city by the bay

It's been a week that we've been back from our little California vacation. Crazy. I finally snuck into the "office" while Blake catches up on some sleep (he's snoring right next to me) to mess around on Photoshop and get some of these pictures from our first stop up on the blog.

San Francisco, y'all.

As we landed from Dallas it seemed as though California time was telling us it was mid-morning, but our stomachs were telling us a different story. It was definitely lunch time. 

We ventured to the Ferry Building, while the marketplace was just opening up. We walked around like we had the place to ourselves before grabbing some pizza and a fried-egg sandwich from the vendors outside. 

It could have been that I was to the point of starvation, but that pizza, grease and all, with my heart-healthy diet coke might have been the best combo ever. Side note, this is how most meals went on this vacay. It's certain that I brought back with me some extra poundage. Worth it. 

After lunch, we walked up and down the marketplace eyeing the chocolates, the gelato, the different pastas, breads, and my favorite, the cheese. 

I bought a fourth of a pound of some delicious gouda, that I cannot recall the name of, and enjoyed it the next night in the hotel. It sadly had to meet it's maker later in the trip from being left in the hot car for about 3 days. Not much makes me sadder than throwing away delicious cheese. Dramatic, I know.

It started to get crowded inside, so we took it to the outdoors, and walked the pier a little. I just love the letters of the "port of San Francisco" sign.

Next on the list... the bridge!

I was very proud of our city savviness as we hopped on the city bus and made our way across town. 

Even though you couldn't have found a more touristy spot, I kinda loved it here. The running trails, the water, the sailboats and the flowers blooming. It was just sort of sweet. 

We even walked out on it, which was kind of frightening in itself. Kept telling myself to not look down, then I'd look down. What's wrong with me. It was so cool standing out it the middle of the Golden Gate Bridge (and on a beautifully sunny day?? thanks God!)

After the bridge, we had to sneak in a nap. Wasn't in the plans, but so worth it.

Post power nap we made our way towards the Mission District for dinner at Chow. 

The only picture on my phone of the place was blurry. But, I think you get it. 

I read about it on a blog before going, but it completely blew away all expectations. You walk through this heavy curtain and see intimate tables set up around a dapper bar (don't know if you can describe a bar as dapper, but that's the word I needed). They took us on a hike to the back, through the kitchen, and to this enclosed patio. I think we got the best table there, in a corner, secluded, with just a touch of romance in the lit trees.  

Incredible salad to start, with some craft beers from Berkeley and San Francisco to follow. 

Ok, I wanna go back now. 

Then, we headed back to the hotel to be reunited with some of our great friends, Kelsey and Chris, oh how we've missed them in Dallas. 

We spent the end of the night playing pool and just catching up on life.

Tartine in the morning was a must. Blake and I each got two things, our breakfast consisted of bread pudding with fresh fruit, pain au chocolat, banana cream tart, and a pain au jambon. We go big.

We took it over to Dolores Park and watched some pups play. 

The downtown views weren't so shabby. 

After breakfast we made the drive down Lombard Street, where directly afterwards Chris decided to induce heart attacks on everyone in the car by pretending to stall out the car on the steep drive back up. I'm having heart palpitations writing this. 

We left San Francisco after Lombard Street and headed down to Santa Cruz, stop number two on this crazy California adventure.

These last pictures are from the end of our trip before we flew back home, but they're of the city, so I felt like they fit.

the street sign :)

It was decided, this is where I choose to live if we ever moved to San Francisco. The view, end of story.

We also zillow-ed the area at the airport later, and I can't tell you how much my future home costs.. but it starts with a 16 and ends with a .5 million. Home Sweet Home.