North Beach - Day Four

While on the bus we passed a place named Italian and French Bakery, those are magic words. We got off at the next stop, Columbus Ave. Talk about kismet! We walked until we came to Petite Deli, it was a few minutes before they were scheduled to open. Along the way, we were tempted by several other eateries. So, we considered going elsewhere, but then a friendly older Asian man opened the door and invited us in. Young, the owner, was behind the counter prepping for the day. She couldn’t have possibly of been more sweet. She welcomed us as if we were guests in her home. We ordered an Italian Hero to share. That way we could eat again, shortly.

Young made us one of the most delicious sandwiches we’ve ever tasted. Ingredients were as fresh as can be, it had your typical Italian meats, but it was her special mustard, vinegar and basil that made it special.



Young wished us well and we were on our way. We couldn’t help, but stop at Piazza Pellegrini for a bite. Nevermind, that we literally had just eaten. Frank ordered eggplant parmesan; it was wonderful. I had homemade crab ravioli. It was incredibly delicious. We had no trouble finishing both dishes.





Next we walked all around the North Beach area. We quickly fell head over heels for this neighborhood. The corner bakeries, cafes, meat markets, etc. a little slice of heaven, it was.











We stopped at that Italian French bakery and bought a few goodies: Danish, Florentine, Croissant, and cinnamon bun. We ate them later in the hotel room, everything was a big disappointment. Fortunately, while walking around we found Victoria Pastry Co. We stopped in for a cappuccino and were unable to resist a chocolate mousse napoleon and a made to order cannoli. Absolutely scrumptious! Pure bliss.





We continued onward and ran into Chinatown. We knew that meant Cable Cars were near, so we caught one back to the hotel. On the way we realized that North Beach is only a few blocks from the hotel. The other day, we were a block away from Petite Deli. We felt so silly, we thought we were so far away – the bus had us both disoriented. The good news was our favorite neighborhood was practically around the corner!

Rather than exploring more, we went back to the hotel to rest up before the Bears game.

Bears vs. 49ers up next…

Coit Tower - Day Four

Thursday, we started the day with a visit to Coit Tower. We took the bus to Sansome St. and got off when we saw the signs for the stairs to Coit Tower. We climbed the first set no problem, the second were steep as can be, the next few sets weren’t much easier. We took a few breaks to admire the view and ponder the street sign and fire hydrant we spotted half-way up the mountain. Pretty flowers hung from the trees.







This was the view at one of the breaks in the stairs.



The nearby building had this interesting artwork.



View of the Bay Bridge from the next break.



Homes were really close together here, see?



Finally we spotted Coit Tower, we were close.



But there were more stairs to climb.



We arrived, at last!



The parking lot, it also serves as a bus stop. Too bad I didn’t realize we could take the bus straight there. We needed the exercise, though.



We went to the gift shop and purchased tickets to the top ($5/ea). Then, we took the original elevator to the top. That was a thrill. Next, we just enjoyed the amazing view!













We came back down, I took one last photo...



as a bus pulled up, we hopped right on. We didn't care where it was headed we just didn't want to walk down all those stairs we came up.

We wound around and around, we were left with no sense of direction. We figured we'd stay on until something looked interesting or we came across Columbus Ave. There was a deli I wanted to try.

Union Square, Chinatown, Boudin Bakery - Day Three

From Lombard Street we rode down to Union Square, we hopped on the Bart. We thought we get off at the Balboa Park stop and walk or take the bus to Golden Gate Park. But when we got off, we were all turned around, the neighborhood didn’t seem too friendly – we were a bit bewildered. We hopped on the first bus we saw. We rode for over an hour. Passing through neighborhood after neighborhood, never saw anything worth seeing, although we did pass Cow Palace which is an indoor event venue. At one point I asked Frank where he thought we were headed and he reminded me of the quote we loved on the wall at the World Market next to the hotel.



We eventually ended up on the expressway and building once again looked familiar. We exited the bus near Union Square. We stopped in a Big & Tall store, but walked out empty handed. We walked around a bit, I liked the area even less than the first time we visited it. It feels like you’re stuck in the Forum Shops during a busy holiday.













We walked a couple blocks to avoid the Cable Car lines and caught one in route. We exited the Cable Car in Chinatown. We walked around, checking out the sights, stores and bakeries.













We eventually wound up at Four Seas Cantonese Restaurant. We ordered spring rolls to start – crisp and flavorful.



Then, we shared 1/4 Peking duck and shrimp fried rice. The duck was tender and had delicious crispy skin, the rice wasn’t what we usually seek - it had the creepy shrimpy shrimp I don’t care much for, but it was very good. It had a nice oniony flavor.





Afterwards, we were on the hunt for a bakery with Almond Cookies. It didn’t take long to find one, we got a package to go. We enjoyed them later in the hotel room.

