Well, I made it. After a couple of games of Wilson solitaire, a quick stop at Perkins, and a teary goodbye at the airport, I got on a plane to get my 49 pound suitcase, my hiking pack, and my little bag all the way over to San Francisco. I was happy to have stopped in Dallas/Fort Worth and ridden a huge sky-train. Obviously Des Moines’ airport is a little bit different… In true travel style we waited on the plane in Dallas for an hour because of “total incompetence” as the pilot said, but, fortunately enough, the movie 21 was playing as in-flight entertainment and the time went fast.
From then on it was Phil’s Frisco. We came through, stopped at the Marriot where I am staying (holy cow is it nice!) and went on to glance at the Golden Gate Bridge and head over to Phil’s apartment. We went to this little place called Nopa… yummmmm…There was little crispy bread chips and goat cheese dip, pizza with cucumbers and tomatoes and goat cheese, rabbit with a spicy stew, and dark chocolate dessert. I’m a picky eater, I’ve never liked goat cheese, I’ve never had rabbit, but it was delicious! And Nopa was an experience, not a restaurant. True San Fran style.
I’ve decided that I am getting spoiled with all of this luxury. The Marriot has a king size bed and a TV to match, not to mention $4.00 M&Ms and a concierge room that has food and dessert at almost every hour of the day. Before I left, I had chicken and noodles, and pizza, ice cream, hibachi Japanese, and all of my all-time favorite foods, plus time playing solitaire with Mom and Grandma. (Note: Solitaire with the three us is group solitaire: a hardcore, competitive, break-all-your-nails sort of game. Is there limited electricity sometime in the future? I would never know it from my experiences today!
Day 2
This city is amazing! Phil, Aparna and I, after a light breakfast in the hotel-room-for-special-people lounge, walked around the city, getting a little feel for the downtown skyscrapers, the grand hotels, the parks and the fountains, the little eateries, and all of those hills that are great to look at on the movies, and a little less fun to walk around. We walked through Chinatown (both tourist town and the true China town), down to the pier, and right onto a little catamaran that took us under the Golden Gate Bridge and around Alcatraz island. It was beautifully bumpy, spraying Phil and I with ocean water numerous times as we tried to hang on to the rails through the wind and the waves. Fun Fact of the Day: The guards at Alcatraz made the prisoners shower in hot water so they couldn’t get used to the cold water and therefore would be less likely and able to escape by sea to the city.
Before we went on, we had these delicious sandwiches at a place that I would never had found by myself. Tiny, no seats (not full…non-existent), just a register and a counter for the chow. Places like this are the reason why I never want to tour a city without a native, or, in Phil’s case, a guy that has somehow become a native through extensive exploration.
We had the lovely pleasure to go see Frida Kahlo’s work at the SFMOMA. So amazing! Passionately created, intricate in detail, and simply gorgeous. The museum itself is also quite a pleasure to walk through.
For dinner, because the wonder never stops, we ate at a little Brazilian steakhouse: Espetus Churrascaria (I thought of you, Jacob!). There was a salad bar in the back full of greens and mango salsa and all kinds of ethnic dishes. Then all of these men called gauchos come around to each table with skewers of meat and, if we consent, put a slice or a bite on our plate. I was impressed with their skill as they cut and placed the meat. I was also impressed with the delicious glass of sangria that I had (And with the pomegranate gin that I had later at an old style speakeasy that we had to give a password to get into!).
I would like to publically state that Phil is the best tour guide that I have ever had. San Fran-Phil’s-co was a blast…and now the rest of the adventure.
From then on it was Phil’s Frisco. We came through, stopped at the Marriot where I am staying (holy cow is it nice!) and went on to glance at the Golden Gate Bridge and head over to Phil’s apartment. We went to this little place called Nopa… yummmmm…There was little crispy bread chips and goat cheese dip, pizza with cucumbers and tomatoes and goat cheese, rabbit with a spicy stew, and dark chocolate dessert. I’m a picky eater, I’ve never liked goat cheese, I’ve never had rabbit, but it was delicious! And Nopa was an experience, not a restaurant. True San Fran style.
I’ve decided that I am getting spoiled with all of this luxury. The Marriot has a king size bed and a TV to match, not to mention $4.00 M&Ms and a concierge room that has food and dessert at almost every hour of the day. Before I left, I had chicken and noodles, and pizza, ice cream, hibachi Japanese, and all of my all-time favorite foods, plus time playing solitaire with Mom and Grandma. (Note: Solitaire with the three us is group solitaire: a hardcore, competitive, break-all-your-nails sort of game. Is there limited electricity sometime in the future? I would never know it from my experiences today!
Day 2
This city is amazing! Phil, Aparna and I, after a light breakfast in the hotel-room-for-special-people lounge, walked around the city, getting a little feel for the downtown skyscrapers, the grand hotels, the parks and the fountains, the little eateries, and all of those hills that are great to look at on the movies, and a little less fun to walk around. We walked through Chinatown (both tourist town and the true China town), down to the pier, and right onto a little catamaran that took us under the Golden Gate Bridge and around Alcatraz island. It was beautifully bumpy, spraying Phil and I with ocean water numerous times as we tried to hang on to the rails through the wind and the waves. Fun Fact of the Day: The guards at Alcatraz made the prisoners shower in hot water so they couldn’t get used to the cold water and therefore would be less likely and able to escape by sea to the city.
Before we went on, we had these delicious sandwiches at a place that I would never had found by myself. Tiny, no seats (not full…non-existent), just a register and a counter for the chow. Places like this are the reason why I never want to tour a city without a native, or, in Phil’s case, a guy that has somehow become a native through extensive exploration.
We had the lovely pleasure to go see Frida Kahlo’s work at the SFMOMA. So amazing! Passionately created, intricate in detail, and simply gorgeous. The museum itself is also quite a pleasure to walk through.
For dinner, because the wonder never stops, we ate at a little Brazilian steakhouse: Espetus Churrascaria (I thought of you, Jacob!). There was a salad bar in the back full of greens and mango salsa and all kinds of ethnic dishes. Then all of these men called gauchos come around to each table with skewers of meat and, if we consent, put a slice or a bite on our plate. I was impressed with their skill as they cut and placed the meat. I was also impressed with the delicious glass of sangria that I had (And with the pomegranate gin that I had later at an old style speakeasy that we had to give a password to get into!).
I would like to publically state that Phil is the best tour guide that I have ever had. San Fran-Phil’s-co was a blast…and now the rest of the adventure.
1 comment:
Thinking about you and hoping your well... Sure sounds like you have enjoyed SanFran so far... I hope the rest of your time away is just as enjoyable... Both Snowflake and Myself miss you s-Kelsey and are awaiting for the time we get to talk with you again...
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