Susan, Meredith and I are back from San Francisco where we visited Megan and Nathan and we had a fabulous time. The picture above I took with my camera phone the first day. This will be my journal of our trip!
Thursday, July 12, 07
Megan picked us up at the SF airport and we drove through the city. We saw the "Full House" homes, as Meredith called them also known as the Seven Sisters. Megan then took us to Adale on Chestnut St. that is a great Mexican restaurant. Then we had to have a cupcake at Kara's which was wonderful. We then went to the Palace of Fine Arts Park (also know as the Easy Button for it's large dome)! 
We walked around and saw the swans there. Drove through the Presidio and found a great view of Alcatraz. It was a beautiful clear day and we could see the Golden Gate Bridge. Then we drove to Oceanside so we could put our feet into the Pacific Ocean and then drove down the coast a little way to Half Moon Bay where Megan and Meredith got some great sea shells from the beach. Megan told us this is the home of the Maverick Wave that comes once a year and is one of the biggest in the world. Surfers come from everywhere to catch that wave. Nathan met us for dinner at the Burgermeister where they have huge delicious organic burgers. They took us to our hotel, the Carlton, which was a lovely small hotel with very friendly staff.Friday, July 13 (We were definitely NOT unlucky this day)
We ate at the hotel in their Middle Eastern flavor restaurant, Saha, for breakfast that had some unusual selections for us Midwesterners but it also had things we liked. About 9 am Susan, Meredith and I walked down (or up and down the hills) about 7 blocks to Union Square which is a major shopping area with Gucci, Macy's, Tiffany's, Neiman Marcus, Disney Store and more. We liked the "heart" art around the plaza area and
did some people watching and picture taking. Megan picked us up and we went down Lombard Street with the major curves, beautiful homes and flowers.Megan knew a short cut that got us on the street without standing in a line of cars! We then went to Telegraph Hill and Coit Tower for the view and looked around the tower. It was a clear perfect view of SF bridges. We then went to the Ferry Terminal area and shopped around the market area. Then Nathan met us for lunch and we ate at Taylor's Automat which was a great fast food restaurant (pulled pork, fish tacos and chicken club) in the terminal building. Then we jumped on the cable car with Susan
and I clinging to the side as we went to Chinatown for some more shopping. We got a lot of our souvenirs there and had to rest at Starbucks later. Then walked to our car in a garage by going by the TransAmerica building andthe small park by it. We drove through Haight-Ashbury and Twin Peaks areas as the fog began to rolling in (literally). We went to their apartment in the Buena Vista area and met Rushka (their very sweet Rottweiler). Megan made us great Mandarin Chicken, we watched half of "Night at the Museum" and were bushed so Megan took us back to our hotel.Saturday, July 14
We had breakfast at the hotel and Megan picked us up about 10:15 for our next adventure. It was foggy and cool. Megan and Meredith went to the "Exploratorium" near the "Easy Button" (the Palace of Fine Arts) and she let us off at the De Young Museum where we saw a fabulous art collection (O'keefe, Grant Wood, Bingham, T. H. Benton) from all over the world and a unique collection of couture clothing in special exhibition of Nan Kempner's Closet. All the famous names of designers where part of her personal clothing collection on display. http://www.thinker.org/deyoung/exhibitions/exhibition.asp?exhibitionkey=717
We picked up Nathan and then we left San Francisco fog for sunny Sausalito across the Go
lden Gate Bridge. We walked along the shore to the Horizon restaurant for wonderful seafood. Shopped some more for shirts, gifts, etc. in great little shops. We then got some ice cream and took a ride through the hills around Sausalito.
We then went back across the Golden Gate to Megan and Nathan's apartment to play with Rushka. The girls knitted and we called for Thai food which we all enjoyed. We watched the end of the movie "Night in the Museum" and Megan took us back to our hotel after another wonderful day!
Sunday, July 15
Meredith, Susan and I walked about three blocks to Polk St. to find a place for breakfast. We ate at the Polk Street Station, an old neighborhood eatery with great food. Then we took a taxi to Union Square and shopped at the Disney Store. Then we met Megan who came by train to the cable car turnaround at Powell St. station. We rode the cable car to the other end of the line at Hyde St. Park which is a National Park with ships of all kinds and there was a old car show there, too. Then we walked to Fisherman's Wharf which is a big tourist area
but we found a great place for lunch, The Sea Lion Cafe, which overlooked the docks where the sea lions hang out. It was a fun place to eat and watch the area. And we had good seafood, too (crab cakes, clam chowder, shrimp).
