I walked the Embarcadero yesterday and learned of a new Port Art Loop being created on the waterfront. The goal is to bring up to 100 large-scale sculptures to San Francisco which creates a 34 miles walkable and bikeable trail. Public spaces=open-air art gallery. Looks like I better get walking!
My daughter and I decided to hike Lands End together. It was a foggy, cool morning but, frankly, perfect since there were plenty of stairs on the trail to warm us up. We hiked down to the Sutro Baths, which have a pretty interesting history. We then walked the well-groomed trail along the ocean cliffs. It made for a beautiful way to start our Saturday morning.
We then drove to a popular bakery in Inner Richmond but the line was entirely too long! We pivoted to Cole Valley for lunch and found a great Middle Eastern restaurant. As a bonus, Pete found a pet store and besides the free treats he garnered, he got a chew bone, peanut butter treats and a new water bowl.
After lunch we drove to Twin Peaks. I navigated us to the correct parking area called Christmas Tree Point. The views were stunning with a 360 degree view of the city and surrounding area. Next up-Alamo Square and the Painted Ladies. It was the perfect day to sit in the park and just people watch and Pete took a well-deserved dog nap.
The final lap of the day was spent at Hayes Valley where we walked the shops and got ice cream (Salt and Straw nonetheless!). San Francisco is truly beautiful with so many diverse neighborhoods, tons of enchanting parks and a wonderful array of restaurants.
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!
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