We waited at a Trolley Stop, but none came. A bus showed up and informed us the Cable Car stopped running. We soon found out why, it had broken down on the street – not far from the hotel.

We rested in the room for a few hours. We weren’t terrible hungry so we figured a large meal would be a waste. Instead, we walked over to the Wharf. How could I come to San Francisco and not indulge in the San Francisco treat? No, not Rice-A-Roni. I’m talking about Clam Chower in a bread bowl at Boudin Bakery. Frank ordered the Rustic Tomato soup. It was for the best since he didn’t much care for my Clam Chowder. What I never understood was why New England Clam Chowder is so highly popular in San Francisco, any idea?









Next we walked down to a bar we spotted earlier in the trip that touted 85 beers, and 84 cold ones. We each ordered a draft, I think the tab was $16. And it wasn’t that cold. None of the bars had chilled glasses. I really like my draft in a chilled glass.



It was there, we agreed we both missed home, despite having a great time. Instead of ordering another round we stopped at the liquor store and bought a six pack to take back to the room.

We crashed fairly early it was another long day.

Lombard "Crooked St" - Day Three

Once we were finally stirring after our glorious lunch we walked down to the Cable Cars. The stop is right across from the famed Gary Danko.



I wanted to try Restaurant Gary Danko since none of his restaurants are in Vegas, of course tabs come with a hefty price tag; so, we bet on the football games the Sunday before our trip. If we won, dinner was on. Needless to say, we lost – overs went under. GD, will have to wait.

Onto the Cable Car.





We rode the Cable Car for a couple blocks, just until we reached Lombard Street. I wanted to get photos now that it was daylight.

Quite a difference from night, here's the view towards Coit Tower with the Bay bridge.



Prior to this trip it never occurred to me that people live on this street. I surely wouldn’t want to, the curves are tricky enough, but the crowds and gawkers – like myself - would grow tiresome, I’m sure.



We walked down and then back up to catch another ride on the Cable Car.





Next up, Union Square.

Ferry Building - Day Three

We started the day by hopping on the F Streetcar; we were headed to the Ferry Building. It was still early so most stores were preparing to open when we arrived.



Acme Bread Company, however, was open for business. We happily stepped right up and bought a green onion loaf. We walked out back by the bay and ate it – all. The birds got a little, too.

They wanted more!



Enough time had passed; all the stores and eateries were now open. First stop, Boccalone for a salumi cone, ours had mortadella, fennel and brown sugar salumi, and prosciutto. Yum!





Next, we went to Stonehouse Olive Oil. We did a small tasting and chose to purchase their Dipping Oil. It was wonderful – fruity, garlicky, acidic and a tad spicy.



We grabbed a Nutella pastry from I Preferiti di Boriana.



Then we stopped at Cowgirl Creamery. This is the place where dreams are made. Cheese! Wonderful delicious cheese.



We were offered samples of any cheese we wanted to try – how about them all? Fortunately, Frank is good about narrowing down the types we like or are interested in, I was busy drooling, and all I could add is that we wanted something for sandwiches. An aged Gruyere was suggested, after a sample we were sold. We also bought aged Gouda and cheddar. We couldn’t make a clean break without first buying some of their fantastically smooth and creamy cottage cheese.



Last stops were made at Boccalone for salumi and mortadella, and Acme for sandwich bread.







We practically skipped back to bus because we were so excited to get back to the hotel to make sandwiches – we had a hankering they might just be the best sandwiches in the city.







If they weren’t, they were damn close. We gorged ourselves like it was Thanksgiving. Then we napped just as you should on such occasion.

Cable Cars, Telegraph Hill - Day Two

We walked over to the Cable Cars to go for a ride. There was nowhere in particular we were headed, just wherever the trolley was headed.

We got a kick out of the turntables – wild how manual these are to operate.



We boarded and were ready for the ride… the following were taken along the way to Chinatown.













We got off in Chinatown and had a brief look around before catching another cable car back to the Wharf. Then, we stopped at the hotel to rest up a bit before dinner.

We chose Fog City Diner for dinner. I was reading the guidebook in the hotel room and it mention their gouda mac with black forest ham. We just had to try it.

After a quick ride on the bus we were there. It looks like a diner, but the menu isn’t what you’d expect. Everything has a bit of a foodie-twist. To begin, the iced tea is a citrus ginseng blend. It was very refreshing.

Then we had the bread trio: jalapeno cornbread – weakest, cheddar biscuit – light and fluffy, and garlic and leek sourdough – delicious.



Frank had the Chicken Schnitzel with lemon caper butter, broccolini and mashed potatoes. It was pretty good; it reminded me of a parmesan chicken dish we get at BJ’s Brewhouse.



