Thursday, November 17, 2011
Home - November 10, 2011
We arrived home at about 2:30 in the afternoon to find not only a new tree in front that we had our landscape guy Sean plant, but also a new fence that Jeff and Ben had erected. It looks great. When we went inside, we found that we also had our new kitchen countertops. We hadn't expected these to be completed until after we returned. The countertops are Formica and we have a new cast iron enameled sink, as well as a nifty new faucet. I think we really are finished with the house for now, except for some gravel and mulch in the front.
Downtown S.F. - November 9, 2011
We decided to spend our last day downtown. After checking out of our hotel but leaving our bags there, we took the street car again and got off at Montgomery and Market. We managed to spend several hours in the Westfield Mall, which is huge and has several floors of mostly upscale stores. We had lunch there and then left the mall to walk to Union Square. We did some window shopping, but the streets were being torn up and it was pretty noisy and messy. For years I've wanted to see what happened to the old City of Paris store with it's beautiful stained glass dome. As a child I loved to visit the store every Christmas because they put up a huge tree in the middle that went up through several floors. The store was taken over by Neiman Marcus. They dismantled the dome, sent it back east to be cleaned and restored, and then installed it in their new store just 100 feet away from where it originally was. They've done a nice job of recreating the old City of Paris feel.
At that point we felt we'd had enough shopping and decided to try to walk back to the hotel. We walked up Stockton Street, which goes over a hill but has a convenient tunnel. Happily, we walked past the Victoria Pastry Company, which has the world's best cannolis. My father used to bring home a box of them as a special treat when he worked in San Francisco. We bought one and took it back to share at our nearby Starbuck's (which we visited often enough that they actually remembered what kind of tea David drank!) We spent several leisurely hours hanging out in Starbuck's until it was time to meet Dan and Liz for dinner. We had a delicious meal at Albona, complete with their yummy sauerkraut soup. It's an Istrian restaurant and has some very unusual food. By the time we finished it was time to head for the Amtrak bus back to Emeryville. The train was about an hour and twenty minutes late, but we finally got on and immediately went to sleep.
At that point we felt we'd had enough shopping and decided to try to walk back to the hotel. We walked up Stockton Street, which goes over a hill but has a convenient tunnel. Happily, we walked past the Victoria Pastry Company, which has the world's best cannolis. My father used to bring home a box of them as a special treat when he worked in San Francisco. We bought one and took it back to share at our nearby Starbuck's (which we visited often enough that they actually remembered what kind of tea David drank!) We spent several leisurely hours hanging out in Starbuck's until it was time to meet Dan and Liz for dinner. We had a delicious meal at Albona, complete with their yummy sauerkraut soup. It's an Istrian restaurant and has some very unusual food. By the time we finished it was time to head for the Amtrak bus back to Emeryville. The train was about an hour and twenty minutes late, but we finally got on and immediately went to sleep.
Another Museum - November 8, 2011
We started our day with a walk past Fisherman's Wharf, through the Marina district and out to Fort Point, which is the southern connecting point of the Golden Gate Bridge.
We had hoped to continue our walk around the point to the ocean, but the area is now closed for security reasons. So we walked back to the Marina and caught a bus to take us to the Palace of the Legion of Honor.
We got off on Union Street, where we had lunch at the Brixton, then back on the bus. The Palace of the Legion of Honor is a beautiful art museum in an amazing setting, high above the city and the ocean, with views in all directions.
The featured exhibit was 'Pissaro's People,' which was very nice, with lots of paintings of his family and local workers. There was also an exhibit called 'The Mourners,' which were statues about 18" tall which were placed around tombs of royalty to represent people mourning. They were fascinating.
After another bus trip back to the hotel, we chose to have dinner at No. 9 Fisherman's Grotto. It proved to be an unfortunate choice. The food wasn't bad, but the service was really terrible. I guess its main business is the tourist crowd, and they obviously don't go out of their way to impress them.
We had hoped to continue our walk around the point to the ocean, but the area is now closed for security reasons. So we walked back to the Marina and caught a bus to take us to the Palace of the Legion of Honor.
We got off on Union Street, where we had lunch at the Brixton, then back on the bus. The Palace of the Legion of Honor is a beautiful art museum in an amazing setting, high above the city and the ocean, with views in all directions.
The featured exhibit was 'Pissaro's People,' which was very nice, with lots of paintings of his family and local workers. There was also an exhibit called 'The Mourners,' which were statues about 18" tall which were placed around tombs of royalty to represent people mourning. They were fascinating.
After another bus trip back to the hotel, we chose to have dinner at No. 9 Fisherman's Grotto. It proved to be an unfortunate choice. The food wasn't bad, but the service was really terrible. I guess its main business is the tourist crowd, and they obviously don't go out of their way to impress them.
Sausalito - November 7, 2011
This morning we walked to the Ferry Building and took a ferry to Sausalito. It's about a half hour trip.
Sausalito is a small town with a huge marina and interesting homes on the hillside.
This is the city park downtown.
