SF Trip Report - long
 

After checking in at the Grand Hyatt in Union Sq ($55/night on PL..oyyy what a deal) I wandered over to Ginger's Trois on Kearney for a nightcap. Friendly bartender and even friendlier locals who were buying tourists free drinks. What a nice start to my trip!

Next day breafast at Dotties True Blue and wandered around Union Sq and visited the SF Museum of Modern Art. Late lunch at Taditch and met a friend who took me for drinks at Mecca in the Castro.

Good Friday found me roaming around Chinatown where I met up with SF Chowhounds for their weekly lunch. We dined on a 9 course meal at the Hong Kong Clay Pot enjoying everything from duck to crispy whole fish to lobster and red bean soup all for @$15/pp. Their regulsr chowdowns might be enough to make me move to SF! Picked up some tarts at the Golden Gate Bakery and wandered around some more ending up at Buena Vista Park where I saw some great views of the city.

More wandering through Noe Valley to the Mission District for burritos at La Taqueria.

Bought a half price ticket for that night's showing of The Time of Your Life at the ACT. The critics liked it better than I did.

Sat - dashed through the ferry bldg and farmers mkt before heading off to Sausalito where I just relaxed on the dock, read a book and people watched. Afterwards I walked back across the Golden Gate Bridge. Once across I bused it over to the Conservatory of Flowers.

Note on the transport - I ended up not getting the MuniPass and opted instead for the transfers which for me proved to be more economical. What a deal at $1.25 a ride and free transfers in any direction!

That night (Sat) I caught Nickel Creek at the Warfield, a really nice venue to see a show.

Easter Sunday was spent at Delores Park celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Sister of Perpetual Indulgence. Let's just say I enjoyed my share of local color. Next time I'm in town I should check out their bingo games.

Mon I skipped my planned trip to Berkeley and finished up some required shopping for friends at See's and then headed to Fisherman's Wharf to do some more people watching. Boarded the evening tour of Alcatraz and ended the evening with an Irish coffee at of course...the Buena Vista.

Tues I rented a car drove to Napa and was taken by a local to the Reynold's Family Winery and St. Clement's winery. Drank my fill, got a tour, had a barrel tasting and before I had to haul it back to SFO for the red eye home.

Had a wonderful but waaaay to short visit. Hope I won't wait another 20 years to return. Thanks all for your help in planning my trip!

bk3: Great, great report! Thanks so much for sharing! It's always great to hear from visitors not only during the trip planning stage but also afterwards.

Do come back soon! :)

Tadich Grill and the Buena Vista! Two of the things I miss most about living in the Bay Area...

Wow, local color or what! Sounds like an awesome trip. Anything different about The City you noticed, since your last visit there? Just wondering.

Ok, you asked.....

The City is probaly more beautiful than I even rememebered.

I mean no disrespect but the main difference has to be that this time around, I was not accosted by Moonies. I am not exagerating when I say that on my last visit (summer, 1981) I was stopped several times a day, EVERY day, by followers who wanted me to join the fold. It wasn't just me, while there I met up with a friend who was exeperiencing the very same thing and finally relented to visit their house. It got so bad we began to recognize them upon their approach.

So, perhaps they don't have the same presence or more likely they are not as interested in me a 40something like they were when I was a college age kid. Aaah, the joys of getting older..

Still, it's a wonderful city and I really do plan to be back soon to enjoy all it has to offer.