I had the mac and gouda, and an order of crab cakes. Both were excellent, but I really enjoyed the crab cakes. They were a bit spicy, meaty and lightly breaded.





We had a great meal. We were stuffed when we left Fog City Diner. From there were walked around Telegraph Hill, eventually ending up at the Cable Cars. We took a ride to Union Square. We walked around a bit. The crowds were heavy, shopping isn’t my thing so I was less than thrilled with the area. After a look around we headed back on another Cable Car. This time we got off at Lombard Street to have a look at the “Crooked Street”.



Hard to see much in the dark, but you can spot Coit Tower and the Bay Bridge in the distance. We walked down Lombard, it was the steepest street we encountered so far. Our legs really felt it. We continued on, hopped on another Cable Car and stopped at bar named Da Lucca, I think. It said Bears fans were welcome, that’s all it took to sell us. We ordered two draft pints at $14 we’re not in Vegas anymore – we’re spoiled by local bars such as PT’s. After our beer, we headed back to the hotel. It was a long day.

Wharf & Bay Cruise - Day Two

After a quick bus ride we were back near the Wharf. It was the warmest day forecasted all week so we decided it’d be the best day to do a Bay Cruise. The Red and White fleet had tours for $22/person. While walking over there, a couple was offering a tour on their fishing boat at one o’clock for $15/person, we opted to go that route we put our name on the list and killed time at the Antique Arcade and passed by nearby vendors at the Wharf.









There were dozens of creepy animated puppets. Some made no sound, others like these, just laughed and laughed. It could only be creepier if they were clowns.





I got a kick out of the old-time porn, we sure have come along way…



We killed enough time, we were able to board the boat. We walked down the ladder off the pier unto the boat and took a seat up front. For the longest time it seemed we have the bow to ourselves, but no such luck. A couple joined us. No problem, only about 15 people can ride so it can’t possibly get too crowded.

The boat we were on was much like these.



Once everyone boarded we were on our way. Scoma’s is at the end of the Pier, we ate there later in the week.



Crab season opened on Saturday, our last day – unfortunately. Here you can see all the crab traps piled up. Boats were loaded with them on Friday evening.



Jeremiah O’Brien is docked at Pier 45, it’s one of two of the last Liberty Ships built and launched during World War II.



Out on the Bay…



Once we got near the bridge everyone from the back of the boat migrated up near us. Two solo photographers, a couple kids and a group of guys that were reliving their frat boy days – they were awfully annoying, they got wasted pounding back a case of Bud Light. Between them, and the rocking from the waves it was tough to get decent shots.







I thought it was neat to spot this plane above the bridge considering we were in boat. Planes, boats, and automobiles… doesn’t have the same ring to it.













Lastly Alcatraz…







Then it was back to dock, we spotted seals napping along the way.



The cruise would have been perfect if it weren’t for the drunk frat boys. I liked going out in the smaller boat, they shared brief details with us along the way and provided blankets.

Next, we were off to the Hyde Street Cable Car.

Downtown - Day Two

Downtown San Francisco reminded me of Chicago, the tall buildings, architectural detail, and bustling streets – I love that big city feel.









The Transamerica Pyramid is the tallest building in the San Francisco skyline. At 853 ft, suddenly it didn’t seem so big despite it towering above us. Especially when Las Vegas has The Palazzo topping out at 642 ft, Fontainebleau at 735 ft or the Stratosphere Tower at 1,149 ft. However, it is still an impressive sight.





Redwoods in Redwoods Park, around the corner from the Transamerica Pyramid. Neat to see.



The flower stands were welcomed bright spots in the concrete jungle.





We enjoyed our look around, it was time to head to the Wharf.

Waiting near the bus stop.

The Mission - Day Two

We were up bright and early Tuesday. Our first stop was Walgreens to buy 3-day Muni passes ($18ea) so we could ride the busses, cable and street cars all we wanted. Next stop was coffee at Starbucks – fortunately for us, they were next door to each other. Then, we were off to the bus stop. We were headed to the Montgomery Bart Station, and then we took Bart to 24th and Mission. It was a breeze.



Once in the Mission District, Dynamo Donuts was our destination. It was several blocks from the Bart station, we could have taken the bus, but it was considerably warmer there – we opted to enjoy the weather, and take in the sights of the neighborhood. Large murals covering sides of buildings could be spotted at nearly every corner.







Many homes were brightly painted with amazing detail, I loved this one.



We passed dozens of Taquería’s – some touted tacos and others tamales. Few were open since it was early otherwise it might have been tough to simply pass by. Dynamo Donuts is a walk up donut and coffee shop there are a few tables inside. They are known for their Maple Glazed Bacon Apple donuts. We got two of those, and we also tried Lemon Pistachio – my favorite, Spiced Chocolate, Vanilla Bean and a Cinnamon Stick Bun. I thought the bacon and bacon fat maple glaze might make these donuts savory, but nope, they were sweet. Just like you’d expect a donut to be. We had hoped for something different. We were a bit disappointed.





