Sunday, February 9, 2014

A Quick Peek At Sausalito


For my second San Francisco visit (October 2013), I made sure that I sneak into this charming seaside village across the bay called Sausalito. The place is brimming with classy boutiques, artsy galleries and quaint cafes that punctuate Bridgeway, the main thoroughfare where people take a stroll on their way to the water's edge and elsewhere.

Touristy during the day, I can sense that Sausalito unveils its hidden face or character as the sun goes down, once visitors have sailed or driven back to San Francisco.

My friend Rachel, together with her friends, took me by car on a half-day visit to Sausalito. Some visitors bike their way to the place but judging from the line at the pier, it looked like most of them take the ferry that regularly departs from San Francisco for Sausalito and back.

It was a fairly quick introduction to the place that somehow allowed us to have a taste of Sausalito's flavor. I believe that there is still much to see. I hope to be back and probably stay for 3 days/2 nights to experience and feel the place more. I want to see the boat houses, try some restaurants and further explore the village.

Meanwhile, my beautiful memories of Sausalito are in these snapshots.

 These burgers were a hit so we went with the flow,
 lined up and grabbed some. Yummy.

 Where people are, that's where we went.
Same is true for this ice cream parlor. No regrets.

Along Bridgeway, the main street dotted 
with boutiques, galleries and cafes.

Visitors stroll along the street at a relaxed pace. 

Some visitors ride their bikes from San Francisco to
Sausalito. Others take their bikes onto the ferry and
ride the same once they disembark in Sausalito.
 
A public park along Bridgeway near the ferry landing.

People stroll leisurely towards the seafront wherein they
converge to enjoy the view and a whiff of sea breeze.

One of the many galleries along the main street.

The ferry landing. Day visitors are boarding the
ferry that will take them back to San Francisco. 


 San Francisco in the distance.

With San Francisco-based friend, Rachel,
and her cute daughter. 

With Rachel's friends - some came in from Manila
and one flew in from LA.


Going towards the seafront; San Francisco as backdrop. 



 The sun(light) and the sea are perfect elements
for these shots.

Some guys play tricks by the
shoreline with their feathery pet.

I like Sausalito. I hope to be back there someday for a more in-depth visit. Until then.

Saturday, February 1, 2014

The Long Road To Oenophilia


Getting to love wine takes quite a while, at least for me whose drinking fare consists mostly of milk, tea, fresh juices and water. Besides, drinking wine triggers my hyperacidity which is such a darn spoiler. Definitely, it's not like second nature to me whose wine encounters are mostly functions of time and place, pretty much situational and neither due to culture nor upbringing.

I can count with my fingers the precious moments that I kind of liked wine - when it went with Morton's steak in Chicago, Ruth's Chris steak in LA and surprisingly, right at home with tender juicy Wagyu given to us by a relative from Australia as a Christmas gift. I also take to liking wine when I'm in Napa Valley, with charcuterie to match.

Although Napa is new world, it's good enough for me, quite good that I was fortunate being there twice. But after Napa, what or where? Well, still Napa and more of Napa with plenty of vineyards to visit. Better yet, some of the old world vineyards in Italy and France. Just wishing.

My first time in Napa was in 2010, spent evenly between two vineyards - Artesa in Sonoma and Joseph Phelps in St. Helena; second time was in 2013 at Sterling in Calistoga. All were memorable experiences. If I'd be lucky enough to visit Napa again, I'd be interested to try a vineyard with sparkling wines or with cave tours for a change.

In the meantime, let me share with you some Napa sceneries I captured on cam during my second visit.
 

 Our friend Chelly drove us to Napa Valley. Stopped over at
classic Oakville Grocery (since 1881) to grab some sandwiches
to fill us up prior to wine tasting. Empty stomach is a no-no.
 
Colors of autumn greeted us as we entered our
chosen vineyard - Sterling - in Calistoga.

Sterling is perched on a 300-foot hill; we had to take
an aerial tram (more like a small cable car) to get
us to the winery for the wine tasting. 


