San Francisco - Baseball

We decided to experience a bit of Americana and take in a baseball game while in the San Francisco area. So we went to the only game happening while we were there: the Oakland Athletics versus the Tampa Bay Manta Rays.

What struck me at first was the small size of the field and the humongous size of the stadium. They can cram a lot of people in here! The second thing is how expensive food is! I had flavoured popcorn, a Guinness, and two hot dogs...$29! The heat was also brutal although this was an afternoon game in August.

The Oakland Athletics lost. I had an experience that I feel no need to repeat. Perhaps those that watch baseball would get more out of it than I did.

This is my last post on San Francisco until the next time.

San Francisco - Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot

My wife's sister, whom we were staying with in San Mateo, suggested to eat at the Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot restaurant in town. We were there during Tuesday's all you can eat night and it was delicious and a great experience!

We chose the meats, vegetables and pastas and chose the regular and spicy soup broths. Then we had to cook it in the broth; meats first, then vegetables, then noodles. They have several franchises including one nearby in Vancouver. We will try this again.

San Francisco - Comic Art Museum

The Comic Art Museum in San Francisco is a small but ultra cool museum of comic art.

Mike Zeck is  a comic book illustrator who started in 1974 and has worked on many tites over the years.

Marvel's Punisher

Marvel's Secret Wars. The iconic black Spider-Man symbiote outfit.

They also had an exibition from the research work done by Trina Robbins, called Pretty in Ink. She is a comic artist as well. The exibition was of women in comics throughout the ages.

One of the standouts is Nell Brinkley, a stylish artist who worked on comics for fourty years.

Her work is artful and moving. I'd love an original.

Another standout was Tarpe Mills and her Miss Fury comic. It was the first costumed female superhero! Very risque art for the 1940's.

Next was the 30th anniversary exibition of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, by Eastman and Laird. That was fun reminising and I flipped through my TMNT graphic novels when I got home.

We were here on the first Tuesday of the month which is donation day. You basically pay what you feel is a suitable donation. Even the $8 regular charge would have been perfectly fine.

The gift shop is well stocked with comics and I picked up DC's Identiry Crisis. I read it over the next week and was super impressed.

San Francisco - Chinatown, Red Blossom Tea Company and the City View Restaurant

My wife and I went to San Francisco's Chinatown to show her around, as I have been here before. It has turned more touristy with multiple shops selling the same trinkets, pottery and t-shirts. Its the alleyways and corners of the area that I like the best, always hoping I come into an hidden area where "Big Trouble in Little China" is real.

We stopped in a tea store that was recommended to us, the Red Blossom Tea Company. It was very specialized and the staff really knew her stuff. If we were wealthier we would have gotten some premium tea but in Victoria we have two supurb local tea stores, Silk Road and Special T's, that it would have to be quite the unique and tasty tea. Instead we got some interesting and inexpensive tea.

We asked the lady where she would eat for dim sum and she directed us to the City View Restaurant. It was very tasty, fresh and not greasy. We'd eat here again.

San Francisco - Chez Pannise

My wife has eaten at Chez Panisse before, when wine touring with friends of ours. It is a French resteraunt with a California flair. It is nicely done up inside and is an experience in of itself. It opened in 1971 and offered a fixed menu, which changed each evening. In 1980, they opened the upsatairs cafe with an al a carte menu. They strive for freash and local when making thier menu. We dined there in the cafe for lunch.

To start I had the golden tomato bisque with creme fresh and anise hyssop.

My wife had the halibut tartar with marinated beets, chevril and citrus vinagrette.

Her main was Sonoma duck breast with pickled peaches, escarole, green beans and grilled potatoes.

My main was hand cut noodles with chanterelles, gremolata and pecorino cheese.

For dessert I had a bittersweet chocolate pave with caramel ice cream.

My wife had the creme fresh panna cotta with wood roasted black mission figs.

We would definitly eat here again...and again.

San Francisco - Cookin' Kitchen Store

Nestled just to the West of Haight is the Cookin' Kitchen Store.

Inside is a treasure trove of kitchen appliances and accoutrements all at decent used prices. Beware neat freaks and elitists, the owner is curt and has her own way of doing things. Be patient and you will be rewarded with a great experience.

My wife found a menu, for Pan America airlines in 1960, for their President's buffet meals on board their Asian flights...all inspired by Maxim's of Paris. A cool find. She intends on having it framed with clear glass on each side so the art or the menu can be displayed. We just wish we had more room for other items for the kitchen.

San Francisco - Haight District

Haight street in San Francisco has the distinction of being the centerpoint of hippy culture in the 1960's.

With the beat generation (1950's) going to North Beach the lower rent area of Haight, because of a proposed freeway, attracted the people that would become the centre of the "Summer of Love". Lots of influential rock bands started here.

After the decline of the hippie movement it became a hard drug and crime ridden area from 1968 to the early 70's. It then became the proving grounds for famous comedians then for the punk and dance music scene.

Currently it is a mix of all the above things and is great fun to walk around. For those who like used clothes shopping, there are vintage stores of many eras and stores that sell clothes of fictional vintages, like steampunk. Amoeba records is a premiere place to find music, movies and memorabilia. Here is an article from SFGATE on the Haight area and suggestions.

San Francisco - Street Views

On the streets of San Francisco were great examples of architecture. Take a gander!

San Francisco - Japanese Tea Garden

The Japanese Tea Garden, nestled in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, is a delightful oasis in a busy city.

What I noticed were the multiple hues of green that were present.

The water was only disturbed when the large koi fish broke the surface. Even though there was a lot of people in the park, everyone quieted down and enjoyed the surroundings.

I really like the woodwork under this archway.

We would have gone to the tea house, which was priced very reasonably, but we had other places to go.

San Francisco - Stinking Rose

The Stinking Rose is a tourist and local staple in San Francisco for many many years. Even though i'd been to San Francisco multiple times before, I never went here before.

First was the Bagna Calda, basically garlic, butter, olive oil and a little anchovies. Delicious and spreads on the focaccia like room temperature butter.

Then I had the rabbit with garlic, tomato sauce, garlic mashed potatoes and a bit of olive oil.

Everything was delicious and hearty. I'd come back again.

San Francisco - Two Wineries around Los Gatos

One of the things my wife wanted to go to on our trip to the San Francisco area was a few wineries. In this case she wanted to revisit Thomas Fogarty and Ridge.

Thomas Fogardy was the fellow who invented the embolectomy catheter for vascular medicine. He also liked wine and started with a few acres in 1979. Now at over 300 acres with 25 devoted to vines, you can enjoy this oasis off the Skyline Boulevard. I found the wines tasted quite good.

The land Ridge is on was used for growing grapes for wine since 1885 but the Ridge winery was founded in the 1960's. It wins world awards for its wine and placed highly in the legendary Judgement of Paris in 1976, where established French wines were blind taste tested with California wines. It also won in a recreation with the original vintages for the 30th anniversary. I found the wines very very good and some are recommended to age for several more decades to get more out of them.

Below is a view from Ridge.

There are many more wineries in the area. Why not give Sonoma a break and try something different when in the San Francisco area and looking for wine.