We walked the streets and passed time until La Taqueria opened. It boasts “The best tacos and burritos in the world”, I can’t say that is true but they were Muy Bueno! I had a carnitas taco and Frank chose the carne asada burrito. Both are served with beans and salsa. We also ordered a side of chips and salsa. The salsa and green sauce were fantastic.











We filled our bellies and got a feel for the oldest neighborhood in San Francisco, it was time to head back downtown, an easy trip via the Bart.

San Francisco - Day One

The Flight to San Jose was quick; it was a breeze getting to the Caltrain Station. Time passed quickly, I read most of Bastard Husband: A Love Story while traveling - great read, by the way. Once in San Francisco we hopped on the bus to get to our hotel, The Tuscan Inn. We had been up since 4:30am, so by the time we made it to the room we were exhausted and starved - it was around 11 o'clock.





We walked a couple blocks for Freddie’s Sandwiches. We had the club on sourdough and wheat. The wheat was the better of the two. The other gave my jaw a work out – it was the chewiest sourdough I ever came across. The sandwich shop has been around since 1926, it has an old feel. They offer a huge selection of pop and beverages. Hundreds of varieties cover the walls.





No longer hungry, we just needed sleep. We napped, and lounged a bit. Eventually, we walked over to the Wharf and chose to dine at Cioppino. How could I dine at a place called Cioppino and not try their signature dish? Never having tried it before, I figured what better time? I loved the crab and snapper, the clams were also tasty. The mussels, shrimp and calamari could have been better. Each got chewy as they cooked in the broth. Frank had Shrimp Scampi. It was delicious. The shrimp were tender and perfectly sweet.




After dinner we walked up the Wharf and along the Bay up to Ghirardelli Square. We stopped in for sundaes. Frank had the peanut butter, and I had the intense dark chocolate with coffee ice cream. Both were out of this world!



We wandered a bit before turning in… we looked forward to the adventures ahead.

Back home!

We had a great time in San Francisco last week. We saw a lot, did a lot, and ate a lot. Details to come, but first I need to play catch up. Plus there are over 500 photos to sort through.

Here are a few teasers...

The Fat Greek

This week's LLV article covers one of our favorite lunch spots. The Fat Greek. They serve up all kinds of tasty eats.

Check it out, Vegas Values: Gyros and more!

Wow!

It is Friday. Already. This week flew by, which is pretty astonishing since my vacation begins at four o’clock today. This weekend will be spent with the family. My mom, Blaine and Mike drove in from Pahrump last night and they’ll be staying with us a couple nights. I’m not certain what is in store, but bingo was mentioned as was the Wrangler’s hockey game. Mike won two tickets a few weeks ago at Bite of Las Vegas. I’m looking forward to whatever we do, especially since Mike will be heading back to Chicago in less than two weeks. Whenever family and friends visit time flies and it’s a whirlwind.

This past weekend was no different. We had a great time with Jimmie and Kate. It was her first time here, she was in for a real treat since Jimmie surprised her with the trip; they stayed at the Signature, rented a Corvette, saw Crazy Horse, and did the Richard Petty Driving Experience. In their free time, they hung out with us at Ellis Island, Firefly, Hard Rock, and Seablue. Frank took them for a night run under the moonlit sky to give them a taste of off-roading; they also cruised thru Red Rock Canyon and did some hiking. I was stuck at work on Monday so I wasn’t able to join in the fun and enjoy the gorgeous November day. I was definitely jealous. They’re already talking of making a trip next year, I hope they do. It’d be good to see them again soon.

Last Friday before they got into town, Frank and I met up with old friends at Three Angry Wives. It is an Irish themed video poker bar and restaurant. We caught up over beers and then ordered dinner. Frank had the Rueben he thought it was pretty good. I went with the corned beef sandwich. It was decent, but I ran into some tough fatty pieces. That’s always a disappointment. Prices were reasonable. I wouldn’t go out of my way to return, but I wouldn’t mind going back.

After dinner, we all headed to Bailey’s Sports Bar (Rancho/Craig) for Amateur Comedy Open Mic Night. It happens the last Friday of the month. No cover, a pitcher of Widmer was $12.75. It was fun, some comedians were better than others; only two were really terrible. I imagine new talent performs each month.

We crammed a lot in last weekend; we had long days and particularly long nights. It was one heck of a weekend! It was also great because Frank had time off from work. I really appreciated all of our extra time together.

Thankfully, we get another dose next week. No work and all play!

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