June 13: San Francisco
Dear Friends and Relatives,
How can the morning be any better than having the opportunity to read a book while listening to chirping birds sing and the tinkling of water in a courtyard fountain, and feel the cool sea breezes wash away any troubling spirits? Eventually, Maureen and I met over breakfast, which consisted of a type of Irish oatmeal taken to the 10th degree by the addition of several extra ingredients like dried fruits, oat bran, wheat bran, grits, ground flaxseed, and cracked wheat, along with freshly squeezed orange juice and coffee. Perfect for a morning’s refueling!
After doing some reading and ordering tickets for events and museums we want to see in the next few days, we decided to drive to a section of SF called Dogpatch, north of South SF, where Maureen is based. It is the last neighborhood before SF ends at the eastern industrial bay. Its epicenter is 22nd Street at 3rd. Its origins as a seaport involved industry and shipbuilding, much of which was centered in this area. The homes were designed as dwellings for workers, some of whom built their own homes. Many of these buildings, dating back to the 1860s, survived the 1906 earthquake and fire and stand today.
Our first venue once we had parked was an eatery called Just for You Cafe. I had had beignets last year at the Cafe du Monde in New Orleans, but was vastly disappointed by their dense, heavy quality. The beignets at Just for You I would rate as in the 9.8 range, and the light roast coffee accompanying them was scrumptious. We also stopped at a Recchiuti’s artisanal chocolate shop and a local arts and crafts shop called The Workshop, which featured lovely woodwork, pottery, tiles, jewelry, etc. For examples, see my photos for today on Facebook. I could not risk a beautifully striated doorstop made of wood. Next door was a shop featuring clothing, and we strolled through it, but the merchandise was so ridiculously expensive that we came and went quickly.
At home, Maureen drove me through the Mission Bay, where the new UCSF medical buildings are located, and from there to an area called Candlestick Point on SF Bay, where Randy, Shu, Isabelle, Isaac, and Irei live. We picked up Isaac for soccer practice at the Beach Chalet soccer field in Golden Gate Park, where we had been the other day for lunch. As we arrived, Shu was there with Irei, who had just finished soccer practice. She allowed us to keep Irei for the duration, and we watched Isaac practice with his team. Eventually, as the cold fog kept rolling in, we got cold and proceeded to the Beach Chalet, but this time to the bar, where Isaac joined us a bit later and we had sliders, sweet potato fries and a great pomegranate and blueberry lemonade while watching a thrilling game of basketball between the Toronto Raptors and the Golden State Warriors for the NBA Championship, which was won by the Raptors with a final score of 114 - 110. It’s the longest time I have ever watched a basketball game, and it was thrilling. I yelled and screamed with the best of them, and afterwards Maureen and I brought the sleepy boys back home. We are now at Maureen’s—both on the computor, satisfied with a leisurely, fun day!
For a look at photos, see today’s Facebook entries and enjoy! As ever, Sylvia V.
How can the morning be any better than having the opportunity to read a book while listening to chirping birds sing and the tinkling of water in a courtyard fountain, and feel the cool sea breezes wash away any troubling spirits? Eventually, Maureen and I met over breakfast, which consisted of a type of Irish oatmeal taken to the 10th degree by the addition of several extra ingredients like dried fruits, oat bran, wheat bran, grits, ground flaxseed, and cracked wheat, along with freshly squeezed orange juice and coffee. Perfect for a morning’s refueling!
After doing some reading and ordering tickets for events and museums we want to see in the next few days, we decided to drive to a section of SF called Dogpatch, north of South SF, where Maureen is based. It is the last neighborhood before SF ends at the eastern industrial bay. Its epicenter is 22nd Street at 3rd. Its origins as a seaport involved industry and shipbuilding, much of which was centered in this area. The homes were designed as dwellings for workers, some of whom built their own homes. Many of these buildings, dating back to the 1860s, survived the 1906 earthquake and fire and stand today.
Our first venue once we had parked was an eatery called Just for You Cafe. I had had beignets last year at the Cafe du Monde in New Orleans, but was vastly disappointed by their dense, heavy quality. The beignets at Just for You I would rate as in the 9.8 range, and the light roast coffee accompanying them was scrumptious. We also stopped at a Recchiuti’s artisanal chocolate shop and a local arts and crafts shop called The Workshop, which featured lovely woodwork, pottery, tiles, jewelry, etc. For examples, see my photos for today on Facebook. I could not risk a beautifully striated doorstop made of wood. Next door was a shop featuring clothing, and we strolled through it, but the merchandise was so ridiculously expensive that we came and went quickly.
At home, Maureen drove me through the Mission Bay, where the new UCSF medical buildings are located, and from there to an area called Candlestick Point on SF Bay, where Randy, Shu, Isabelle, Isaac, and Irei live. We picked up Isaac for soccer practice at the Beach Chalet soccer field in Golden Gate Park, where we had been the other day for lunch. As we arrived, Shu was there with Irei, who had just finished soccer practice. She allowed us to keep Irei for the duration, and we watched Isaac practice with his team. Eventually, as the cold fog kept rolling in, we got cold and proceeded to the Beach Chalet, but this time to the bar, where Isaac joined us a bit later and we had sliders, sweet potato fries and a great pomegranate and blueberry lemonade while watching a thrilling game of basketball between the Toronto Raptors and the Golden State Warriors for the NBA Championship, which was won by the Raptors with a final score of 114 - 110. It’s the longest time I have ever watched a basketball game, and it was thrilling. I yelled and screamed with the best of them, and afterwards Maureen and I brought the sleepy boys back home. We are now at Maureen’s—both on the computor, satisfied with a leisurely, fun day!
For a look at photos, see today’s Facebook entries and enjoy! As ever, Sylvia V.
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