San Francisco Trip Report
Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 10:25 pm
We spent 4 nights in San Francisco this past weekend. We flew in on Friday afternoon and left Tuesday afternoon. We stayed in an apartment on Nob Hill I found on vrbo.com that was in a great location and had a fantastic view. It was an older place and had its quirks, but also its charms. We would stay there again.
This is the view that greeted us on our arrival.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/22826825@N05/3217386277/" title="Golden Gate Bridge by TeddySalad, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3368/321 ... e12a_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="Golden Gate Bridge"></a>
The weather was great the whole time, sunny with highs in the upper 60's.
We had dinner the first evening at the House of Nanking thanks to Marcia's (Mrs. Pete) recommendation. I had sesame chicken and Mrs. Salad had scallops. We also had hot and sour soup and eggrolls. It was all great just like Marcia said. We enjoyed a nice sunset that evening.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/22826825@N05/3217386299/" title="Sunset by TeddySalad, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3094/321 ... 2426_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="Sunset"></a>
We found a little place called the Gallery cafe a couple of blocks from our condo across the street from the cable car museum. We had breakfast there our first 3 mornings. The first morning we had bagel sandwiches and the next two mornings we had oatmeal that was really good.
Our first day there we walked down to the Asian Art Museum. Not knowing what we were doing, we walked through one of the seedier parts of town, the Tenderloin district. Nobody bothered us, but we were glad it was daytime. We then walked over to Johnny Foley's, another Marcia recommendation. Like she said, great atmosphere, good service and food. We split a huge plate of calimari that was really good and each had a salad.
We took the BART over to Oakland to meet a boyhood chum of mine that I hadn't seen in 33 years. He is a pastor in Oakland. We spent a nice afternoon with him and his wife and had an excellent dinner at Scott's in Jack London Square.
The next morning, Sunday, we took a cab to Golden Gate park. We wanted to go to the Academy of Sciences museum but the line was blocks long. San Franciscans seem like very patient people. More patient than we are, so we walked around the eastern side of the park and went through the arboretum.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/22826825@N05/3217386385/" title="Arboretum in Golden Gate Park by TeddySalad, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3304/321 ... 0d8e_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="Arboretum in Golden Gate Park"></a>
After a bite at the cafeteria in the deYoung museum we walked over to Haight/Ashbury. There were a few survivors from the summer of love there, but mostly young people. We stopped at the Ben & Jerry's on the corner of Haight and Ashbury and I had to have Cherry Garcia. It just seemed right.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/22826825@N05/3218238332/" title="Corner of Haight & Ashbury by TeddySalad, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3266/321 ... 5712_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="Corner of Haight & Ashbury"></a>
We caught a cab back to the condo, rested up, and then walked down to Fisherman's wharf to try another Marcia suggestion, the Crab House. We split the 3 pound crab dish and I had a marguerita. Marcia, you were right, it was all good. We got in some more hill work by walking back to the condo after dinner.
I never got tired of the view.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/22826825@N05/3217386461/" title="San Francisco Bay by TeddySalad, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3502/321 ... c80a_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="San Francisco Bay"></a>
The next day at breakfast we got a call from a lady we know who lives in Fresno. She left a message saying she was coming to San Francisco on the train with her sister and a friend and would be getting to Union Square at 11:30 so we could meet for lunch. We started walking to Union Square. We started walking down Mason Street where it gets very steep just south of California and a guy on a scooter wiped out right next to us and slid a good ways down the street. He was shaken up, but not really hurt. He was smart enough to have on a leather jacket, long pants, and a helmet. His face shield had come off and we handed it to him, made sure he was okay, and with the help of another couple wheeled his bike off the street.
We started off toward Union square and my phone rang. It was our friend from Fresno who said they were at the Franciscan at Fisherman's wharf. We hailed a cab and finally found a cabbie who could speak good English and knew his way around. His name was Kamal. He said he came to SF 21 years ago from Gaza. We told him we needed a ride to the airport the next day and we got his card.
Lunch was very nice. Great view of the bay and Alcatraz. The food was good but pricey. We walked back to the condo, rested up, and walked down to Union square to find a "speakeasy" we had made reservations for that night. It's called the Bourbon and Branch. My wife heard about it from her hairdresser. You have to have a password to get in. We found it and decided we were definitely going to take a cab there and back that night.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/22826825@N05/3218238386/" title="Bourbon and Branch by TeddySalad, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3124/321 ... 54ec_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="Bourbon and Branch"></a>
We got a takeout pizza from a little Italian restaurant a couple blocks from our condo called the Nob Hill cafe. We got into the Bourbon and Branch and each had 3 drinks. They actually had booze in them. We stumbled out and hailed a cab. We are not big drinkers. The next morning we walked down to Sear's restaurant near Union Square. I had the "world famous 18 Swedish pancakes" and Mrs. S. had an omelette. Really good breakfast. We walked back to the condo and had some time to kill so we went down to the cable car museum and took some pictures of the neighborhood.
This is the engine that drives the cables.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/22826825@N05/3218238592/" title="Cable Car Engine by TeddySalad, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3507/321 ... 07ab_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="Cable Car Engine"></a>
Looking down Washington Street toward the Transamerica Pyramid.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/22826825@N05/3218238490/" title="Transamerica Pyramid by TeddySalad, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3419/321 ... 48b3_b.jpg" width="768" height="1024" alt="Transamerica Pyramid"></a>
Kamal came and got us at noon. Nice big Town Car with lots of leg room. We enjoyed talking with him. The flight back home was on time and smooth.
