San Francisco With Amanda

28th -  A little over two weeks ago, my daughter called and asked if I would like to spend a weekend together in San Francisco.  Any chance for some one on one time is the BEST so I jump at the opportunity and our flights are soon booked.  Today is fly day and wouldn't you know it - my flight is delayed.  Drat.

Finally, we board and take off.  It's a long flight so I have a chance to watch a movie.  Yes, I have things I SHOULD be working on, but Hidden Figures is available and I have not had the opportunity to see it yet.  Score.



What a great movie!  I loved it and soon am in San Francisco searching the airport for my daughter.  We meet up at the BART and ride into the city together, check into our room, and grab some Thai for dinner.  Now for some sleep.

29th -  Good morning California.  It's chilly here but I'm loving it.  No more than a sweater required and I'm ready to go.  First up --- we are both starving since we slept in so finding some food is a requirement.

The Pinecrest Diner has a line so that must mean something, right?  We grab a spot and wait for a table.  Two openings at the counter come up and we happily take them.  All the cooking is right in front of us and we both enjoy the show with our yummy meal.

Now to locate a nail salon.  We are in need of pedicures.  Yep, even I haven't had one for awhile.  GPS tells us there is one just around the corner and so Sutter Nails, here we come.  We get right in and out tootsies are soon soaking away.

This place is hopping and by the time our lovely toes are finished, we have both decided that we need pretty new fingernails too.  What do you think of this length?

Yeah - me too.  After about two hours in the shop, we both feel pretty from hands to feet.  Now to shop.

As we continue towards Market Street. I once again remember why I love San Francisco so much.

Several stores and bags of purchases later, we are all the way down to the Embarcadero and an open air art festival.  Off to the side I notice a band of marimba players off to the side and wander over to watch.  Must remember to show this to Jared.

We have wandered a LONG way from our hotel so zip down into the closest subway station and grab a BART up to Powell St.

The distance to walk is much shorter now and we spot Colibri (right next to the hotel we stayed in a few years ago) and a big sign that says Happy Hour.  It draws us in and a Cuba Libre and Blackberry Margarita later, we are thoroughly ready to stay put for the evening.  Dinner is wonderful as is our conversation.  What a perfectly wonderful day.

30th -  We are off to the Napa Valley to drink wine and soak up some sunshine.  We had discussed taking a bus up and doing the "tour" thing, but changed our mind and rented a car instead.  The traffic up to Napa is mild and we arrive midmorning.

Artesa Winery is our first stop and the view of the valley is magnificent as are the grounds.

Sticking to a shared tasting since we are driving, a corner table calls and an answer is given.  Yes!  How nice is this?  Drinking a glass of wine before lunch with my beautiful daughter.  Life is good.

Table service is provided and during one such moments, we manage to snag a picture of the two of us.  Nice.

The wines are very nice and enjoyed to the max, however hunger is rearing it's ugly head again.  We decide to drive a little further north up to Yountville and spot a cute little restaurant that actually has a parking spot.  Amanda grabs it and off we go.

Hurley's is just the ticket for us and within minutes we are seated on the patio and have some yummy bread to dip.

Our meal is wonderful, the time spent is excellent and apparently dessert is now required.  Amanda read the dessert menu first and then ordered a two-course meal.  Entre and dessert.  I have to admit it is absolutely as delicious as it looks.

During our chat, we decide to drive over the mountain and drop down into Sonoma as part of our return trip.  Now to find a winery.  As we are going down the road, we just turn into a random drive and find ourselves at the B.R. Cohn Winery.

Once parked, a small walk up to the main building takes us past an olive grove.  The trees are loaded and we discover that this estate also does olive oil.

The grounds are absolutely stunning thus requiring a stroll around before we enter the tasting room.  Plums. apples, peaches, grapes, olives, and so on.  Everything is manicured to the hilt but doesn't seem over the top.

Given the choice between the tasting room or the music filled patio, we settle in outside.  The day is glorious, sounds are wonderful, and the flavors scrumptious.  Amanda locates some cheese and crackers to go with it all - perfecting everything.  Our stay lasts all afternoon and we are treated to extra wines to try.

All good things must come to an end and we are soon on our way back to cloud ensconced San Francisco.  Good-bye sun -- is there a Golden Gate Bridge in there somewhere.

The car gets returned and we start the trek back to the hotel.  Somehow, Urban Outfitters appears in our path and we MUST shop some more.  As we enter, I have an overwhelming need to use the restroom and the store doesn't have any facilities.  They suggest the Gap next door so off I go.  Guess what?  Gap closed early tonight for a staff training.   Now what?  Across the street is a mall we were in yesterday.  Taking off at a near gallop, I enter the building to see the security guards herding everyone out as the mall is closing.  The escalators are off and I know the restroom is on the second floor.  I quickly slip by the guard as he's talking to someone else and take off up the non moving escalator.  He yells at me to stop but I just keep right on running,  When I get to the restrooms, I almost start crying as they have lowered a gate over the entrance.  I can hear the cleaning lady in there so I cry out and she comes to the gate.  Begging then ensues and she takes pity on me and lifts the gate far enough for me to crawl under.  Finally, relief.  I thank her profusely and once again crawl under the gate, then make my way back to the escalator.  The down one is working and the guard spots me coming back down.  He starts my way just as I get to the bottom and I take off out the door as he hollers for me to stop.  No way -- this old woman runs all the way back to Urban Outfitters, locates Amanda and proceeds to help her shop for another hour.