After lunch we returned on the ferry. This time we passed very close to Alcatraz for some great views.
In the evening we enjoyed a delicious dinner at Cafe Pescatore, a couple of blocks from our hotel.
Sausalito is a small town with a huge marina and interesting homes on the hillside.
This is the city park downtown.
After lunch we returned on the ferry. This time we passed very close to Alcatraz for some great views.
In the evening we enjoyed a delicious dinner at Cafe Pescatore, a couple of blocks from our hotel.
Museum Day - November 6, 2011
Today we took the bus to Golden Gate Park, where we visited the deYoung Museum. The featured exhibit was called 'Masters of Venice.' It was in impressive exhibit of Renaissance paintings, mostly portraits and religious works. After lunch there we viewed some of the permanent exhibits, which are always interesting. We got back on the bus to head for home, but decided to see if we could find one of our favorite tea places, Samovar, on Sanchez. There are two other locations, but we didn't know where they were. As we rode along Page Street, we spotted a Samovar and quickly pulled the cord and got off. After a really nice tea (including scones with jam and cream!) we walked down to Market Street, where we caught one of the old street cars. San Francisco has added a bunch of old restored street cars from all over the world. Ours was from 1928 Venice.
We rode all the way to Fisherman's Wharf, where it ended.
That evening we opted for a light supper at Hot Spud, just down the street from our hotel.
We rode all the way to Fisherman's Wharf, where it ended.
That evening we opted for a light supper at Hot Spud, just down the street from our hotel.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Wedding - November 5, 2011
After several days of beautiful but cool weather, the evening of the wedding was miserable. We rode the bus and fortunately had just a couple of blocks to walk.
The house the wedding was held in was beautiful. It's a large Victorian with lovely interiors.
Some of the guests:
Proud parents of the groom, with grandson Daniel.
Cindy and Stephen, Liz's mother and stepfather.
Dave and Marna.
Nancy, Sandy and Daniel.
Chris and Tom.
Liz's niece Robin was the flower girl and her sister Gwendolyn was the junior bridesmaid. Liz's sister Gabby was bridesmaid. The procession came down the stairs.
Vows.
Hors d'oeuvres were served after the ceremony, followed by a delicious dinner downstairs.
Cutting the cake. The figures represent their Wii characters.
The house the wedding was held in was beautiful. It's a large Victorian with lovely interiors.
Some of the guests:
Proud parents of the groom, with grandson Daniel.
Cindy and Stephen, Liz's mother and stepfather.
Dave and Marna.
Nancy, Sandy and Daniel.
Chris and Tom.
Liz's niece Robin was the flower girl and her sister Gwendolyn was the junior bridesmaid. Liz's sister Gabby was bridesmaid. The procession came down the stairs.
Vows.
Hors d'oeuvres were served after the ceremony, followed by a delicious dinner downstairs.
Cutting the cake. The figures represent their Wii characters.
Market Day - November 5, 2011
After breakfast at Starbuck's just a block away we headed out on foot for the Saturday farmers' market at the Ferry Building. We'd heard it was a really good one and we wanted to see it. It was amazing. There were somewhere around 80 vendors with everything from fruits and vegetables to mushrooms to olive oil. There were some vendors inside the Ferry Building, but most were outside, both in front and in back.
It was frustrating not being able to buy anything, but what a joy to see it.
We walked back along Columbus Street, where we visited the City Lights Book Store and had a pizza for lunch. We spent a leisurely afternoon resting up for the wedding.
It was frustrating not being able to buy anything, but what a joy to see it.
We walked back along Columbus Street, where we visited the City Lights Book Store and had a pizza for lunch. We spent a leisurely afternoon resting up for the wedding.
Trip to S.F. - November 4, 2011
We left Salem at about 3:30 in the afternoon on Thursday aboard the Coast Starlight, arriving in Emeryville the following morning at about 8:30. We took the Amtrak bus to Fisherman's Wharf and walked to our hotel, the San Remo. It's an old European-style hotel, having been built in 1906 following the earthquake. It was a fun and inexpensive place to stay, in a great location.
Our room was small but comfortable.
We were not able to check in until early afternoon, so we dropped off our bags and headed out on foot. We walked through Fisherman's Wharf and over to the Marina, where we had lunch.
In the evening we went with Dan and Liz to dinner at the Hyde Street Bistro. Also there were Dan's friend Aaron, Liz's sister Gabby, and her cousin Jessica. Liz's parents had planned to be there as well, but her mother was sick, so they decided to stay in and rest up for Saturday. We had a wonderful dinner and drank lots of wine.
Our room was small but comfortable.
We were not able to check in until early afternoon, so we dropped off our bags and headed out on foot. We walked through Fisherman's Wharf and over to the Marina, where we had lunch.
In the evening we went with Dan and Liz to dinner at the Hyde Street Bistro. Also there were Dan's friend Aaron, Liz's sister Gabby, and her cousin Jessica. Liz's parents had planned to be there as well, but her mother was sick, so they decided to stay in and rest up for Saturday. We had a wonderful dinner and drank lots of wine.
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