The Buena Vista Cafe part II

Van Ness station is our halfway mark on this journey for a great breakfast. Our stomachs are rumbling but the desire to eat a San Francisco trademark fuels our fire to keep going. The route by Muni bus is a straight forward ride North on the 47 bus. With no traffic one should expect a 15-20 minute ride but it is easy to get distracted by most of the sights you will see on your way. To your right you will find the Civic Center standing tall and majestic looking almost like it belongs in Philadelphia or Washington D.C. On your left you will find the well-known SF Opera House, which I have yet to attend. A little farther North you will pass another local favorite Tommy's Joynt where you can sit down and dig into a fantastic meal of your favorite slow-cooked meats. But don't get off quite yet! As the bus continues to get closer and closer to the San Francisco Bay the hills are going to become quite bigger and bigger. You will even pass the famous Lombard street, known for it's picturesque steep zig-zag hills. 

Lucky for us the 47 bus seems to want to take us right to our destination. All we have to do is wait for the bus to turn right off of Van Ness on to North Point Street and get off a couple blocks down at Hyde street. You can almost smell the good cooking from the bus stop. Now the next move is to take a left on Hyde and walk exactly one block down the hill. You know you are at the right place when you are on the corner of Hyde and Beach street and across the street is the turn-around for the old street trolleys. A large line of tourists will probably be waiting for their turn to take a ride but little do they know they should be getting in a line for The Buena Vista Cafe on the corner. 

Within your first five minutes in the cafe you can tell this place has some history to it. The smell, the staff, and the food just tells the customer that quality doesn't happen overnight. Recognitions are framed all over the walls but are accompanied by cute decoration. From the window you can see the Bay water or you can take a seat at the bar. This place I come to find out is credited with being the first place to come up with the "Irish Coffee". This is a blend of Coffee and Whiskey that is supposed to hit the spot for those tough mornings. A round of Irish Coffees are bought between the group of us and they really do live up to their legend. The home-made feel of this cafe adds to the warmth of the delicious breakfast and no one is disappointed in the long trek we took for us to taste the Buena Vista Cafe. With nothing but good times and smiles while we occupied our booth at the Buena Vista it was time to head off and explore some more places in the city. We said our good-byes and were off. 

Five stars from Breesy

You can find the The Buena Vista Cafe @ 2765 Hyde Street, SF

The Buena Vista Cafe

It is safe to say that The Buena Vista Cafe is another one of San Francisco's treasures that keeps bringing old timers back to the city by the bay. I actually heard of this establishment from a friend's father back in Los Angeles. He told me wild tales of his times in San Francisco but he mentioned that a crucial part of his visit was always the morning breakfast at The Buena Vista Cafe. He explained to me that to this day this cafe holds as one of his favorite cafes in the United States. He couldn't exactly explain to me why, but he insisted that I must make the trip.
So here it is: Breesy's Guide to The Buena Vista Cafe

Start: The San Francisco Zoo, San Francisco
End: The Buena Vista Cafe, San Francisco 

The air is quite different over here by the zoo, in my opinion it is the near-by ocean water that makes the difference, others would like to argue it is the elephant dung. Anyways, I woke up early and I am in the need of a great breakfast to start off my weekend. I had a wild night with a few friends and I need a hearty meal to push me through my day. The word is The Buena Vista Cafe has it going on and is a must for these hazy Saturday mornings. Unfortunately the trip is a long one but I am willing to put in the effort for the reward. 

My first move is to take the local Muni L line to the downtown San Francisco stops. This L line is very convenient for San Francisco State Students that live in the Sunset region. The Muni car stops all along Taraval street and takes you to West Portal Station. After being very tempted to get off and walk into the countless Chinese and Japanese establishments to pick up a quick meal, I clutch my stomach enough to get me to the downtown Van Ness station. 

Once getting off the Van Ness station, most people will probably be a little uncomfortable by the sights they will find. This area is known for a lot of homeless and drug-abused residents. Never have I once encountered a serious problem walking through these parts, but I do recommend holding your nose at certain times and to watch where you are walking. I will let your imagination run wild.

continued in part II 

Sutro Baths Sunday

Sutro Baths Sunday 

My mother is in town for the weekend and I want to show her something special in the city, a San Francisco secret. Today I am trying to avoid the tourist destinations like the Golden Gate Bridge or Fisherman's Warf, somewhere with less of a crowd but still magical. 
The Sutro Baths ruins is a local favorite for lazy sunny afternoons by the beach with a little exploring if you want it.

Start: University of San Francisco 
Finish: Sutro Baths Ruins

Getting to the Sutro Baths is a pretty straight shot, just a trip west on the 38 bus and when you see the Pacific blue you hop off. From the University of San Francisco, located right next to the famous Haight & Ashbury, you can walk a couple blocks north until you get to Geary street. This street is a mainline for many San Franciscans who commute from the Westside to the Downtown area and is filled with lots of great asian cuisine. 

After making your way through a couple San Franciscan hills to get to Geary you will hop on the next double-car bus. For all the ones stuck with out any cash to pay for your fare, the Geary 38 bus is one of the easiest busses to catch by slipping on the back. 

A short 15-20 minutes later you will find yourself getting off at the last stop of the 38. You can practically smell the Ocean air from the stop. Cross the street and walk a few more blocks until you enter the Sutro Baths parking lot. The Sutro Baths was a famous public pool next to the water where you could learn to swim. Over time it was washed away by the Pacific Ocean winter waves but the ruins still remain and have been taken over by sea otters and tourists. Being so close to these powerful waves can be very humbling. If you want to keep exploring you can also hike along the trails above the ruins and find yourself amidst a beautiful view of the Golden Gate bridge. This is a must-go for any visitor seeking a tranquil day. 

-Breesy