Bored.
3:00 a.m.–woke up
4:00 a.m.–packed my bags and drove down to Venice, Los Angeles

Surfers

Girl on a pink bike

A man with a fanny pack

Piccolo Restaurant…the best ravioli in Los Angeles

I took the ferry to Sausalito from San Francisco and would recommend taking out of town guests for the ride as well. It’s an absolute must.

The day was typical Bay Area weather-lots of sun, cool breeze and a relaxing atmosphere.

Alcatraz Island

The ride is approximately 18 minutes, one way. Cost of the ride varies.

The City of Santa Cruz, California, is about 74 miles south of San Francisco. I love waking up in the wee hours of the morning and driving there. The early morning scenery is what I go for. There are surfers everywhere and people sign up for classes in the morning.

San Francisco’s Chinatown is one of the top tourist attractions in the states and a mega-fun place to shop. I take the bus to the gates of CTown whenever I have out-of-town guests. You can pretty much find everything under the sun in this ‘hood…I can spend the entire day tasting dimsum, munching on coconut pastry, shopping for anything San Francisco, etc.,

Peking Bazaar – all the trinkets you can possibly buy

Columbus street is loaded with eateries selling roasted duck for under $10

Dol Ho Restaurant – cheap dim sum for under five bucks…this place is really low-rent but makes up for it with the best greasy food…

I get live crab here…

An array of herbs to choose from…

Japanese geta and zori….

The selections are endless…

Delicious olive oils from Spain…

Various types of cured meats…

Rows and rows of aged cheese…
Yummy smoked fish and salmon…
Prepared salads…
Prepared pies…
Prepared desserts…
All kinds of dips (my favorite-salami paste)…

This is my european eatery. I taste all the samples, fill my basket with goodies and enjoy the treats at home. I love their snack-able size sausages and slices of cheese at the register. The place is like a candy store for adults—specifically ME!

The Pasta Shop
1786 Fourth Street
(between Hearst Ave & Virginia St)

The view from The Indian Rock is amazing. I stumbled upon the park one day, took the public walkway…used my arm strengths and climbed to the top!

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The Indian Rock Park is located in Berkeley tucked in the middle of nowhere. It’s my secret meditation place and just a cool dig to bring a date. You can see the entire Bay Area (a 360 view).

…it’s also a Mecca for rock climbers…

…a makeshift stairs leads you to the top of the rock..

I “coffee” at Berkeley, and today encountered this couple. Check out the dog piggybacking on the back of the guy and look closely at his hind legs…see how he perfectly balances them? Absolutely cute! This scene is oddly Berkeley…the couple chilling…walking their dogs…and not a care in the world!

Here’s my version of a blissful food day…. breakfast—coffee cake with decaf coffee (yep, picture me caffeinated…grrrrr)…lunch—chef salad with slices of turkey and ham. Ah…and yes, I did get a tad bit of work done!

North Beach is touristy but I still love the vibe of the neighborhood…

The Stinking Rose
The dishes don’t have enough garlic to satisfy my tummy, but still a tourist Mecca

Steps of Rome
This is the place to coffee for singletons (if you like cheesy European waiters)…

Stella Pastry
Taste the caffeinated tiramisu…

Golden Boy Pizza
Offers the greasiest pan pizza in town and the joint is open until the wee hours

Grant & Green
The dingiest bar…but I love the vibe of the place

Italian French Bakery
I hit this bakery for their blueberry muffins

Mara’s Italian Pastry
This place has the best spread of cannoli, tiramisu and coffee cake…