Saturday in the Park

It was not the Fourth of July. But it was sunny, and all of the neighborhood around Mission High School was in Dolores Park. Well, maybe not all, but a really good statistical sampling representing the major types of subcultures and social groups of the Castro-Mission area. And puppies.

Just like in the Movies

Though I've been to San Francisco several times and spent my time doing various touristy things, I'd never taken the famed cable cars for a ride until this trip. Mostly worth it as a means of getting from here to there (in my case, from Powell and Market to Fisherman's Wharf and back again). But it can be incredibly scenic as well. The open air ride is nicer than sitting in a street car or bus, and it's fun to pass the other cars and wave. Fortunately, I was seated the whole time and could take pictures rather than hang on for dear life on the side of the car. My recommendation: Take the Powell and Mason car to get to the wharf, then return on the Powell and Hyde car. Also, on the Hyde car, you want to be on the left side in order to get the great view from the top of Lombard Street (the curvy street) and views of downtown and the bay.

Best. View. Ever.

One of the best things about staying with my friends in San Francisco is that I wake up to this sight every day. If I lived in this city, I'd be buying them out of this apartment and/or camping on the roof (which is, conveniently, accessible from their walk-out balcony). I fall in love with this city every single time I see this view. And night-time is my favorite. I could stand in the chilly January night all night long looking at this from the balcony.

One Afternoon, Four Restaurants

I supposed I could have titled this post "Going Down on 18th" or "Eating Out in the Castro"... but let's leave the cheeky puns to the Sit 'n' Spin and the Sausage Factory. This one time, in the Castro... I went out for an afternoon and stopped at four restaurants on my way to and from Dolores Park. Oh, and there was a pause for puppies in there too.

Miss Modesty: SF City Hall

If asked, I think most of us would say that the city hall buildings in any place we've ever lived could also have been mistaken for public libraries, municipal works buildings, maybe even a really nice bank. In smaller towns, the town hall is usually in the same building as another nearby township's seat of government, the fire station, and possibly even parks and rec. But this is San Francisco. You go, girl.

Retreating Like the Tide

I'm about to begin the true retreat part of this trip - a time when my cell phone is always on silent, when I send no texts, make no status updates, and write no blog entries. Oh, there will be posts, mind you; they've been written and scheduled already. Still wrapping up some tidbits on San Francisco, maybe a little filler about the trip in general. But for the next 3 days, I'll be hiding out in Carmel-by-the-Sea with like-minded tourists and celebrities, pretending I don't know a soul. I'll catch up on blogging after that, and then... then I'll be coming home.  

Eating and Drinking down Fisherman's Wharf

Where can you eat super-tasty San Francisco sourdough bread in the shape of tiny turtles, dine on fresh crab served to tourists in jeans by waiters in black bow ties while listening to a Dean Martin-esque rendition of Bon Jovi's It's My Life, and drink any of 85 beers from a long bar with over 40 taps? San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf, of course.