San Francisco is a great city and we really enjoyed it.
This is the view that greeted us on our arrival.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/22826825@N05/3217386277/" title="Golden Gate Bridge by TeddySalad, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3368/321 ... e12a_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="Golden Gate Bridge"></a>
The weather was great the whole time, sunny with highs in the upper 60's.
We had dinner the first evening at the House of Nanking thanks to Marcia's (Mrs. Pete) recommendation. I had sesame chicken and Mrs. Salad had scallops. We also had hot and sour soup and eggrolls. It was all great just like Marcia said. We enjoyed a nice sunset that evening.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/22826825@N05/3217386299/" title="Sunset by TeddySalad, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3094/321 ... 2426_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="Sunset"></a>
We found a little place called the Gallery cafe a couple of blocks from our condo across the street from the cable car museum. We had breakfast there our first 3 mornings. The first morning we had bagel sandwiches and the next two mornings we had oatmeal that was really good.
Our first day there we walked down to the Asian Art Museum. Not knowing what we were doing, we walked through one of the seedier parts of town, the Tenderloin district. Nobody bothered us, but we were glad it was daytime. We then walked over to Johnny Foley's, another Marcia recommendation. Like she said, great atmosphere, good service and food. We split a huge plate of calimari that was really good and each had a salad.
We took the BART over to Oakland to meet a boyhood chum of mine that I hadn't seen in 33 years. He is a pastor in Oakland. We spent a nice afternoon with him and his wife and had an excellent dinner at Scott's in Jack London Square.
The next morning, Sunday, we took a cab to Golden Gate park. We wanted to go to the Academy of Sciences museum but the line was blocks long. San Franciscans seem like very patient people. More patient than we are, so we walked around the eastern side of the park and went through the arboretum.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/22826825@N05/3217386385/" title="Arboretum in Golden Gate Park by TeddySalad, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3304/321 ... 0d8e_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="Arboretum in Golden Gate Park"></a>
After a bite at the cafeteria in the deYoung museum we walked over to Haight/Ashbury. There were a few survivors from the summer of love there, but mostly young people. We stopped at the Ben & Jerry's on the corner of Haight and Ashbury and I had to have Cherry Garcia. It just seemed right.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/22826825@N05/3218238332/" title="Corner of Haight & Ashbury by TeddySalad, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3266/321 ... 5712_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="Corner of Haight & Ashbury"></a>
We caught a cab back to the condo, rested up, and then walked down to Fisherman's wharf to try another Marcia suggestion, the Crab House. We split the 3 pound crab dish and I had a marguerita. Marcia, you were right, it was all good. We got in some more hill work by walking back to the condo after dinner.
I never got tired of the view.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/22826825@N05/3217386461/" title="San Francisco Bay by TeddySalad, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3502/321 ... c80a_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="San Francisco Bay"></a>
The next day at breakfast we got a call from a lady we know who lives in Fresno. She left a message saying she was coming to San Francisco on the train with her sister and a friend and would be getting to Union Square at 11:30 so we could meet for lunch. We started walking to Union Square. We started walking down Mason Street where it gets very steep just south of California and a guy on a scooter wiped out right next to us and slid a good ways down the street. He was shaken up, but not really hurt. He was smart enough to have on a leather jacket, long pants, and a helmet. His face shield had come off and we handed it to him, made sure he was okay, and with the help of another couple wheeled his bike off the street.
We started off toward Union square and my phone rang. It was our friend from Fresno who said they were at the Franciscan at Fisherman's wharf. We hailed a cab and finally found a cabbie who could speak good English and knew his way around. His name was Kamal. He said he came to SF 21 years ago from Gaza. We told him we needed a ride to the airport the next day and we got his card.
Lunch was very nice. Great view of the bay and Alcatraz. The food was good but pricey. We walked back to the condo, rested up, and walked down to Union square to find a "speakeasy" we had made reservations for that night. It's called the Bourbon and Branch. My wife heard about it from her hairdresser. You have to have a password to get in. We found it and decided we were definitely going to take a cab there and back that night.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/22826825@N05/3218238386/" title="Bourbon and Branch by TeddySalad, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3124/321 ... 54ec_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="Bourbon and Branch"></a>
We got a takeout pizza from a little Italian restaurant a couple blocks from our condo called the Nob Hill cafe. We got into the Bourbon and Branch and each had 3 drinks. They actually had booze in them. We stumbled out and hailed a cab. We are not big drinkers. The next morning we walked down to Sear's restaurant near Union Square. I had the "world famous 18 Swedish pancakes" and Mrs. S. had an omelette. Really good breakfast. We walked back to the condo and had some time to kill so we went down to the cable car museum and took some pictures of the neighborhood.
This is the engine that drives the cables.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/22826825@N05/3218238592/" title="Cable Car Engine by TeddySalad, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3507/321 ... 07ab_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="Cable Car Engine"></a>
Looking down Washington Street toward the Transamerica Pyramid.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/22826825@N05/3218238490/" title="Transamerica Pyramid by TeddySalad, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3419/321 ... 48b3_b.jpg" width="768" height="1024" alt="Transamerica Pyramid"></a>
Kamal came and got us at noon. Nice big Town Car with lots of leg room. We enjoyed talking with him. The flight back home was on time and smooth.
San Francisco is a great city and we really enjoyed it.