 
The aerial tram surely gave us an initial thrill
in getting to the winery. The view on the
way up was definitely breathtaking.


Touring the vineyard is a DIY which is good because we
were able to do it at our own pace. It's very educational
with all the relevant signage in place. 
 


 The views to behold while up there. Vineyards galore.
Anyone who is staying in the estate below is
assured of absolute peace and quiet.


Holding on to our welcome drink prior to wine tasting.
 
 
There is really so much to learn in a winery.
This is the area for fermentation. 
 
A treasure trove of vats full of wine.

A nice place to chill and to just enjoy the view.

The best part of it all. Let the wine-tasting begin
with some charcuterie to go with wine.

 The Chardonnay was more to my taste. And the Riesling too.
The reds are just too strong for me. Or maybe my taste
buds are not yet mature enough for the reds.

So there goes the long road to oenophilia. It's far from over and a couple of visits to Napa Valley is never enough. There is so much more to come back for. And we can only wish for life to be like wine - that it gets better as it ages . . . 

Thanks so much.

Sunday, January 26, 2014

Where We Stayed Puts The “O(h)” in San Francisco


Given a choice, we shun hotels. Besides being expensive and cosmetically beautiful, they don’t really give us a genuine feeling of being home. We go instead for bed-and-breakfast (B&B), where available and affordable. And that’s what we did in San Francisco.
 
It was my second time in this city where people, as the song goes, leave their hearts. I stayed there for 3 days/2 nights for my first visit way back in 2010. Our 2013 visit was Mayi’s first. We stayed for 7 days/6 nights which we split into 3 days/2 nights in Holiday Inn Fisherman’s Wharf and 5 days/4 nights in Bernalview B&B.

We initially stayed at Holiday Inn because it was just a few blocks from Fisherman’s Wharf where the bus from Emeryville Station of Amtrak dropped us off. Coming from a long train trip starting from New York, we needed an instant home upon arrival in San Francisco. For our 3rd and subsequent nights, we moved to Bernalview B&B, a 3-level Victorian inspired home occupied by Alan Lessik, a long-time San Francisco resident who spares a room for guests (maximum of 2 adult pax) to rent.

For USD80 per room-per night, there was no reason to complain. It was like home and feels like home with a view of the city in the distance. Alan does his own thing, goes to and comes back from work hardly noticed, practically leaving us alone to do our own thing as well. Except for some chance banters, it was pretty much a “to each his own” affair. 
 
Here's the place.
 
The city is around 40 minutes from here. We walk down
to Mission Street where we hail a bus to take us to
Union Square using our 3-day San Francisco pass(port).


The living room on the 2nd level as we emerge from the
flight of stairs outside. Alan's room is on the 3rd level. 
 
The kitchen - fridge is filled with food. No risk of getting
hungry - steaks, cheeses, milk, ice cream, spreads, etc.
Like most American homes, it's clean as you go.
 
I call this the English garden outside the kitchen.
 
The facade at ground level. 
 
 The doors to our room and the toilet. The bathroom is on
the 3rd level, shared with the owner. He gets to use it first
though because he leaves for the office early in the morning.
 
Alan bought us fresh bananas and peaches. The latter has
become my favorite while in San Francisco. The fresh one, 
which I like better, is less sweet than its canned version. 

The neighborhood - Bernal Heights. We were pretty
much within a living community, not a touristy place. 

 
Having seen this, I told myself that there is no need for me
to visit the painted ladies in Alamo. The neighborhood is
replete with Victorian inspired homes in various colors.  
 
While in Bernal Heights, this has become our favorite dining
place. It has a tale to tell. The ribs are to die for. Corner of
Precita and Mission Streets, a short walk from the B&B.

 
 
 
This is what Mayi grabbed a bite of (above). We go to Baby 
Blues for this. Oh so yummy - a delish yet inexpensive treat.
 
With San Francisco's innate charm and character, a repeat visit is hard to resist. For a change, maybe a December (Christmas) visit sounds exciting. Someday soon.