Finding America

We grabbed a quick breakfast at Noah’s Bagles a sister company to our own Einsteins Bagels back home.

We dropped off some laundry at the wash and fold place around the block and tehn started walking up Union street passing the many shops and restaurants that call this street home. We continued on to Lombard street, San Francisco’s most crooked street. We topped to take some pictures and then walked down towards the wharf via Hyde street.

The Maritime museum lies at the end of Hyde street and we took a stroll down the wharf examining the amazing ships that are on permanent display. We also spied a few swimmers which completely blew my mind seeing as how it was cold and windy out and that the water was probably in the 40’s.

We continued along the water front through the old cannery and famous Fisherman’s wharf. The area is overly developed and doesn’t hold a lot of sharm, but it is an oft photographed are of San Francisco. We walked by Pier 39 and onto the Alcatraz launch point but there were no tickets to be had until 3 days later. Oh well next time.

We turned back and walked up Bay street to the Cable Car depot and caught our first cable car ride through the city.. We changed cars and took the new car down to the Ferry Building. This gentrified Ferry wharf has some really unique little shops and restaurants and we placed an order at Taylor’s Automatic, on our friends suggestion, and were treated to the best burger and shake combo I’ve ever had.

We walked through the Ferry Building and did some shopping and perusing of the book store before catching a cable car up to Nob Hill and the Grace Cathedral. Kam took a spin through the intricate labyrinth outside while I caught up with Mark Bowen on the phone. The cathedral was gorgeous inside with amazing architecture and frescos.

We walked about 5 blocks from there to Union station and Kam did a bit of purse shopping while I enjoyed the sunny day and read a book in the park. This is a really cool part of town and many people were lounging about enjoying the weather.

We headed home after that and got cleaned up to meet Susanne for dinner. We ended up walking a few blocks from the flat we were staying in to have dinner at Zushi Puzzle an excellent little sushi restaurant in the Mairna. Dinner was excellent and afterwards we walked pack towards the flats and stopped of in a pub to meet my college roommate’s brother. It was good catching up with Chase and seeing a familiar face from the Carolinas so far from home. Things were good with him and he seemed to have found a niche for himself in this melting pot.

We were off to bed after that hoping to catch some shut eye before out big day in Sonoma.