from the hills to the piers

After a long day on foot, my adventure in San Francisco continued with a visit to Alcatraz, The Ferry Building, Fisherman's Wharf, Lombard Street, and China Town.  As far as Jawsie's guide to seeing SF goes, these sights are a must. (Tip #7 [see]: all these things.  The only thing you'll pay for on this full day of sight seeing is a boat ticket and your lunch...)

The boat to Alcatraz left at 11am, and I ran to make my reservation with breakfast in hand.  

You could say that Alcatraz was cool and that the views were OK...  Too bad the weather was so bleh....

Holy crap.  You guys, that was a joke!!! It was absurdly pretty and so interesting.  I pretty much relayed the entire audio tour to my boyfriend back in Boston through 109834 text messages because I thought every fact was SOOOO cool.  I mean, this is was jail? A maximum security penitentiary?  What do I have to do for real estate like this?

Next was the Ferry Building for lunch at il Cane Rosso.  One word: yum!  

That was fresh broccoli root soup with a hot chili relish and half a slow-cooked pork shoulder sandwich with mustard greens,  caramelized onions, and aioli.  Do you need me to repeat that sentence?

Then I headed back down to Pier 39, where I met my new best friends...

I watched them for at least 25 minutes....  not kidding.

And then my iPhone 4 took this photo of the Fisherman's Wharf sign:

And I walked up the hill to the curvy block of Lombard Street.

Did I mention that you get these views for free in San Francisco?  Everywhere you turn there is something beautiful.

Next, I circled back to China town to check it out.  Strolling the streets lined with Asian markets was amazing.  Though the hanging chickens in the window and drying fish in buckets don't lend to the greatest olfactory experience, this part of town is not to be missed.

That night, I met up with some college friends at Mamacitas in the Marina.  If you like Mexican food, and you're in San Francisco, you must try this place.  It was so fresh and delish!  If you go here, the Chilaquiles Casi Listos is to DIE for (as is the ceviche, enchiladas, and everything else on the menu).

I'll be back later today to detail my last adventure in San Francisco.  I'll give you a hint.... I didn't get any less touristy.  

fall weekends

Fall is my favorite time of year in New England, hands down.  There's something about the start of a new school year, changing leaves, and the crisp smell of a fall evening that really gets to me.  I love to don heartier clothes and cozy layers while continuing to spend a lot of time outside in the still-strong Indian Summer sun.  It is the best!  Needless to say, I enjoy most of these favorite fall experiences on the weekends (thanks a lot, work!), and I love that fall weekends are full of great activities.  Pumpkin patches, apple orchards, lazy Saturday strolls, football games, etc. etc.  However, sometimes there are too many of my favorite things scheduled for the same weekend, and I have to (gasp!!!) choose what to do!  This weekend was one of those scenarios, and I had the hardest time deciding on a plan.  Each option promised to be full of rich tradition, quintessentially fall wardrobe choices, great friends, and fun memories.

First, it was homecoming at my alma mater.  The weekend is an annual favorite for obvious reasons:  the bonfire, the pigroast, old friends, fall New England weather, and school spirit.

photo courtesy of the Dartmouth College Fund

Though homecoming is typically a great football-centered celebration at other schools, at my alma mater homecoming is more of a celebration for the sake of celebrating.  For starters, the Ivy League is not known for their stellar football, and it is safe to say that the team I root for is no where near the top of that list...  Homecoming at my school is about seeing the freshman class run around their bonfire, meeting new sisters in your sorority, seeing old friends, eating good food, beer, and trying to stay warm!  Sadly, this year my friends and I decided we wouldn't go to homecoming because we are getting "too old to be the young alums and too young to be the old alums."     Maybe we'll reconsider next year.

Next, this weekend was the annual Head of the Charles regatta, which takes place in my new hometown, Boston, MA.  Having gone to a small New England college, I had heard of the event before and knew it was it was supposed to be a ton of fun.  What could be better than a weekend filled with watching tall, young, handsome, well-educated men competing in a grueling, athletic competition?  I think the answer is simple: not much...

Photo courtesy of mediabistro.com

I thought it would be perfect to go to the Head of the Charles this year because I am new to the city of Boston.  I moved to the historic neighborhood of Beacon Hill in September, and I love everything about my new home (er, small apartment).  Unfortunately, this tradition will also have to wait another year.  Other plans were finalized before I was completely up to speed on the fall schedule in Boston.  However, I think next year it won't take so much convincing for me to stay home-- mainly because I just took a look at my bank account  and noticed this weekend's damage (ouch!).

Finally, this weekend was the annual Far Hills Race Meeting, or The Hunt, in Far Hills, NJ.  For those who do not know, The Races are a 100+ year old tradition of steeplechase horse races located about an hour outside of New York City.

Photo courtesy of farhillsrace.org

Attending The Hunt allowed me to a) see my boyfriend's extended family (hello, brownie points!), b) see old friends from high school and friends from New York who I don't see all the time, and c) be close enough to Manhattan to attend an engagement party Saturday night for good friends who live in San Francisco.  It was my first time to The Races, and it didn't disappoint.  Though it was a long day of imbibing, I saw great friends, spent an entire day outside, and even made a point to see the horses race on more than one occasion from both the infield and the hill!  Unfortunately, I only have one photo to share from the event.  And it's not even a good photo... It is safe to say I was too busy holding onto my boots while trudging through the mud and hugging good friends.  Not a bad excuse in my book!

Did you have a great weekend?  Were there any seasonal traditions involved?

ps. I have a big project that  I will be sharing over the next couple of weeks.  Visit later this week for a peak at step 1!