Time to call it a night.  I need some sleep.

31st -  Amanda's one request for this trip is to go to Alcatraz.  When this all came up two weeks ago, I looked for tickets and discovered that they are sold out for months.  Oh yes, I remembered this from a couple of years ago.  I did a little more research and found out that there are some ways to get tickets.  One is to be at the pier at 6 a.m. and get in line for the 50-100 same day tickets they release at 7:30.  The cab drops us off at 6:15 and oh my goodness, there are a lot of people already in line.  Well, we are already here so off to the line we go.  By 8:30 we have two tickets for the 10:30 ferry.  Woohoo.  Patience has it's rewards sometimes.

The GPS tells us that there are places providing breakfast just a few minutes walk away.  Let's go.  Along the way I spot the Coit Tower and a pretty cool sculpture.

We arrive at Pier 39 looking for Boudin Bakery but spot  the Eagle Cafe right away.  Several others from the ticket line have made their way here too.  Breakfast is quite good and we take our time BUT it is freezing in the cafe -- actually warmer outside.  Back to the Alcatraz dock we go.

As we arrive, the lines for our ferry start forming.  Looks like we are standing in line again.

With the chill in the air, we decide to ride the indoor section.  I can't take it though and keep running in and out trying to get some pictures of the island as we approach it,

and of the city behind us.

A lovely bridge

and the island again.

Up close now

After deboarding, a small presentation is given on the dock and then we are off.  Our first stop allows us to watch a quick movie in what used to be military dormitories.

Some sights along our walk -

After a 1/4 mile walk uphill, we arrive at the prison, enter and receive our audio headsets.  Time for the tour to begin and we start in the shower area before moving onto the cells.

I don't really want to steal their thunder from their amazing tour so I'll just leave you with pictures -- limited words.

Look up the "key" story

Back on the grounds again

The view of the city from Alcatraz.  So close and yet so far away.

Back into the prison we go - the main guard station

The famous escape cell.

Crazy kitchen

At the end of the island, we stop in the Industrial Building, where various work stations existed.

It was built because there was an escape from the previous building.

The rooms are huge and yet I know they had to have felt so closed in.  There is a photo exhibit in here that is incredible.  So much history is on this island.  Not exactly great but history all the same.

Check out these indoor windows.

It's time to walk back.

Time to go.  This has been so interesting.  It's probably one of the best tours I have ever taken.  Honest.  I am so glad that we persevered and were able to come here today.

One last look back at the tower.  Now to settle into our ferry and enjoy the ride back into town.

From the Alcatraz Landing, we make our way once again down to Pier 39 for some dinner.  Instead of looking for a nice, funky place, we grab the first spot that comes along.  I order a pizza and ask if they would put tomato and basil on it and receive confirmation that it's a go.  When my pizza arrives, it looks amazing.  This is a classic case of how looks can be deceiving.  They didn't use basil - it is oregano.  And terrible.

Amanda is absolutely in love with the sun and being WARM.  She leaves the table and moves into a comfy chair and falls asleep.

I decide to take a walk down the pier to check out the sea lions.

They are in fine form and as I stop to watch, a concert ensues.  Bark, bark, bark.

On the way back up the pier (yes, it is THAT big), I discover a carousel.  A carousel.  Crazy.

This place is absolutely packed.  Why are we here?  It's so touristy.  I gotta get out of here.

We decide to walk from Pier 39 back to the hotel.  Not smart.  It is a VERY long ways.  A couple of hours later, I am curled up on my bed and am not sure I will move at all.  Amanda is busy moving into her new hotel room for the night.  Oh I don't want to move again, but around 9 she suggests we go next door to Mel's Diner and get french fries and milk shakes.

The serving is huge.  There is no way I will be able to eat it all.  As we are about to call it a night, Amanda's sweetheart, Abe, arrives so we sit for a bit longer to visit with him.  I'm not even remotely able to converse anymore -- I'm beat and finally call it a night.  Sooooo tired.

1st -  Good morning.  I am up, showered, packed, checked out of my room by 10, and waiting in the lobby.  Amanda and Abe arrive and our walk to Sweet Maple for breakfast.  The food is as yummy as it looks.  Truly.

All right.  That's it.  My trip has come to an end.  We return to the hotel, they check out, and we slowly but surely make our way to a BART station and train to the airport.  Abe's brother is arriving today and they are picking him up.  I, on the other hand, am zipping away back to Dallas.

It's dark by the time I arrive and my sweet man is waiting for me.  Yay!  Thank you, Amanda, for such a great time together.  I love ya tons.