Today was a day of random experiences. It started with Twin Peaks. The view is unmatched (and so is the lack of parking). I will definitely visit again and try to find parking and hike to the top.
I then visited Buena Vista Park. This park has elevation, lots of tall trees and impressive views.
And finally I was on Grove Street in The Haight for Halloween. Yes, I walked Haight Ashbury and saw all the shops but more impressive were the beautiful Victorian homes. I then met up with a friend of a friend to hand out Halloween candy. But this was no ordinary event! The streets were shut off to cars, there was a band, lights and hundreds of pounds of candy. I was told that this is one of the primary areas kids come and trick or treat. And they showed up! Even Pete got into the action by licking any kid that got close enough while reaching into the candy bowl. The costumes were impressive and I loved seeing the sense of community.
Just because I am wandering doesn’t mean I cannot honor traditions. My daughter loves time-honored traditions and the pumpkin patch is one of those traditions she holds dear. It does not matter that she is twenty-three; she still gets excited about picking out the perfect pumpkin or honestly, the one that no one else will take home because it’s not “perfect”.
We drove to Half Moon Bay, through Pacifica, along the coast with powerful, crashing waves beating the coast as we drove. Half Moon Bay has a cute downtown area and the pumpkin patch we landed at (Bob’s Pumpkin Patch) contained all the needed fall tidbits including goats, chickens, pigs, haystacks and plenty of pumpkins. It was a wonderful way to spend Sunday.
This afternoon after my morning workout I decided to take a field trip to the Mission District. Of course, I had to visit the beautiful Mission Dolores Park. The day was sunny and clear which meant that the park was in full throttle with tennis players, sun worshipers, volleyball players, lunchtime goers and everything in between. It’s a beautiful park with the city in the background.
I then wandered to the Mission Dolores Basilica and Clarion Avenue to check out the murals with political action statements. This is a super interesting area with all kinds of markets, shops and restaurants owned by minorities and focused on a diverse offering.
This morning I decided to check out the Presidio Tunnel Tops Park. This park is between two stellar views: the Golden Gate Bridge and the Palace of Fine Arts. Again, I am just amazed at the spectacular parks in San Francisco. It was an easy (aka flat) walk about 5.25 miles roundtrip from where I am staying. It was well worth the walk!
It seems anything worth reaching in San Francisco requires an uphill climb and Coit Tower is in line with that requirement. But as in most places, I was rewarded with 360 degree views of the city and spectacular murals depicting California life during the Great Depression.
This four block park in the sky is absolutely amazing! It is 5.4 acres and boasts 13 ecosystems and 16,000 plants. It is free and while I was there a yoga class was happening in the amphitheater (with mats available to borrow) and live music was playing at the central lawn. Events happen at the park all the time and weekly, regular events were varied and available for kids, too. We took the escalator up and the gondola back down to the street.
Again, I am amazed at the public offerings in San Francisco. The financial district was an easy walk from North Beach and was amazingly clean. I saw so many restaurants and cafes I want to return and try. As usual, plenty of people out and about enjoying the beautiful day.
Today I hiked the Batteries to Bluffs Trail. The sweeping ocean views and bonus of walking on the beach coupled with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background made this hike a stellar one. The weather was perfect; I should have worn sunscreen! I even managed to find a mussel shell for my friend who makes art from the shells. I never really noticed mussel shells until I saw her work. Now, I think they are beautiful and am always looking for shells to send to her.
Since I was so close to the Golden Gate Bridge I decided to explore it. There are a lot of great displays about this engineering feat and of course, the views were stunning. I walked the bridge to Marin (1.7 miles each way) and then back to the visitor center. I highly recommend earplugs if you ever do this walk. There were throngs of tourists but the walk over the bridge was not that crowded with walkers but there were plenty of bicyclists.
I have created a little routine that on Tuesdays, which is street cleaning day, I go grocery shopping during the cleaning time slot (8 a.m.). Once that task was completed, I decided Pete and I would find the nearest post office to mail a package and then cross some must-see items off my list. Today was Wave Organ and Palace of Fine Arts. It ended up being a six mile walk and Pete got a romp on the beach, too.
Wave Organ was a bit of a hike, out onto a jetty by the yacht club, and a very interesting concept. I did not hear the “music” since the waves are just too loud. But I suspect that if I stayed for a few hours I might be able to pick up on the nuanced sounds. Pete was more interested in rolling around on the beach next to the “organ” so we spent the majority of our time doing that.
We then walked to the Palace of Fine Arts. It is a beautiful piece of architecture with its Greek-style colonnades and soaring central rotunda. It is larger than you would think, too. It is quintessential San Francisco and is now used for events and lots of wedding photos!
It is funny that all it takes is a routine to feel comfortable and at home. At least that seems to be the case with me. I located my gym and it is only a thirty minute walk each way. I have found my grocery store and most importantly, landed many options for Pete’s daily walks. I see Steven (the valet at the Fairmont) daily so that Pete can gather his treat and I have met people, and know their names, from my daily visits at the dog park.
The process of wandering is not only learning about the new places I visit, but also learning about myself, too. Building a community is important to me and these daily achievements help make that happen. I have learned that the daily minutiae of crap doesn’t end just because I am wandering; I am still spending parts of my days dealing with daily living stuff.
Today I met with friends of a friend. Meeting new people allows me to hear new perspectives. We met this morning at the boat house at Golden Gate Park. Golden Gate is larger than Central Park and we saw some really cool art installations on a pedestrian-only area of the park. When I meet people that have lived in the city for 30 plus years, I learn their favorite spots, as well as, their perspective on what works and what doesn’t in their hometown. I saw the park through their eyes (and it was splendid!).
I don’t want you to think I don’t make mistakes, though. Today, after our walk I tried to return back to my rented studio…big mistake! With Fleet Week and a North Beach festival happening, there was not only no parking but many streets were shut down. After driving around for an hour trying to find a parking space, I decided to return to the Golden Gate Park area. Pete and I investigated Lincoln Park and found the Lincoln Park steps. We also walked around Lands End. Basically, I was trying to burn time.
At 5 p.m. I returned but to no avail…still no spots. Fortunately, Carli’s friend took my car and found a spot in her neighborhood since she will be using my car tonight, anyway. Thank goodness Pete is easygoing. I will be more careful going forward on noting events and when I should and shouldn’t use my car!
Today I ventured out to visit the Legion of Honor (in Lincoln Park) and de Young (in Golden Gate Park) art museums. The Legion of Honor Museum is situated high on a hill overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The entry is stunning and the museum holds the largest collection of Rodin sculptures outside of Paris. It also has an impressive collection of European painters and contemporary art. This is the perfect-sized museum with just two floors and a digestible amount of art.
After leaving the museum I drove the Sea Cliff neighborhood (stunning!) to the Lands End hiking trail. The trail is easy and the views are spectacular.
I then drove to the de Young Art Museum. It is another two-level museum (so perfect-sized). It focuses on American art from the 17th century to present day. There was a special exhibit on Japanese comic art that I think Pearl would have loved. They also had some African art. Overall, I preferred the Legion of Honor museum but both are worth a stop.
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