We flew in and out of Oakland this trip, I've gotta say it was even more convenient than SFO. Cheaper too! We took the Bart to the Embarcadero, walked over to the Ferry Building bought all sorts of goodies and our Muni passes and then hopped on a street car to get us to our hotel. We stayed at the Sheraton in the Wharf. I snagged a great deal on Hotwire. For our first meal, we stuffed ourselves silly on treats from Boccalone, Acme breads and Cowgirl Creamery. It's become tradition.
Before the game, we stopped in to see Young (our Korean Grandmother) at Petite Deli for our second meal. She welcomed us with open arms. My mom got to taste her delicious sandwiches (made with love) that she's heard so much about. Then, we were off to Candlestick Park. Getting there early removes all the hassle.
When we still had hope...
We couldn't believe the difference compared to our last game there - so smooth! I won't speak much about the game. It was an embarrassment for Bears' fans. We got clobbered! It really stung at the time, but seeing that the 49ers made it to the superbowl; it softens the blow. We ended up leaving early so we could get a crab fix at the Crabhouse on Pier 39. This also helped us avoid sheer madness when it came to taking the bus back to the wharf. Frank and I filled up on crabby goodness while mom enjoyed shrimp.
The next day, we got an early start and rented a car from Budget nearby. My mom has some issues getting around so it seemed like a good time to see some surrounding sights via car. The rental was a breeze, I'd recommend Budget and will use them again in the future. We began our adventure with Lombard Street and then we drove to the Tenderloin for Banh Mi at Saigon Sandwich.
I took the sandwiches to go and we picnicked on the otherside of the Golden Gate bridge. It was chilly and the winds were super gusty we ended up back in the car pretty quickly.
We took time to explore the Marin Headlands before riding out to Muir Woods (it was so foggy on the way). My mom's back was acting up so she didn't join us while we hiked Muir Woods, but Frank and I loved it.
Lastly, we went around Sausalito and by the Sutro Baths and Alamo square before returning to Petite Deli for another bite, then we returned the rental - that's the only complaint: we had to have the car back by 4:30 for the same day rental.
The rest of the night and following day are a bit of blur now. We tried to get in as much as we could before Frank flew home. We went to the Castro and up Twin Peaks. We ate duck at R & G Lounge, made another stop to see Young, another visit to the Crabhouse and to Penang Garden for more crab. We quenched our thirst with beers at Kennedy's Irish Pub, Beer 39, and Irish Coffee at Buena Vista.
Frank returned home, my mom and I stayed two more nights so I could show her the rest of the sights. Only trouble was that I came down with the sickness. I was miserable. I was burning up with a fever by the time we headed home. I was a trooper, though, I didn't let it slow us down. On Thanksgiving, we mainly hung in the Wharf. We had breakfast at Hollywood Cafe. Then, soaked in the beauty from the Bay. Took a bay cruise ($15pp) and then watched the sea lions play until sundown. Instead of the traditional turkey dinner we ate at the Crabhouse again. Mom had the filet and I enjoyed one last crab feast.
Then, on our last day we had brunch at Boudin's Bakery, a late lunch at R & G Lounge, rode the cable cars end to end and saw the last few sights before heading home.
My mom had a great time. We gave her a pretty good tour and squeezed it all into 5 days. It took Frank and I about 5 trips to discover all that she experienced. I am happy I could show her around a city that I adore and the opportunity to create those memories.
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