My 1st travel blog - day 3 in SF

  San Francisco, California, United States
Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Hello my East Coast family & friends (and mid-west for Dana ;)!
Although I do not have any major tales from this trip I'm attempting a travel blog...mostly to prep for the adventures of Egypt and it's a good "diary" for myself and since you are all my loved ones it's a great way to keep you up to date on all my "only me" moments...(or if you care just to read my rants...)
Let me preface that the main pic posted is mine but from a few yrs. ago...my tales of the weather are true...as you will read below & I haven't really taken any pics so far b/c of it...

Day 1:  Sunday, Feb. 22ndSuccessfully make it to JFK...flight leaves about 30 min. late but it's all good as I'm in an aisle seat and no-one is sitting in the middle!  Score!  Slept for almost the first 3 hrs. but then there was quite a bit of turbolence but landed safely in the city that I love!  My denial & prayers to keep the rain away didn't work...so I embark on my first SF adventure w/o the bright sun that makes this city even more gorgeous....it's pouring...it's my 5th time here and I'm tired....I nap for 3 hrs....when I finally do hit the streets it's dark but thankfully the rain has subsided!  I wander looking for the "East Coast Pizza" (I realize the irony) place I love to discover it is not there :( Feeling slightly defeated, my luck turns around as I make my way to another main street to look for food to find that the pizza place did not close but simply re-located!  My luck is turning...slightly!After filling my buddha belly I move onto the scary, small movie theatre near my hotel...I'm talking something out of a horror movie...small...with an actual fan going in the theatre - I tried to take a pic but a couple walked in & I was foiled! I saw "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button."  I don't care what critics say I thought it was very good...yes it is long but I didn't feel like it dragged.

Day 2:  Monday, Feb. 23rdIt's misting in the morning and overcast although surprisingly warm (60's)...I make my way to "Home Plate" a DELICIOUS breakfast place...no matter what you order you are served a yummy warm scone with this amazing jelly.  LOVE IT.   All my efforts of late with the gym are going to go out the window just on breakfast...it is the "Hoboken Gourmet" of the West Coast.  For those of you who have not had the experience of Hoboken Gourmet (especially the pancakes & french toast served w/ banana butter) you don't know what you are missing and I'm telling you it's well worth the trip to Hoboken (Susan I'm trying to advertise for you ;). Since it's not terribly nice out and I just want to feel like I live here...I go "food shopping"...meaning I pick up some apple & bananas in the local supermarket to make myself feel like I'm a local ;)  (from the bat I admitted I'm crazy). Then I walk around the shops & eateries of Union Street in Cow Hollow (in the Marina district) which is basically a quaint little area - suburbean with mostly younger people...probably where I would plant myself if I actually did live here in one of the beautiful Victorians! (a girl can dream!) I ended up in a little local coffee shop - I drinking tea of course - at the end of the street w/ my laptop to educate myself on iphoto (for those of you who don't know I just converted to a Mac) and yes SOON you will all be getting blasts of the pics from the last year that I owe you & I vow to never let it go that long again! Until I get hungry for dinner and hold onto your seats - I got a turkey sandwich from "Blue Barn Gourmet" on Chestnut St. - as the menu describes "old fashioned turkey breast, goat cheese, sundried tomatoes, watercress & pesto aioli on ciabatta" - can you believe it?! AND I LOVED it - so much so I got it again today (Tues.). I'm really branching out ;) Then off to my make-up class - within walking distance to my hotel!  YEAH - now I really feel like I'm home!! ;) It was great but the Chelsea studio is muuuch nicer. Rejuvenated, a lil sore, tired...calling it a night...

Day 3: Tuesday, Feb. 24thI wake up a little before my alarm and see that FINALLY the sun is blazing...I smile to myself and then I curse to myself b/c of course the first day the sun decides to make an appearance I have a 30min. body scrub & 90min. massage booked....FOILED...off to Home Plate AGAIN for bkfast (can't help myself - I already told the waitress she will prob. see me here everyday) and then off to my 11am spa appt....all within walking distance to the Marina Inn. The massue (Rebecca @ Heaven Day Spa) was great - she really broke up the knots which unfortunately I have a ton of...the only gripe was that the spa needs to sound proof the rooms - even with the music on - I heard the massuse next door...he wouldn't shut up for 30min.  All in all very good. Then I grab another Turkey sandwich & back to the hotel to shower.  I get to enjoy some of the sun as I walk around Chinatown.  I went to Old Shanghai (a store I love), got some fortune cookies & Susan & Mary - I walked past Vital Tea - it was empty & I didn't see "Uncle" :(  For those of you who don't know when I went to SF in '07 w/ Mary & Susan we did a tea tasting (an actual bar where you do "shots" of tea) in Chinatown and the owner was a very lively older man who told everyone to call him "Uncle"...definitely an interesting experience. Then I walked from Chinatown to Fisherman's Wharf...it's getting dark & much cooler.  Took in the views from the pier, walked around for a bit - found a store just for "Lefty's" - checked it out in honor of my Mom & saw a magnet that said "If the right side of the brain controls the left of the body . . . Then only left-handed people are in their right minds."   Thought that was funny - b/c Mom I love you but you are not in your right mind! ;)  If you have any beloved lefty's in your life - http://www.leftyslefthanded.com/
Just for kicks I paid $1 to the Zoltar machine (in honor of "Big") & got my fortune.  The first lucky # is 22 - my b-day! Says I'm sympathetic in nature...devote many hrs. to the welfare of others...have a fine mind & if I cultivate it I can be successful...love to dance & fond of sports (I don't think so)...have a graceful walk & determined step...always walkin as though I know exactly where I'm going (which is kind of true)...I'm respected for my determination...in the near future I will endure some hardships but eventually everything will turn out for the best & unending happiness will be mine.  THANK YOU ZOLTAR! Yummy salad from Boudin bakery - where they make bread in crazy shapes including tortugas!! (check out pic) 

Tortuga Bread!

 Early night.  I noticed that there aren't many people this time of the year...it's the least crowded that I've seen...I guess, unlike me, they listened when it said this is the end of SF's rainy season...And for those of you who are wondering 'Rice-A-Roni' never contacted me...I stand by that I have "weirdos & freaks talk to me" stamped on my forehead...other examples...there are a lot of very attractive men in this city & so far I've gotten a hello from...this is NOT at all to be mean but to give a visual...the short, overweight, Mexican who was probably in HS and as I was crossing the street a "hey lady" from a creepy guy in his 30's/40's...(Not to mention the guy in NY @ Bryant Park who told me I had nice feet...when does it end?!?)