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San Francisco, CA :
It's All About The Vibe!
So Many Neighborhoods, So Little Time.
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the gateway of Napa – make it your first stop and take in the views.
The rest of the day: Check out Sonoma’s B. R. Cohn for a picnic – (you can bring your own food so long as you buy a bottle). Recognize the name? He’s the manager of the Doobie Brothers, and they hold a benefit concert every year at the winery. I just missed it this year (it was in late September), what a lineup: Doobie Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Joe Satriani, and Sammy Hager. I’m telling you – a picnic is the way to go in wine country – so relaxing and beautiful and old-fashioned. Take your time, converse with your friends – there is no rush.
GO GREEK: KOKKARI ESIATORIO THE CULINARY HIGHLIGHT
The best meal of the trip was at Kokkari Estiatorio in Jackson Square - a Mediterranean restaurant that had me pushing my chair back, swirling my wine – completely indifferent to the fact that we were one of the last customers remaining. For a nice night out, arrive early and enjoy a drink at the bar. It’s located in the first dining area right when you walk in (complete with fireplace), and it creates the aura of a small restaurant. Once seated, however, I learned that it was a very big place – a beautiful, winding restaurant that feels quaint and small because it’s long and narrow and “just keeps going,” as one of my friends simply put it.
I recommend the goat stew – it was almost like eating barbecue – served on a hot plate with pieces of artichokes and feta cheese. It was a special that night and the first time I’ve ever had goat – proceed without caution if you see it on a menu. After dinner, we kicked back with a bottle of dessert wine: the 2007 Domaine des Baumard Coteaux du Layon Clos Ste. Catherine. Fancy names don’t impress me, but great wine does: Try it when you go to Kokkari, or if you see it at your local distributor. Other neighborhood food recommendations: Hunan Home’s in Chinatown (Jackson Street), Rose Pistola in North Beach (located on Columbus Ave in North Beach, which is Little Italy – a great area to walk through, have dinner and a gelato). An idea for an afternoon: Head across the Golden Gate to Sausalito for lunch on the water and views of the bay, boats, and San Francisco skyline. I’d recommend Horizons for a casual approach, or the Spinnaker if you want your view served with white tablecloths. Decent town to walk through – a bit crowded, though.
ESCAPE TO ALCATRAZ: SAN FRANCISCO FLASHES ITS BEAUTY
Don’t be scared off thinking Alcatraz is too touristy. I’m not a fan of crowds – and you certainly have to deal with them – but I took the “Alcatraz at Night” tour and it was a very memorable experience. The audio tour was great – I learned a lot and got a feel for the place – but the views stole the show on this clear night. The boat ride to and from the island was almost worth the ticket price in itself ($49).
Tip: Watch the weather when you book the tour at night – it could be chilly out on the water. If you’re going to do one “touristy” thing while you’re in San Francisco, check out Alcatraz, day or night. It’s true what the prisoners said: The real torture of Alcatraz was looking out the window at the blue water, seeing the skyline and the bridges, hearing the sounds of freedom blowing across the bay.
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