(continued from part I)
Yes, Powell Stop is the one we are hopping off today. Just like the last time we got off at Powell, you should watch for Muni Police, tip your local street musician, and dodge large Westfield mall shopping bags. Head up the stairs to Market street. Instead of taking a left for Union Square, take a right on 4th Street and make your way south of Market Street, also known as SOMA. Soak in the feel of the tall tall tall buildings and smelly alleyways, because soon enough you will be relaxing on the green grass. But first! A coffee! A kickstart to your slow afternoon, a breath of excitement after a sleepy rail ride.
Take a right on Mission street and walk past 5th Street. Watch carefully because we need to take a right on Mint Street before we get to 6th Street, which is often mistaken for a downtown alleyway. The secret and humble corner the Blue Bottle Coffee cafe resides in is what makes this spot so special. No words needed on the wall to tell you where you are, only the strong smells of fresh coffee and the sign of a blue bottle above the entrance. The line will most likely be out the door because of the small space they occupy and the slow, careful work the barristas put into making each order. My go-to here is the espresso and cookie, which is served with a side of sparkling water which makes for an interesting time. Blue Bottle is also known for their slow drip coffee which has every coffee lover in the city coming back for more. Enjoy the ambiance of the modern design inside the cafe or take your coffee to go and walk down Mission street once again towards the Embarcadero. Walk a few blocks down Mission and you will pass the new Target that has got all the locals excited. Another few steps down and you will see a historic looking church on your left and a very inviting grassy area to your right. This is known as the Yerba Buena Gardens and is one of my favorite little areas in the city. This little nook is a calm and peaceful area to sit under some trees or have a picnic under a blue sky and is only minutes away from the hustle and bustle of Market street. You are also surrounded by SF's finest cultural centers, those of which include the San Francisco Modern Art Museum, The Yerba Buena Cultural Center, and The Jewish Contemporary Museum. On a good day this place will be packed with every type of person you could find in San Francisco hanging out enjoying the company around them. So take a load off and enjoy the gardens!
San Francisco
San Francisco
Sunday, February 17, 2013
An Espresso in the Gardens I
An Espresso in the Gardens
Start: Inner Sunset, San Francisco
Finish: The Yerba Buena Gardens, San Francisco
It's a Tuesday early afternoon and the young professionals are hard at work in the large office buildings of Metropolitan San Francisco. But hey, I got no job, I got no kids, I got nothing to do but explore. Come with me for a sip of coffee and a sit in the garden where you can meet a friend, read a book, or do whatever you please. Bring a friend, bring a dog, but please don't bring your worries.
Start: Inner Sunset, San Francisco
Finish: The Yerba Buena Gardens, San Francisco
It's a Tuesday early afternoon and the young professionals are hard at work in the large office buildings of Metropolitan San Francisco. But hey, I got no job, I got no kids, I got nothing to do but explore. Come with me for a sip of coffee and a sit in the garden where you can meet a friend, read a book, or do whatever you please. Bring a friend, bring a dog, but please don't bring your worries.
Today we start in the Inner Sunset region of San Francisco, known for its busy restaurants and relaxing walks along the edge of the Golden Gate Park. This is not the park we will be hanging out at today, though; we are looking for something a bit smaller. Walk along Judah street until you find yourself walking along railroad tracks. Wait about 5 to 10 minutes until you hear a small light rail in the distance. Find your the closest stop and hop on the "N" line towards downtown. Take a seat next to a San Franciscan and ease into a light conversation to pass the time and make a new friend. You will pass The University of California San Francisco Medical School and make a small pass through a tunnel where you will find Duboce Dog Park, another cute park but not the one we want. Another five minutes and you will find yourself going into another tunnel but this one will take you to the downtown stops...
POWELL STOP
POWELL STOP
POWELL STOP
....
(continued in part II)
POWELL STOP
POWELL STOP
POWELL STOP
....
(continued in part II)
Monday, February 11, 2013
Pizza with Parrots II
Pizza with Parrots (part II)
Now, if you are like me and are always trying to explore more there is a tropical secret hanging out very close by. It requires a bit of hill climbing but in my opinion it is well worth it. Follow the signs Northeast towards Coit Tower. The hike up the hill is no joke, but this gives you a chance to work off that pizza. When you reach the top you will get an amazing view of the Bay Bridge and Alcatraz, but the real reason I bring you to this spot is for the colorful parrots in the trees. If you pay close attention to the birds above you, you will start to notice the playful parrots flying all around you. I learned about from a documentary called "The Parrots of Telegraph Hill,", an amazing story that I highly recommend.
Hope you enjoyed the trip, 'til next time.
