This trip was short but it gave us enough time to try some great food, catch up with old friends and see a little bit of the beautiful bay and city.
We got lucky with the weather; it was picturesque. When we first made the plans in January I was resigned to the fact that a chilly February may not offer us the best sights and sounds that San Francisco had to offer. I figured our experience would be somewhat muted. I immediately made mental notes of packing my umbrella and my winter coat. I ended up swapping out both for a pair of shorts and my Ray-Ban Aviators.
We stayed at the W Hotel in downtown and got around easily using the BART — Bay Area Rapid Transit — subway system.
Home of the San Francisco Giants. Photo by coreanscribe.
The big outfield mitt and bottle. Photo by coreanscribe.
The highlight of the weekender for me was Saturday.
We got up early, grabbed some breakfast, and then walked to AT&T Park. We checked out the stadium where the Giants play — in spite of the fact that my wife is a devout Dodgers fan — and then we rented a couple bicycles.
San Francisco bike ride. Photo by coreanscribe.
We planned on a possible bike ride when we made our initial itinerary, but we didn’t have our hearts set on it. We just didn’t know what to expect from the weather. But it was turning into such a beautiful day we couldn’t pass up the opportunity and were thrilled we could make our initial plans happen.
The sun was shining down on us and the cool breeze kept us comfortable on our bikes. We rode along the pier — passing by the Fisherman’s Wharf — and made our eventual destination: the Golden Gate Bridge.
Bicyclists enjoying the Bridge. Photo by coreanscribe.
Bicycle congestion on the Bridge. Photo by coreanscribe.
Over the Bridge to Sausalito. Photo by coreanscribe.
We continued on, riding our bicycles on the famous red structure and over to Sausalito. We regrettably didn’t hang out in the quaint-looking little town because we were on a tight schedule, but I’m hoping to go back one day and spend some time there. It looked and reminded me of Catalina.
Sausalito from the ferry. Photo by coreanscribe.
We took the ferry from Sausalito back to the pier and made our way up to Chinatown for lunch. We met some old friends who recommended the Great Eastern Restaurant for some delicious dim sum. We were told the food was so good that even Obama ate here. Our friends were right; the food was delicious and it really hit the spot. No Obama sighting though. By the way, restaurant recommendations from a professional chef is always a good thing.
The Great Eastern for some dim sum. Photo by coreanscribe.
San Francisco Chinatown. Photo by coreanscribe.
We spent the rest of the afternoon and evening in the hip Mission district — discovering cool street art — and ended the day with great Italian food at Delfina.
Street art surrounds Clarion Alley. Photo by coreanscribe.
Artist at work in the alley. Photo by coreanscribe.
My wife had the risotto. I had the “Hay and Straw” — their take on classic carbonara. My wife and I highly recommend the place. I enjoyed my dish so much I fell into a food coma and didn’t recover until the next morning.
Delfina’s “Hay and Straw” dish. Photo by garyalanfine.
I can’t wait for a trip back to the Bay area.