We then walked down to Pier 33 to meet Nathan and go on the ferry to
Alcatraz Island tour. We took a 20 minute trip on the ferry to Alcatraz. We walked up the ramp (equaling 13 stories) to the prison at the top of the island. We took the audio tour of the prison and its dramatic history was told to us as we walked around the prison. It was an outstanding tour and a beautiful view of San Francisco from the outside of the prison. In the gift shop the author of a book about the Birdman and living on Alcatraz as a child was signing books so we got her to autograph the books we bought of hers. We took the ferry back to the pier and Nathan drove us up and down the hills of San Francisco back to their apartment. We had pizza and watch "Baraka." We got back to our hotel about 10 
pm, pooped but had another great day!
lden Gate Bridge. We walked along the shore to the Horizon restaurant for wonderful seafood. Shopped some more for shirts, gifts, etc. in great little shops. We then got some ice cream and took a ride through the hills around Sausalito.We then went back across the Golden Gate to Megan and Nathan's apartment to play with Rushka. The girls knitted and we called for Thai food which we all enjoyed. We watched the end of the movie "Night in the Museum" and Megan took us back to our hotel after another wonderful day!
Sunday, July 15
Meredith, Susan and I walked about three blocks to Polk St. to find a place for breakfast. We ate at the Polk Street Station, an old neighborhood eatery with great food. Then we took a taxi to Union Square and shopped at the Disney Store. Then we met Megan who came by train to the cable car turnaround at Powell St. station. We rode the cable car to the other end of the line at Hyde St. Park which is a National Park with ships of all kinds and there was a old car show there, too. Then we walked to Fisherman's Wharf which is a big tourist area
but we found a great place for lunch, The Sea Lion Cafe, which overlooked the docks where the sea lions hang out. It was a fun place to eat and watch the area. And we had good seafood, too (crab cakes, clam chowder, shrimp).We then walked down to Pier 33 to meet Nathan and go on the ferry to
Alcatraz Island tour. We took a 20 minute trip on the ferry to Alcatraz. We walked up the ramp (equaling 13 stories) to the prison at the top of the island. We took the audio tour of the prison and its dramatic history was told to us as we walked around the prison. It was an outstanding tour and a beautiful view of San Francisco from the outside of the prison. In the gift shop the author of a book about the Birdman and living on Alcatraz as a child was signing books so we got her to autograph the books we bought of hers. We took the ferry back to the pier and Nathan drove us up and down the hills of San Francisco back to their apartment. We had pizza and watch "Baraka." We got back to our hotel about 10 
pm, pooped but had another great day!Monday, July 16
Megan picked us up about 9:30 am after she had taken Rushka to the vet and we were off again for another busy day. We went to Lower Haight-Ashbury area and had breakfast at the "Squat and Gobble" where you gobble until you wobble! It was a great little cafe. As we left the cafe we saw a camera crew filming Tom Brokaw as he interview a man in from of the Haight-Ashbury free clinic. We watched as they walked down the street next to Megan's car and we weretaking pictures, of course. We then looked around at the shops in the area. Then Megan took us down Kansas Street, which has the sharpest turns in San Francisco but little known because it is in an out-of -the-way area. She took us by the old mission of Delores which is the only original mission of San
Francisco that is still having services and was once the Mission of San Francisco. Megan then took us to the Samovar Tea Cafe which had many tea choices and an organic menu. It had wonderful food and great ambiance. http://www.samovartea.com/
We then went to Golden Gate Park and walked around the Botanical Garden, seeing Redwoods and many plants from around the world. Our next stop was the magnificent Japanese Tea Garden in the park.
Megan picked us up about 9:30 am after she had taken Rushka to the vet and we were off again for another busy day. We went to Lower Haight-Ashbury area and had breakfast at the "Squat and Gobble" where you gobble until you wobble! It was a great little cafe. As we left the cafe we saw a camera crew filming Tom Brokaw as he interview a man in from of the Haight-Ashbury free clinic. We watched as they walked down the street next to Megan's car and we weretaking pictures, of course. We then looked around at the shops in the area. Then Megan took us down Kansas Street, which has the sharpest turns in San Francisco but little known because it is in an out-of -the-way area. She took us by the old mission of Delores which is the only original mission of San
Francisco that is still having services and was once the Mission of San Francisco. Megan then took us to the Samovar Tea Cafe which had many tea choices and an organic menu. It had wonderful food and great ambiance. http://www.samovartea.com/We then went to Golden Gate Park and walked around the Botanical Garden, seeing Redwoods and many plants from around the world. Our next stop was the magnificent Japanese Tea Garden in the park.
Megan and I by the Redwoods in the Botanical Garden in Golden Gate ParkWe came back to Megan and Nathan's while she picked up Rushka at the vet and Nathan came home from work. They took us to North Beach (the Italian section of the city) where we ate at a wonderful Italian restaurant, unfortunately I don't know the name. Then we went for a walk in the cool evening and went to a fudge and candy store for dessert. Then they took us back to our hotel for the last night.
Picture of the Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park
Tuesday, July 17
Megan picked us up about 10 am to take us to the airport where we left for home after a wonderful visit to San Francisco.
My favorite picture on the corner of Haight and Ashbury in San Francisco