-Breesy
San Francisco Chinatown will most likely catch you off guard. You might even start to believe that you caught a quick plane ride to Hong Kong. The streets are packed with food vendors, music, and people trying to get you to buy things. It's quite an experience essential to the North Beach trip. Continue walking until you get to Columbus street and start walking north. You can feel the raw energy of San Francisco. If you look to the skies you can find the well-known TransAmerica building, a SF staple. Keep walking north and you will cross Broadway Street where the lively strip clubs, neon signs and music will let you know you are close to North Beach. The switch is a very subtle switch in the lamp posts and their Italian flag colors. Before you know it you are in the middle of Italy (North Beach) ready to grab a slice of pizza with a side of gellotto and espresso. It's best to walk the streets until you smell something that is just right, grab your food to go and head over to Jackson Square Park where you will be greeted by dogs, benches, and a grand view of the Catholic Cathedral. North Beach at it's finest.
Now, if you are like me and are always trying to explore more there is a tropical secret hanging out very close by. It requires a bit of hill climbing but in my opinion it is well worth it. Follow the signs Northeast towards Coit Tower. The hike up the hill is no joke, but this gives you a chance to work off that pizza. When you reach the top you will get an amazing view of the Bay Bridge and Alcatraz, but the real reason I bring you to this spot is for the colorful parrots in the trees. If you pay close attention to the birds above you, you will start to notice the playful parrots flying all around you. I learned about from a documentary called "The Parrots of Telegraph Hill,", an amazing story that I highly recommend.
Hope you enjoyed the trip, 'til next time.
-Breesy
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Pizza with Parrots I
Pizza with Parrots
Start: West Portal, San Francisco
Finish: North Beach, San Francisco
Ah, what a beautiful day in the Paris of the West. The sun is out and the people are smiling. 11 o'clock and I got an itch for a piece of pie-pepperoni pie that is. There is only one place in San Francisco where they claim the best slice and that's where I am headed.
The journey to North Beach is not an easy one. It includes a few busses, a few Muni rides and a guaranteed story to tell. From West Portal you walk over to the Muni station across the street from the burned down Squat & Gobble and hop on one of those inbound downtown trains. Close your eyes and visualize each stop
West Portal -> Forrest Hill -> Castro -> Church -> Van Ness -> Civic Center ->
"Powell Station" says the driver. The doors open and they're off. People rushing left and right of you to get off and get where they gettin' to. Head up the stairs to exit and 2 out of 3 times there will be a bright highlighter yellow jacket waiting to make sure you paid your fare. Forget to pick up a fare transfer and there goes a hundred bucks down the drain. Forget about the Muni officer and listen to the music. The soft sounds of a violin, the upbeat strums of a guitar, or even the howls of a singer, the Powell station has so many street performers you would think you were at a music festival. Throw a couple coins in the hat and move along up some more stairs to find yourself in the middle of downtown San Francisco, skyscrapers and all.
Dip and dodge away from a few more money hagglers and take a left up Powell. Pay a pretty penny and catch yourself a trolly ride up the hill, but be prepared to wait a half hour in line. The sensible call is to walk the street and window-shop your way to Union Square. Union Square is a beautiful sight, but we have pizza business to handle so cut your way through the square. Start walking north until you hit the largest tunnel in San Francisco. With a bright light at the end of the tunnel you'll think you've died and reached heaven. But at the other side is not heaven but Chinatown...which for foodies might as well be heaven...(to be continued in Part II)
West Portal -> Forrest Hill -> Castro -> Church -> Van Ness -> Civic Center ->
"Powell Station" says the driver. The doors open and they're off. People rushing left and right of you to get off and get where they gettin' to. Head up the stairs to exit and 2 out of 3 times there will be a bright highlighter yellow jacket waiting to make sure you paid your fare. Forget to pick up a fare transfer and there goes a hundred bucks down the drain. Forget about the Muni officer and listen to the music. The soft sounds of a violin, the upbeat strums of a guitar, or even the howls of a singer, the Powell station has so many street performers you would think you were at a music festival. Throw a couple coins in the hat and move along up some more stairs to find yourself in the middle of downtown San Francisco, skyscrapers and all.
Dip and dodge away from a few more money hagglers and take a left up Powell. Pay a pretty penny and catch yourself a trolly ride up the hill, but be prepared to wait a half hour in line. The sensible call is to walk the street and window-shop your way to Union Square. Union Square is a beautiful sight, but we have pizza business to handle so cut your way through the square. Start walking north until you hit the largest tunnel in San Francisco. With a bright light at the end of the tunnel you'll think you've died and reached heaven. But at the other side is not heaven but Chinatown...which for foodies might as well be heaven...(to be continued in Part II)
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